74 
EASTERN SHADE TREE CONFERENCE 
tent there are wide gaps in what were formerly beautiful rows of trees 
on streets and in parks. On the other hand, the early appearance, 
particularly the abundant logs and brush, gave an erroneous opinion of 
the actual damage to shade trees. There is a great amount of wood in 
one large shade tree. It is the belief of the writer that with the coming 
of another season and with proper care for the remaining trees, that the 
damage will not be nearly so great as seemed at the outset. Undoubt¬ 
edly there are places where vacancies must be filled and in some cases 
it may be possible to thin by moving from a really too thickly planted 
row of trees. 
The problem of the narrow street is one which has existed for many 
years. It is practically impossible to provide suitable growing condi¬ 
tions for trees on narrow village streets and maintain adequate public 
services such as water, sewer and gas. The laws of Massachusetts 
permit expenditure of public funds for the planting and care of shade 
trees on private property adjacent to public ways. The owner is re¬ 
quired to sign an agreement permitting the city or town to care for the 
trees prior to any such planting. Such trees must not be more than 20 
feet from the edge of the owners property. This appears to be the most 
practical way of dealing with shade trees on narrow streets. 
The hurricane supplies striking evidence of the value of a program 
providing for judicious pruning, cabling and feeding through a series of 
years. Such treatment has enabled many shade trees in the track of 
the storm to survive with comparatively little damage. The hurricane 
has also shown the general occurrence of conditions which rarely has 
been suspected and has brought to light sufficient evidence to justify 
the belief that most well grown trees can withstand all but the extremely 
severe wind bursts and these ordinarily occur in relatively small areas. 
It is our judgment that more rather than less should be expended on 
the shade trees of the country. Weak trees are expensive luxuries. 
The problem is primarily one of growing better, that is stronger, trees 
especially in parks and highways in the interest both of public safety 
and beauty. The measures advocated may be summarized as follows. 
Judicious pruning will do much to reduce wind damage and prevent 
invasion by wood rots. A thick high top makes uprooting of trees rela¬ 
tively easy. 
The structurally weak tree is easily strengthened with one or more 
cables and then it is decidedly storm resistant so far as limb breakage is 
concerned. 
