hat-rack

v. to severely prune a tree of all but its largest branches. Subjects: English, Agriculture, Environment, Jargon

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Citations: 1968 Fresno Bee (California) (Mar. 24) “Global Citrus Session Examines Modern Anti-Freeze Ideas” (in Riverside) p. 11F: The pineapple variety was the “most precocious,” they said. After sustaining server cold damage in 1962, the trees were “hat-racked” by pruning in 1963. 1977 Bill Paul @ Haines City, Florida Wall Street Journal (Jan. 21) “Florida Growers Put Heat on Jack Frost; Result Is Uncertain” p. 24: The freeze was severe enough to cause some defoliation and twig die-back or death of the ends of some limbs. But it added that the tree damage wasn’t as bad as in 1962 when there was widespread hat racking, which is the death of all but the largest limbs of the trees. 1985 San Francisco Chronicle (Jan. 23) “Florida Citrus Devastated In Record Freeze” p. 1: Replacing that stock was slowed last fall when canker, the disease most dangerous to citrus, was discovered in several Florida nurseries. Millions of seedlings had to be destroyed. Other trees damaged in 1983 were “hat-racked”—pruned until they only had three or four limbs. 2000 Amy Roe New Times (Broward-Palm Beach, Florida) (Sept. 14) “Branch Managers”: Hat-racking your backyard tree in many Broward cities could cost up to $250 per day in fines—$5000 if it is found to be irreparably damaged and is not replaced. Hat-racking is the arboreal word for overpruning. 2005 Adrian Hunsberger Miami Herald (Florida) (Dec. 11) “Hat-racking is harmful, illegal”: Q: My neighbor has butchered his trees. He had hired someone who pruned off all the branches and leaves. Isn’t this harmful, not to mention ugly?…A: Yes, it’s a quite harmful to the tree’s long-term health. It’s commonly called “hat-racking.”

Posted 11 Sep 06 | Permalink | Tell a Friend