174- THE PRACTICAL PLANTER. 



In both cases, the face of the wound and 

 edges of the bark are to be made perfectly 

 smooth with the knife ; and in a few hours 

 after, or so soon as they are quite dry, let 

 the wound be carefully plaistered with tar, 

 (such as is used for sheep-smearing,) or laid 

 over with white or blue lead, which has 

 been well mixed up with oil, and rendered 

 rather thicker than is commonly used for 

 painting. The tar is, however, certainly 

 preferable, being of a more healing nature ; 

 and, if laid on in a thin state, it is not so apt 

 to scale off by the action of the weather, as 

 the paint. 



This operation, as has already been men- 

 tioned, should be performed in the fall ; at 

 which time, the wound is not so apt to crack, 

 and likewise dries sooner than at any other 

 season. If, however, in the course of the 

 ensuing summer, or at any subsequent pe- 

 riod, the tar or paint is found to rend or scale 

 oft', care must be taken to renew and keep 

 the plaister sound and smooth, until the 

 bark grow over and cover the wound ; and 

 this should be more particularly observed in 

 respect of wounds on the trunk. 



