Street Trees. 



309 



While the instances of the direct killing of trees because of escaping 

 electricity are not so numerous as some would have us believe, yet the 

 damage from this source is important. The wires of these companies, 

 often carr}'ing heavy 

 currents, are gen- 

 erally placed adjacent 

 to, or directly over 

 the lines of avenue 

 plantings. It is dur- 

 ing wet weather, 

 when parts of a tree 

 are in contact with 

 live wires, that the 

 greatest damage to 

 the tree arises from 

 this source of injury. 

 The wires used for 

 lighting purposes are 

 considered more dan- 

 gerous than those of 

 traction companies. 

 This is ti"ue, in the 

 first place, because 

 the former are more 

 often likely to be lo- 

 cated in the tree belt ; 

 and in the second 

 place, the voltage and 

 current are greater. 

 There are many cases 

 cited in which the 

 burning from contact 

 with branches has 

 been such that it 

 necessitated the re- 

 moval of a leader 

 and thus spoiled the 



symmetry of the tree. Large numbers of trees on city streets, adjacent 

 to lines of electric wires, are sickly and disfigured. "Without further 

 investigation, this condition is sometimes attributed to the effects of 

 electricity, while, as a matter of fact, it can often be traced to other 



Fig. 225. — A row of beautiful trees damaged beyond 

 recovery to allow the passage of wires. 



