2 Introductory 



the present book has been written. Naturally the book 

 does not bring much, if any, new knowledge; it is mainly a 

 compilation of the well-known facts which bear upon the 

 subject, selected, however, with the experience of a lifetime 

 spent in the study of trees. 



Believing that only a knowledge of relationships, prin- 

 ciples and reasons enables one to apply prescriptions intel- 

 ligently, and that a knowledge of the nature of trees is 

 necessary in order to care for them properly, it has been 

 the endeavor to broaden in this direction, without, how- 

 ever, becoming too technical. Technical language has been 

 employed as little as possible and technical minutiae, which, 

 though interesting and valuable, may in the ordinary routine 

 be dispensed with, have been as much as possible avoided. 



The attempt to make the relationships clear to laymen 

 has necessitated their presentation from various points of 

 view in the different chapters, and this has led to repeti- 

 tions; but, while such repetitions may be censured by the 

 literary critic, the author believes that they serve the useful 

 purpose of impressing the essentials upon the reader, and 

 of making him familiar with the subject. 



The care of shade and ornamental trees is an entirely 

 different matter from the care of forests. It is unfortunate 

 that the distinction has not always been clearly perceived. 

 The object of forestry is the substance of the tree: only 

 when the tree is cut and its wood utilized, is the object of 

 the forester attained: he grows trees, not to be preserved, 

 but to be harvested. Hence to call the tree-wardens of 

 towns and cities "foresters" is a misnomer. The tree that 

 satisfies the forester is most unsatisfactory to the landscape 

 gardener or street tree planter, and vice versa. The latter 

 arboriculturists are after shade or beauty of form, hence 

 their treatment of trees is entirely different from that of the 



