40 



SHADE TEEES. 



WHEN A TREE is NEGLECTED AND DECADENT. 



Old untrimmed trees always contain broken branches and 

 much dead wood, ancj frequently possess certain branches 

 which have grown disproportionately. This irregular growth 

 and mutilation often develops a picturesque appearance which 

 should be retained unless there is some outweighing reason 

 for altering it. Under no circumstances allow a tree to be 

 "topped," that is, reduced to a post with branch 

 but "don't stubs at the top. Fig. 19. Under any but ex- 



"top" a tree. . , /.,. ~, . 7 . . i 



ceptional conditions the practice is butchery. 

 Better take the tree away and plant a new one. "Heading 

 in" is another matter, and if carefully done may cause 

 a decadent tree to recover its form as well as its vigor. 



Fig. 19. Butchered maples. Not necessary to escape the wires and in 



no way justified. The winter aspect of a tree is almost as 



important as its summer aspect. 



