THE TREE DOCTOR 



55 



The law in plant and tree life is strongly analogous to the 

 animal kingdom. An Apple tree makes a good size at forty 

 years, and should be "hale and hearty" at two hundred years. 



Some scientists speak of the "heart" of a sound tree as being 

 "dead ;" indeed some have gone so far as to call all the tree 

 "dead" except the outer parts. It seems to me, however, a mis- 

 take to use the word "dead" to designate those stationary 

 parts. How can we apply the term "dead" to the center of 

 a tree whose millions of cells are constantly engaged in con- 

 veying "live sap" to the upper extremities to be converted into 

 "tree blood?" Gentlemen, can't you "coin" a better word? 

 "Death" is always associated with decay. In Photos 45 

 and 46 you surely have "dead" centers. They have de- 

 cayed and disappeared. Photo 45 is a very peculiarly in- 

 teresting case. It is a Norway Maple, on the grounds of Mr. 

 Robt. Pitcairn, Ellsworth Ave., Pittsburg, Pa. All the cen- 

 ter was completely decayed and had to be taken out ; nothing but 



Photo 45 

 Norway Maple, Robert Pitcairn grounds, Pittsburg, Pa. 



