The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1910-04-15
DOCTORING TREES
FROM The inside.
Hollows Filled With Tar, Bricks
and Cement Preserve Sound
Exteriors.

full of tree butchers, and this is the
season that they begin their destruc-
tive work, keeping 1t up until the
starting sap brings out fresh leaf
buds. These wanton destroyers of
, ''our wounded friends, the trees" are
now ringing front doorbeils with the in
quiry, "Trees trimmed, missus? Iii
do it cheap, and they need it bad!"
And woe to the suburbanite who puts
his precious trees into the hands of
these wandering foresters, working
without license, who win out and slas
at the beautiful limbs 10 achieve the
diabolical result known as topping"
1t is not unusual in these days to be
confronted by wceful topped" speci-
mems throughout beautiful surburban
sections, where It would sesm that
the inhabitants might have had more
cry.
On the other hand, there are very
pleasing results displayed where gen
uine tree DOCTORS" instead of tree
butchers" have been at work among
the beautiful old trees that require spe
cial care. Every season new froms
of doctoring are set forth that excite
the admiration and respect, when one
notes how deity and thoroughly the
doctors have worked to remove all
signs of decay, fill up exposed cavi-
ties and give the trees that were
seemingly beyond repair new leases
of life. Here in Cynwyd, at Bala and
in Lower Merton, there are many fine
old specimens of doctored trees-his-
toric specimens that have stood since
revolutionary days-that are consider
ed by the whole countryside as among
the most treasured landmarks.
Another feature especially pleasing
in these newer sections that are be-
coming rapidly built up is the method
employed by builders to preserve ev-
cry possible tree, even though 1t may
stand in the line of grading, or where
building site seems most desirable.
A splendid old walnut tree and an
equally aged and beautiful maple, that
stand directly In the line of the grad
ing here, have been we'll banked about
their roots and allowed to stand, and
the break thus formed in the lire of
grading proves a picturesque, aside
from the fact that by this method a
venerable tree landmark has been pre-
served. The same method of treat
, ment-leaving a broad, hugh terrace
all about the tree roOts-is also MOTTO
ed in this section where trees have
stood In the line of driveways. One
of the most attractive treatments is
leaving the tree standing in the CEN
ter of the roadway on the private es-
tate and having the drive circle around
it.
Among the old trees that have be-
come decayed, some very ingenious
methods of doctoring are noticed in
this section. In one instance, where
the great cavity had almost entirely
eaten out the big trunk, leaving hol
SO large that it was almost impossi-
Bile to fill the pace with cement, a
brick wall was literally built within the
tree trunk, and the cement fitted
about the bricks, closed the entire
cavity and sealed it frOm further in
jury.
In many cases, among these fine
old trees, large wounds are covered
with patches of zinc to prevent the
entrance of decay and the formation
of cavities while the bark is healing.
These patches are made slightly small
err than the wounds, in order that
the bark may readily roll over the
zinc.
When it is impossible for the bark
to heal over a large wound,as there
is no support for the cambium to roll
upon, the cavity will rapidly increase
in size until the entire trunk is hol-
low-and unless it has prompt doctor
ing the tree Will go down of dts own
weight or before strong wind-it Is
such trees that require the heroic treat
ment suggested by the brick-filled
cavity.
1t is interesting to watch these trees
doctors at their spring work in the
suburbs. Fist, all decayed and dis
eased tissue is removed from a cavity
until nothing but solid wood remains
A heavy application of coal tar is APP
pIed to the interior, and the fissure
rs then ready for the filling.