"Do it right, or not at all" 



The following letter was written by "Father John" Davey to the 

 })ieu in the Davey organization. It is reproduced here to give 

 yon an idea of the spirit behind these master Tree Surgeons 



DEAR "BOYS" : -DO IT RIGHT. OR NOT AT ALL." It was my 

 father's and has been my slogan for seventy-two years. Here is 

 its history, as I know it: I was nearly four years old. My father 

 was planting potatoes, in front of our neat little cottage, on a tine ]\Iay 

 evening. 



I asked him if I could plant some. He opened up a trench at the end near- 

 est the house. Then took a potato and said: "If I let you plant it will you 

 do it RIGHT?" "I will do what you tell me.'" Then, looking at me ten- 

 derly, he said, with a firm voice :""YOU MUST DO IT RIGHT, or NOT 

 AT ALL." He then went into the house and brought out a big iron 

 spoon, and remarked: "Here is your shovel; keep it clean." He then cut 

 the potato in two, and made a mark for each piece, telling me I must put 

 the cut side down, and went on to his work. I carefully laid the two 

 halves in place, then took my shovel and looked at (what appeared to 

 me) a big Jifr/i that I had to fill. 



Well, by sundown I had this huge hole filled, and father showed me 

 where I could improve on the level, or grade. After saying my little 

 prayers I retired, but father's voice was heard: "Do it RIGHT, or not at 

 all." In the morning I awoke, and still that voice was ringing, "Do it 

 RIGHT, or not at all." 



Then came those long days of waiting. "Will they NEVER come up?" 

 A heavy rain packed the ground. Then I was presented with a new 

 garden implement, a steel table fork; but it must be kept clean. With it 

 I must keep the soil stirred. Finally a gentle rain came and, next morn- 

 ing, the ground was cracking and mother told me, "two little baby plants 

 will be born." And the next day; what a miracle! It was not two plants, 

 but two groups of triplets, six new-born plants! Then came the instruc- 

 tions, "never let the ground pack, keep it loose, and give the plants water 

 — in hot weather." I was shown how to push the fork into the soil and 

 keep the ground loose, and, in hot weather, I would hear mother calling: 

 "Johnnie, your plants are thirsty; come and give them a drink." Then 

 she would give me a little pail with water, and a little tin cup, and oh! how 

 my plants would drink! And they gretc and went away ahead of any of 

 dad's ; and when the crop was dug. he had nothing that could compare 

 with mine! I did it RIGHT! 



Dear "Boys:"' Here is something you never had known, namely: THE 

 SEED of The I )avey Institute of Tree Surgery was sown 72 years ago, in 

 front of ilu' little cottage where I was born. That seed was: "Do'it right, 

 fir not at all." That kindl_\- but nianl}' voice went with me through box- 

 hood's days, and particular!}- through young manhood. As a result, I 

 have never known what it was to be OLT OI' \\'()R1\, but have l"re- 

 f|Uent1y been in dire need of procuring others to lu'lp me execnti' what has 



JOHN DAVEY I \*- Fmher of Tree Surgery 



