Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-11-06
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ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PARKING COMMISSION.
The Parking Commissions report was sub
mitted to Lieut.. F. v. Green this morning. It
states that there have been planted 3,5n trees
the same time there have been 474 old and de-
cayed trees dug up and removed.
TREsE IN THE SIDEWALKS
There are still many trees In all sections of
of sidewalks, or other localities where they in
terfere with the full occupancy Of the thorough
fares, much to the Inconvenience OF pedestrians,
an OF which should be removed. Most of such
trees have but little intrinsic value as shade
trees; are generally unhealthy, some from old
age and neglect, and others from injuries re-
ce eafa IRON rom gSaatng and paying but their
young trees In their vicinity. In many instances
the continuation of sidewalk planting has been
omitted opposite these old trees, or, where the
planting has been continued parallel to the old
trees, the growth of the young ones is enfeebled
leaving gap in the line, thus destroying uni
formity and the future beauty and utility of the
planting.
THE INTERFERENCE OF TELEGRAPH WIRES WITH
THE TREES
is assuming an importance likely to increase
with the growth OF the trees. 1t is unfortunate
that the telegraph poles and the trees are mostly
placed in the same line To keep the trees
pruned down so as not to interrupt the working
of the telegraph wires will result in many cases
| in destroying them. Before young trees have
got well started, calls are made to prune off
their tops, that the wires may be free. Some
wires, Dy actual measurement, are only Is feet
above the level of the sidewalk so that if the
trees have to succumb to wires placed so near
the pavement, it would seem useless to plant
them because If they have to be denuaed Of all
growth above that limit they cannot long re-
main either useful or ornamental. 1t seems
quite practicable to arrange trees and telegraph
poles In this city SO that they will not interfere
with each other The wide parktngs would
seem to afford facilities for such an arrange
ment. Whatever may be done, 1t Is perfectly
evident that the time viii soon come when the
n hot ,-iJl
demand an answer-Whether trees or telegraph
poles are to occupy the coveted positions on the
sidewalks.
COST CT CARING FOR THE TREES
The labor required to give ordinary care to
t0.cO0 trees Oh the streets, repairing boxes, cut
ting out weeds keeping Off insects securing
fastenings, pruning off broken limbs. &C., has
become an item of considerable Importance in
connection with the amount appropriated for
the work. The boxes round the earlier planted
trees have become very much decayed, and
every storm that passes or every run away
horse leave their tracks by PROSTATE tree boxes.
In repairing them it is found necessary to en-
large, strengthen, and otherwise remodel them,
so as to adapt them to the Increased size of the
trees. The expenditure in this connection
during the year was over $1,000, and about
10000 boxes required renewal: With thousands
Of the oldest planted trees, the only use of the
box is to guard the trees from horses nibblng
their stems; but until rules are made, or en-
forced in relation to the fastening of horses on
the streets, the trees will require to be
protected. They renew the suggestion, that
rings be attached to the curbstones, at regular
intervals, for the purpose OF securing horses.
THE CARE OF THE SPACES
around the public school houses, and those of
the various reservations and public parks re-
qufre greater attention than they have lately
received. Weeds have been allowed to extend
around the trees to greater extent than is
consistent with their best condition of growth,
or with the reasonable demand of public taste.
TREE PLANTING AS A SANITARY MEASURE.
The commission again call attention to the
q
streets and all spaces where trees can be plant
ed on the river front. This strongly commends
Itself as q sanitary measure, which could not be
otherwise than beneficial. AS the city increases
in size, their beauty and utility become more ap-
parent. The cooling influence of the vast as
semblage of leaves now so equally distributed
over the length and breadth OF the city, will
sensibly modify the summer heat, and the mois-
ture they require for their SuStenance having to
be drawn from the soil by the roots, results in
the twofold benefit of cooling the atmosphere
and draining the soil of a superfluous moisture.
the latter being perhaps the most important
perogatiye OF trees in cities.