Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-11-26
WASHINGTON TREES.
The Conditions and Methods of Plant
ing Here.

VIM. r. Smith, a member of the parking
commission Of this city and the superintend-
ent of the botanic gardens. read a paper
Tuesday evening before the Florists Club of
Philadelphia OH shade trees. In the course
of his address he>said:
I'VE have set out $4,000 trees in Washing
ton, and in these sixty kinds are represented,
but not more than half dozen kinds would
have been used If we had not been DESTROYS
of the larger representation from the bo-
tanical standpoint.
Zone mistake ordinarily made is in plant
ing either too close or not close enough to
admit of every other tree being taken out as
they increased in size.
1.-THE demand Of 'Woodman, spare that
tree people, and women especially, make
1t one of the greatest hindrances to tree cul-
ture. Trees must be trimmed. Roots decay.
and the top must be cut to correspond.
Trees In Washington are not trimmed
enough. and 1, for one, have given up fight
ing for 1t.
1.-The Norway maple and Oriental plane
are two of the six trees that do well in
faults. but where will you find a perfect
tree? 1t bears trimming, and if destroyed
Is easily renewed. Some of the best trim
med that know are around Girard College.
These are trimmed as trees should be.
Ffhe American linden is by far better than
the European.
The yew is not a curbstone tree. but is
not to be surpassed for parks. The tulip
parking is excellent. Sixteenth street, lead
ing to the White House, has Norway maple
at the curb and tulip for inside.
1.-The Athenian poplar is excellent for mar
row streets. The horsechestnut will not do
in Washington. In our dry season II stops
growing; then: when moisture comes, 1t be-
gins a second growth. We have them now
in full bloom. AS lawn tree they are ele-
CANT, but it must be further north than the
capital The sugar maple and the sycamore
also have their southern limits, and this
must be remembered.
THE ginkgo, or maidenhair tree, is one OF
the very best: is first class The only objec-
ticn is the bad odor the fruit has when ma
tured. My first handling of it cost me three
hours time and bar of soap to be rid of it
This tree is not known in wild state. and
is considered relic of prehistoric ages;
sole remnant of a race. In Japan there are
trees of it about the temples that are several
feet in diameter and hundred feet high. 1t
is excellent for a city, as it stands the smoke
and dust well, holds its foliage late, Is
healthy tree and insects avoid 1t, as they
also do the winged elm.
I'm Washington insist upon large spaces
being left unpayed between the trees to give
them the chance to eat. drink and breathe
Trees in leaf reduce the temperature five to
ten degrees; the leaves absorb the heat and
hold it.
aside from their value as ornaments
trees should be grown in cities Tor sanitary
reasons. and for the comfort of the people,
and their demands for existence and health
full growth should be respected.
''One of the worst sins against nature is
burning leaves about the roots of the trees.
l never see it done that don't think swear
words and feel like saying them.
philadelphia has splendid streets. and
her impervious sidewalks come right down
to the curb. but it all means death to the
trees, and uninhabitable city in summer
time. In a few years more her street trees
will all be gone"