212 PRACTICAL TREE REPAIR 



ordinary tent-pole. A hole is bored into the 

 under surface of the limb and the iron rod is 

 inserted, just as it is into the ridge-pole of the tent. 

 If it is a tight fit the limb will be able to lift the 

 prop in a windstorm without danger of the prop's 

 falling. If the prop extends from one limb, or 

 one tree, to another, both ends of the prop must 

 be provided with correct contact points. 



Not only do the individual limbs of a tree often 

 require bracing, but trees as a whole are frequently 

 so weakened or thrown out of balance that if sup- 

 port is not given them they will sooner or later be 

 blown down by storms. The methods in this 

 work are practically the same as those described 

 for bracing limbs by the use of eyebolts and wire 

 rope, except that heavier materials must usually 

 be used. The main difficulty is to find proper 

 anchors for the guys. In a grove other trees can 

 be used, even if they are at a considerable distance. 

 If no trees are available a short post may be neces- 

 sary. Telephone and telegraph linemen have re- 

 duced this kind of work to a science and useful sug- 

 gestions can be gathered from a study of their 

 work, though of course they are not bothered by 

 aesthetic considerations. 



In bracing trees, especially from one tree to an- 

 other, what has been said about the value of a little 

 slack in a brace must not be forgotten. 



Often the principal danger to a tree is from the 



