- Location
- Retired in Minneapolis
I came across two very memorable cavity filling jobs. They were on adjoining properties that were carved out of a HUGE estate. The first one I found was in the top side of the largest, low limb, in a sugar maple. There would have been no way to see the cavity unless you were climbing. Whoever did the work was very skilled. The concrete was divided into 'bricks' with pieces of tar paper. Then, the surface was troweled and tuck pointed so that it looked like individual bricks but it was all concrete. The work was many years old judging by the amount of wound closer, moss and lichen growth and the aged patina of the surface. Even though in the Shigo-inspired world of Modern Arborculture I knew that the cavity work may not be the best for the tree I was humbled to be working on a tree that had been under the care of a peer who was as skilled and concerned about the tree as I was in my time.
The other impressive fill job was across the road from the one in the tree. The same sort of job was done, using tarpaper to make 'bricks' and finish the outside with a nice face. I found the work in an old stump that was rotten and I was supposed to haul it away. As we pried the picked at the stump we uncovered the old cavity filling. Again, it was decades old and was likely done when the area was the estate before be subdivided.
There is an ISA-published book on the history of arborculture in North America...that may be the name, I can't find mine right now...that tells the story of the Cavity Wars between Davey and Bartlett. Quite an interesting story that gave me good insights into the beginning of scientific arborculture. It is a good read and I'd advise getting the book.
The other impressive fill job was across the road from the one in the tree. The same sort of job was done, using tarpaper to make 'bricks' and finish the outside with a nice face. I found the work in an old stump that was rotten and I was supposed to haul it away. As we pried the picked at the stump we uncovered the old cavity filling. Again, it was decades old and was likely done when the area was the estate before be subdivided.
There is an ISA-published book on the history of arborculture in North America...that may be the name, I can't find mine right now...that tells the story of the Cavity Wars between Davey and Bartlett. Quite an interesting story that gave me good insights into the beginning of scientific arborculture. It is a good read and I'd advise getting the book.
