The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-03-14
Trce.ki1lerS.

To the Eiitor Of the Dispatch.
Ginning that 81 have perhaps sofne
shallow spirit of judgment" I'm forestry,
] beg leave 10 enter my earnest protest
against the butchery that IL practiced every
spring on the trees that form 80 important
and pleasing feature i'm the ad0rnment Of
our lovely city by men going around with
ladder, hatchct, saw, and bill-book or
shears, importunately soliciting (and too
often gettIng) the job OF what they call
pruning the trees.
Now, in the first place. this l. not
pruning, hut mutilation. In European
countries, where the business OF growing
trees and preserving forests is the regular
pursuit OF experts, such practice would
not be tolerated for one instant. The
leaves OF tree are it, lungs; the spray
and branches are its limbs; and the re-
m0yal OF these in excess Will surely Kill the
tree by death quick or slow, as the case
may be. Therefore whenever it Il neces-
sary TO shape the tree by pruning or to re-
move superfiuous growth for health or
symmetry. the operation must be gradual
snd moderate. More particularly IL this ne
cessary in trees that she'd their leaves. In all
such invariably when limb il removed
there IL the commencement OF decay !;
whereas I'm resinous trees the removal
forms hard lightwood knot. which il the
most durable part OF it, substance. The
slightest inspection OF D pine or an oak
plank will prove this. Therefore, when "a
deciduous tree il pruned, there should be
rs little surface OF wood laid bare rs L. pos
sible. But so far from regarding this
rule, the professional trec-killer lOps
off about one third Of the tree, cX-
posing great surfaces, which will soon
form hollows that spread decay. An
other rule, which they disregard or are
ignorant OF. is that when limb Is removed
it should be taken off close 70 the body OF
the tree. Indeed, il il better to cut some
what into the body than b leave the slight
est projection OF the removed limb; and
for the very simple reason that then the
growth can sooner heal the wound with
protecting bark, and thus check decay by
excluding air from this point Of incipient
rottenness. But these hcWcrs OF wood
leave sometimes foot or more Of 4 limb,
which soon rOtS and sends decay all
around. A. splendid specimen OF
this sort OF destroyers OF beauty,
beg leave 10 call attention TO the
pruning () OF the handsome row Of ma
pies on the east side OF Ninth street be-
tween Marshall and Clay, which has just
attracted my attention, and reminded me
that for several years | have intended TO
call attention to this abuse. But when
pruning is necessary at all, ~ il very rarely
is to town tree, il should be done at an
other season. In spring, when the sap is
running, the wound bleeds and weakons
the tree. The time 10 do such work il in
the latter half Of June and the first hall OF
July. Then the tree j. in its greatest Yigor
Of growth. The wood il being deposited
in layers, and the wound is soonest cica-
tried with bark. II is very injurious to
prrIne trees now, though il il very COM
mon practice.
These remarks conceive 10 be the more
necessary for this reason: The life OF 4
town tree l. wholly artificial. In The coun-
try, particularly in a forest, the tree is
rooted and grows in . soft soil, fertilized,
moistened, and cooled by covering OF
leaves, and "a boundloss cOntiguity OF
shade.r In town we have comparative iso-
lation OF each tree, the hard street or pave
ment. the glare Of hot, baking sun and
atmosphere, and the injuries that result
| from hitching horses 10 them, and thu
| thousand other things that main OF other
wiso injuro them. ii 10 these inevitable
| injuries 10 root and stem we add the bar
barous treatment Of branch and spray b.
the trcc-klllcr, it is plain that our tree
cannot - live long and prosper" As II Il
few trees on our sidewalks live more thar
sixty years.
Any one who win step into bookstore
and consult OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES o
Agriculture or Encyclopedia OF Gardening
can verify i'm detail what | have hereir
hastily, had almost said hopelessly
skctched.
invite the particular attention OF tn
| ladies to this matter. a. the beautiiyiDg o
our dwellings and our surroundings come
naturally within their sphere.
FORESTER.