, 1881-12-11
TREES FOR MlCAlG AN AVENUE.
TH th4 E,{ifor nj The IN hfrtfnO itfhHttH

CHICAGO, Dec. 10.-l noticed In your last Sum
days issue little gruanbling letter pertaining
TO the trees planted and now being planted on
Michigan avenue. Well people will often write.
talk. and grun,ble about things they kno"
nothing Of and do not understand, and pre-
sumo they will continue to do so until the end
OF time. Now, l have had forty years expert
cnce in tree planting. an no Park Com missioner,
and have no Interest in thur street except as q
citizen In common of Chicago, and wish to say
that am proud OF that street, Its improvements.
anu tue nublc-hcarted people that reside aud
own property along Its borders who at their
own expense appear TO take pleasure and pride
In making it one o. the grandest boulevards on
the face OF the globe, for my enjoyment us well
as their own, aud in walking down the avenue
every morning to my office I have examined
thoroughly the beautiful elm trees already set
and now being planted there, and, as whole, /
consider them the best lot of trees Of the kind
that ever saw put Into the ground wcll-rooted
and the exact size and age to do we'll, having
been tuken up With care by experienced men,
and they ure now being planted In the usual
form, and therefore if they do nor five it will
nut be the plunter's fault, fur we should take
into consideration that they arc planted Ia an
elevated positiu. In the side parks, above a sew
cretl street. When was in Denver, Colo, in May
last, saw the mos1 beautiful shade-trees that
ever saw. and they were produced by irrigation,
and the fertiliz.ng washlngs OF the streets, for
they have no curb-stones there on residence
streets. 1t is true that o1. Michigan avenue the
street is paved along the borders of the curb
stones urd street, aud In certain mcusure 1t
will net us titer for tho tcrtfllz1ng wnshinEs Of
the streets when it rains. but Ia my opinn'n rs it
will have tendency to flow through the stunc
foundations and luvu-bcds towards the centre Of
the street tns,ead of into the side parks for the
benefit Of the luwuS and the rtutS Of the trees
where it should ts.,.
Little crevices should have been cut in the
curustones Out of sight, go rs to nuve secured
the wash1igs VI the streets for the benefit Ut the
trees aud lnwus. But have All original system
Of tree planting which will expiufn this wholc
understood und adopted, in my upinl0u It will
be wurth millions OF dollars to humanity. Now
the fa9s s1at r we i; naye any truy @
have until we adupt some new 8. stein. Show
rae II piece Of heavy titnbered land in the United
Stntes. II yOn eau, where the Trees d. MT Kruw
In mlltlvuf sull over clay foundation.
The blue grass OF Kentucky alst' grows over
clay foundation. and claim that by my system
any portion of kunsns, or upon the Western
p!uins without irrigation. for it dues rain there
occasionally, and o. outstanding such water as /
melted, could carry my trees safely through
tho dry seuson.
But the proof OF the pudding is the eating, and
therefore every citizen ur Coicago aud OUT Ut
Cnicuyu who has any love fur beautiful trees
viii examine ut once the willow trunk set two
No. Isl Michigan avenue, and they wilt lind my
system there fully demonstrated, and nt the
sune. time come to the deslrubie conclusion
tnMt there Is still many things tt learn.
Aiy ,. stein OF tree planting Is as follows:
l. 4 tree shuuid iirst lie murked before taking
up to reset so AS to reset tt Hs 1t first grew, the
norih side to the north, etc., for Nature. when
she produced said tree from the germ. Knew e1-
actiy how sne wanted IT to grow And we should
never violate the exuctng laws OF Nature.
=. When planted IN SANDY OF lignt dry loamy
soil clay BASIN bottom should first oc put in 10
bold the wnter fertilizer, and Enen clay mixed
with loa,n should be used for nll'uK and 10 COVER
the rUots, and In pnrnons OF KANSAS and upon
our Western plans this clay bustn should be
pluced Ut least i've feet beneath the surface OF
tbs Garth.
.. Upon alt table lands the trees should be- set
10 valley, natural Ur artificial. 50 that when SET,
like the one On Lake-Frunt Park, they should be
at least four inches below the general surface uf
the earth, aud! channels should be cut ou each
side 10 lead the water fertilizer TO trees when
1t rains or the snow meIrs.
Now thts is dDne in order. to secure In liquid
form pure, sweet, and sparkling, as Nature pre-
pares> it-by the ACTION ut the rdtn-tne fertil-
tz'i,E su Distances fFum the surrounding decayel
Vegtta uon which, IL point nj fact. is the life
su3taluing fovd OF every tree. and without
Wnlcn lhey could not exist ~
Nature never produces ferunente sourcd-up:
liquid solution 70 fertilize her ve1eta don. and :.
there Is where all OF our agricultural men have
1Alted, and tb1rH lH WbHre QuC Indies have failed