The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1886-07-09
THE TREES OF wAsn.MoroM.

THE TREES OF WASHINGTON.
Results OF Systematic Arboriculturs
at the Federal Capital.
In no city IN the United States, and
perhaps in the world, has arboriculture.
as . means of urban establishment,
been more intelligently employed and
with more gratifying results than in
Washington. writes correspondent ut
The Philadelphia Times. The favora-
BILE spring weather has developed all
the natural beauties of the choice se-
lection of deciduous and evergreen trees
and shrubs which beautify not only the
great parks. squares, and circles of the
capital. but the curb lines of the broad
avenues which sweep up in beautiful
ranges of vision toward the massive
public edifices or form magnificent vis-
tas along streets busy with tho activi-
ties of trade. The work of the parking
commission, under the auspices of the
municipal government, composed of
w. X. Smith, superintendent of the bo-
tanic gordon; William Sanders, super
intendent of the gardens of the depart
ment Of agriculture, and John Saul,
began in 1872, thus affording fourteen
years of practical test of the sagacity
of their plans and the fruits of their Ia
Dor. Washington, even in this brief
space. surpasses Paris. Vienna, or Bcr-
lin in the number. variety, and beauty
of its trees.
In the commencement of their work
the commission selected trees possess
ing stateliness and symmetry of growth,
expansive foliage. early spring verdure,
and autumnal variety of colors. In
order to secure reliable and abundant
supply of the best varieties and health
lest growth for the future propaga-
ting garden was also established in one
OF the public parks, occupied by the
penal and rcformatory institutions of
the municipality, which now contains
sixty thousand trees of the varieties
used in different stages of growth,
from seed to four and five years.
The return Of the superintendent and
his assistants report ninety thousand
trees along the curb lines of the ave-
nucs and streets in thriving condition
and ranging from five to twenty-fiv
years. growth. which includes the old
trees of common varieties, generally
cottonwoods, which were standing
when the systematic arboricultural
adornment OF the capital began. The
number stated does not embrace tho
artistic groupings and groves of trees
in the seven hundred acres of beauti-
full public parks of the city.
Some idea may be formed of the ex-
tent of the lines of trees now shading
the avenues and streets when it is
stated that if all the trees were stretched
out in two rows they would form an
unbroken vista from Washington to
Baltimore. Philadelphia. New York,
and nearly half way to Boston. or il in
single row would reach from Wash
ington to within $50 miles of Chicago
The annual paintings add from two to
three thousand trees to the number of
the year before. The varieties which
have been found best suited to streets
are the ash, catalpa, coffee. cypress,
elm. maiden s-ll:.ir, gum. horse chest
nut. linden. locust, maple oaks, poplar.
sycamore. tulip. and willow, according
to localities.
The paintings have also been made
with proper regard for certain objective
features. For instance, the famed
'Unter den Linden of Berlin is less
than q mile in length, and now nsore
apprcciable in history than in reality
The ''Untcr den Linden of the Ameri-
can capital is Massachusetts, avenue.
This superb sweep of residences.
statues, and fountains, and even
through its more sparscly settled por7
tions to its terminus on the banks of
the AnacostIa. presents four miles of
vigorous and stately young lindens,
twenty to thirty feet high. The con-
nections with streets and avenues SINH
larly planted will in few years give
the ''Unter den Linden" of Washing
ton circuit of twelve miles. The
other avenues and streets, whether de-
voted to business or residence, have
also and their characteristics of foliage.
The naples and catalpas of Pennsyl-
vania avenue, the elms of New Jersey,
New Hampshire. New York, and Della
ware avenues, the tulips of North and
South Capita. streets, the meridian of
the United States; the NAPLES of Mary
land, Connecticut, and Vermont
avenues, and the poplars of Virginia
avenue give but partial idea of what
the trees of Washington will add to the
landscape effects of the nations capital
in another decade.
Wanted To, But Couldn't.
4