May, 1919 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



173 



roundings, such as the erection of a building near 

 it, severe root pruning in consequence, etc. 



5. Unless any and all other needs of the tree, such 

 as food, moisture, spray protection, etc., can and will 

 be provided thereafter. 



6. If the tree is weak and sickly, and making but 

 little growth. 



7. If the tree is clearly old and nearly ready to 

 die from natural causes. 



8. If the cavity resulting from the treatment of 

 the tree is not sufficiently large to really weaken it. 



These suggestions are of course 

 based on average economic consider- 

 ations; whether or not it will "pay" 

 to have a tree thoroughly reconstruct- 

 ed, is a question for each individual 

 owner to answer, in relation to each 

 individual tree. 



5. When the tree is freed of its 

 enemies and maladies, and strength- 

 ened in any manner possible, it must 

 be treated so that other disease spores 

 and bacteria will not subsequently 

 enter and start trouble afresh. 



6. Finally, the repair work should 

 be as inconspicuous as possible, the 

 surface of a filled cavity being finished 

 to harmonize with the surface of the 

 tree itself. Of far greater importance, 

 however, is the finishing of the job 

 so that the normal healing process 

 ~will go forward as rapidly as pos- 

 sible, and close up the openings in 

 the trunk or branches with the 

 least possible delay and in the most 

 thorough manner. This means a care- 

 ful approximation of surfaces, judi- 

 ciously designed curved outlines, etc. 



skill, the best trained, most skilful 

 operator is just as likely to bungle 

 or half do the work, as is a wholly 

 unequipped amateur tree owner. 



The substance of this immediate 

 argument is, therefore, that it is well 

 to consult an established, reliable firm 

 of proven ability and experience 

 whenever any tree repair job of any 

 considerable extent confronts you. 

 When the result of such a consulta- 

 tion is an estimate considerably larger 

 than seems called for, think the 

 matter over, take note of what must 

 really be done in saving the tree, then 

 figure out as nearly as you can what 

 that particular tree represents, both 

 in cash and in things that money 

 cannot buy. 



What You Can Do to Help 



"LJOWEVER, even as a novice one 

 A ■*■ doesn't have to be entirely use- 

 less, even the facts that this article 

 has attempted to impart are sufficient 

 to guide an owner of trees in so caring 

 for them as to postpone the time 

 when the skilled tree surgeon will be 

 needed. In other words, you can 

 help to keep your trees healthy by 

 observing these rules: 



1. In pruning cut the branch close against the 

 parent stem. 



2. Use a very sharp knife, saw, pair of shears, etc. 



Above: Washington 

 Elm at Cambridge, 

 Mass., as it is to-day, 

 reinvigorated and 

 given a fresh lease of 

 life 



Right: Elm on the 

 Capitol grounds, Wash- 

 ington, D. C. This 

 was planted by Chas. 

 Sumner and is a splen- 

 did specimen 



Left: The Lancaster 

 Elm in Massachusetts 

 is a conspicuous feature 

 in the landscape and is 

 one of the finest speci- 

 mens in existence. In 

 order to preserve it the 

 tree and the land it 

 occupies have been 

 "deeded" to the tree 

 itself 



Let the Tree Doctor Do It 



X^ROM this brief outline of the scope of 

 ■*• tree repair it is clear that the novice who 

 sets out to reconstruct a large, old, and severely 

 disabled tree is, to put it mildly, tempting 

 providence. In other words tree surgery — 

 from diagnosis to after treatment — is a spec- 

 ialist's job, no less than human surgery, dental 

 surgery, veterinary surgery, or any other sort. 

 As such it is receiving the careful attention 

 of practicing experts and of students who see 

 the profession of "tree doctor" one of import- 

 ance and profit in the future. 



The successful tree surgeon must be a trained 



dendrologist with a knowledge of entomology, 

 chemistry and plant pathology; he must under- 

 stand the principles of mechanics and the dis- 

 tribution of strains and torsions; he must have 

 the eye of an artist and the manual skill of the 

 artisan; and he must possess the good judgment 

 and integrity that are essential attributes of the 

 professional advisor who would succeed via the 

 route of satisfied clients and tasks well accom- 

 plished. 



An incidental requirement that is missing far 

 oftener than one would suppose, is a natural 

 ability to climb trees. Oftentimes lofty jobs 

 must be essayed in the course of the day's work, 

 and without some touch of atavistic, simian 



3. After they have dried, and at intervals of six months there- 

 after, paint the surfaces of all pruning wounds more than an 

 inch in diameter with lead paint or some standard, recommended 

 protective preparation. 



4. Prevent limbs from rubbing together and wearing off their 

 bark. If necessary cut out one of them. 



5. Clean up all small bark wounds by cutting around them 

 with a very sharp knife, so as to leave an upright, oval wound and 

 clean edges. 



6. In the case of smalt cavities and minor injuries that you may 

 attempt yourself to clean out, disinfect, and fill with concrete or 

 asphalt, promptly and carefully. 



7. See that the trees are protected against such unnecessary 

 injury as barking by lawn mowers or whiffle trees, choking by 

 metal guards left on too long, guy wires, etc. 



8. Keep the trees growing well so that they will tend to resist the 

 invasions of disease and of the various insects that attack only 

 specimens that are weakened and failing. Also keep up an active 

 systematic warfare against such insects and plant diseases known 

 to be prevalent in your locality. 



