Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-09-18
Talk with Mr.. Saunders About the
shade Trees Of the City.

Shade Trees Of the City.
HOW THE TREES HAVE MADE THE SUMMERS
PLEAsANT-THEIR EFFECT OK THE HEALTH
OF THE CIrY-rHE RAvAGEs OF THE CATER
PILLARS-NO PERMANENT INJURY DONE.
Old residents of Washington have remarked
| q change in the climate within the past few
years. The thermometers ut the signal office go
on registering about the same average temper
ature each summer, and the old residents won
der II it is all imagination about its getting
cooler. Several years ago Washington was
was commonly spoken OF as the hottest city
in the Union. People hurried away on the APP
proach Of summer, and Congress considered it
a hardship to stay here until the middle OF
June. Now Washington is somewhat of a
summer resort. People stay here later and
come back earlier from the mountains and the
seashore. Many prefer to stay here all summer,
as they do not encounter as much uncom for, T.
BILE weather AS they lind At many OF the FASH
doubtedly cooier-much cooler-than formerly.
This tact stares the thermometer in the lace,
and if the mercury does not run down "a degree
or two 1t Is not because the fact is less cold.
PARADOX EXPLAINED.
This is paradox which is explained by Mr.
Saunders, the bOtanist Of the agricultural de-
partment aud one of the park commission.
at Is the trees" he said. A STAR reporter met
nun standing under the trees IN the agricultu-
|
an umbrella he held over his head and crawl
Ing up from his boots to bis collar.
"Tne trees" he said, shave greatly affected
the climate The thermometer at the signal
Office does not indicate the change. 1t does not
measure the cooling effect OF moisture and
evaporation. 1t Is not subject to the influences
OF The trees, and White the whole city may be
Id ucn cooler and people may notice the marked
change OF climate, the instrument goes on
registering the same Old figures There are
about seventy thousand trees in the CITY, and
every leaf On them is going through q process
in vrfn. nik
about II. The cooling effect of one leaf could
not be calculated, but the myriads OF leaves on
an a. the trees througnout the city SO cool the
Every one can see That the summers here are
pleasant now. The reason the signal service
thermometer is not affected Is the same that
makes il hot under the shade of AN umbrella,
though cool under the shade of a tree. The
trees are coo.ing the air ABOUT them all the
time. More than this they have improved the
healthiulhess oi the city. Washington is
perfect forest OF beautiful trees tnat are cooling
the air ana at the same time sucking the
o;inpness from The ground and consuming the
malaria OF the atmosphere. They make This y
most healthfui and delightful CITY,"
THE CATERPILLARS.
Are not the trees injured by the caterpillars?"
ASKED The STAR.
"Noi permanently. They are stripped of the
i.atcs, and OF course injured more or less, but
II Is quite late in The summer before tuis occurs.
These worms shorten the period vi the IoiIilge.
That Is the principal damage. never in all my
experience saw many vi the caterpliiars, Or
OF web worms, as We Cali them, IN one ear AS are
about now. They are just stripping me trees, aud
by the millions. They the me ali over
LIE country. The orchards, Well as the
shade Trees, are eaten ny them. WHAT'S the
cause Oh it2 Well, that can tell. They
come too fast to be accounted iUr. Is there any
thins TO kiii them? Yes; spray the trees with
water inpresnated WITH Paris green Or Prus-
sian oiGe. " neneVer Luey eat leaf upon
which TINS has been sprInkied they die at
once. rIgsea up a pump and Uarrei to
sprinkle the treesay year Or So ago and sprinklea
soiie, oui IL Is Expensive, ana there was no
money 10 pay Tor IT. Ii we mad the money W
10 IL, we couid Keep them all OIL. Inns year
tWeuLy-ilN men were employed 10 go AROUND
ana Top OFT lhe limbs Oh winch the webs were
accumulated, pui We Iuunu this Was doing tue
Trees more narm tnan Inc caterpiliars WERE
besides doing no sOou " huLever, we stopped
IL. 1he catefpiiiais have had tiieir own way.
lney 10 hot Cat all tie Trees once. 1ney
besin GA those tney ike DesL. Iney lake them
liz cou-see, Deginning with tie silver maple
ana going through tnem AL III lt.rn. IHere you
see Is ordinary willow ealen up; iloIlgslue
- weepiu. willow unuaInled. ILey wui not
eat inUL until lnere Is notulng else ieIt iOr
Luem.
"Are there any trees they don't disturb?'
itakeu Inc IepOrter.
Yes; the money locust and the tulip trees.
THESE anu prOuauiy one or Two Others out Vi
tHe twenty-five kIuds we have are exempt,
neatly so. More trees than usual maze SUI.
iereu tuIs year. Lucy all seeul ~ ue aiIVe win
Woiitis. 1 uon't Know way tney nuIner-
Gus Or where they COME lroul. iHey
oAA-y aCSIi uCllNC WILLIS tAdl dtldCh our trees w
any extent. lney SEEM " naLcu The
webs Ny Inc MIiiIon. Iney DISAPPEAR little
LATER III the season. II will uepeuu upon LIE
winter wneLhel Lney are nuIntiou, next year.
Ii Tue Weather Is ntiu there may ue more next
Year than even now. A continual repeLl VI
.uein would Probably nurL lne trees, DuL thus
iaf the grown nits not Deen lnLer,ereu Win.
1ne Trees Throughout tAe Guy are Ia u healthy
Condition., anu 81 oWlng uIceiy. t5- -ot---r
49,. THE STREET PAKKINGS.
AT first the parking was put outside the line OF
pavement, and when IL was fenced in 1t looked
IKE private grave yard in front O1 each
mouse. The plan Was then changed as to
put Tile parking between The houses and the
paNeinenl, as Is now zone. Since 1861 the
parking eoumlssion have piantea 65 OUU Trees.
SOME OI tne Olu Trees nave been cut uoWn, but
many have Deen ietL standing.
WHY TREES AXE CUT DOWN.
The reason for cutting down the old trees,''
said Mr.. Saunders. was that they were too
near the houses. When they are too near they
make the walls damp, whereas at u distance of
thirty 1eet they have the contrary effect. frees
10 Keep OH all Lue sun aud 10 the health OF the
lnnaDitants, me little roots that extend out in
every direction sap up ali the moisture from
around the Dasemenls and keep THEM from Ds-
coming Musty. III Tins way LOO, They aIIect
Tue CITY, sappins up ali the lnaitrial Influences
1lieS Nave driven the malarla OuI OF asninp-
ton. People have laise Impression about
trees. W nen close together So as " keep the
sunlight out they prouuce dainpuess, buL If lar
enough apart ~ ieb III the lignI anu warmth
they VIII uriVe away sickness rom IL naturally