Engine oil as an essential item in the tree-surgeon's kit bag

D.M. Procida · 2004-02-14T21:42:24+00:00

I got someone to cut down a rather too tall and significantly toounsightly fir tree at the front of the house. During the negotiationsover a price for cutting it down and taking it away I was assured thatthey weren't cowboys like some of them out there, and that there unlikemany they knew there was no point in cutting down a tree and not doinganything about the roots. By this time I was only half paying attentionbecause my children were doing something dangerous with a ladder, but Ihad a vague impression they'd do something specialised and difficult(but important) with the roots.After 45 minutes' work with a chainsaw, including a few breaks tosharpen its teeth with a rusty metal file, the three of them had removedeverything except the stump. Then one of them cut a slot in the stump,and another poured in what looked like engine oil, which in fact itturned out to be. I started to get an explanation about the engine oil,but then I could see from the arc of water jetting into the neighbours'garden that the children were out at the back messing around with thehose-pipe, so I couldn't give it my full attention.So anyway, what is this idea that the roots need to have something fataldone to them? If a 7-metre fir tree has been reduced to a stump that'spretty much it, isn't it? It's not going anywhere after that. And what'sthis business of the engine oil?Daniele

Feb 14, 2004 23 Replies

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The Right Rev. Peter Parsnip 22 years ago

STOP IT!!

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mike ring 22 years ago

The Natural Philosopher wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@b.c:

Don't you hate smart kids?

mike r

"Philosophers who're are up on trees And floor you with them flat I've got them on my list"

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Pirx Teh Caravan Pilot 22 years ago

What's he on about now?

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The Left Rev. P. Parsnipe 22 years ago

I can only presume it's another euphemism for his filthy preverted antics.

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