120 THE HEALING OF WOUNDS 



be saved in this way, even if the girdles com- 

 pletely encircle the tree and if they are as much 

 as a foot long, providing the trees are vigorous, 

 and the treatment is applied before the wood 

 becomes hard and dry. 



If the tree is particularly choice, or if the girdle 

 is unusually serious or of long standing, and 

 especially if the wounds extend into the wood, 

 it may be advisable to supply a connection be- 

 tween the separated parts of the trunk. Fig. 99 

 explains how this may be done. The edges of the 

 girdle are trimmed, and cions are inserted under 

 the bark so as to bridge the wound. These cions 

 are cut to a wedge shape on either end as for 

 ordinary cleft -grafting,* and they are inserted 

 between the bark and wood. A cloth bandage is 

 tied about each edge of the wound, to hold the 

 bark in place over the cions, and melted wax is 

 then poured over the entire work, covering the 

 exposed wood and also the edges of the bark for 

 a couple of inches or more back from the wound. 

 It will do no harm if the cions are buried in the 

 wax. Care should be taken that the cions do not 

 send out shoots from their buds. Some persons 

 prefer to cut the buds from the cions to avoid 

 this difficulty, but it is probably better to leave 

 the buds on, inasmuch as their effort to grow may 

 hasten a union. Fig. 100 is a cross -section of 



*The whole subject of grafting is explained in "The Nursery-Book." 



