SHADE TREES AND THE LAW 245 



vania; and Boston, Massachusetts. Several other Massa- 

 chusetts town and cities have admirable laws, as Newton, 

 Worcester and Fitchburg. The village of Brookline has 

 what is perhaps the best organized shade tree department 

 in Massachusetts and its success has been such as to make 

 it well worth copying. 



It is necessary, of course, in formulating local legis- 

 lation, to have due regard to the local conditions. The 

 regulations which would be wise and necessary in one com- 

 munity might not fit some other place. There are many 

 general requirements, however, which will apply anywhere 

 and these must not be neglected. Among the latter are 

 the regulations for shade tree protection from injury or 

 damage. In any town or city it should be made illegal 

 and subject to a fine, for any person to affix or attach any- 

 thing to any tree or to the guard or stakes protecting a 

 tree. This is intended primarily to bar the nailing of 

 advertising signs to trees or the fastening of wires or other 

 things to them. Similar provision should be made to pre- 

 vent the cutting, painting or marking of trees for any pur- 

 pose other than protection of the trees themselves, and 

 then only under written permit and directions from the 

 authorities. It is also necessary to forbid cutting, destroy- 

 ing or in any way injuring trees; and since climbing causes 

 injury, this should be expressly forbidden. 



Safeguards should also be provided to prevent any 

 person from placing about the base of a tree such harmful 

 substances as oil, salt water, liquid dye or other matter 

 injurious to tree life, including waste from ice-cream 

 freezers. This provision should be so devised as to prevent 

 the discharge of gas in any way that will harm the root 

 system of trees, or any other parts. Penalties should be 

 provided for any person who permits a horse or other 

 animal to injure a tree by biting or otherwise. Stringent 



