The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1908-12-26
DENTISTRY !
FOR TREES |
Interesting Work Done Nowadays !
to Preserve Trees From Decay. i

What is tree surgery? In so far a
it applies to the cement work alOn
a good answer would be that 1t is tn
practical application of dentistry Il
trees. But this answer would no
cover the many other branches OF tn
profession, consisting OF trimming
claiming, packing, scraping, sprayln!
and fertilizing Tree surgery is II
fact an advanced development OF al
Horticulture. Both fruit and shade
trees are valued now as never before
and the fact has become generally
known that by skilful methods of the
tree surgeon it is possible 10 give
new lease of life to trees which ap
parently had reached their limit o
existence 1t is safe to say that al
most any tree of medium age may
be saved by these methods.
OF the many branches embraced in
this work the cement filling forms
by far the largest and most import
ant part. The practice of filing caEl-
ties with cement has long been III
use, but when carried out along the
usual lines it only serves to add to
the original trouble. The method OF
sealing up the decayed section sim
ply increased the decay. Many ex-
amples may be seen where the bark
at the side Of the cavity was cover
ed by the cement, no regard having
been paid to drainage or the subse-
quent healing of the wound. AS tne
cement did not stick to the wood ana
the swaying of the tree by the wind
often enlarged the crack between the
wood and the filling water penetrat-
ed behind the cement and decay went
on even more rapidly than before.
The tree grows in girth by the de-
posit of a thin layer of new wood be-
tween the wood and the bark. There
are three layers in this coat-the mid
die one being composed of thin form
ing tissues known as the ''cambium.
The inner side of this layer forms new
wood, the outer new bark. 1t is this
new layer and the layers of the four
or five previous years which ara
known as the sapwood, and form the
active section of the trunk and
branches. The cells of these inner
rings are gradually covered by the
yearly deposit of new growth. ans!
from living sapwood become heart
wood, which is dead and serves mere
ly as strong framework for the
living parts of the tree and as store
houses for excess material
This is the reason why hollow trees
may often be found in a flourishing
when the heartwO0d may
have entirely disappeared. Howev-
er, a landscape tree in this condi-
ton, deprived of the shelter Of its
fellows. is in grave danger. for a
nigh wind or a heavy snowfall may
ind it an easy victim.
After a mass of decay has been
from the interior of a rot
ng trunk there remains s;hc.i Of
living sapwood and bark. Into this
cavity steel brace is inserted
Ind boited in Face. This gives to
he tree stability which by the de-
,ay of the supporting heartwood it
had lost. Now comes an important
operation, the cutting OF the water
sheds, which prevent the en-
rance of moisture. The water
sheds consist of deep groove cut
bout an inch inside the edge and
opening to the ground below. The
being packed tightly into
hese grooves, forms channel down
which the water flows, to be led ,Mr
It the base. The cavity is then wlr-
d throughout, the wire being stretch |
d from nails driven into the wood.
md acting as reinforcing for the
ement. This work having been COM |
'leted, the cement is made as moist |
S possible, and then built out into
he original outline of the tree. The |
ark which has been cut back for an |
nch or SO in order to prevent bruis-
ng while the work is in progress |
Vill eventually cover the filled in |
wound. the tree thus regaining its |
ormal appearance.
In the case of exceptionally large
avities the opening is covered by
arge strips of zinc The cement is
hen forced down into every crevice
nd allowed to set: after which the
inc is removed and coat of fine
nishing cement put on and painted
he color of the bark BY this meth
d the tree surgeon is enabled to
uild out trees where fully half the
rood may have been DESTROYED bv
ghtning or from some other cause. |
his treatment serves as fine exam
lie OF the healing powers of nature.
or 1t Is remarkable how uuicklv