SUPPORTING HEAVY BRANCHES 29 



unite the branches in such a way that they 

 may offer the greatest amount of resistance to 

 storms, and at the same time be neither con- 

 spicuous nor clumsy in appearance owing to 

 the operation. 



There is usually little difficulty in finding 

 a suitable support for a weak limb, for, even 

 if there is no main stem, stout branches 

 on opposite sides of the tree act as capital 

 levers and balance each other. When, how- 

 ever, several branches on the same tree 

 require supporting, the best way is to make 

 the connecting rods radiate from a central 

 ring. This not only does away with any 

 chance of friction by the rods passing over 

 each other, but is more efficient and a con- 

 siderable saving in the amount of bracing 

 required. 



Chains, though often used, probably owing 

 to their being readily obtainable and cheap, 

 are for various reasons to be avoided, the flat 

 iron band lined with leather or rubber being 

 preferable, more readily adjusted, and less 

 likely to cut into the bark and wood. The 

 bands, which can be made by any blacksmith, 



