40 TOWN PLANTING 



sand, the surface coating containing a larger 

 quantity of cement. As cement usually 

 shrinks from contact with the wood, a coat 

 of tar between these will be found useful, 

 and cracking of the concrete surface may be 

 prevented by an occasional coat of paint, the 

 colour of which should imitate, as nearly as 

 possible, that of the natural bark. In trees 

 where decay is not too far advanced, and 

 where the bark is likely to grow over the 

 artificially filled hollow, the concrete should 

 only be brought up flush with the healthy 

 bark. On examining lately several large 

 Oaks and other trees which were treated as 

 just described some twenty years ago, the re- 

 sults quite justify the method adopted. 



Those having charge of trees should never 

 allow the stems to be covered with soil, 

 neglect of which has been the direct cause 

 of the decay and death of many noble spe- 

 cimens throughout the country. Where it 

 cannot be avoided, and the instances are few, 

 dishing will assist that is, the soil heaped 

 around the trunk should be formed into 



