236 PRACTICAL TREE REPAIR 



such care as they require every year. That pro- 

 cedure is much the most satisfactory, both to the 

 client and to the workman, and is infinitely better 

 for the trees. 



The successful prosecution of a trade like this 

 is largely dependent upon the promptness, accu- 

 racy, and definiteness of the business methods em- 

 ployed. If a number of different kinds of work 

 are carried on at the same time, as pruning and 

 cavity work, the expense of each should be deter- 

 mined and indicated separately in the bill. Ma- 

 terials must be separated from labor, and skilled 

 labor from unskilled. When large cavities are 

 filled it is highly desirable that the expense of each 

 be determined. This can be done by keeping a 

 time-card for each cavity, recording thereon the 

 time which each man spends on it, and the amount 

 which is used of each kind of material. These 

 last details are hot, of course, for the client, but 

 they are extremely valuable to the workman, be- 

 cause they help him to estimate the cost of future 

 jobs of a similar character. A reputation for ac- 

 curacy in estimates is a valuable asset to a man in 

 any business. 



A few words to the owner of trees about the 

 trade of tree repair may not come amiss. Of 

 all the foolish things said about trees, the follow- 

 ing is one of the most foolish and most common : 

 " Well, I really have neglected my trees, but this 



