404 



PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF PRUNING 



poles in Portland cement. It should be pointed out that the ne- 

 cessity for guying poles to trees may be obviated in this way. 



Better methods of handling this vexatious question of wires and 

 shade trees should be forthcoming in the future, and even at present 

 there must be a compromise between the tree warden or city forester 

 and the companies as to the best method of wiring through tree 

 belts and the amount of pruning allowed. Conditions at present 

 favor the corporations, as they are furnishing valuable and nec- 

 essary facilities for business, etc. In towns they obtain their fran- 

 chises and location of poles from the selectmen with little difficulty. 

 The selectmen notify the abutters of any contemplated installations 

 of poles and wires or of changes to occur in the systems, and the 

 abutters are given a hearing. However, they usually wake up to 

 their duty only after the installation of the lines, when the tree 

 warden must assume all responsibility for injury to the trees. He 

 has to choose between two courses — prevent the pruning or permit 

 it. In either case the companies can erect the poles and install 

 the wires, allowing the wires to burn their way through the trees, 

 although this, of course, often causes trouble to the corporation as 

 well as to the consumer. In case of injury to trees the warden has 

 access to the courts, but most companies are willing to put up with 

 a few moderate fines for the sake of the right of way through a 

 tree belt. 



FIG. 313— METHODS OF FASTENING WIRES TO TREES 

 A, Wire attached to lag bolt and protected from tree by blocks; a, cross section. 

 B, Loose wire loop fiitened with clamp and separated from tree by blocks; 

 b, cross section. C, Attachment of trolley guy wire. D, Wire loop tightly placed 

 around trunk will produce girdling. E, Blocks used in A and B, showing groove 

 •t c. 



