Ralph Carr-Ellison, Esq., on Fireblight. 389 



within the district of our Club, I venture to ask leave to 

 record it briefly in our " Proceedings." 



It was suggested by observing how trees are not only rent 

 and shivered by lightning, but how the branches that are 

 not broken or killed are yet frequently found to exhibit 

 portions of scorched foliage. The thought occurred to me 

 of utilizing the hint by applying common torch-flame to the 

 terminal foliage of long rambling side-branches of the Wych 

 elm (commonly called the Scotch elm), which were threaten- 

 ing to injure neighbouring oaks, Jbut which were too high 

 from the ground to be reached by even the most improved 

 long-handled shears, or by any other known instrument. I 

 need hardly say, it is often desirable only to stop the further 

 progress of such limbs by terminal pruning of some kind, 

 and not to amputate them near the trunk and so destroy or 

 impair the natural form of the tree. Now, although we have 

 no saw, no knife, no shears, that can be successfully applied 

 to cut off the end of branches so lofty and inaccessible, it is 

 easy enough to stand on the ground below, and by help of a 

 long bamboo cane, or of a long home-grown rod of ash, 

 rowan, or geen (tipped with a little wire), to hold a flaming 

 torch under the twigs that we desire to destroy. The leaves 

 within reach of the flame will immediately shrivel up, with- 

 out bursting into flame or endangering any adjoining verdure ; 

 and further growth will be effectually paralyzed just so far as 

 we wish, not only for one year but several. Of course we 

 must bear in mind that the torch cannot be safely applied to 

 any resinous tree. The best kind of torch is simply a wisp 

 of linen or cotton rags, steeped in oil. 



There has been no greater desideratum in arboriculture 

 than to obtain some easy means of checking the extension of 

 lofty side-branches, whether in woods or in hedgerows. The 

 lightning that visits us in summer and scorches many a 

 stately ash or graceful birch, has taught us at Hedgeley how 

 to curtail any branch aloft that is rambling too far. And I 

 trust this little notice may lead to like experiments beyond 

 the Tweed, where so many able masters of forest-craft are 

 ever ready to teach or to learn. 



Ralph Carr-Ellison. 



3d 



