Bark-binding is a

disease A disease is a particular abnormal condition that adversely affects the structure or function (biology), function of all or part of an organism and is not immediately due to any external injury. Diseases are often known to be medical condi ...

tree In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, e.g., including only woody plants with secondary growth, only ...

s that causes the bark of the plant to become hardened and tough, restricting the growth of the trunk. It is caused by a sudden restriction of the tree's growth, the rubbing of livestock against the trunk, or by

lichen A lichen ( , ) is a hybrid colony (biology), colony of algae or cyanobacteria living symbiotically among hypha, filaments of multiple fungus species, along with yeasts and bacteria embedded in the cortex or "skin", in a mutualism (biology), m ...

s and other parasites on the bark. It is possible to prevent the disease by keeping the tree away from animals and keeping it sprayed, thereby preventing the growth of parasites. It can be cured by slitting the

bark Bark may refer to: Common meanings * Bark (botany), an outer layer of a woody plant such as a tree or stick * Bark (sound), a vocalization of some animals (which is commonly the dog) Arts and entertainment * ''Bark'' (Jefferson Airplane album), ...

, cutting it along the grain of the tree, or by scraping away all of the diseased bark.

References

Bibliography

* * Crabb, George. ''The Book of Knowledge: Or, An Explanation of Words and Things Connected with All the Arts...'' Leavitt & Allen. 1858. * {{plant-disease-stub Tree diseases