188 TREE WOUNDS AND DISEASES 



late years, in every part of the country. When 

 badly attacked, the bark peels off and the tree 

 dies. Scrubbing the affected bark with soft 

 soap or petroleum emulsion is to be recom- 

 mended, this remedy having answered well 

 when dealing with the trees in the famous 

 Burnham Forest. The canker fungus (Nectria 

 ditissima) frequently accompanies the beech 

 coccus. Seedling beech are somewhat tender 

 and suffer from untimely spring frosts. Being 

 long-lived, a hollow and decayed stem, as in 

 the case of the old tree at Knole Park, will 

 last for several decades if properly attended to. 

 The beech, however, does not stand pruning 

 well, and, unlike the oak and elm, is shy in 

 sending out young shoots. 



Birch. This may be reckoned as one of our 

 hardiest trees, and the least exacting as to soil 

 and situation. It is affected with large fungoid 

 growths, known as birch-balls. Polyporus 

 betulinus often attacks the birch, and under 

 its shade the magnificent scarlet Agaricus 

 muscarius which is, however, harmless is 

 most commonly to be found. By removing 

 the Polyporus from the tree and painting the 



