382 OBSERVATIONS ON THE DISEASES, &C. 



have been cut off from the body of the tree, even 

 at the distance of two or more feet from the trunk, 

 with a view to prevent injury to the timber, even 

 that method has not been found effectual to save 

 the tree from very material detriment ; as the 

 remaining stem of the branch so cut away, dying 

 soon after, becomes a ready conduit for conveying 

 pernicious moisture and disease to that part of the 

 tree with which it is connected j and so on, in 

 time, to the whole. 



The practice of others, in lopping their trees 

 close to the trunk, and dressing the part smooth 

 and even, has less objections than the former 5 

 nevertheless, even according to this method, the 

 tree is liable to injury. The effort of nature to 

 heal the wounds thus given discovers itself by en- 

 circling the wound with a kind of callus or lip, 

 which, increasing in size, and swelling out from 

 the annual flow of the juices, forms a hollow or ca- 

 vity of the central part, where the rain or snow is 

 very apt to lodge ; and penetrating between the 

 bark and the wood, dried and cracked by a hard 

 frost or a warm sun, promotes that fermentation 

 with the natural juices, which is the certain source 

 of disease and decay. 



Young, healthful, and vigorous trees, when they 

 have been injured by being wantonly cut through 

 the bark, or from other causes, will sometimes re- 

 cover themselves, and, to all outward appearance, 

 be restored to their original soundness j but when 



