40-YEAR-OLD TREE MOVED

Press, Volume C, Issue 29435, 10 February 1961, Page 20

40-YEAR-OLD TREE MOVED

Elm For Burnside High School

A weeping elm tree, which for the last 40 years has been in a private property in Idris road, was yesterday moved to the Burnside High School. The tree, which was to have been destroyed, was moved by the landscape section of the Ministry of Works.

“As far as I know this is the first time a deciduous tree has been moved in mid-sum-mer,” said Mr G. B. Malcolm, landscape officer of the Ministry of Works. Assisting Mr Malcolm in the transfer of the tree was Mr J. Jeffries, a technical assistant, and Mr H. Baxter, landscape overseer. The usual time for shifting trees was June, July, or August, said Mr Malcolm. However, he was quite confident that the transfer would be successful and that future projects of a similar nature could be carried out in summer months.

Before the tree was moved the leaf surface was reduced by three-quarters and the remaining leaves were sprayed with a plastic spray. This spray blocks up the stomata on the leaf and reduces the rate of transpiration. Although the spray stopped the leaves giving off moisture it did not stop them from breathing, said Mr Malcolm.

The spray will remain on the leaves for three or four weeks. The roots of the tree were dug out for a distance of 10 to 12 feet and during the shift they were protected by wet bagging. A back-end loader was used to scoop the soil away from around the tree.