Rensselaer Journal, Volume 11, Number 33, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 January 1902 — PROGRESS IN TREE SURGERY. [ARTICLE]

PROGRESS IN TREE SURGERY.

IfITM of Mooy An Now Saved by Timely Operation*. there has also been very great progress in tree surgery or the methods of treating trees and shrubbery when It becames necessary to apply the knife or pruning shears. Many a tree is living today that would have died a few years ago from causes that would then have brought on death, but today are successfully treated. An instance of thiß progress can be seen in the Simon Cameron tree, as the spreading elm near the footpath leading from New Jersey avenue to the south wing of the capital in Washington is called. This tree received its While surgery as applied to man has made great strides in recent yeaps, name by which it is universally known now when the elder Olmstead laid out the capltol grounds and provided for a footpath which would have made necessary the removal of the stately old elm that was so greatly admired by Senator Simon Cameron. Mr. Cameron Interested himself in saving the tree with the result that it was allowed to stand in the center of a space that would otherwise have been covered with a granolithic walk. The tree flourished until a year ago, when an amputation became necessary. One of its big limbs, showing signs of decay, was cut ofT. The operation was successful enough, but the wound being left open, in the course of; time decay set in. The decay was working into the very vitals of the elm and would have killed It in a few years, but recourse was taken to an operation that is now very frequently applied in tree surgery. The decayed portion was scraped oft and a covering of asphaltum was placed over it toi arrest further decay. The tree is now as well off, says the Washington Star, as would be a man with a limb am-, putated and properly dressed with antiseptics. In the course of time the wound will probably be healed and the tree will be perfectly healthy again.