52 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 
that they are properly pruned and sprayed. No person 
should undertake to prune or spray, or in any way to attend 
to shade trees, unless fully competent to do so. St. Louis has 
an excellent Bureau at the present time, whose services are 
free to every citizen. Five years ago a City Forester was ap- 
pointed, one of whose duties it is to prune and look after 
all trees planted in the city streets, and to give advice as 
to the care and attention which should be given trees in 
streets and on private property within the city. Reference 
made below to the activities of the City Forester’s office will 
indicate to what extent this department is caring for the 
trees of the city. One of the chief reasons for the establish- 
ment of this office was to prevent indiscriminate pruning of 
shade trees. Too much stress cannot be laid upon the fact 
that unscientific pruning does more harm than good. The 
object of a not only to do away with branches which 
interfere with the general symmetry of the tree, but also 
those which retard its proper development. The only one 
who should undertake pruning is the thoroughly trained 
man. That which has been said for pruning applies equally 
well to spraying. 
It is true that the force of the City Forester is as yet la- 
mentably small, and only a small portion of the city can 
be carefully attended to. This does not justify private ef- 
fort, however, in connection with the pruning and spraying 
of city trees. In fact a recent ordinance specifically pro- 
hibits, under heavy penalty, the pruning, spraying or other 
interference with city trees, except by special permission of 
the City Forester. Vigorous effort should be made on the 
part of all citizens to indorse this act as well as to emphasize 
the necessity for more extensive work on the part of the 
city, so that ultimately the City Forester shall be in a posi- 
tion to care for all city trees. 
INJURY. 
Among the agencies which injure trees in St. Louis, a 
few of the more notable ones may be mentioned. As al- 
ready indicated, horses inflict lasting injuries on young trees, 
and on this account all trees should be carefully protected 
by — Under an ordinance approved February 13, 
1911, any person who injures, defaces or damages any trees 
in any way, including the hitching of horses or other animals 
to a tree or tree-box, shall be deemed guilty of a misde- 
meanor and, upon conviction thereof, be fined. Under this 
