414 



Canadian Forestry Journal, October, 1919 



these ordinances contain provisions which will 

 care for almost any contingency which may 

 arise. And it might be added that they state 

 specifically that "it shall be unlawful" to do so 

 and so, and say nothing about what sort of 

 evidence such acts shall constitute. 



I should like to read these ordinances because 

 of their value to other communities, which may 

 be thinking of demanding a shade tree com- 

 mission, but they are too lengthy for this 

 paper, and I shall quote from only several of 

 their more important provisions. 



They provide for such injuries as may be 

 caused by gas, hot water , steam, or other sub- 

 stance deleterious to tree life commg mto con- 

 tact with the soil around the trees, the penalty 

 being $50 for each tree so killed or destroyed. 

 They specify that there must be maintained 

 about the base of the trunk of each shade tree 

 at least six square feet of open ground for a 

 tree of three inches in diameter, and for every 

 two inches of increase of such diameter, there 

 • must be an increase of at least one square foot 

 of open ground. They make provision for in- 

 juries caused by any kind of electrically charged 

 wire coming into contact with the branches of 

 a tree. They provide for guards and stakes 

 and for adequate protection from horses and 

 animals and in the erection, and repairing of 

 buildings in the city. 



Permits Are Required. 



Nothing will so impress the people of the 

 fact that there is some authorized body looking 

 after the welfare and care of the shade trees 

 as when they are asked by local officials whether 

 they have a permit for such work as they are 

 doing or having done to their trees. Too often 

 the people, especially property owners, have 

 looked upon the shade trees which they have 

 planted in front of their own property as some- 

 thing with which they could do as they pleased 

 and this old idea is hard to eradicate. Un- 

 doubtedly there are many cases where trees are 

 trimmed without the knowledge of the local 

 shade tree commission, but these infractions of 

 the law become less frequent, if there is a sum- 

 mons to the magistrate to answer for the viola- 

 tion. 



During the year 1918, the yearly report of 

 the Johnstown commission shows that permits 

 were issued for the trimming of 239 trees, 

 killing of 9 trees, and planting of 17 trees, mak- 

 ing a total of 85 permits for 265 trees. 



As to the recognition of the supervisory work 

 of the commission and its growth, the records 



for the past spring nearly surpass by half those 

 of the whole of the year 1918. Permits were 

 issued so far in 1919 as follows: Trimming, 259 

 trees; removing, 53 trees, and planting, 78 

 trees, making a total of 390 trees. 



Trimming 10 Feet High. 



Another matter which requires attention is 

 the height of the lower branches of shade trees 

 above the sidewalks. An open-grown tree will 

 produce branches all along its trunk and unless 

 systematic pruning is practiced, the lower 

 branches will hang too low, thus preventing free 

 passage to pedestrians, especially carrying um- 

 brellas. To remedy this condition, the Johns- 

 town commission has passed a resolution pro- 

 viding that all trees must be trimmed to a height 

 of not less than 10 feet above the sidewalk. 

 "The Tree Butcher." 



The greatest enemy of the shade tree any- 

 where is undoubtedly the man, who takes a 

 saw and an axe, and starts to cut and hack 

 at the trees as though they were so much cord- 

 wood and to be disposed of as quickly as pos- 

 sible. Possibly there are no callings or pro- 

 fessions in which there are so many persons 

 engaged, who believe that they really know 

 their busniess, and yet actually do not know 

 the rudiments of such work. 



Where it is at all possible, I would urge that 

 all communities take steps to have the duly con- 

 stituted authorities make a sufficient appro- 

 priation for the employment of a competent 

 forester and shade tree expert to see that the 

 work of the commission is carried out correctly 

 and to the letter. I am sorry to note that we 

 have not reached that stage in Johnstown yet, 

 but we hope that this will be realized shortly. 



In the meantime, we have issued our per- 

 mits for trimming and other work, only after an 

 investigation and report on the work done is 

 submitted to me and the person who is to do 

 such work has received my approval. In small 

 communities, it is possible to get one man who 

 will be responsible, but in the larger places, 

 this is out of the question. After seeing the 

 work of those who claim they are expert tree 

 trimmers, I submit a report to the commission 

 and they approve the work of those who qualify 

 according to these standards. When a permit is 

 asked for and the work is to be done by one 

 of the accredited men on the qualified list, the 

 secretary of the commission issues the permit. 

 Tree Planting. 



Before any intelligent plan of planting can 

 be adopted, it is essential that a tree census of 



