40 PRACTICAL TREE REPAIR 



and definite general rules for the treatment of 

 wounds which can now be laid down. 



Prune and make incisions, whenever possible, 

 in late summer, fall, and early winter. Small 

 wounds on fast-growing wood dress with paint 

 or tar. If in a year they show season checks give 

 them a second coat. Moist wounds saturate with 

 a non-filling disinfectant. After checking has 

 taken place and the wound is dry, put on a 

 thorough coat of a heavy dressing. Large 

 wounds, in which the exposed wood is seasoned, 

 paint with creosote, then cover with a heavy pro- 

 tective dressing. If necessary, reinforce the 

 dressing, or cover the wound with metal. It is 

 extremely desirable that all wounds be inspected 

 yearly, and that all injuries to the coverings be 

 repaired promptly. 



We come now to the different kinds of wounds 

 trees receive, and the way to treat each of them. 



Trees receive mechanical injuries in a thousand 

 different ways. It would be impossible to enum- 

 erate them, nor is it necessary, for the measures 

 of prevention and repair are much the same. It 

 will be necessary only to pick out a number of 

 typical injuries and describe the correct treatment 

 of each. 



The commonest kind of mechanical injury to 

 the trunks of trees is the bark wound. Animals 

 gnaw at the trees, vehicles run against them, 



