Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 254, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 October 1911 — Page 2 Advertisements Column 3 [ADVERTISEMENT]

Cruelty to Trees In many citiea and villages progressive organizations are endeavoring to protect trees from mistreatment which has been deplorably common in ths past Horses have been allotted to gnaw at the bark and at the new shoots; telephone and telegraph companies have cut branches indiscriminately and when excavations have been made roots have been hacked away without regard to the mutilation of a fine specimen tree which it would be beyond the power of the vandals to replace. In small cities and villages it is ot even more Importance than itt larget cities that the trees be protected. A specimen of cruelty which is not as noticeable as those cited is improper pruning. Not only is. a tree injured by cutting off large branches, but when it is done so that ragged stumps are left, the injury is incalculable. It is true that pruning is needed to produce symmetrical shape; but the best rule is to prune as little as possible. Indiscriminate cutting out of branches cannot be called pruning. A skillful pruner will take out only branches here and there, and when he is through the removal will hardly be noticed except in the improved appearance.