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PARK AND CEMETERY. 
REPAIRING DEFECTIVE TREES WITH CEMENT FILLING 
By George E. Stone, 
Botanist Massachusetts AgU. College 
The amount of money expended by individuals, 
municipalities, etc., for the care of trees at the pres- 
ent time offers quite a contrast to what was formerly 
expended on them. It is only recently that very much 
attention has been given to the filling of cavities in 
trees. This is now being done quite extensively, and 
better work is being accomplished in this line than 
heretofore. 
The question has often been asked whether it is 
worth while to dig out a decayed cavity of a tree and 
fill it with cement or some similar substance. We are 
free to confess that we have never had an opportunity 
to examine many trees which have been filled for any 
length of time, especially when the filling was well 
done, and therefore have not sufficient data to as- 
certain whether this method of treating trees always 
prevents further decay. Until we have an oppor- 
tunity to carfully examine specimens that have been 
filled for many years, we cannot be absolutely sure 
whether the types of filling now in vogue are suc- 
cessful in preventing further decay. 
We have observed sections of large trees which 
have been filled for a few years which showed that 
decay was not arrested completely, but it is hardly 
fair to assume that the tree we examined repre- 
sented the best workmanship in this direction. We 
believe, however, that if a rotten cavity is thoroughly 
cleaned out and properly filled, the life of a tree can 
be greatly extended, and that it is possible to prevent 
further decay of such cavities. The best method, 
however, of treating tree cavities may not as yet have 
been discovered. We believe that it is the best plan 
to make all cavities wider at the center than at the 
exterior surface, so that the filling substance will be 
wedged in, as it were, and have no opportunity to fall 
out or become displaced. 
Of course, cavities after being thoroughly cleaned 
are treated with some antiseptic, such as corrosive 
sublimate, creosote, paint, etc. Creosote possesses 
more penetrating power than a watery solution of 
corrosive sublimate, and probably for this reason it 
is more effectual in reaching portions of the myce- 
Tree Cleaned and Cement 
toeing tamped in. 
A Later Stage. Putting Cement and Gravel in; another The Finished Work; filling 
in the Cement. coat being trowelled down. just completed. 
POUR DIFFERENT STAGES IN THE FILLING OP A TREE. 
