538 



CONSERVATION 



this is an extremely critical under- 

 taking. 



The roots of the tree must receive 

 careful consideration. The general 

 health of the tree will also indicate the 

 health of the roots. It is too often true 

 that in carrying out landscape designs 

 the roots are cut off, and the tree left 

 high and dry. The death of the tree, 

 or at least of part of it, is under these 

 conditions inevitable. Or it may be 

 that the roots have been buried ; which 

 is just as sure to cause the destruction 

 of the tree. It is absolutely necessary 

 that the roots of the tree receive air 

 and water and nourishment, as it is for 

 the human body. It may be that the 

 tree has become sod-bound, which pro- 

 duces the same result. In order to take 

 care of these conditions, the proper 

 method is the digging of a circular 

 trench '. out under the edge of the 

 branches, making it as the occasion may 

 require, from three to six feet deep by 

 about two wide. In this trench tile is 

 placed for the purpose of aeration and 

 watering. The trench is then filled with 

 a mixture of good, nourishing tree food. 

 In this manner it is often possible to 

 save both the sod and the tree. 



The question of insect pests and gen- 

 eral diseases, including fungus growths, 

 has been so thoroughly discussed by all 

 the government and state authorities 

 that it is hardly necessary to do more 

 than mention it in passing. However, 

 it is of the utmost importance to give 

 these matters consistent and careful at- 

 tention, especially as regards spraying. 



The evil effects of electricity are 

 noticed only at infrequent intervals. 

 But the escape of gas in the soil is 

 most deadly. Its presence for any con- 

 siderable period means certain death 

 for the tree, and the only possible way 

 to remedy the trouble is to stop the 

 leak, remove all the poisoned soil, and 

 replace it with good rich earth. 



Vines in most cases, after they have 

 attained to any size, are detrimental to 



the health of the trees, and the skilled 

 tree surgeon will almost invariably 

 recommend that they be destroyed, un- 

 less the tree itself has gone too far to 

 be saved. In many cases the top of the 

 tree is altogether too thick, and must 

 be thinned out to produce the best re- 

 sults. This is especially true in the 

 case of fruit trees. Interfering branches 

 must be removed or else bolted to- 

 gether so that they cannot rub, as the 

 chafing of the branches invariably de- 

 stroys the bark, and decay is the result. 

 Trees are often planted too close to- 

 gether, and this results either in the 

 stunting of the weaker ones, or a lack 

 of symmetry in all. 



In all life, health is the normal con- 

 dition. Nature designed us to be well, 

 and the laws which govern life are 

 simple. At the same time, she attaches 

 severe penalties to their violation ; and 

 these penalties, unchecked, mean de- 

 cline and death. It is just as true with 

 the tree as with human life ; to meet 

 success, one must know the laws of na- 

 ture, and act in harmony with them. 

 Ignorance or disregard of these laws 

 are evident wherever the unskilled hand 

 touches a tree. Why should a tree die 

 at fifty years, or a hundred years? It 

 cannot be called old, when there are 

 other trees of the same kind, ranging in 

 age from 300 to a thousand years ; and 

 there are trees in existence which have 

 reached 5,000 years or more. To the 

 average man the life of a tree and the 

 principles which govern it have been a 

 sealed book ; and we have permitted 

 neglect and abuse to be heaped upon 

 our trees which we could never be per- 

 suaded to tolerate in any other living 

 thing. The nee;d for the tree surgeon 

 is apparent ; the good which he is ac- 

 complishing is immeasurable ; and the 

 calling ranks in nobility with those 

 other great sciences which have for 

 their province the betterment of life 

 in whatever form. 



