Tree Surgery Investigated 
By M. C. Ebel, New Jersey 
TO state that tree surgery has not always been re- 
garded as favorably as it is today, even by those 
who have been in a position to carefully watch its 
development, and that there are many people interested 
in the preservation of trees who still regard the efficacy 
of tree surgery with more or less skepticism is divulging 
no professional secret. Tree surgery, or tree doctoring 
as it was called in its early days, though its critics were 
wont to refer to it then as tree butchery, has, like every 
other science, had to pass through the experimental stage 
and has had to overcome the many difficulties with 
which it found itself at times surrounded, until it has 
reached that degree of perfection which entitles it to 
be ranked with the foremost skilled arts of the day. 
The writer has but recently come to the realization that 
tree surgery has attained the high standard referred to, 
for it was only a year ago at the National Flower Show, 
in Philadelphia, that he questioned the merit of some of 
the methods which were employed in the treatment of 
trees, and which were illustrated in a collection of photo- 
graphs exhibited by the Davey Tree Expert Company. 
The response to his criticism was an invitation to visit 
Kent, Ohio, the home of the Davey Institute of Tree 
Surgery, to investigate at first hand the methods and 
services of that organization with the assurance that 
nothing would be concealed, that "the cards would be 
placed on the table face up." The invitation was ac- 
cepted conditionally that the writer be permitted to have 
two experts accompany him. This was agreed on and 
the final outcome of it has been that some forty scientists 
and gardeners in charge of some of the foremost private 
estates in this country, gathered at the annual convention 
of the Davey organization in March, 1917, to investigate 
as to what really constituted the training, the knowledge, 
and the ability of the tree surgeons. 
Meeting the general field staff of the organization, the 
salesforce, the foremen and tree men, shortly after their 
arrival at Kent, gave the visitors, or "investigators," good 
opportunity to closely scrutinize the calibre of the organ- 
ization's operating force. A visit to the various depart- 
ments of the Davey Institute followed, after which the 
party proceeded to Akron to become the guests of the 
company at a banquet at the Akron City Club. No time 
Vi-as lost in dispensing with the demand of the inner man, 
tables ordered clear, and the subject of the hour, "The 
Tree," was approached and for four solid hours the silent 
sentinel of Nature was the topic of discussion. 
The discussion centered on the use, habits and general 
care of trees. During the session it was disclosed that 
those present were not all converts to tree surgery and 
that many had come to Kent with the "you will have to 
show me" frame of mind, but with an open disposition to 
see, learn and be convinced. So absorbed had the gather- 
ing become in the subject that midnight arrived all too 
soon. Adjournment followed, to meet again in the early 
forenoon of the coming day, when full opportunity was 
provided to get a closer insight in the workings of 
every department of the Davey organization. 
The first visit was to the executive offices, where 
acquaintances were made with the executive staff ; then 
to the school where the instructors and students were 
met in session and there considerable time was devoted 
Visitors .It the Davey Tree Surgery Institute Convention. In tlie ijroup .Ire Several .Menilyers of the Davey Organisation, 
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