STEEET AND II l(i II \V.\ V PLANTING. 



97 



By using a dressing which will keep out moisture, decay is pr"vrn1r<l. 

 and at the same time any fungus spores are offered a poor chance for 

 germination or growth. General practice has sanctioned the use of 

 some paint preparation, usually of such a nature that it will penetrate 

 into the surface for some little distance and not form a hard coat on 

 the surface which will crack and chip off under the action of the 

 weather. There is often used a preparation of coal tar. Providing 

 this mixture does not contain any substances which are injurious to 

 plant tissue, this is very satisfactory, but, from notes taken in the field, 

 those who have used it say that it is a little harder to obtain and has no 

 great advantage over a good paint mixture. 



Fig. 49. 



Fig. 50. 



Hints to tree climbers. The Department of Parks of the Borough of 

 Brooklyn and Queens issues, in pamphlet form, the following "Hints 

 to Tree Climbers " to its men : 



"1. Before starting out on a tree, judge its general condition. 

 The trunk of a tree that shows age disease, or wood-destroying 

 insects generally has its branches in an unhealthy condition. 

 Greater precautions should therefore be taken with a tree in this 

 condition than with a young, vigorous tree. 



2. The different kinds of wood differ naturally in their strength 

 and pliability. The soft and brash woods need greater precautions 

 than the strong and pliable ones. All the poplars, ailanthus, the 

 silver maple, the chestnut, the catalpa and willow are either too 

 soft or too brittle to depend on without special care. The elm, 

 hickory and oak have strong flexible woods and are therefore safer 

 than others. The red oak is weaker than other oaks. The syca- 

 more and beech have a cross-grained wood and are therefore fairly 

 strong. The linden has a soft wood, while the ash and gum, 1 though 

 strong and flexible, are apt to split. 2 



refers to Tulepo or Nyssa, and Liquidamber sp.. not eucalyptus. 

 2 For more characteristic California trees, see Chapter III. 



7 F 



