110 



snag or stump end, and is cicatrising, or 

 depositing new growth over the flat surface. 

 On the lower side of the snag the new 

 growth has reached only to within an inch 

 or two of the end ; and in increasing the 

 diameter of the branch has separated the 

 bark from the wood by about an inch. I 

 imagine that this snag will eventually rot, 

 and occasion the death of the tree ; but 

 that if it were cut off close to the stem the 

 scar would be soon cicatrised over. It is a 

 vulgar error to suppose that cedars will not 

 bear pruning ; they will cicatrise over the 

 scars from the loss of large branches more 

 quickly and more surely than any other 

 tree. I should have stated elsewhere that 

 perhaps the best time for pruning is when 

 trees are in full leaf ; they never bleed 

 then. I have known sycamores and wal- 

 nuts bleed when pruned at Christmas. 



But as the new growth in diameter below 

 the scar of branches which have been rung 

 always ceases, though the branches con- 

 tinue to live, and to increase in diameter 



