120 General Care of Trees 
two parts, the iron slats being riveted to semi-circles of iron. 
It is fastened to the tree support at the top and to the grill 
at its base, or, in the absence of the grill, it is loosely fixed 
in the earth. This style of guard has been adopted in many 
parts of Europe. 
“In America, combinations of iron rods and heavy wire 
netting are frequently seen, while it is not uncommon to 
use rather low iron guards and cover the trunk above the 
guard with ordinary wire netting. In Frankfurt, the base 
of the tree is often protected by a perforated cylinder of 
sheet-iron set on short legs, and above this is rather stout, 
closely woven wire. 
‘All guards of whatever kind should be fastened securely 
to the tree in such a way that no injury will result from 
rubbing; and, as the trees grow larger, care should be taken 
to loosen and enlarge the guards as the trees require. Neg- 
lect in this matter has occasioned the death of quite a num- 
ber of shade trees. 
“Grills are designed to prevent the trampling of the soil 
about the base of the tree and are especially desirable on 
street corners and other places where many people pass. 
On paved sidewalks, where the traffic is large and the amount 
of exposed earth at a minimum, some such means of keep- 
ing the soil light and porous may be considered a necessity. 
Grills also afford an excellent means of watering trees dur- 
ings periods of drought. ‘The construction of the grill may 
be readily determined by examining the accompanying 
illustrations. It is made of sections of iron grating which 
fit together about the tree in a circular, rectangular, or hex- 
agonal form and are supported on wooden pegs driven into 
the ground. A special form of grill is sometimes used on 
very busy streets which extends outward beneath the side- 
walk, leaving considerable space about the tree, while, being 
