ii INTRODUCTION 



work often spoken of as " tree-surgery " or " tree- 

 doctoring." Both of these terms have been re- 

 jected by most reputable arboriculturists for the 

 reason that they produce in people's minds an an- 

 thropomorphic idea of a tree which is fatal to a 

 correct understanding of a tree's nature and a 

 tree's needs. A tree is a living thing, but it is not 

 a human being and it is not an animal. The 

 reasons for operating and the methods of operat- 

 ing upon trees and upon men are as entirely dif- 

 ferent as plants and animals are different. To 

 say the contrary betrays ignorance of both king- 

 doms. There is no good reason why we should 

 take over a word which already has acquired a 

 definite meaning and apply it to quite a different 

 group of facts and processes. To do so is bound 

 to produce confusion of thought. 



Although our knowledge of tree repair is now 

 fairly considerable, it is by no means complete. 

 There are a great many questions, both of princi- 

 ple and practise, about which keen differences of 

 opinion exist among experienced men. Old 

 methods have given way to new ones, and the 

 process promises to continue. The new methods 

 spread but slowly, and judgments as to their value 

 differ. Inevitably, then, some readers of this 

 book will find in it recommendations with which 

 they cannot agree. Others will detect omissions. 

 The writer will be extremely glad to exchange let- 



