108 
PARK AND CEMETERY. 
SYSTEMATIC WORK IN STREET TREEjSURGERY 
By A. T. Hastings, City Forester, Jersey City, N. ]. 
During the rush of spring work last 
year, The Shade Tree Commission of 
Jersey City, N. J., received a postal 
card from a lady, a property owner in 
the city, asking for an inspection of 
the tree in front of her residence and 
for a report on its condition. Investi- 
gation by the City Forester revealed 
a Norway Maple some twenty-four in- 
ches in diameter and about forty feet 
high, a beautiful well shaped tree and 
apparently healthy when viewed at a 
distance. (Picture 1.) But a closer 
examination showed a large decayed 
portion running from near the ground 
to a height of ten feet and extending 
in width near the center portion near- 
ly half way around the tree. (Picture 
2.) The cavity was undoubtedly caused 
in the beginning by the bite of a horse 
or an otherwise bruising of the bark 
some few years ago. Proper attention 
at that time of the accident would 
have effectually prevented any decay 
of the tissue and a rapid healing of the 
wound. Without such proper atten- 
tention as in this case, decay set in, 
the cavity growing larger and deeper 
each year. Water settling into the 
holes hastened the decay. It became 
a lodging place for disease and in- 
sects. Without attention the tree 
would in time become so weakened 
that a sudden wind would cause a 
Picture 1. The Tree as Seen from a 
Distance. 
snapping off at the weakest point. A 
tree in such condition can not receive 
proper nourishment as the access of 
sap is materially lessened. 
A reply was sent by the Shade Tree 
Commission to the owner stating that 
as soon as the spring rush was over, 
the treating of the tree would be at 
once started, the cost of material and 
labor to be borne by the city. A few 
weeks later another postal was re- 
ceived from the lady inquiring if the 
matter had been forgotten. She was 
very anxious that the tree should be 
saved as it was a great comfort to her 
as it shielded her porch from the af- 
ternoon sun and was a material orna- 
ment to her residence. 
Immediately after the receipt of this 
postal a skilled man was sent to treat 
the cavity and thus preserve this no- 
ble tree for many years to come. 
With mallet and chisels the decayed 
portions were cut away. No atention 
was paid to the size of the cavity thus 
formed but great care taken that all 
decayed and diseased tissue be re- 
moved. The outer edge of the cavity 
was then planed and cut very smooth. 
By doing this the cambium layer was 
clearly exposed. This was very im- 
portant as will later be shown. (Pic- 
ture 3.) The exposed tissue of the cav- 
ity was then washed with a weak so- 
lution of creosote. Creosote serves 
as an effective antiseptic and further 
serves as a check to insect or disease 
that might be present. 
Ten and twenty penny wire nails 
Picture 2. Decayed Tissue Picture 3. Cavity Cleaned of Picture 4. Reinforcements in Picture 5. Wiring the Pace 
Forming Large Cavity. All Decayed Tissue. Cavity. of the Cavity. 
