If a person removes branches from a palm tree for the sake of improving the tree, that might be well enough to acquire the tree. How he removes the branches likely provides information as to his intent. With parallels to flattening a heap, with intent to improve. Also, property that belongs to a non-Jew, in contrast to that which belongs to a Jew — and how the law of the land applies to Jews as well as Halakhah does, including the requirement for a document to bring about a transfer of property. As an event in Dura demonstrates.

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