WHAT ABOUT TREE SURGERY? 



535 



cannot be doubted by any man of practical experience. 



In a southern city I found sad evidence of work of 

 the tree-charlatan. Certain splendid trees of Magnolia 

 grandiflora had been "repaired" by the fakers permitted 

 to represent a lartdscape-gardening firm carrying an hon- 

 ored name. These chumps had climbed the magnolia 

 with pole-lineman's spurs, in order to brutally maltreat 

 the head of the tree. The result was dreadful ! 



Other frauds, knowing nothing of tree life, and being 

 essentially "butchers" rather than surgeons, saw off great 

 limbs, calling it "trimming." One of this type filled with 

 concrete a great cavity in an important family tree, mak- 

 ing no provision for the rolling of the cambium. Water 

 got in easily, rot was accelerated, and the tree had to be 

 removed. 



In another case, capable workers spent an unconscion- 

 ably long time on two decrepit silver maples, at a fright- 

 ful cost to the owner. Honest advice to him would have 

 been that the trees were not worth the cost of repair, 

 and that they would live awhile as they were, better 

 trees being meanwhile encouraged to take their places. 



The rapid expansion of tree surgery has led to the 

 employment of men not at all acquainted with trees, or 

 sympathetic with them. One such, probably knew the 

 surgery part well enough, but did not know apart a pear 

 and a persimmon ! Tree-surgeons ought to be tree lovers 

 and tree know- 

 ers, if I may 

 force a word. 



If tree-sur- 

 geons should 

 know trees, 

 then they could 

 do more for 

 trees than re- 

 pair the me- 

 chanical injur- 

 ies to which 

 they are sub- 

 ject. The real 

 tree- doctor 

 ought to know 

 about insects, 

 and fungous 

 diseases, and 

 spraying and 

 f e r t i lization. 

 He ought to be 

 welcomed, 

 whether he 

 ever laid hand 

 on a tree or 

 not, from the 

 assurance h e 

 could give to 

 the tree owner four years later 



as to actual ^'^^^ *^^ result of scientific tree surgery. The bark 

 has completely overgrown the concrete filling and the 

 rnnrlitirknc bolts and the tree's appearance indicates its healtlly 



v-uuuuiuiis. condition and sturdy development. 



What about tree-surgery? It is, I believe, a proper 

 and wholesome practice, if sensibly pursued and seij- 

 sibly used. As I have hinted, there are frauds and 

 fakers practicing it, just as frauds and fakers operate 

 on men and women. They are in the minority, in 

 both cases. The facts of tree repair are accessible to 

 any one, as, for instance, in Dr. Bailey's great "Stand- 

 ard Cyclopedia of Horticulture." The practice of the 

 work needs skill and experience. A tree-owner can de- 

 cide for himself as to the essential importance to him 

 of any certain tree; and he can get the opinion of an 

 honest tree-doctor; or rather his diagnosis. Much good 

 work has been done in tree repair, and more ought to 

 be done. Many old trees exist in locations where they 

 mean much to the nearby home or to the landscape. No 

 newly planted tree can replace them, at least for dec- 

 ades of time. Such trees may often be given a new 

 lease of life by thoughtful tree surgery. To me, there is 

 a certain definite gratification in the realization that I 

 have done my best for an old friend, that I have stopped 

 the decay of his structure, and given his life processes 

 free sway. A tree is a living organism to me, and I 

 dislike the very thought of seeing such a marvel of God's 

 creation in distress. 



Tree-surgery is with us to stay, just as is the treat- 

 ment of feeble- 

 minded or crip- 

 pled children. 

 It is a work of 

 mercy, and it 

 e V i dences re- 

 spect for age 

 or dignity. It 

 should be ap- 

 plied with good 

 sense and good 

 judgment. As 

 I have said, 

 tree- surgery 

 ought to be 

 joined to tree 

 diagnosis a n d 

 to tree doctor- 

 ing, so that 

 whatever was 

 necessary for 

 the prosperity 

 of trees under 

 con sideration 

 could be sup- 

 plied, whether 

 it be spraying, 

 o r protection 

 against insects. 

 THE OPERATION co.MPLETED or the repair of 



Note how this maple on the grounds of the Dan ;;,,_ J __ j. 



River Cotton Mills, Danville, Va.,' was treated in "Ijureu Or Oe- 



1913. The concrete filling and the bolts can be plainly r^-upA r\r\t-t\r^r,s 



seen in the picture. >-<iycu portions. 



