Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-30

II the natural growth OF
"A plants now only half
y "a developed. an arched
Ae aisle of luxuriant foli-
age. Before very many
summers have come and gone the lindens
of Massachusetts, avenue will surpass beyond
comparison those which have given fame to
the celebrated promenade in Berlin.
For one thing Massac husetts avenue has four
rows OF nndens instead of two. This il one OF
the seven kinds of trees which have been found
notably successful in Washington. When the
parking commission began its work twenty
years ago il started in to try experiments with
very many sorts of trees which did not prove
30 well adapted to this soil and climate. At
present it recommends for propagation and
planting none others besides the linden, the
silver maple, the Norway maple, the sugar
maple, the elm, the North Carolina poplar and
the sycamore. The silver maple is most used,
because II combines more advantages than any
other tree for the street. 1t gives good shade,
not too dense. is free from insects grows rap
idly and is readily transplanted Next time
you pass along street take notice for yourself.
The Norway maple, of which F street northeast
affords a tine display, from the Baltimore and
Ohio crossing two miles TO the Boundary, is An
other excellent street tree: likewise the sugar
maple. which is TO be seen most of in George
town. You can find the elm in all its beauty
on New Jersey avenue from the Boundary to
the river. For rapid growth the North Caro-
lima poplar is very desirable, though it Is al
most too large for the street. The superb syca-
more is magDihcently decorative for wide
avenues; il forms delightful vista on 18th
street.
LOTS OF TREES IN STOCK.
Such are the trees which do most to beautify
the capital Plenty more Of them are ready
as fast az they NAV be needed. The nursery
&C the aims house has now in stock 1900 trees
IN condition for planting, not TO mention in
Vulnerable healthy young ones, although
acquisitions are constantly being made by out
lying suburbs for large supplies. single re-
quest that came in the other day to the park
ing commission was for loo trees. The COM
mission is delighted to provide the trees, but
the suburban people think that they ought to
be planted for them also. In this notion the
commission agrees with them, but it has not
money enough for the purpose. II does not
cost much to propagate trees; in fact almost
the sole expense of the business is the hire Of
one man to look out for il at 81. so day. But
the keeping In order and the planting of the
trees Of the city use up money rapidly. For
instance. 5000 could be most profitably spent
just now In cleaning and wedding about the
roots OF the trees on Washington streets. One
reason why the trees of this city have been SO
successful is that unusual care has been
taken in the planting of them. For each
one that IL to be put in the ground hole
is dug big enough for the earth taken out Of
II to make three cart loads. This soil is carted
away 20 q distance and dumped. Then the hole
is filled BY putting into it three cart loads of
loan, when the tree is planted. Now loan is
thing not so easy to get Whenever new
street is laid out the commission goes and
scoops Off it all the surface soil, which is the
fruitful mold. In like manner, when cellars
about to be dug for new houses permission
Il asked of the contractors to take away the
surface loan. Sometimes the contractors make
the commission present OF 1t, but usually they
charge FOR it at the rate of 10 cents q cart load,
which the commission is glad TO pay. The
mold obtained in these ways is piled in a con-
yenlent place for use when planting is to be
done. All this is necessarily very costly. A
gang OF men, too. must constantly be kept GO
Ing around the city, trimming and pruning.
As for insect enemies. no trouble has been had
OF late with anything but the caterpillar which
IL pretty bad just now. The
FIRST CROP OF cATERPILLARs
that came on. in May was efectually disposed
of by means of Paris green and London pur-
ple--the latter q by-product obtained in the
manufacture OF dye-squirted in solution
upon the trees. The second caterpillar crop
appeared three weeks ago and the trees show
what havoc 1t has perpetrated The parking
commission could destroy these eaterpillars
without very much difficulty, but to do SO
would cost 5000, and il has not the money
II. as II hopes, it can obtain an allowance Of
ESQ coo year instead OF SIS, 900, it will be able
TO perform its important work with much
greater efficiency. Fortunately, this summers
cdteTplllAES, altuOuIn tHey nave Qe1aceQ the
trees so seriously, have not done any perma-
nent harm and will not. the trees having al
ready got their growth for the season. The
trees attacked will come out just well next
spring as those which have not been touched.
Manure Is never put around the roots of
trees in Washington. II one does not flourish,
apparently for lack Of sufficient pabulum more
food Is given 1t by increasing the size OF its
hole and putting in more loan. Tree boxes
have already been dispensed with to a great
and rhOsa which rou1afn bpiUu
moved as rapidly as possible. The tree box
has several disadvantages. It is unsightly. it
begins to rot when ii is about three years old
and it often pulls down the tree. II gale
bends the tree 1t springs back again. but II the
tree box ID broken by the wind il does not re-
turn to its upright position and holds the tree
down. Wire net IS found much better for all
purposes. 1t has been estimated that the trees
OF Washington have increased the value of real
estate here by 20 per cent. The parking CON-
mission never waits for street to be graded
and built upon before planting it. No sooner
Is a new one laid out than, as quickly the
line It will take Is known, trees are set out
along IL. Many is the man DESTROYS of build
ing who has been attracted TO a new street by
the promising trees upon it, and people will
pay more rent where they can have trees about
them. Considering what trees have done for
Washington the cltys investment has been
very small. From the beginning they were
raised from seeds almost without expense. or
course IL IL in Lafayette Park that one fnds
the most beautiful assemblage OF trees in
Washington; IN fact. that park contains one Of
the finest collection Of trees in the world,
brought from al parts OF the earth to contrib
ute to tho loneliness Of that one little sylvan
rectangle.
ARBoREruM AND POND.
Few people who come to Washington think
OF going 10 see, among the sights of the cap
ital the wonderful arboretum Of the Depart-
neut Of Agriculture, which il a museum of
trees and shrubs, arranged By families as ami
mails are in a geological garden. Very nearly
gil the trees OF the world that will live in
this climate are displayed in groups-the oaks
By themselves in one group, the elms in an
other group, the wainuts in another. and SO on
All the groups are SO arranged as to present 10
the view on every hand beautiful landscape
vstas- To any one who takes an interest in
the works Of nature a tour through this tree
garden at the foot Of 18th street 10 q pleasure
indeed. One beautiful tree to be found there,
she magnolia grandihora, the parking commits
sion would much like 70 see more generally in
troduced to Washington gardens IL is one of
she most lovely Of trees that grow, and 10 10
evergreen.
One OF the most interesting things to be seen
- the grounds OF this arboretur1 10 a pond
nyysyyrN which Gardener Saun-
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