In message , Robert Simpson
writes
Thank you Dave and Sarah, you seem to confirm my misgivings: that a long
stake, although often spoken about and shown in books, is not what is
needed.

Indeed, commonsense indicates that any length of stake above the point
where the tree is or will be tied to serves no purpose at all anyway.
--
Chris French and Helen Johnson, Leeds
urg Suppliers and References FAQ:
http://www.familyfrench.co.uk/garden/urgfaq/index.html