Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-04-18


OF TREES PLANTED By THE COMMISSION.
Inc large unbrOken rows of young trees Dor
dering the streets and avenues Of Washington,
giving promise Of abundance Of shade In few
years more, and the more matured and stately
arborary ornaments Of the parks and reserva-
lions, are one Of the features Of the National
Capitals beauty. Though most Of the trees are
yet too slender and youthful to be of great
present value, it has required years of labor and
unremitting attention to get them 80 well
started upon their careers of usefulness for
shade trees combine the double quality Of being
useful as well as ornamental
DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED AND OVERCOME.
The parking commission, composed Of Messrs.
William R. Smith, Of the botanical garden;
William Saunders, Of the Agricultural depart
ment. and Mr.. John Saul, ably assisted by Mr..
Douglass, the secretary, has had charge of the
arborculture Of this city. They had many diff
culties to encounter and good deal of expert
mental work had to be done. Street trees are
subjected to many casualties and unhealthy In
nuences, which are In great degree unavOid-
aole. lhey are particularly liable to
INJURY FROM STORMS
on account Of the early removal of all branches
from the lower portion Of the main stem. This
pruning is necessary In order that branches may
not interfere with the proper use of the streets
and sidewalks; but 1t weakens the body of the
trees and deprives them of that power of resist
ing storms possessed by trees whose natural
growth has not been disturbed; hence the ne
cessity OF strong protecting box, strong
enough to support the plant for the first several
years OF its growth; but after it ceases to afford
support the box is only of value as a protection
to the stem OF the tree from injury by animals
and malicious naraODS To leSSfO the chaDcna
OF injury from gales recourse Is had to pruning
or thinning out the tops during summer, thus
allowing the wind to pass through the branches
and greatly lessening the danger Of the trees
being uprooted by storms.
INSECT DESTROYERs.
The parking commission assert that insects
are more prevalent among and more Injurious
to city trees than those situated In more exposed
locations. The shelter and warmth Of the city
favor their increase, and although various
remedies have been suggested and tried looking
to their eradication, few have been Of any prac-
tical value. To destroy all kinds of scale insects
on the branches no remedy has been found 80
efficient as that of covering them with coating
of common lime-wash. Many suggestions have
been offered. say the commission. for the de-
suction of the caterpillars, and If the operation
was confined to a few trees, then the remedies
might be practicable and efficient; but with a
forest comprising tens of thousands of trees the
expense would be too great. The only practi-
cable method is that of removing the young
insects before they have extended their webs
over the branches. This plan is carried out by
the commission here so far as the means at
command will allow. but the work is only
partially done, owing to the amount OF labor
required.
LEAKAGE FROM GAS PIPES
Is another destructive agent Of city trees,
but it Is admitted that it can neither be fore
seen nor prevented. The street pavemcnts are
another obstacle in the city to arborcuiture
The commission labOred and experimental to
discover the varieties of trees. affording good
shade, which thrive despite the hard packing Of
pavements so near the roots.
TWO NURSERIES,
for the propagation Of young trees were es-
tablished. one at the old almshouse, near the
Eastern branch, and the other near the old
Georgetown almshOuse. In these nurseries
shade trees are raised from seedlings aud cut
tings and the different varieties adopted here
are kept on hand, as every year more or less of
the growing trees in the city are DESTROYED BY
storms, runaway teams and other causes and
the vacancies thus created have to be supplied
1t has been ascertalned by the commission that
1t will not do to transplant directly from the
nurseries to the streets.
HARDENING THE YOUNG TREES.
The young tree suffers severely In It's first re-
moval, and it is essential to give it course Of
preparation to ft it for street duty. 1t is first
taken up and planted in reserve ground.
which, while less congenial than the original
soil, is not so severe upon the tree as the paved
street. In this reserve ground the tree stands
one year, receiving such attention as it needs,
and this seems to tougher it and render 1t more
capable of COntending for life with the dry and
forbidding soil of the street. 1t has been de-
mOnstrated that trees thus prepared thrive in
comparably better in the streets than those
transplanted direct from the nurseries. In
street planting very deep holes should be dug
and the earth taken Out-removed entirely-its
place being supplied with prepared compost or
light soil. In this city good top soil has been
found the best for this purpose. There are now,
altogether in Washington ard Georgetown. in
Guiding young and old. in the streets, avenues,
parks, and reservations, about
$1,000 TREES IN A THRIVING CONDITION,
or one to every two Of population. OF this num-
Der the parking commission have planted up
wards of co. 600. the others being trees set out
and cultivated prior to the existence of the COM
mission. and which the latter have tended and
preserved. On the 30th Of June, 1880, there
were in Washington and Georgetown 50. $50
trees, planted by the parking commission, alive
and hav 1vyIa foUn