60 TREE PRUNING. 



tree. In such cases the coal-tar which does not 

 adhere firmly should be rubbed off and another coat 

 applied to the wound. 



Employment of Coal-tar in protecting Young Plantations 

 against Animals. Coal-tar may be used with excellent 

 effect in protecting young plantations from the at- 

 tacks of rabbits, and other game, or such domestic 

 animals as goats and sheep. Satisfactory results have 

 been obtained too, from the use of coal tar in protect- 

 ing young trees from horses, which often take special 

 delight in tearing off the entire bark from certain 

 kinds of trees, particularly Elms and Poplars. This 

 is not, however, always a safe or desirable remedy, as 

 it necessitates covering a large part of the stem, and 

 this is often fatal to the tree either by producing 

 asphyxia, from which trees treated in this manner 

 are liable to suffer, or, perhaps, by the action of the 

 powerful acid contained in coal-tar itself, which, used 

 in large quantities, might perhaps affect the sap. 



Employment of Coal-tar on Fruit Trees. It is for 

 this reason that the application of coal-tar should not 

 be made except with considerable caution in the treat- 

 ment of wounds on drupacious fruit trees (Cherries, 

 Peaches, Plums, etc.), and especially on the Plum- 

 tree. It has often been observed that the bark of 

 fruit trees of this class have suffered from the appli- 

 cation of coal-tar. This is not the case, however, 

 with Pome-bearing trees (Apples, Pears, etc.) ; to 

 these coal-tar may be applied with perfect safety. 



It must not be supposed from these remarks that 



