STREET TREES. 21 



CARE OF TREES. 



Xo tree on a city street can look out for itself ; it must be 

 taken care of. This involves protection against injury of 

 every kind, provision for necessary nourishment, and, at 

 tin us, some help to ward off insects or disease. 



GUARDS. 



The first needs of a newly planted street tree are a stake to 

 keep it upright, and a guard to protect it against horse-biting, 

 wheel scraping and all mechanical injury. Young trees are 

 best protected by devices which serve as well for support, as 

 the ugly, but practical, box used in Washington, D. C. 

 (Plate II. C.) Those that are established need only a shield 

 against horses and accidents, or none at all if the police regu- 

 lations are enforced. Various forms of guards 

 are shown in Plate II. Any of these is good lation better 

 but unless it is strongly fixed in the ground the chanicai" 

 young tree should be fastened to a stout stake 

 as in Fig. 8. In binding a tree to a stake, or to a guard, 

 the bark must be shielded against rubbing. For this purpose 

 wire covered with rubber hose is much better than cords. 

 Don't let a tree break loose from its guards. It will get be- 

 yond the need of support in a year or two, but will always be 

 subject to abrasion. As the tree grows see that its guard 

 and fastenings do not cramp it. Keep the guard painted and 

 in good repair. The necessity for constantly looking after 

 tree guards shows how much the trees would suffer without 

 thrni. (See Plate I.) 



