The morning news., 1894-11-02
TREE CULTURE ADVOCATED.
A Commission Needed to Look After
the City'S OTnamGltatiOl.

/ Col. G. A. Mere sr a Strong Advocate of
Such a Commission, but Says 1t
Should Be Divorced From Politics.
/ Beauty of the South Broad Street
Vista Marred by Poles 80 Independent
Citizens, He Thinks, Could Be Found
Who Would Undertake the Work for
the Good Of the City.
/ The little care that seems to be dis
| played in the culture and planting Of trees
/ in the squares and avenues Of the city
has of late been the subject Of much
talk among those who take an interest
/ in their appearance and ornamentation.
The discussion is usually all to one
! end-that there should be a commission
| intrusted with the care Of the trees Of the
city, a tree commission. whose duty it
should be to see that Savannah's shade
trees are well kept and arranged to the
| best advantage for the purposes for which
they are intended.
Col. George A. Mercer has always been
an advocate of such a commission, and
he has personally devoted much of his
time and attention to horticulture and
tree culture in some sections of the city.
Col. Mercer was seen by a representa-
tive of the Morning News yesterday and
asked for his opinions on this subject.
Il am very much In favor of a tree COM
mission for Savannah" Col Mercer said.
THAT is the way tree culture is managed
in the large cities of the north, and II
Is the way it should be done here. tree
commission could do nothing, however,
NIL.
tics, but good set of independent citi-
zens, who take an interest In the city's
appearance, could do much for its i'm
provement and ornamentation. To make
such a commission free from politics,
there could of course, be no compensa-
ton attached to the office; but men such
as would be interested in the city's ap-
pearance enough to take hold Of this
work, would not care for compensation,
as is the case with such a body as the
county commissioners.
The duties of such a commission would
not be heavy, and at the same time it
could do much for the appearance of the
squares and streets. Now there is no
| one to look after the trees. The street
and lane committee of council does not
consider that this duty comes within its
province. l asked an alderman who was
| responsible for this work, and he told me
he did not know. Such thing could not
! DC QOue IN a nOGlneTn city OF any size,
Men of some talent are needed to look
out for this work, as ordinary street
/ hands know nothing whatever about IL.
The beauty of the vista on South Broad
! street has been badly marred by the hor-
/ rible poles that have been put right in the
/ center of the street, If the poles had to
! be put up, they could have been placed
/ in line with the trees on either side, and
the beauty of the street would to a large
! extent have been preserved. Some in
! fiuence has been brought to bear to have
! them removed but no good has been ac-
! complished.
at would be competent for the city
council to pass an ordinance creating such
! commission, which could be appointed
| by the mayor or elected by council l am
sure that able men could be found who
would be glad to take the work for the
good of the city. More ought to be done
in the way of planting healthy trees in the
place of those which are dying out, and
the proper kind of trees should be planted
and in the proper places. The miserable
wateroak should be abolished, 1t is a
swamp tree sheds it's leaves all the year
round, is easily destroyed by the mistle toe,
and at most does not last more than forty
years. 1 would like to see more live oaks
planted. 1t is prettier tree, much neater,
does not shed its leaves and lasts indef-
nitely. The Improvement in the squares
in the last few years shows what can be
done if attention is given to such work. 1
don't think the children ought to be al
lowed to trample the grass of the squares
and I am opposed to these destructive
Christmas exhibitions. Such matters as
these could also be looked after by a tree
commission.
There was a northern gentleman here
not long ago who told me that if they had
in New York such an avenue as that at
the Hermitage, it would be invaluable
We could have such avenues here very
easily If some attention were given the
work. Such improvements add to the
attraction of the city and they would in
duce people to stop here. So far as the
cost is concerned, it would be small, as
compared to the results that could be
accomplished. 1 am heartily in favor OF
a tree commission"
Mr. II. P. Smart, one of the warmest
advocates of good roads in the south is
also an advocate of good tree culture. He
said yesterday he was firmly Of the
opinion that Savannah should have tree
commission composed of good men, who
know something about trees and theil
culture.
'T' believe trees should be planted judi
ciously and with care" he said Such &
commission could see that they were prop
erly placed, decayed trees could be re
, placed by good ones. and many tree.
, might be made longer lived by proper car,
, and attention. 1 believe we ought to hav,
shade in the squares and on the northern
sides of the streets. l am not an advo
cate of too much shade, but I think tree
should be properly cared for and plante,
in the proper places, and I warmly advo
cate such a commission for that purpose
as is proposed"
No. Engine All Right.
Engineer Christian Of Engine Compan,