NOVEMBER: FOURTH WEEK 



of the tree. The filling should be built out just level with 

 the inside of the bark, which will grow over the cement 

 with remarkable rapidity. Sometimes, to fill the cavity 

 to the top, it is necessary to bore a hole from above and to 

 pour in the wet concrete. After the filling is in place care- 

 fully paint over any exposed wood, especially where it 

 comes in contact with the cement. 



Care should be taken not to use cement just before a 

 freeze may be expected. A newly finished job, however, 

 may be protected from several degrees of frost by tying a 

 heavy blanket or some old sacking over it. Do not let the 

 cold prevent your cleaning out and painting the wounds 

 now. In the spring, after further treatment if required, the 

 filling may be put in in a few minutes. 



How to Mend a Split 



Next to decay, splitting from wind or ice or over-fruiting 

 probably causes more damage than anything else. Besides 

 the breaking apart of limbs there is 

 usually more or less injury to the ad- 

 jacent bark. In cases of this kind the 

 limbs should be put back into their 

 proper position as soon as possible by 

 tying heavy chains or ropes round 

 them protecting the bark with old 

 sacking or slats of wood and twist- 

 ing these tight with an iron or stout 

 wooden bar. To hold the damaged 

 limbs in place permanently it is well 

 to have made iron rods of the right 

 length, with ring bolts at each end. 

 Extra large washers, which may be 

 slightly countersunk into the outer 

 surfaces of the limbs, should be used 

 for the bolts. All injured parts should be cut away 

 and the surfaces painted thickly just before the pieces are 

 drawn tightly into place, as shown in the drawing on this 

 page. 



