Repairing Damage 



113 



gins to the live cambium layer, treated antiseptically as 

 directed above, and finally painted. At the same time 

 the tree should be invigorated, as indi- 

 cated before, by soil improvement and 

 pruning. 



If a fresh wound, made by any accident, 

 such as the gnawing of a horse, be at once 

 completely co\-ered with melted tree wax ^ 

 so as to keep the parts below soft and 

 moist, and protected by cloth bandages 

 against further disturbances, a new rind 

 or bark will de\'elop directly from the 

 living tissues, without the callus forma- 

 tion of the marginal cambium. The 

 application of an antiseptic, like Bor- 

 deaux mixture, before the wax cover is 

 put on. may also be useful to destroy 

 fungus spores. Rapid growing deciduous 

 species, if girdled or peeled in the earlier 

 part of the season when the cambium is 

 fully active, will respond with special 

 readiness to such treatment, and will 

 close a peel wound in the first year. 



If the tree has been completely girdled, or if it coul 1 not 

 be protected at once as described above, it can still be 

 saved by an expert or skilful grafter through the process 

 of ''bridging," described as follows. 



The margin of the wound is trimmed smooth, and a 

 number of scions, freshly cut }oung twigs from two or three 



Fig. 44. — Method of 

 bridging a wound 

 with freshly cut 

 young twigs. 



'A serviceable tree wax is made by melting together by weight, one part 

 tallow, two parts beeswax, four parts rosin, then pouring into cold water 

 and working it with hands (which should be greased) until it becomes the 

 color of taffy candy and develops a grain. 



