FORESTER'S REPORT. 33 



govern, and individuals must yield their preferences, and some- 

 times their personal interests, for the general advantage. Here 

 is where the value of a shade tree commission conies in. Such 

 a body presumably does everything for the public welfare. If 

 it restricts an individual it does so because it is necessary. 

 Shade tree work cannot be carried on satisfactorily where every 

 property owner is allowed to follow his own will. A measure 

 of public control by which symmetry, effectiveness and balance 

 are achieved is absolutely necessary. 



ADJUSTING CLAIMS FOR DAMAGES. 



( hie of the most satisfactory lines undertaken by a shade 

 tree commission is the adjustment of claims for damages arising 

 from public improvements, such as road construction, gas or 

 electric installations. In several instances, some of them at the 

 request of service companies, the State Forester has aided in 

 effecting settlements out of court for injuries suffered by indi- 

 viduals. Numerous local shade tree commissions have done 

 even more. In Passaic, East Orange and Newark very consid- 

 erable payments have been made by the public service corpora- 

 tions to cover the cost of replacing and maintaining shade trees 

 that were lost. 



Another important line of effort is to avoid claims for dam- 

 ages by adjustments before injury is suffered. The Forest 

 Commission and several Shade Tree Commissions have been 

 helpful in this way. See p. 28. 



ENEMIES. 



The dangers that beset shade trees are considered some- 

 what fully under the subject of tree pests, see p. 35. It is em- 

 phasized here, however, that shade trees are unavoidably and 

 necessarily always under strain, that consequently they should 

 have care and attention at all times if they would be kept in 

 good condition. It is almost literally true that most of our 

 shade trees suffer from one ill only, neglect. The remedy is 

 obvious, the means to be employed in any specific case are 

 given in this report or in other publications of the Forest Com- 

 mission. 



