R () T 



ROT 



fpnuty foil, whofe larger roots have been injudicioufly hacked 

 at the time of tranfplanting, or in cutting out a neighbour- 

 ing plant. In this cafe the difeafe affects the pith, eats up- 

 ward, and often confumes the heart to fuch a degree, whir 

 the bark remains in a perfectly found ftate, that the trunk is 

 enfeebled, and eafily broken. This is deinonftrated by cut- 

 ting affected trees at different ages, and the rot is generally 

 found lefs or more advanced upward, according to the Cze of 

 the cavity. He here Itates a very curious inftance ot this 

 fpeciesof rot, that occurred at Wemyfs caftle, in Scotland, 

 in 1795. I" thinning a wood, whofe trees confided chiefly 

 of elm and afh, in one part of it the foil was obferved to be 

 fpouty, and the elm-trees in rather a fickly condition. Every 

 elm-tree cut in this part was more or lefs affected ; fome were 

 rotted a foot, others two, three, &c. feet upwards, and the 

 wood above, to the extremity of the bole, was uniformly 

 found, and fold at two (hillings r. foot. One beautiful alh- 

 tree, in particular, was fold Standing, at the rate of half a 

 crown a foot of timber ; nor was there the fmalleft outward 

 blcmifh from the ground to the very top. When it was cut 

 down, a completely ready made pump, fifteen feet in length 

 from the ground upwards, was difcovered, and actually, as 

 he was afterwards informed, applied as fuch. It is con- 

 ceived that in this cafe the remedy is to be at all due pains to 

 prevent the caufe, by carefully draining the foil of poifon- 

 ous, ochry water, and when neceffity occafions the cutting 

 of large roots, to treat them in the manner of an amputated 

 branch. 



And a third caufe of the rot which he notices, is that of 

 ftagnar.t water lodging in the angle formed by the ftem and 

 an upright branch, or in the angle formed by rival flems, 

 where no actual ground lias ever been made ; but, which 

 often happens, if the tree be in a youthful vigorous ftate, a 

 cup or hollow is formed, refembling that between the thumb 

 and finger half opened. Here the water lodging, in time 

 penetrates the bark, and forms the firft receptacle of cor- 

 ruption, which being once begun advances apace to the 

 great injury of the trees. In thii: cafe the »r(l thing necef- 

 l.ny towards a cure, or prevention of further injury, is to 

 n out the water, (for which a fyringe may be ufeful,) 

 dull, &c. and dry the whole well by aid of a mop or 

 woollen cloth ; then to fill it up, until it run over, with tar ; 

 after which to fix on an apron of thin lead, in fuch a man- 

 ner as that its edges may reach about a foot upwards on each 

 limb of the tree, being joined clofe, and fattened with 

 faddle tacks, &c. 



The compolition advifed bv Mr. Forfyth is probably 

 much better tor the purpofe, as being lefs liable to decompo- 

 fition ; and at the fame time capable of being applied with 



freater cxactnefs. It is remarked by the firlt writer that 

 nots or excrefcences are frequently found on the boles and 

 branches of trees, particularly of elms. What may have 

 occafioned them, in many cafes, is not eafily accounted for ; 

 but it is fometimes obvious that they proceed from bruifes, 

 ■ >r the mal-treatment of trees in youth. In this cat \. 

 frequently find them hollow within, and full of water, 

 which, if not removed, will of a certainty induce the rot. 

 And he advifes that when the knot is quite entire on all 

 fides, and perfectly found, which may be known by (triking 

 it with a mallet, it ihould be fufferedto remain. Bui that 

 when it is found hollow, as above, it Ihould be ' 

 off, the wound Ihould be fmoothed, as already directed, 

 cleaned, dried, and laid over with tar, Sec. The compo- 

 fition before-mentioned is, however, here probably pre? 

 ferable for the fame reafon as in that cate. Si e Comp 

 for Tkf.es, and TlMBER-TWtt. 



In cafes where the internal parts of trees of the timber 



kind become rotten, and get hollow, in confequence of the 

 above, or other caufes, as not unfrequently happens to the 

 oak and elm, as well as different other kinds, efpecially 

 when they are of fome confiderable length of growth, it has 

 been directed, in order to reftore them, that the decayed 

 and rotten wood fhould be cut out at different times, as the 

 new wood comes in contact with it ; great care being taken 

 not to cut too much at any one time, but to leave enough 

 to Inpport the trees, and prevent them from being blown 

 down by high winds, until the new wood is ttrong enough 

 for that purpofe : the remainder may then be cut out, as 

 there will be no danger. By thefe means, the application 

 of his compofition, and heading down, it has been afferted 

 by the late Mr. Forfyth, that a great number of rotten hol- 

 low trees, which had, when taken in hand, little more than 

 the bark remaining found, have within a few years been en- 

 tirely filled up ; and others, that were headed down within 

 a few feet of the ground, have had their itumps completely 

 covered by the leading fhoots, forming handfome trees ; the 

 places at which they wire headed being only difcerned by 

 faint cicatrices. 



It is Itated that a lime-tree, about 18 inches in diameter, 

 whofe trunk was decayed, rotten, and hollow, from the top 

 to the bottom, and to which, after cutting out the decayed 

 wood, the compolition had been applied about 16 years be- 

 fore, wai lately cut down for the purpofe of afcertaining 

 the progrefs it had made in the interior part, and was found 

 entirely filled up with new found wood, which had com- 

 pletely incorporated with what little old wood remained, 

 when it was firlt taken in hand. Its body has been cut into 

 fhort lengths, in order to be (hewn, for the fake of con- 

 vincing thofe who may be doubtful on the fubject. 



Alfo an old elm, the inlide of which was totally decayed, 

 and out of which were taken, at different times, two large 

 cart-loads of rotten wood, has made fhoots more than 20 

 feet high in the courfe of fix years. Several others of dif- 

 ferent forts are likewife ftated to have made equally fine 

 fhoots in this mode of treating them, and are now tin 

 thriving trees ; the marks of the places at which they wire 

 headed down being fcarcely perceivable. A lime, the 

 hollow part of which is 1 1 feet in height, is now, it is faid, 

 filling up : the tree is about a foot in diameter. A decayed 

 part, 4 feet long and 28 inches broad, in a large elm, is 

 now, too, ftated to be rapidly filling up with found wood. 

 About two feet and a half in length on one fide, which was 

 for fome time left to nature, (till continued, it is faid, to 

 decay, till the compofition was applied : new wood and 

 bark are now afferted to be forming in the part. Befides 

 thefe, a great many other trees of the fame kind, fome of 

 which had wounds ten feet long and two feet broad, are 

 now alfo faid to be entirely tilled up, as well as many fyca- 

 mores, oaks, and other forett-trees, reltored to a flourilhing 

 tlate by having the dead wood cut out, and the compofition 

 applied. 



However, notwithitanding thefe and many other limilar 



Abatements, a variety of doubts and objections have been 



d and entertained againft this mode of tilling up and 



curing the decayed and rotten parts of foreft-treea, by per- 



fons of much information and experience on the fubject of 



Stable eco om\ ; fa that additional fa&8, ana more 



careful and exact conclufiona from them, are probably »e- 



c< ffary before the utility or inutility of the method can be 

 fairly appreciated or full' im '1. 



R.OT m Hops, a difeafe in this fort oi crops, which i- 



very limilar to that of the mould. See I lor and Mould. 



Rot, in Geography, a river of Wurtemlurg, which runs 

 into the l.ein. 



ROTA. 



