SUPPORTING HEAVY BRANCHES 41 



bark. The band and connecting rod should 

 be placed as high as practicable, this following 

 from the law of the lever and the fulcrum. 



Another untidy, slipshod, and most objec- 

 tionable method of staying a tree is by using 

 wire as a band around the trunk. This 

 certainly has the virtue of cheapness, but in 

 so far as efficiency is concerned, and especially 

 in the case of old trees, is to be deprecated. 

 In the accompanying illustration this method 

 of tying heavy limbs together is well repre- 

 sented, in which it will be seen that, in order 

 to prevent friction of the bark, pieces of wood 

 about six inches long and two inches wide are 

 inserted lengthways between the wire and the 

 stem. With the motion of the tree these 

 pieces of wood are apt to slip unless nailed to 

 the tree a somewhat dangerous proceeding. 

 But the whole system of staying can only be 

 considered as temporary and weak, and unless 

 in the case of small trees should never be 

 adopted. 



Supporting heavy and diseased branches by 

 means of wooden props is only admissible 

 where there is no main trunk or upright strong 



