Convinced of the importance of his discovery, Davey left his job at the cemetery to pursue work as a tree surgeon. One of his methods included carving decay out of a tree's cavity, disinfecting and waterproofing it, and supporting the hollow space with an intricate combination of concrete sections, three-ply tarpaper, and steel bracing, a practice that continued into the 1990s with a few modifications, including the use of plastic foam filling. Through trial and error, he found scientific ways to heal sick, infected trees. Davey thought of the cemetery as a laboratory where he could experiment with his notions about the care and conservation of trees. John Davey migrated from England to the United States in 1873, and, after working in a variety of jobs, he moved to Kent, Ohio, to become caretaker of the Standing Rock Cemetery. The Davey Tree Expert Company traces its history to John Davey's creation of the new science of tree surgery (now known as arboriculture). Family-owned until 1979, the company has become one of the nation's largest and most successful employee-owned firms. Operating in the United States and Canada, the company provides tree, shrub, lawn, and groundskeeper care services, interior plant care, and utility line clearing. The company's philosophy-'Do it right or not at all'-has fueled its research and development division's continued scientific advancements toward the improved care of plants for over a century. The Davey Tree Expert Company pioneered the commercialized care of large trees through company founder John Davey's invention of tree surgery. SICs: 0782 Lawn & Garden Services 0783 Ornamental Shrub and Tree Services

The davey tree expert company