Trees in town and city.

  • Great Britain. Ministry of Housing and Local Government.
Date:
1958
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Trees in town and city. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    50/96 (page 40)
    to branch high to clear traffic (fig. 99), to mask some feature above ground level such as a railway viaduct, or to allow people in the street or on foot- paths to get a view of buildings or open spaces (fig. 21, page 7). Pruning for upward growth involves thinning of the heads and removal of the lower branches. Pruning small trees The small tree, which will not be chosen for planting where upward growth is needed, is best allowed to spread out into its natural form (fig. 100). Any pruning will normally aim to encourage its specific habit of growth and to produce abundant healthy wood. Some varieties of flowering trees, particularly plums, cherries and others of the prunus group, are subject to “‘ gumming ”’. Healthy young trees in Fic. 98. Huntingfield Road, Roehampton. A grey poplar, only 12 ft. from the houses, pruned for upward growth. Dead and decaying branches of a conifer should be removed for the sake of appearance, but, unlike those of a deciduous tree, they rarely die back and injure the trunk. On the other hand the leading shoot needs special care. Injury to it endangers the form of the tree. Only occasionally is it possible to train a healthy side shoot to take the place of the leader. | Felling and planting Trees, like all cultivated plants, have sooner or later to be taken out and replaced by others. But how are planting and felling to be co-ordinated ? In squares and open places it is not difficult. Drastic changes in the scene can be avoided by planting and felling one or two at a time, so that the stock of young and maturing trees is maintained. The renewal of a free design of roadside trees is rather more difficult, since each tree or group will be conspicuous, and particularly valuable to certain people, but the general character of the scene can be maintained by gradual planting and felling. The formal avenue presents a serious problem since its beauty depends on uniformity in the size of the trees. These were planted together and may now be past their prime. Should they be felled to- gether or gradually replaced ? The decisionis difficult either way. Wholesale felling of avenues (as in the Broad Walk, Kensington Gardens, and the Long Walk, Windsor Great Park) will practically wipe them out for 10 to 20 years, depending on the species replanted. Gradual felling and replanting, Fic. 99. Westminster, fohn Islip Street. Plane trees pruned high to clear traffic.