PRACTICAL TREE SURGERY* 



By J. FRANKLIN COLLINS 



1'T IS a well-known fact that trees tree owners and many persons in 

 are subect to all sorts of injuries, charge of private estates are well 

 from sources too numerous to qualified to undertake tree surgery if 

 mention. In a great majority of the requisite time is available and they 

 cases these injuries are allowed to re- will familiarize themselves with the 

 main untreated often for years. Rot- fundamental principles and operations 

 producing fungi commonly gain en- underlying the work, at least to the ex- 

 trance at these places, and eventually tent presented in this article, 

 the original inconspicuous or unob- 



served injury develops into a compara- PREVENTIVE MEASURES 



tively large area of decay. The real It is no easy matter to find a place 



aim of tree surgery is to repair the dam- where the well-worn phrase "preven- 



age resulting from such neglected in- tion is better than cure" could be ap- 



juries and rotted areas. plied with greater appropriateness than 



In most tree-surgery work a few fun- in connection with tree surgery. Ice 

 damental principles must be observed or wind may break limbs or uproot 

 in order that permanent good results trees which injure others as they fall, 

 may be realized. Remove all decayed, Horses commonly gnaw away portions 

 diseased, or injured wood and bark, of the bark of street trees unprotected 

 When on small limbs, this can often by tree guards. Telephone, telegraph, 

 best be done by removing the limb. On and electric linemen with their climb- 

 larger limbs or on the trunk it may at ing spurs and saws are notorious muti- 

 times mean the digging out of a cavity, lators of shade trees, especially in towns 

 (2) Sterlize all cut surfaces. (3) where the trimming of trees is not 

 Waterproof all cut surfaces. (4) Leave regulated by law. Poorly insulated 

 the work in the most favorable condi- electric wires of high voltage often dis- 

 tion for rapid healing. This will often charge heavy currents through the trees, 

 mean the filling of deep cavities. (5) Wheel hubs frequently tear away large 

 W r atch the work from year to year for pieces of bark. After a few years, de- 

 defects. If any appear they should be cay may penetrate into the interior of 

 attended to immediately. the tree from any or all of these in- 



Tree surgery, or, more properly, tree jured places (Plate 1, figure 4). This 



repair work, is not a mysterious art decay may increase from year to year 



known only to a favored few who alone unt if i ar g e limbs, or the 'trunk itself, 



are fitted to undertake it. It can be become so weakened that they are eas- 



undertaken by any careful man who ily broken by violent storms ^ (Plate 1, 



has a good general knowledge of the 6)> j t requires comparatively 



structure and life history of a tree, its Httle dme and nse to clean and 



normal manner of covering wounds, int fresh { . R often ire3 



and how insects and decay organisms J ^ treat J 



cause damage, provided he can handle . . . 



a gouge and mallet, a saw, and a tar ? tl * s ? me in J u T after * ^f been ne ^ 



brush and applies in a practical manner lect d for a tew years Almost every 



his knowledge of the anatomy of a large decayed cavity has resulted from 



tree, together with a generous admix- an injury which would have required 



ture of good common sense. For work comparatively little time and effort to 



in the tops of trees he will also need a clean, sterilize, and waterproof at the 



clear head and ability to climb. Many lime it occurred. 



*Extracts from a bulletin by J. Franklin Collins. 



719 



