50 Disease and Death of Trees — Generalities 



It is easy cnouii;li to get rid of an\- tree In' cutting it, or by 

 merely girdling, and, if it is a "sap-wood" tree, by sawing 

 through the sap-wood, thereby cutting off water-supply 

 from the foliage and food-supjjly from the root. While 

 this works positixely with conifers and many broad-leaf 

 trees, there are some of the latter, which have such vigorous 

 sprouting habit from the root that something more must 

 be done to kill the root-stock. Removal is, of course, again 

 the most effective but e.\pensi\e method. With some, 

 cutting through the root strands will expedite death; but 

 others are so persistent that still another means must be 

 added. The most effective of these and least destructive 

 to other vegetation, is the thorough drenching of the root- 

 stock with kerosene which closes the breathing pores and 

 chokes out life. 



