New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-09-04
STREET TREE-PLANTTNG.
GOOD ADVICE FROM LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
WHO Is a LOVER or TREES.

WHO Is 4 LOVER or TREES
The question OF trees In the streets U.s. at least
ought TO be- OF Interest 10 every town dwcller for 1t
Is only in and plots and sonal climbing
vines that hc Is able TO get glimpse OF the country
which seems to miry to De mans natural blrthrght. II
good sign that there is growing taste for tho cul
tvailon OF the beautiful japanese ivy which Will grow
80 luxuriantiy on the front Of brick brownsOnc
hous. and requires the smallest possible amount OF
attention. Gave II roofing place I'm good nch soil
and Nature does the In two years or less your
house will be halfcovered with the rapidly growing
climber and IN n little longer time II Will be com
pleely embowercd IN IT, II every house had such an
ornament how much peasanter our city streets would
Gem, The cost IS only trnc. and this ivy, or am
pcopsls Il absolutely free from Objectionable features
In The scanty soil which trees likely 10 get In
paved streets they necessarily have hard time.
Nevertheless with little they may be made to
thrive and do we'll. Lowell has said
Who does his duty Is question
Too complex ~ b. solved
hI De- se par, Of h his that plants ses
How many city jewellers have performed this part OF
their dutyi Not so many as the lover OF trees would
be glad 20 do Il.
the general subject OF street tree planting Colonel
John Y Culyer the well known landscape architect
Of Brooklyn. talked in interesting way the other
day. Il notice. said he, spasmOdic revival OF In
iercs in street trees during the lax summer season
VI lnnfhllpns III Inv Pap'IN NoiIf'ts HhNt vi
several occasions called attention to the matter. In
my opinion the failure OF large numbers OF street trees
10 thrive IS be attributed primarily 10 lack Of IN
egent In the subject Of street tree planting
and In the second place to general neglect. Trees
planted in city streets under the most favor
able conditions must Of necessity be compelled grow
amid many Disadvantages. The principal OF
failure far they may be understood by non
professionals, may he briefly enumerated rs follows
First. the selection Of the tree second, planting
third, maintenance.
For street planting only n few varieties Of trees
are Mt ell available. or these the family OF naples
supplies the best resource, since naples win grow
under dlscouragnc circumstances. and especially
suitable FOR our purpose. being clean longlivcd and
trnoiablc moreover, they Will respond TO the smallest
help being, IL were. solictous to please and to
,how appreciation OF human attention No one
who understands trees will be surprised that speak
I'm this way about the maple. OF the various binds.
the silver whitcleafcd maple grows the most
rapidly, and Is perhaps the least desirable but never
thelcss II IL FAR superior 10 kinds OF trees used
for street planting. The sugar maple. the Norway
maple. the sycamore maple, the scarlet maple, and
even the finer varieties. such as the cutlcaf. etc,
will all do we'll and II nourshed and properly cared
for are less likely TO be infested by Insects than almost
any other kind OF tree. The amabc elm needs moist
ure but will flourish In clay In n rich loose
soil Then there the English and American
ndcns which require a certain pruning in growth 10
adapt them TO street purposes the Carolina poplar and
the nilantus the latter OF which grows rapidly. but
Is not specially desirable
"Thcre f. a craze fer planting large trccs-say, from
four 10 six inches in dameter-both In streets and
upon lawns In eight cases out Of ten. TO he con-
sentative under the ordinary conditions OF removal
they fail. The safe rule IS 10 go to a reputable nur
seryman select under his guidance n well formed,
perfect tree, two or three inches In diameter. with
full natural head and nbrous roots, pay him his price
for It and then plant II properly The chances are
than I'm these circumstances success viii follow. IL
Is crime to cut off the top natural head leaders
OF Young tree since It's chances of attaining pcrfcc
ton and pcrmancncy are thereby Impaired, n not
destroyed. After selecting tree such ms ! have
described dig n Dit mt least four feet square and
many feet deep, h II with good loan or soil. plant
the tree I'm this, placing 1t TO depth Just to the
point where the trunk leaves the main roots THIS
Is the natural and proper depth. Spread the roots
out lightly and evenly fiji In the soil carefully, and
finally cover the whole compactly; and behold the
tree is planted.
Next rs 10 maintenance. In the first place.
leave space at least equal to three feet I'm diameter
uncovered by tagging and open to the sunlight the
winds and the rains. Apply each season, In the
fall spring little surface stimulation, such
would be afforded by well rotted some
loosely around the tree and mound It up lightly, so
that too much moisture shall not penetrate 10 the
roots he sure TO protect the bark from Injury and
/ am tempted to advise the treeowncr TO shoot any
horse that nbbes the tree. or to use drastic measures
In dealing with It's owner. Keep up this course OF
reatmcnt and the chances that the response OF
Nature will be entirely satisfactory. What Is worth
doing at all Is worth doing well, and the rule IS
particularly applicable to the subject In hand
-" Now, what is the matter with many OF our older
trees Well, the general answer may be given I'm
one word-neglect. They are being supported on.
poorhonsc fare. They have outgrown their supply Of
nourishment, and likewise their environment; they
are craving food In short they are starving Take
up the fla gstones which confne and coffin them dig
up the earth around them; fertilize theu and many