322 



State Horticultural Society. 



jured or killed outright by electric wires, and the number increases an- 

 nually. The time will come when either the trees or the wires must give 

 way. The best solution of the difficulty is to bury the wires in conduits, 

 as is now done in many cities; if this cannot be done they should be 

 located in alleys, in the rear of buildings instead of the streets. 



Trees are frequently mutilated to an outrageous extent by lines- 

 men when erecting poles and wires. Figure 7 shovvs a sample of their 



V'lii. 7. Teleijliono poles vs. Shade trees. The destructive work of linesmen in erecting 



telephone wires. 



destructive work. In this case the entire tops of the trees were de- 

 stroyed, instead of merely .a few branches, as is usually done. When we 

 remember that it is the tall, erect trees which are most valuable as street 

 trees, we see how f-i^itile it is to ptent trees wnder a mass of wires. Both 

 cannot occupy the same territory, we must choose the one we will have. 

 This is a matter which should not be neglected by town and city 

 councils in granting franchises. Companies which have the privilege 

 pf erecting poles and wires should be strictly enjoined against injuring 



