Evening star., 1896-10-20
THE CARE OF TREES
Reply to q Communication a 10 Planting
and Pruning.
Result OF observations with the
KinAs Of Trees.

To the Editor Of The Evening Star:
For some time past I have looked for
some comment on the statements made by
one who assumes to be an expert on trees,
namely that the.treatment given the shade
trees Of this city has been faulty and inju-
rious in the fact that some Of them have
been cut back and pruned into better
shape. In his published report he an
nounces the dictum. which I seriously
question, that " it is especially noticeable
that the trees that have been severely
headed back and tops removed from time
to time nave suffered most"
He seeks to confirm this by theory,
which cannot have been well verified by
ocular evidence, that 1.-The removal Of
branches. particularly when the trees are
in foliage destroys a corresponding portion
Of roots" He then. in turn. props this
theory by suppostion, as follows: IAN
examination of these overturned roots will
show that they are destitute Of vigor and
very limited in quantity This is re-
markable statement. He does not say that
any one has made such an examination, or
that 1t has shown such a result; but that
1t will show that they are destitute of
vigor." A thing destitute Of vigor must be
dead. Lacking in vigor" would have been
safer assertion.
AS to this point, 1t happens that a tree
blown down by the wind Especially one Of
the softer and weaker varieties) does not
present all its roots to be counted. or to
have their pulse felt and vigor estimated
by an expert. On the contrary, the roots
remain under ground: and an expert can
only stand above and indulge his imagina-
tion as to the conditions below.
The whole hypothesis of the surface
seems superficial and not rooted in the firm
subsoil of common sense. 1t seems one of
those poetic statements which ought to be
true, If they are not; and an official utter
ance so embellished will carry weight with
many readers. But with some plain people,
who have dealt with live trees all their
lives. this blooming theory will not stand up
against any breeze of investigation. 1t is
hard to see just why the request of the
authorities to report on the injury to the
various kinds OF shade trees by the recent
gale should have resulted in q caustic lee
ture to those officials on their misdeeds in
the pruning field.
Their expert sets up too general a rule,
and does not distinguish between the diff
1erent kinds and natures of trees. Perceiv-
ing that some specimens have failed to
stand the blast, he assumes to know the
reason why, and finds opportunity to pro-
mulgate some pet views.
Now. in the Capitol Park beside a west
ern avenue, in uniform row Of tall, Wig
orous. unpruned sycamores, the wind pros
trated two. leaving one between ana 9TH
ers along the row all intact. What caused
this difference? An expert is needed with
theory to explain it; and he could safely
diagnose the case, as the roots are mostly
out of sight.
The same adviser exposes the mistakes
made in earlier days, of Improper prepa-
ration of holes and insufficient quantity of
good soil.' But my observation of forestry
mas SHOWN that the greatest of all tree
planters-old Nature herself-generally Sc
cures firm and stable trunks, rooted in
even the hardest and poorest SOIL without
nrst digging any hole whatever. And as
ftCrnf ftnv1
to conclude that the planters of some of
those sycamores dug the holes too deem
ana stuned in too much soft and perishabie
nlnng to support such q growth?
Many people believe that certain kinds of
t1ees are safer neighbors when kept within
due bounds. Pride must have a fall. By
soaring too ambitiouSly, the more weak and
saPpy KINDS OF timber are more exposed,
ana must either be shortened in, or 10 to
pieces. like the average wind motor II ia
tEe nature or other kinds to live moderately
% %Mithin their means. and need no calling
Gown. NO general rule will govern them all
Some unlucky trees, from poor nutrition
nervous prostration, chlorosis tape worm
or lazy roots, begin to have dead limbs.
me primers wisely remove those, and re-
duce the top. Then. If such a weakline ia
blown over, the government expert NAV
rise to explain that a vicious system of
pruning has caused all the damage Thus
90 cause and effect often become trans
posed.
While 1t is not credible that the removal
OF few live boughs kills a proportioaate
part OF the roots, yet experience shows that
nest OF the common trees will slowly die
Underground, If the trunk is cut down. But
other kinds do just the reverse. l have seen
thousands of thrifty trees, sometimes of
good size. that were broken or sawn or
chopped OH near the surface of the ground
without seeming to affect the roots. This
refers chiefly to the lemon, lime, orange
fig, guava, persimmon and mango; and also
applies strongly to some of the willows,
lindens. plums. poplars. oaks. chestnuts,
etc. How could many of these varieties
when cut off, so promptly resume business
at the old stand, and send up new trunk
like the mulberry. or whole thicket like
the guava, If there were any foundation in
fact for the theory quoted?
Again, we sometimes transplant a tree in
its growing season, helping it to survive the
loss of roots by removing about all the
tW1gs and leaves, and relieving the drain
On the roots; and the pruning does not in
1ure the roots in the way the new doctrine
indicates. I have successfully moved many
an orange tree thus in summer.
Another evidence of the wildness Of the
theory Is found in the practice of northern
nurserymen. We used to prune thousands
of young and tender trees in summer cut
ting away at least half their tops, without
the least suspicion that we were destroy
ing corresponding portion of the roots"
No practical tree grower has discovered
such injury. The only effect was to i'm
prove the form and stimulate the growth of
lie rest Oi tffe tree. w men apple trees grew
too large on our hands, 1t was desirable to
reduce the few long roots to a short, bushy
mass for next season. which must be done
by root pruning with the spade. Now.
II the Agricultural Department had sent
out an expert, with the Information that
pruning the tops removed a part of the
roots. what help it would have been!
And what is to. be done with the bushy,
low limbs that descend upon the heads Of
pedestrians as the trees expand7 Must the
pruners cease to cut them off for fear Of
giving weakness and disease to the roots?
A few years ago some sentimentalist i'm
agined that honey locust trees would shade
and beautify these streets No doubt the
planter meant to be benefactor, but he
only put very great nuisances in rows
where should now be noble water oaks and
dense shady naples. I have long had to
pass daily under scores Of the abomina BILE
things. They are the last to put out foliage
and the first to lose it of all the shade trees;
and at their best the shade Is thin ard
''sorry." Year after year their trunks need
to be shorn Of branchy growth of dia-
bolical thorns; and on the low hanging
boughs the cruel points are as bad In ones
face as barbed wire. They litter the street
With coarse rubbish Of pods, attracting the
young Africans. their only admirers. They