PRUNING DISEASED TREES 69 



The tearing away of a branch close to the 

 main stem, such as during stormy weather, if 

 not attended to, will frequently be found to 

 have set up incipient decay at the point of 

 breakage, which, aided by damp and fungus 

 attacks, will extend for a considerable distance 

 into the stem and greatly injure the quality 

 of the timber. Although not claiming that 

 pruning will remove such a defect, yet, by a 

 proper course of treatment, the progress of the 

 evil may be arrested. Usually, where a branch 

 has been broken over close to the trunk, the 

 snag or remaining portion dies back, forming 

 a cavity in the tree with the rotting branch in 

 the centre, and surrounded by the growing 

 wood. In such a case the diseased and rotting 

 wood, often permeated by fungus, must be 

 carefully removed, the edge of the cavity 

 made smooth with a pruning knife, and, after 

 the interior has become quite dry, the whole 

 should be painted with coal-tar. Filling the 

 cavity as described in Chapter II. is to be 

 recommended. 



In pruning or removing a living branch, it 

 should be borne in mind that a clean cut with 



