Tree Guards
When the trees are destitute of branches for a considerable distance up the stem, say 8 ft. or 10 ft., a very neat and efficient guard is made as follows:—Procure a number of larch, oak or Spanish chestnut poles, 7 ft. high, and about 2½ in. diameter at small end. Thread these on wires by boring holes in the poles at 2 ft. and 5 ft. from the butt end, keeping each couple separate by 3 in-long pieces of the same size of pole, also threaded on the wires. These can be formed on the level, and when sufficient to embrace the tree have been got together, the whole may be lifted up and placed in position closely around the trunk. Another method is to bind the poles together with fencing wire, giving a double twist between each to keep them at a suitable distance apart.
When a more elaborate fence or guard is required, four posts 7 ft. long, 4 in. square, and sawn from crooked oak branches are used. The posts are quite straight for 5 ft. in length, the upper 2 ft. being inclined outwards, which not only gives the guard a neat appearance, but is a great preventive against the encroachments of farm stock. The posts are inserted nearly 2 ft. in the ground, and so as to form a square around the stem of 4½ ft. to the side, four bars, each 3 in. by 1 in., are nailed horizontally on the straight portions of the posts, and at equal distances apart from where the angle occurs downwards; upwards from that three hoop-iron rails are nailed in a similar manner, the top one being one inch below the level of the crown of the posts. Iron has a light and neat appearance when used for the top bars, but wood is often substituted. Another cheap and neat tree guard for using with the rarer trees, to which horses and cattle have not access, is made as follows:—Pales 3 ft. long, 2 in. wide, by ⅜ in. thick, are sawn out and pointed. They are driven into the ground round the tree to be protected, the tops sloping outwards and 1½ in. apart. Stout tying wire is then interlaced at two heights from the ground.
Oak or chestnut bark placed loosely around clean-stemmed young trees will prevent damage by ground game, and is cheap and looks unobtrusive.