TREE PROTECTION 23 



Methods, Equipment, and Materials. In pruning work, attention should be 

 given not only to the details of removing a troublesome branch but also to the 

 effect the necessary operations will have on the future vigor and development of 

 the tree. Carelessly chopping a heavy branch may result 'n an ugly wound and 

 permanent injury to a tree, whereas the desired removal of the branch could have 

 been accomplished satisfactorily with a pruning saw. Special tools and supplies 

 are sometimes necessary for operations on trees, and in recent years supply houses 

 have listed considerable tree surgery equipment and material. However, during 

 the war emergency, it k. futile to indicate detailed operations for special tools, 

 since in most cases individuals will have to rely on their ingenuity to make use 

 of any tools and equipment at their immediate disposal. The sterilization of the 

 implements used in tree operations w"th alcohol is an added precaution against 

 spreading decay organisms and infectious disease fungi. Also, freshly made cuts 

 in which fungi are present may be sterilized with a water or alcoholic solution 

 of mercuric bichloride, especially if the wound dressing or paint to be applied 

 later does not possess antiseptic properties. These operations may prevent 

 primary wounds from developing into extensive injuries buch as cavities which 

 require special study before satisfactory treatment can be attempted. 



For similar reasons, when bolts, braces, and guys are installed in trees as 

 mechanical aids for support, the parts contacting the wood may be dipped in 

 asphalt or some other suitable material to check the development of fungi. When 

 a brace is to be installed in tree branches, a hole somewhat deeper and slightly 

 under the size of the brace may be bored, to provide for the accumulation of 

 sawdust and enable the brace to fit snugly within a decay-resistant groove. If 

 the completed job is not waterproof, the operations may have done more harm 

 than good. A leak which develops around a bolt may ultimately weaken the 

 entire support. 



Foresight vs. Hindsight in Tree Management. Practices and remedies based 

 on rumors and legends should be avoided in favor of approved methods. Almost 

 daily, correspondents belatedly seek advice on the repair of injurious cures they 

 inflicted upon trees from intuition without preliminary consideration of the work 

 they wished to undertake or the nature of the living trees at their mercy. 



A record of completed and proposed tree work, including lessons learned by 

 experience, will be a valuable aid in checking results and serve as a reminder of 

 uncompleted jobs. The record will also call attention to the need for repainting 

 certain wounds and giving other supplementary treatment from time to time. 

 No list of suggestions could provide for all of the problems which will be encoun- 

 tered in individual tree operations, but by intelligent planning many costly dis- 

 appointments may be avoided. 



TREE PROTECTION AND IMPROVEMENT PRACTICES 



Although the variety and sometimes the extent of defects found in trees during 

 these studies might appear to be cause for alarm, any exaggerated fears of a tree- 

 less future should be allayed by the predominance of relatively sound and vigor- 

 ous trees. Moreover, many of the defects can be treated with appiopriate reme- 

 dial measures. 



Municipal Trees Planted on Private Property. In the General Laws of Mass- 

 achusetts, provision is made for the Use of public funds for planting trees on 

 private property under prescribed conditions. Chapter 87, section 7 reads: 



