How to keep wood from splitting?

I have a cherry tree that some limbs broke off. I want to keep the wood for sculptures but it splits when it dries. How can I make it not split?How to keep wood from splitting?
This might not be suitable since you want to carve the wood too. However, I use old engine oil [lightly filtered] I allow a thin coat to seep into the wood then apply another. It can change the colour though.





Alternatively there are other lighter oils available such as Linseed or Teak.How to keep wood from splitting?
you should select your tree trunks then seal the top and bottom ends with wax or grease then wrap each end in lots of trash bags so they'er air tight, after this you should just store them out of the weather, sun, rain, snow then atleast after 4 months or so the logs have slowly lost moistuer via the bark instead of via the cut ends, you might have some cracking but not as bad as that you got now.
Where ever it is falling apart, try to drill a little whole and insert a nail. It will keep it together a lot better while it repairs its self.
There is probibly a wax that you can put on it to stop this, ask in your local hardware store :)
moisten it
rub it down with mineral oil