go THE STORY OF MY ROCK GARDEN 



older branches, and this I at once treated with Stock- 

 holm tar, dropping it into the wound, and binding up 

 the whole with tarred string. So far this seems to 

 have prevented any decay setting in, and as this 

 occurred some time ago, I am hopeful that no ill effects 

 will follow. When I had finished treating the subject 

 in this way it appeared as shown in the second photo- 

 graph on page 76 and to my mind better represents a 

 mature tree than the former one, and certainly is more 

 decorative. Where the small leather bandages were 

 of a colour which taught the eye, I applied a small 

 quantity of brown spirit stain, which entirely prevented 

 them being noticeable. 



After a time, probably a year or eighteen months, 

 depending upon the age of the subject so treated, the 

 branches will, I hope, have hardened into the required 

 positions, and the wire stays can be removed. 



I believe much may be done on the lines of the fore- 

 going, to greatly improve many of the dense growing 

 dwarf trees used in the Rock garden, and certainly where 

 one's pocket is not of the deepest, much interest is deri- 

 vable from manufacturing one's own miniature trees. 



A close inspection of good specimens of Japanese 

 dwarf trees is very helpful, and especially the manner 

 in which the branches are tied, and makes one realise 

 how extremely clever and painstaking are these 

 Eastern people. 



