The message
from "Arthur" contains these words:
"Jaques d'Alltrades" wrote in message
...

Actually, if a pollard tree is trimmed regularly, the roots on that will
stabilise. The thickness of the trunk is almost immaterial, as the

So you are saying that however thick the trunk grows, the roots stay the
same size. In that case the tree would just fall over!

I can show you street trees that have always been regularly trimmed by the
council. The roots are pushing up the tarmac and are thicker than the
branches.

I didn't say that.

I said the roots will stabilise. It's how much growth is allowed at the
head which dictates the vigour of the roots.

Nature doesn't waste its energy growing roots to no effect.

If you were to take a photograph of the trees you're talking about every
year, you'd see that the head is growing more and more branches, needing
more nutrient each year. If your council were to restrict the head to
the same number of branches each year the roots would not get out of
hand.

As to falling over, it isn't the size of the trunk which causes trees to
fall over, it's the leverage resulting from the strength of wind and
their height and effective area of resistance to it, along with the soil
type and its state.

Wind following heavy or persistent rain will topple far more timber than
just wind on its own.

And yes, I do know what I'm talking about having been in arboriculture
one way and another since 1956.

--
Rusty Hinge http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/tqt.htm

Dark thoughts about the Wumpus concerto played with piano,
iron bar and two sledge hammers. (Wumpus, 15/11/03)