Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-05-26
Tree Dentistry.

Today one frequently hears the
question, what is tree SURGERY" In
so far as it applies to the cement work
alone, a good answer would be that 1t
is the practical application of dentistry
to trees. But this answer, says c. H.
Easton, in the New York American,
would not cover the other branches Of
the profession, consisting of trim
ming, claiming, spraying and fertili-
zation. 1t is, in fact an advanced de-
velopment of arboriculture.
The tree surgeon is a product of
when the country was covered with
forests, there was no thought of him.
This comparatively new profession
has come as a direct result Of the agi-
tation of the forest problem in our
country. Many broadminded lumber
men, and others directing the myriad
industries requiring wood for their ex-
istence have been led to support the
policy of the government relative to
immense natural timber reserves in
order that the timber supply may be
perpetuated.
Trees of Great Value.
This agitation has turned the atten-
ton of the people toward trees in
general, and has aroused in owners of
large estates a keen interest in the
individual tree. Both fruit and shade
trees are valued now as never before.
The fact has become generally known
that by the skillful methods of the
competent tree surgeon it is possible
to give a new lease of life to trees
which, apparently, had reached their
limit of existence.
Of the many branches embraced in
this work, the cement filling form by
far the. largest and most important
part The practice of filling cavities
with cement has long been in use, but
when carried out along the usual
lines it only served to add to the orig
inal trouble. The method of sealing
up the decayed section simply in
creased the decay. Many examples
may be seen where the bark at the
side of the cavity was covered by the
cement, no regard having been paid to
drainage or the subsequent healing of
the wound. AS the cement did not ad-
here to the wood and the swaying of
the tree by the wind often enlarged
the crack between the wood and the
filling, water penetrated behind the
cement, and decay went on even more
rapidly than before.
Filling Cavity.
The first step in the preparing of q
cavity for cement consists in the thor
ough removal of all diseased or decay
ed tissue, no matter how large a wound
it may leave. The fresh surface must
then be steriliZed with an antiseptic
solution, and then coated with coal
tar 1t is imperative that a steriliZed
solution be used, as otherwise the par
asite producing the decay may not be
entirely destroyed, and rot may con-
tnue after the cement has been filled
in. one pound of copper sulphate to
four gallons of water is the best wash
for this purpose, and is easily pre-
pared.
1t must be noted here that the cells
forming the heartwOOd in most of our
trees do not serve i'm carrying sap to
the crown or top. The flow of water
and earthly constituents from the
feeding roots to the crown takes place
through the So" wood. or living lay
ers of tree, and the bark.
The tree grows in girth by the de-
posit of a thin layer of new wood be-
tween the wood and bark. There are
three layers in this coat. the middle
one being composed of thin forming
tissues known as the cambum. The