98 PRACTICAL TREE REPAIR 



decaying trees can be made until this lumber of 

 false notions is cleared away, and the real value 

 of the work is studied and determined. 



With this analysis of the purposes of tree fill- 

 ing in mind, let us pass now to a brief inventory of 

 the different types of cavities, making an effort to 

 estimate, in each case, the probability of a suc- 

 cessful realization of these purposes. 



The smaller holes in trees, caused by weather- 

 ing and local or incipient decay starting from a 

 decaying stub or a bark wound, can often be very 

 rapidly and completely cleaned of rotten wood. 

 The cavities can usually be well drained and not 

 only are the fillings easily waterproofed, but they 

 are likely to be callused over within a reasonable 

 time. If properly done such fillings are almost 

 sure to be wholly successful. They are of great 

 importance in preventing the spread of decay and 

 the formation of cavities more difficult to treat. 

 No hesitancy should be felt in putting such work 

 into trees of even secondary importance, or into 

 orchard trees whose value is strictly commercial. 



Next In the scale of simplicity are moderately de- 

 veloped basal cavities — rotting places, that is, at 

 the base of the trunk. If in handling such cavities 

 it is possible to remove all decay and to " ground " 

 the filling, the work is sure to be effective and 

 profitable. The rot which was gradually weaken- 

 ing the tree has been permanently eliminated. 



