Sept."] TREATMENT OF WOUNDS, &C. 473 



Otf THE TREATMENT OF WOUNDS, BRUISES, 

 AND OTHER CASUALTIES. 



The prefent fubjecl naturally follows the re- 

 claiming of neglected hedge-row trees. Among 

 thefe, as well as in the park and in the lawn, and 

 alfo in neglected old plantations, it is often ne- 

 ceflary to inflict larger wounds than we could 

 wifh ; and, not unfrequently, accidental wounds, 

 bruifes and fractures, folicit our attention. 



Daily experience tells us that the wood of a 

 tree expofed to the action of the air, by being de- 

 prived of its bark, is fubjecl: to corruption ; and 

 by obfervation we learn, that the timber expofed, 

 by the amputation of a large limb or branch of a. 

 tree, is more liable to corruption in a given time, 

 than the fame extent of furface expofed on the 

 bole of the tree. But, at all events, if portions 

 of the tree, in either fituation, be expofed to the 

 continued action of the air, they will ultimately 

 become rotten wood ; and this gangrene might, 

 in many cafes, fpread its effects over the whole 

 plant, and occafion its death. 



By a wife provifion of nature, every injured 

 tree exerts itfelf to cover over fuch expofed places 

 with bark, to prevent its ultimate deftruction. In 

 the blind effort, however, the tree not unfrequent- 

 ly carries in its bofom the caufe of its deftruc- 



tion : 



