96 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Juny, 1899, 
it around the tree, give the wires a twist, and it is complete. As the battey 
are turned around the tree, the leather, being corrugated, forms a neg} 
protection for it, as shown in No. 4. i 
The blocks are put flush with the top to prevent anyone fastening horses 
to the tops of the battens, and if a vehicle strikes the guard it simply turng 
round, standing, as it does, upon level ground. 
The motion of the tree is not in any way impeded; the bark cannot he 
injured, for the guard moves freely with the tree. For private places theye 
could be made more ornamental. 
No. 2. For Crooked Stems, to Make.—This guard is made of wire-nettin 
and pliable wire. Two lengths of 3 feet cut to the width required will give 
6 feet in height. This looks neat, and answers the purpose in keeping a}y 
animals from girdling the trees, but not so well as the battens in preventing: 
yehicles from injuring the bark. Procure two pieces of wire-netting of the 
mesh preferred and of the requisite width. Join them together by passing 9 
wire through the meshes at the centre, also at the top and bottom. Stand jg¢ 
around the tree and fasten the wire, closing the netting. 
No. 3. Zo Make.—Procure battens as for No. 1. Place them on the 
ground (or on three pieces of timber) 3 inches apart at the bottom and 14 incheg 
at the top. Drive in a small staple slightly at 4 inches from the top and at 6 
inches from the bottom, and in the centre. Pass the wire through these staples . 
allow some for twisting, then drive the staples in until they grip the wires, 
Turn all over, and nail ona strip of leather as in No. 1. The remarks made foy 
that will doforthis. This is the one that is now being used to protect the trees 
in the streets; it is much easier made than No. 1—in fact, this guard can be 
made in 15 minutes, and no skill is required. 
When these tree-guards were being fixed up the question was asked whethey 
they could be used at the time of first planting. To have a straight stem is one 
of the most important objects in tree cultivation, and from the system of tying 
young trees to stakes they occasionally branch out near the ground, and form, 
instead of a stately tree, a sort of huge shrub. Again, instead of a certain 
amount of nourishment being distributed sparingly amongst a number of 
branches. or shoots, the same amount may be concentrated amongst a few, if 
these guards were used instead of stakes, as all the branches would strive to 
reach the top, and the stem, of course, would be straight, for the sap of the tree 
would naturally tend to the highest’parts. The guards can be used in this way, 
for instance: Anyone having a piece of ground would like to plant it with trees, 
and at the same time would like the horse or cow to have the run of the grass, 
The trees can be planted with safety if the guards are ready, and, after the 
young trees are in, if three stakes are driven in around it.so as to form a 
triangle, the guard can be folded around these and fastened to the stakes with 
a piece of wire at the top and bottom. 
The guards may be remoyed at any time by loosening the wires from the 
stakes, and may then be lifted upwards over the tree, or else by loosening the 
wires fastening them. The stakes being permanent, there is no disturbance of 
the roots of the young tree. Any intelligent person can easily adopt such 
modification as the case may require. The advantage the owner would get 
is, that all his trees would grow with a straight stem—they would have full 
play and could not be injured, and the bark of the tree, if these guards were 
used, would be shaded from the sun’s rays. 
Any person living in the bush Ruan, not go to the expense of procuring 
hardwocd battens. Young saplings or split palings can be used, and would 
answer the purpose well. Chip off the bark, if saplings are used, where the 
staples will go, and fasten all together in the same manner as the batten guard, 
and you have a good substitute, although a rough-looking one. One sees any 
contrivances used—such as tin, slabs, stakes, and wire-netting—im private 
ounds, to prevent the trees from being injured ; but if guards of hardwood 
ena were to be used they would last one’s lifetime, the cost being less than. 
for one made with stakes and wire-netting. 
