CUTTING. 



251 



Even in working the saw, when the tree is cut part- 

 ly from the one side, and partly from the other, a 

 hollow is sometimes left. Against this, the work- 

 men should be put upon their guard, and directed 

 to avoid it as much as possible. Before felling an 

 oak, the bark near the ground is sometimes peeled 

 off, in order to prevent any loss of that article. 

 When this is performed in a careless or unskilful 

 manner, great injury may be done to the root, an 

 evil which will be prevented by taking any sharp in- 

 strument, such as a large knife, and cutting quite 

 through the bark, all round the tree, and as near the 

 earth as possible. Between the bark of the trunk 

 and that of the roots a separation will thus be form- 

 ed, so that none of the latter will be stripped off in 

 removing the former. Without this precaution, the 

 bark of the roots might be separated from the wood, 

 several inches below the surface, to the great injury 

 of the stool. 



When all the trees which the state of the planta- 

 tion requires to be removed are cut down, it will 

 be advisable, that the stools may be the better secu- 

 red against the deleterious effects of wet, to daub 

 them over with paint, containing a good quantity of 

 oil. Special care should be taken in applying this 

 composition, not to neglect the edge of the stool, 



