136 TREES AS GOOD CITIZENS 
occur, which may prove as serious as the injury which 
might have been suffered if the tree had been left unpro¬ 
tected. This swaying must be prevented by fastening 
the stem to the guard itself, or to an upright stake firmly 
implanted in the ground alongside the tree. If the guard 
is sufficiently strong and is well anchored in the soil, 
attachment to the guard is best. If not, then attachment 
to a strong stake is the best anchor. This stake should be 
about nine feet in length and sunk into the ground to a 
depth of at least three feet, to give it the solid footing 
necessary for stout support. For fastening the tree to this 
stake or to the guard, nothing better can be found than 
loops of old rubber hose, which are excellently suited for 
the purpose by reason of softness and flexibility. Soft 
leather or rope may be used but care must be taken to 
keep from binding the tree too tightly. A length of rope 
or wire slipped through a rubber hose also serves the pur¬ 
pose well, but wire should not be used unless so protected. 
The stake may be either inside or outside the tree guard. 
This will depend on the size of the guard, as the stake is 
to be placed about ten inches from the tree. To prevent 
decay the stake should be tarred or creosoted at the lower 
end, with the coating covering the part which is to be 
underground and extending for a few inches above the sur¬ 
face as well. Creosote is probably better than tar because 
it penetrates the wood while tar merely covers the surface. 
The stems of young saplings make the best stakes as they 
are likely to be stronger than sawed lumber but they are 
difficult to obtain. In attaching a tree to a single stake, 
the hose or other attachment should be put on in the form 
of a figure 8, so that two bands of the tying material 
intervene between the stake and tree and thus help to 
prevent chafing. When a guard is used permitting two 
attachments, each one should be put on in the form of a 
