rdp@teddy.UUCP (09/09/85)
[] Two years ago, we bought an old farmhouse. One of the clinchers for us was an enormous hemlock tree in the front yard. this tree is easily 50 to 60 feet tall, the trunk is 4 feet in diameter, and the drip line is probably 25 feet across. It stands pretty much in the clear, in very well drained (LOTS of broken slate and fist size granite "pebbles"), but somewhat moist soil. In the last year, there has been a small amount of excavating and building about 30 feet from the tree, and no major root systems were interrupted. Also, this summer has been very wet and somewhat cool. Over the weekend we noticed that some of the terminal growth is turning brown and dying. It seems to be limited to the last 2 inches or so of needles, and it is fairly uniform from top to bottom. We didn't see anything like this as little as a month ago. Quick inspection did not reveal any insect infestation, nor anything else obvious. We fear that the tree may be dying. Does anyone out there know what may be going on, and what might be done? We really hate the prospects of having to fell the tree if it's doomed. The only consolation is that there is probably several thousand board feet of nice lumber to be had. Dick Pierce