Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-03-19

WHY CUTTING n DONE AND WHY HORIZONTAL
CUTS ARE MADE-DR- PEERS REJorSDER TO
STATEMENTS MADE BIZ THE coMMrssroNERs-
THE PRACTICAL AND THE EsrHErIcAL VIEWS OF
tbs CASE
None Of the members Of the parking COM
mission care to continue the discussion on
tree-cutting They have reported on the mat
ter officially and that is apparently all they in
tend to do in the way Of argument. Those who
are acquainted with the workings Of the COM
mission say that the cutting complained Of by
so many people would not be prosecuted so
vigorously if the commission had at its dis
posal an appropriation sufficiently large to
permit other treatment Many years ago Mr..
Saunders discovered that coal oil, pro perly di-
luted, would completely destroy the scale in
sect without injuring the trees. To spray the
affected trees would require more money than
is allowed the commission for it's whole years
work. Cutting is the only alternative. il the
trees are to be saved. for by it the
affected area is reduced tn such extent that
it can be treated with whitewash. Horizontal
cutting of limbs is preferred bv the commls-
sion because experience has shown that the less
there Is Of exposed surface the better. verti-
cal cut would take longer to heal and wonld
render the tree more liable to disease and dis
tortion. Eccentric cuts WILL it is alleged, pro-
duce eccentric growths which would if repeated
II il tbe ;rteptiop of tl,r com,nissio, 40 far ms
6ranccs will nerm;, 20 nrot.ct tho uoiuts of
amnntat;on With n nre,rration of lime: that
will be done in good season.
DIR. PIPER's COMMENTS
DIR. r. U. Piper contributes more to the dis
cusslon follows: In beginning the discussion
Of the destruction of the trees now going on in
:, a, -,
INC eiee's anu par hS III 'ne 'iv nov ~"
oD)ect IN my mlnd IMAM II possiuie 10 get at tne
truth in the matter and to do what could to
induce proper action in the premises. and
wholly governed by this motive proceed to
notice as briefly may be the statements set
for tn by the commissioner in The STAR OF the
18th instant.
Very certainly if these statements or PROPOSE
tions can be shown to be incorrect and the VAN
dai work done in accordance with them to be
not only unnecessary but absolutely and con-
spicuousy an outrage upon every principle Of
beauty and totally the reverse as to being eff
fective in the preservation of the trees, then
this devastating process ought AT once be put a
stop to. The first statement OF the commissioner
reads: I'VE are cutting carefully and deliber-
ately." Does the commissioner not know that
the veriest beginner in trre-surgery is taught
never to cut limb horizontally, but always to
make the cut as near vertical as possible. In
order that the stump may not become the place
OF deposit OF dust and injurious matters, held
there and in part carried into the circn alton
by rain and melting snow, the stump ro.tlnS,
and. as say the authorities injecting the Sheie
tree.
Thousands OF diseased trees may be seen all
over the city which owe their biachened sores,
as well as their conspicuous deiormlty, to this
Kind of tree carpentry. Another common
practice. which would seem very necessary,
especially i'll a city. and which Is observed by
all careful tree euturists In other places. seems
entirely unknown here-tbat Ii the covering
the wounded stump of the manipulated limb with
some kind Of waterproof cement without
this precaution, no matter IN what shape the
limbs are cut, the stunips crack and form Sc
cure places OF reception Tor microscopic germs,
perhaps dangerous 10 human lie as wen as
that Of the tree. Under the microscope OBJ
serve several varieties OF mlcroDes, as well as
great number OF dust forms. which are found
floating In the air In every city.
second Inc commissioner says: some
thing had TO be done 10 save great NUMBER
OF valuable trees, anu as hothine out trimming
would 90 that, we commenced 10 trim: here
III VIII De observed tnat We nave no intimauon
whatever as To what Is the matter WIN the
trees. only an asser ION tnat nothing but trim
ming (deeapitation!) would save them How
many OF them VIII die under the operation 1t
Will perhaps De linpossipie 10 iogeteii. pat Que
thlng Is certain IN regard 70 al that survive,
they VIII develop into uncoutn inonstroslfies
IKE those seen all over the city, Iuu OF wounds
and purifying sores
Third Again the commlssioner-"Of the
NIFTY kinds OF trees We nave on the streets
there are several adapted to the situation. II
trimmed II not trimmed they VIII not survive
Bricks and concrete and belgian block cut on
the supply OF necessary nutrlment Ibis Is
mere assertion again. Ihere Is no better COW
ering for the roots OF growing trees than
prieks laid without cement ms was fully
demonstrated In Dover street, Bosfon, where 1t
was found that trees planted In the sides OF the
street dld better than THOSE which were planted
az the same time In ,ne TWO parks opposite.
lhere are nve trees on the corner OF two streets
In TINS city, which have i0r their neighbors the
Dicks and belgian oiocks ana concrete,
&c--the bricks coming quite up to the
trunks. wnlcn are not uylng, put DID iair to 1--we
Tor years II they do not faiI into the hands OF
the faculty which presides over the forest chill
dren OF the city These trees are more than
seventy feet IN height and about foot in d.
ameter at the base. They are beautifully clean
and bright and present a singular contrast to
the diseased deformities all around them.
There Is no question that II the ground Is COW
cred to a SUFFICIENT extent with waterproof
covering to prevent moisture from getting to
the roots Of the trees they will die, but cutting