225 
the branches is broken off leaving a decay hole which soon de- 
stroys the whole tree. 
Injury to the tree in the form of tears or hacks in the bark 
must be avoided as the wounded portion is very liable to be 
attacked by fungi which injure or kill the tree. Many of our 
native trees are protected against this injury by possessing a 
milky or resinous juice which flows out when the bark is cut or 
torn, covering the wound and preventing the lodging of spores of 
fungi. 
Parasites and epiphytes. — These are highly injurious, and 
should be rigorously cleared off. The worst parasites are the 
mistletoes ( Loranthi ) which growing on the boughs send their 
roots downwards into the wood, and entirely destroying the 
bough which soon falls. It is of little use to tear the plant off, 
as it will usually grow again; the bough must be cut off below 
the parasite. 
The epiphytic plants are those which merely grow on the bark 
and do not penetrate the bough itself. Many are really quite 
harmless as they do not cover the boughs but only grow spora- 
dically on them. Orchids for instance rarely injure a bough 
even if in large numbers. 
The worst of the epiphytes is the little creeping fern Drymo- 
glossum piloselloides , which is excessively common. It is easily 
recognised by its round flat vegetative fronds and erect narrow 
spore-bearing ones. It will often quite cover a bough which 
will eventually die and fall. Another objectionable plant is 
Dischidia nummularia, a creeping plant with little rounded fleshy 
leaves very close together, which on being broken will be found 
to exude a milky liquid. _ , 
The climbing and more or less parasitic fig trees, are also usual- 
ly very injurious. Seeds are deposited by birds or bats in cracks 
in the bark and grow eventually so large that the roots of the g 
wrap round the tree, and at last kill it. In some cases the ng be- 
comes a tree itself and so replaces the one it has destroyed, but 
several common kinds never become trees at all, remaining as 
shrubs or climbers and dying with the tree upon which they have 
pTOwn. The most objectionable is the very common Ficus subu- 
lata with curious oval leaves with long points and small oiange 
figs. Trees again are sometimes killed by a fig seed lodging in 
a fork of the main stem, the roots as it grows penetrating m o 
the centre of the wood. 
Trees ordinarily in use as Shade Trees. 
about sixty feet in suitable locc 
spread much, but it gives a good s 
ing low down, good specimens on a 
It therefore requires pruning i* 
shade. It has a habit of branch- 
a lawn feathering to the ground, 
for roadside purposes so as to 
