90 THE TREE DOCTOR 



pleasure that I testify that America has some of the finest land- 

 scape gardeners in the world, but there are others whose quali- 

 fications consist in a common education, an office in some "sky- 

 scraper/' some clerks to draw curved and straight lines, and 

 make pretty pictures on paper. With this superficial and arti- 

 ficial education they sally forth, procure contracts, and proceed 

 with "filling,." any way from one to ten feet deep on the roots 

 of trees ! They complete their job, receive their pay, secure a 

 "testimonial," hunt up the next honest person and repeat the 

 same destruction of property. At all those places where they 

 have performed the art of "filling in" around trees, a year later 

 they begin to look sickly ; and but few people seem to compre- 

 hend that the roots are dying, smothering to death ! To save a 

 beautiful White Oak, in Pittsburg. I had to order the "filling" 

 removed twelve feet from the tree (twenty-four feet diameter). 

 The roots had been buried six feet deep ! Think of that, as the 

 work of a "landscape architect!" 



Large trees can be raised or lowered, not only without in- 

 jury, but often proving highly beneficial, provided the roots are 

 preserved and fed. 



