Googled:
The outer bark is composed of non-living cells and as the tree grows this bark cracks and is shed by the tree. If the cracks are deep and go all the way to the wood of the tree then you may have a problem. Such cracks are normally caused by freeze or cold damage. Painting the trunks of the trees with white paint tends to reduce the amount of this type of damage. So check to see how deep the cracks are; if they are just superficial don''t worry about them. If they are deeper, then paint the lower trunks with a white latex paint.
Sun scald is a tree injury that can result in cracks and splits on the trunk. It occurs in the winter usually on the south or west side of the trunk. The damage takes place when the cells in the living tissue beneath the bark break dormancy on warm, sunny days and then rupture and die when night temperatures drop below freezing. The tree is injured when enough cells in a given area are killed. The following spring these dead areas will appear discolored and sunken. In time the bark killed by sun-scald will split and peel. These areas also provide entry points for insects and diseases.
To reduce or eliminate sun scald injury, wrap the trunks of susceptible trees each fall with tree wrap paper. Do this for one or two seasons until the bark begins to roughen. Remove each spring so as not to provide a home for insects. Tree trunks can also be treated with white latex paint, wrapped with burlap, or a light colored tree guard.
"The white "stuff" they paint on the bottom of the tree is an insectacide. It keeps ants and other destructive bugs from burroughing into the bark and causing damage to the tree. That is what my neighbor told me when I asked him about his trees. "
"people paint trees for looks;yes looks. also for crawling bugs, no help in flying bugs. cherries and walnut trees are painted for sun burn fo the trunks of the tree; main reason. As the walnut tree has progressed it has become more succipable to sun burn which in time hurts the tree. see pdf ucdavis.up to now the trees have been moped,broomed, and ragged with a 50/50 blend of paint and water. also pdf claims painted walnuts trunks are protected from frost, a big plus which i believe and is probley fact by research of davis pdf. my expertise is better paint less thinned and applied by sprayer. a robot tractor guided by one of two men doing a faster better and cheaper job. remenber ca. comp costs and labor has substanually risen. the tractor is one of a kind and applacation secret at this time. un-32 for suckers could also applied this way maybe same time. any responce e-me. thank you alan mydland mydlalan@earthllink.net "
Source(s):