One who splits [wood from] an olive tree may not cover [the cut] with dirt, but he may cover it with stones or straw. One who cuts beams of sycamore may not cover [the cut] with dirt, but he may cover it with stones or straw. One may not cut down a virgin sycamore in the seventh [year], because it is a labor. R’ Yehudah says: In the [regular] way, it is forbidden; rather, he should raise [the cut above] ten handbreadths, or raze it at the ground.

One who clips grapevines or cuts down reeds — R’ Yose HaGlili says: He must move [the cut] one handbreadth away. R’ Akiva says: He may cut in the normal way with an axe, a sickle, a saw or with whatever he should want. A tree which has cracked may be tied during the seventh [year], not so that it will heal, but so that it will not deteriorate further.