Life, 1927-05-19 · page 40 of 42
Life — May 19, 1927 — page 40: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not satire or a cartoon**—it's a full-page advertisement disguised as a public service article. The Davey Tree Company used *Life* magazine to present a case study proving their tree treatment methods work. The "before/after" photographs show Central Park trees in 1925 (neglected, sparse foliage) versus 1926 (restored, full canopy). The company treated 100 declining trees at their own expense as a demonstration. The results claimed 90% showed improvement. The appeal targets civic pride: New York's iconic park was visibly dying from neglect and poor urban conditions. The Davey Company positions themselves as scientific experts (invoking founder John Davey's experience) who understand trees need cultivation, fertilizer, pruning, and their proprietary "Davey Tree Food"—just like farming. This is essentially early-20th-century corporate marketing disguised as journalism, leveraging a recognizable public space and environmental concern to advertise commercial tree care services.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
BEFORE TREATMENT = J Ee AFTER TREATMENT hes June,1926, before treatment. Tree in Central Park starving through neglect under semi-artificial conditions, Note thin foliage and dying top June, 1926—same tree one year after treatment, Restored to new health end rigor through Darcy methods of scientific feeding and pruning Saving the starving trees of Central Park, New York IN away the obvious results of neglect and ineffi- y, Various fanciful and fallacious theories were advanced as to the reasons why the trees of Central Park are dying. In 1925 the Davey Company challenged these unwarranted claims, and ade the positive assertion that the trees of Central Park are dy. ing from neglect and starvation. To prove the truth of this asser- tion, the Davey Company offered to treat, at its own expense, 100 dying trees as a demonstration. A careful survey by Davey Experts indicated that about 25% of the older trees of Central Park are too far gone to save, and another 25%, approximately, are border-line cases in advanced stages of decline, but with some reasonable chance of saving them ly proper treatment. ‘The other 50% were in varying conditions from fairly good to relatively poor. The 100 trees selected for demonstration were taken from the oup of border-line cases, and the Davey Company staked ve a substantial portion of these IY he treatment given was the result of John Davey’s life experience and the quarter of a century experience le Davey organization. This treatment was a combination of practical com- mon sense and scientific knowledge and experience. For exactly the same reason that a good farmer cultivates his fields and fertilizes his soil, the ground under these trees was thoroughly cultivated — adequate and appro- priate fertilizers were used—the ground was prepared to JoHN DAVEY receive both water and air, so vital to plant life. One of PsterofTre the important elements in this program was the use of Davey Tree Food to stimulate new growth quickly. In addition to this, the trees were given expert scientific prun- ing to eliminate the dead and weak parts, and to establish a prop+ er balance between a dying top and an impoverished root sys- tem. All the trees of Central Park are living under semi-artificial conditions, aggravated by neglect. One year later, in June, 1926, photographs were again taken of thesame 100 trees, and a thorough examination disclosed the fact that 90% of them showed definite improvement, a large propor- tion showing really marvelous improvement. ‘The other 10% were holding their own, All of this proves beyond the possibility of doubt or fallacious argument that most of the trees of Central Park can be saved, if the civie pride of New York forces a prompt and complete abandonment of the past policy of neglect. All trees growing under lawn conditions are living under more or less artificial handi of them are actually starving, slowly or rapidly. y need help. Are any of your trees starving? Look for danger ns in the slowly dying tops. The local Davey representative will be glad to examine your trees and report their condition to you without cost or obligation. THE DAVEY TREE EXPERT CO., Inc, wery 736 City Bank Bldg., Kent, Ohio Reg. U. 8. Pat. Of, DAVEY TREE SURGEONS comicbooks.com