72 
EASTERN SHADE TREE CONFERENCE 
chances of trees successfully resisting a wind storm. Also, trees with such 
a root system are less affected by drought extremes. 
Many otherwise valuable trees were seriously damaged and in some 
cases ruined because one or more major limbs were torn away by the fury 
of the storm. Many of these cases were due to what is termed structural 
weakness, namely a poor union between the limbs and the trunk. This 
condition can easily be corrected by the installation of cables. 
Wood rots were important factors in promoting storm damage in that 
large limbs or even trunks were badly weakened by these troubles. 
There were some, really very few, giant elms twisted off a few feet above 
the ground, the long fibers suggesting little or no wood rot. Most of 
the trees damaged in this way had been invaded by these weakening 
agencies. This was particularly true of many of the larger branches. 
Probably ninety per cent of the seriously damaged trees had been in¬ 
vaded to a greater or a less extent by wood rots. It is well known 
that these can enter only where the wood is exposed or through dead 
limbs. The conditions disclosed by the storm show a general need for 
systematic pruning and the prompt treatment after pruning of all wood 
surfaces with a wound dressing in order to exclude wood rots so far as 
possible. 
Recently issued figures of the New England Telephone and Telegraph 
Company indicate that the total cost of repairs following the recent hurri¬ 
cane will amount to approximately $6,000,000. It is obvious that a very 
considerable proportion of the damage to wires, both communications 
and power, was caused by falling trees and while the enormous loss just 
mentioned falls primarily upon utility companies, in the final analysis 
it must be paid by the public. Probably seventy-five per cent of this 
damage and possibly more was due to fallen trees. It is entirely feasi¬ 
ble to greatly reduce probable losses of this nature by keeping trees 
near wire lines in reasonably good condition and by avoiding in the 
future, so far as possible, planting or growing in such places trees which 
are most likely to suffer from the storm, especially the soft maple, Caro¬ 
lina poplars, Norway spruce, and white pine. The same precautions 
may well be observed in relation to trees growing along highways. 
Uprooted and wrecked trees are only a part of the damage caused by 
the storm. There are literally thousands of trees which remained 
approximately upright because they were supported by others or had 
been wrenched to such an extent that they were unable to retain a normal 
vertical position. Some of these are seriously weakened and may fall 
