Up Date : In the fall of 2000, Treelife ,CEO Kevin Collier, and Linvel Baker parted their ways for whatever reasons unknown, by agreement or by disagreement.

Bartley Technologies Inc., who developed the marketing strategies and the creator of the secret ingredient trade name “Treelife” (R), the original OAK WILT foliar product to apply to live oak trees to achieve remarkable success (measured epidemiologically) following application of the now NEW PRODUCT, - NEW ORGANIC SOLUTION or the NEW THING.

It seem that Bartley Technologies Inc., are not using the old product name Treelife (R) and now just calling it the “ New” “New Product” perhaps new and improved one might say. It is still water, fertilizer and bio-stimulants; (plant extracts) ... anyway look at it.

Bartley Technologies Inc., web site: www.bartleytech.com/trees.html or www.bartleytech.com/secrets.html If you overlook the spelling and grammar you can enjoy some quiet reading time and even be amused. My computer insisted on correcting the spelling errors in this article. Their grammar is still intact.

I have highlighted some of their statements in blue and imposed my comments and personal views in red for the sole purpose to inspire you, the reader to ponder for the truth. We all know that there are a lot of good commodities on the market and many are questionable. Is this one questionable? Financial responsibility and sound management dictate that product-purchasing decisions are of the utmost importance. Never before has the tree industry had as many commercially available products for use. So how does one choose between the good, the bad and the ugly?

Tutorial On Oak Wilt And Dutch Elm Disease:

An Epidemic. Oak wilt, first discovered in Dallas, TX in 1961, is killing oak trees throughout central Texas, the Mid-West and other parts of the United States in epidemic proportions. In Texas alone, the number of confirmed infected counties in Texas have quadrupled since 1988. Dutch Elm disease, introduced in Europe and in the U.S. following World War I, has already destroyed a large percentage of elm trees in North America and Europe. As we speak, elm trees are dying of this disease from the Texas Pan Handle to Edinburgh, Scotland. Landscapes have been marred by once majestic oaks and elms NOW DEAD, and no oak species and few elm species have proved to be immune. Both diseases are caused by a fungus, which invades and disables the trees water conducting system.

Fungus Must Be Checked. As a stressed tree combats a fungus, it loses capacity to transport water and nutrients which would normally be used to produce healthy leaves and a healthy looking appearance.

If the tree is not strong enough to hold the fungus in check the tree becomes diseased and eventually dies. Those who live in the regions hit by oak wilt know that progress of this disease can vary widely. One may see sudden loss of leaves and death in only a few days. Other oaks may go through up to a five year period of decline (not always visible) before succumbing to the wilt.

Few Trees Survive More Than A Year. The relentless devastation caused by these infectious diseases knows no boundaries. The fungus (Ceratocystis ulmi) that causes Dutch Elm Disease (closely related to Ceratocystis fagacearum which causes oak wilt) can be carried by bark beetle vectors, typically leading to wilting symptoms (usually in small branches relatively high in the trees) that are seen in late May in Midwestern States of the U.S. Some diseased trees may survive up to a year. Like oak wilt, the fungus may also be spread through root grafts, and elms infected in this way will usually show immediate massive wilt symptoms throughout the trees' crowns followed by quick death.

Our Planet's Conditions Have Changed. Trees have their own natural mechanisms for fighting disease like oak wilt and Dutch elm disease. Compartmentalization is one of the tree's secrets to longevity that can span centuries. In the decades and centuries past, trees have survived droughts, seasons of excessive rains, and many other of nature's worst assaults. However, atmospheric and soil conditions have gradually changed -- rainfall, humidity, cloud cover (solar input and black-body radiation), erosion, leaching, pH, and compaction from livestock and human activities --resulting in many trees today being at increased risk. They need our help in many cases if they are to survive today.

New Organic Solution. A water-soluble, non-toxic spray product made from natural extracts described in this web site (see MARKETING TRADE SECRETS), (must read) was researched for over ten years before our firm helped bring it to the marketplace. Designed with Dutch Elm Disease as an initial target, tests showed that this product also provided a significant deterrent to oak wilt. The product, applied both for quick-response foliar "feeding" of the tree and improving root growth, also reduced soil compaction. Conclusion -- a program of regular application could save a very large percentage of oak and elm trees that would otherwise die. An Integrated Approach to Saving Trees. Dr. William A. Albrecht, Professor of Soils at the University of Missouri College of Agriculture (deceased) noted in one of his many books that "It is not the overpowering invader we must fear but the weakened condition of the victim ..." This became fundamental to understanding how this new product works -- indeed, one must worry about maintaining the health of trees that are under attack by a fungus. This is why the new product we were studying turned out to be both therapeutic as well as preventative.

Remarkable Success. As with most things, one cannot achieve 100% success. The forest services and Texas A&M emphasize that there is no known cure for oak wilt. The same is true for Dutch Elm Disease. However, we saw remarkable success (measured epidemiologically) following application of the new product we and decided to take it to market -- the Texas Park Service has told us "... the metabolic response that we have seen on these survivor oak trees is phenomenal." For example, on one ranch treated five years ago with the product, out of 364 trees treated only 4 trees were reported lost after two years of observation (i.e., over 98% survivors in this particular period).

Treatments Affordable. Product feasibility studies conducted by our firm, Bartley Technologies Inc., suggested that application of 4-6 gallons of the new product on an average Texas-size Live Oak will provide a deterrent to the progress of oak wilt. A twice-a-year application appears desirable. If active oak wilt or Dutch Elm Disease is on or near the property, four times a year may be recommended. Cost for an individual treatment using this product works out to be less expensive by more than an order of magnitude (10 times) than either of the other conventional alternative interventions. Use of the product is, however, totally compatible with these other interventions.

We've Learned Not To Leave It to Nature. The sad history on elm trees is well known. In the case of oak wilt, left untreated up to 80 to 95 percent of oak trees may become infected and ultimately die (typically, because of genetics, some 5-20% will survive). The economics are clear -- studies have shown that trees often represent 15-30% of the value of real estate property. Additionally, there can be considerable expense, and liability, related to removing the trees that die. Costs for safe removal of a large tree near a house or other structure can run $500 to several thousand dollars. And, a rancher we know in Texas received from a nationally known professional arborist company five years ago a quote of $83,500 to clean up 141 dead trees in his pastures.

Saving Trees. A prominent realtor in the region of the Texas Hill Country hardest hit by oak wilt incorporated use of this product to protect her sales properties with stunning success in fighting oak wilt over the last five years. A highly touted Hill Country golf retreat and residential community that had suffered huge loss of oak trees beginning 6-8 years ago in the wake of oak wilt spread now exhibits beautifully healthy trees in front of its club house and on its fairways as the result of several years of careful care by a certified arborist company that consistently applied this new product and judiciously exercised proper pruning procedures. This is an exciting example, we believe, of a 'New New' Product and we are proud of our role in dramatically improving the survival odds of our trees. A program of regular treatments we have determined will maintain a healthier habitat. We advise our clients, however, that saving our urban and pastoral forests requires a commitment from every property owner. We must all be constantly vigilant for the condition of our trees and those of our neighbors. Based on our investigations of tree care in the United States, we emphasize the importance of working with local State Forest Services whom we commend for their excellent efforts. Finally, we advise, wherever possible, that property owners seek tree companies that employ certified professional arborists when it comes to protecting their precious trees.

A Little Added Humor

That creates imagination !!!! Have you had a drink with your trees today ?? I would recommend to leave out the plant food and molasses, add ice, park under a shade tree and enjoy the shot of whiskey and a beer chaser.

Warranties and Guarantee:

Before treatment, the tree must  be or appear disease free.  Otherwise, the blighted limbs or trunk must be sawed off and disposed of and a tree paint or tar applied to close off the cut ends or the tree stump.      The treatment only lasts for fifty five minutes and must be repeated every fifty five minutes hence forth and if you wait beyond one hour, the treatment is totally ineffective. If the treatment doesn't work in the first place, then your tree or trees are resistant to our treatment. The use of this product is totally compatible with any other type of intervention.     There are no warranties, express or implied, that guarantees that the total treatment of this kind will completely rid a live oak tree or trees of the blight or prevent the disease occurring in a supposedly unblighted tree or trees near by. There is no way of knowing the condition of the tree or trees at the time of treatment, if there is an infection at the time of treatment, nearness of other infected trees, soil and water conditions, the light of day, the Clinton administration, etc. that can play a part in foiling the best attempts to stop the disease. The only limit of our Guarantee is God's Guarantee. It lives, it dies, Guaranteed !.