"Chris Bacon" wrote in message
...
Sacha wrote:
BC wrote:
http://s82.photobucket.com/albums/j2...5007Medium.jpg
http://s82.photobucket.com/albums/j2...5010Medium.jpg
It looks rather as if the tree has been 'barked' at some time, i.e.
branches have been cut or torn off carelessly, taking some of the bark
with them. Or rabbits have nibbled at it when it was a much smaller
plant.

I looked at it, and thought "I bet small boys have been
climbing it".

The previous owner of the house had a small boy and girl (about 8 and 7 I
think). That could explain the problems on the lower branches but these
things are also on many of the higher twigs/branches as well. When cutting
back I'm cutting to below these marks at the moment. On the branches that
aren't sprouting and look dead at the moment there is inevitably a
particulalrly bad "sore" lower down that marks the start of the dead area.