CHAPTER XVII 



CARE OF OLD TREES 



THE charm of many an estate is not the garden or 

 the woodland, but the monarchs that for years have 

 weathered the winter storm and stand out as noble 

 specimens of their family. Often there are fine trees 

 of rarer species which their owners naturally wish to 

 preserve from decay as long as possible. Belonging 

 to this class are numerous specimens scattered over 

 the country of American and other foreign trees that 

 were amongst the first of their kind to be introduced 

 to Britain, such, for instance, as the Tulip tree, the 

 Robinia, and various oaks from America, the Sophora 

 from China, and various European trees. The trees 

 may have some historic associations, but whether this 

 is so or not, when they begin to decay efforts are made 

 to save them from absolute death. Decay is harmful 

 and objectionable in park and garden, and we are 

 not sure that this matter of decay in trees has been 

 so well considered as it might be, as bearing upon 

 the health of other trees and of mankind also. A 

 tree may be picturesque in decay, but we prefer it 

 in health and beauty. Experts are frequently asked 

 for remedies to arrest decay in old trees. 



The two principal causes of decay are starvation 

 at the root and injury by storms and disease. Such 



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