Repairing Girdled Trees. 289 
of woody matter above the girdle, whilst the por- 
tion below will not increase in diameter. This 
is well known to all observing  fruit-growers. 
Fig. 45 shows a deposit of woody matter above a 
girdle caused by a label wire. After awhile the 
younger wood is apt to become hard and dry, pre- 
venting the upward passage of nourishment taken in 
by the roots, and the tree then starves to death; or, 
as in the case of the young tree shown in Fig. 45, 
the top may become so heavy that the plant breaks 
off at the point of constriction. It is, therefore, 
evident that it is very necessary that the orchardist 
give careful attention to his label wires, to prevent 
them from doing great injury. It is always best 
to take the labels from young trees when they are 
set, and to depend upon a map record for the names 
of the varieties. Or, if the label is left upon the 
tree, it is best to hang it upon one of the minor 
limbs, rather than upon the trunk. In adjusting the 
label wire to the tree, it is important that only the 
ends of the wire be twisted together, allowing thereby 
a large loop in which the limb may expand. The 
label may be held tightly to the limb by simply 
pinching the wires together with the fingers. 
Trees which are freshly girdled in the growing 
time of spring may be expected to heal over before 
the season is over, if the girdled zone is not more 
than four or five inches wide, and if the surface 
of the wood, as already explained, is kept perfectly 
fresh. It is generally best, however, if no connec- 
tion of bark remains, to bridge over the girdle by. 
T 
