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more than wooden ones, and they will remain, 

 upon the trees, and be legible, during a man's 

 life-time. Instead of this ink, the writing, 

 made with a common lead pencil, becomes, 

 after two or three days' exposure without wet- 

 ting, almost indelible, and will last for a long 

 time. 



The initials of a name, or the number of a 

 fruit, may be cut in the bark of a tree without 

 injury. Such marks remain legible for many 

 years. 



Supports. Trees newly set, often require 

 support against the force of the wind. When. 

 a stake is used, it ought to be three or four 

 inches in diameter. There will be an advan- 

 tage in setting the stake in the hole, before 

 planting out the tree. The bottom of the 

 stake may stand, one or two feet from the bot- 

 tom of the tree, and the top may slant up so 

 as to touch the tree. Pare the side of the 

 stake next the tree smoothly, in a crescent 

 form, so as to fit the form of the tree, and bind 

 the two together with a soft rope, previously 

 winding an old cloth round the tree to prevent 

 its being chafed by the stake. Short stakes, 

 two feet above the surface of the ground, are 

 often sufficient for the support of a tree. 



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