Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-07-19
TO SAVE THE TREES.

The Elm Leaf Beetle Discussed by the
 Buildings.
 Last nights meeting of the committee on public lands and buildings was of much more interest than the sessions of this body usually are. The business was of an entirely different nature from anything the members were ever called upon to grapple with before and it was astonis h. ing the vast amount of information each member was able to impart to the meeting as to what was the best method the city could bring into use in order to save the graceful elms on the green from being an. initiated by the beetles which have recently made their appearance in Water bury.
 Mayor kilduff said the trees on the green should be protected at any cost. "They are not like other things, he said, "that can be replaced with money. It is a subject that interests everybody, for nearly all homes have a few trees about them. New Haven has spent considerable money in expert menting in this business and would sug- gest that the committee go down there to. morrow and find out all those people know as to the best manner of saving the trees from these beetles. You cannot afford to wait until the court of common council meets to act on your recommendation, for there is no time to be lost but think you would be warranted in doing some thing on this matter before the court of common council meets and l think what ever is done by this committee towards preserving the trees on the green will meet the approval of the body. The trees in all parts of the city are in danger of being totally destroyed and as the city has the largest collection I think it is it's duty to take the initiative in this matter and very likely whatever measures it should adopt will be taken up by private individ- uals. l don't want to see one of those trees die if it can be saved by putting out little money and If the committee should go to New Haven and the court of common council refuses to pay their expenses I'll put up for them myself"
 MT Brewer gave an interesting discourse on the habits of the elm leaf beetle and al so its history, tracing its family back to Europe. He also told of successful man. ner of belting the tree with poisonous liquid which was sure to kill them on their way from the trees into the earth. He be. lieved if something like this was not done there would not be a sound elm tree in Wa terbury next year. He believed that if the ones now in the trees should be prevented rom getting into the ground where they breed. the danger from this source would be greatly diminished.
 Alderman Condon spoke of receipt which a resident of Simonsville had which was sure death to the beetle. The ma1 will give it to the city gratis.
 Chairman Borchard recounted the diff. ferent precautions used to save trees in other cities. Here the meeting wanted tc know how much space the green covers and how many trees there are on it.
 II suppose" said the mayor, an old farmer would put his eye on that and tel you to the inch D
 The committee seemed to take the mayors remark as a grind and Mir Brew el replied: Well, Mir Mayor. I'm TO farmer so cannot tell you by looking at it. Ol course I pretend to know something something about sheep, but that has noth ing to do with this matter" Finally the committee decided to go to New Haven leaving here on the l :2S train.
 After the meeting a couple of newspaper men pushed their way through the crowC on the green and counted the trees Originally there were seventy-h elms on the green. but one was destroyed by ( wind storm few years ago, leaving the number seventy -four.