Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-10-14
Observations BY u: Saunders on the
Effect ofsAe Storm.
TIE SOFT WOOD FREES WERE HURT
How the Parking Commission Has
Managed Its Work.
FEW GOOD STREET TREES

Mr.. William Saunders, the veteran hor-
ticulturist of the Agricultural Department.
as member Of the parking commission,
has submitted to the District Commission
ers report. as mentioned in yesterdays
Star, on the effects of the recent storm on
the shade trees of Washington. Mr.. Saun-
ders says:
"Of those completely uprooted Carolina
poplars predominant, and it is especially
noticeable that the trees which have been
severely headed back and tops removed
from time to time have suffered most. This
was to be expected; the removal of branch
es, particularly when the trees are in foil
age, destroys q corresponding portion Of
roots. and otherwise interferes with its
healthful growth. An examination of these
overturned roots will show that they are
destitute of vfgor and very limited in
quantity. On the other hand, trees of this
species, ten and twelve years planted and
now taller and larger III every way than
any OF those destroyed, but which have
never been pruned since they We're first
set In place, are today standing as they
were before the blow, except with loss
of few twigs here and there, forming
object lessons of much value to those who
arc oeslrous OF studying cause AMI effect.
Error of Pruning.
1SeAl ~ tHe pOplaFS, Inc SILVER naples
have suffered, SO far as broken branches
are concerned a few have been uprooted
and mainly those that have been most Sc
verely pruned in the past. Trees that
have been headed back years ago. and have
sprouted near the cuts are very liable to
break of at these points. This tree above
all others Is prone to have branches split
off during storms. 1t requires timely treat
rnent when young. in div'rting growth to
main central stem. from which all other
branches are subordinate. no topping or
cutting in of the main stem should be per
mitted, II it is topped off a number of
branches will proceed from the cut part,
forming side branches which will ultimate
ly split apart during stcIms Indeed, most
OF the damage to these trees may be traced
TO injud 'cious prunings, thus furnishing
evidence OF the injury resulting from these
oftentimes unnecessary and hurtful manip-
ulationS.
Elms Stood the Blasts.
ELM trees have not been greatly injured,
and think meme have been uprooted; some
branches have been twisted and wood split
so as to injure the main stems, and the
roots of these will be removed. These trees
have never been Subjected to pruning ex-
cept fc.' the removal Of branches injured by
gales, or twies THAT have been removed for
the destruction of caterpillar webs. The
plane trees. both mai tive and foreign species
stood the storm very well, and suffered but
little damage, although some few Were up
rooted. The Norway naples came through
the ordeal without mueh damage some few
have been partially defaCed by broken
branches, and SOME trees where their roots
have ben weakened hy laying pavements
and setting new curbstones. have been
Frustrated This species is of sturdy
growth and is but little affected by or
binary storms: tt is 50 firmly rooted that
several good-sizet specimens have been
broken short Off short distance above the
ground Is r. s-..-,,,-,.
Linden trees have fared we'll, some broken
branches have resulted. bnt pothlne serious
and few upfootfd. TO. 4.5s1!ar,r, ~;z!s 81 y
= o7o: WSsds-n foxes.J s's -
Some of the sreeeHtly, planted trees. pro-
tected by wooden boxes, have been pros
trated I have frequently had occasion 10
report that when trees SO protected attain
a size when the box is unable to support
and control the tree during storms, it be-
comes factor of weakness and injury
The tree IN swaying over breaks or draws
up the stakes, carrying the box with 1T as 1t
leans from the storm; but when it attempts
to recover, the box being rigid, prevents the
natural swaying back of the tree. SO that
every fresh blast bends it still farther, until
It is eventually either broken or pros
trated; so that those trees without boxes,
four or five years after planting, are less
liable to be blown down than are those
where this protection is attached.
"All of these young trees have been put
Lack in their places, branches have been
slightly trimmed. and probably they Will
not suffer much from the blow. especially
this is the hest period of the year for
the formation of roots. in the absence of
active growth. Older trees than these may
he set again in place. and may live for a
time, making feeble growths for year or
two, when they ultimately sucCumb- to the
injury. Efforts to resusc.tate such invalids
do not prove, in practice. a profitable pro-
cedure.
Some History.
ut may be we'll, for the sake of those who
take special interest in our city trees, TO re-
cite some matters relating to their early
history. The parking commission entered
upon its duties as an advisory board, dur
ing th., autumn of 1871. At that time the
improvements on the streets involved the
destruction of a great number of trees,
which We're dotted here and there, without
order or system, some good. the majority of
them otherwise, but all priced more or less
by the householders who had planted them
Lamentations about their destruction were
loud and prolonged and many citizens re-
fused to- be con1forted by the assurance that
new trees would soon take the place Of the
old, and that these would. in a few years,
furnish palpabe amount of shade and
ornament. With the view of producing
effects as soon as possible. and to amelio-
rate the grievances produced by the re-
moval of the old trees as far as practicable
the parking commission resolved to plant
freely of rapid growing kinds. such as the
Carolina poplar. the -ash-ieaved maple. and
the silver maple. The commission was well
aware that the two first mentioned were
not by any means the hes: trees that could
be selected for permanency. It's members
had planted too many street trees to be
mistaken in that, but they were convinced
that the silver maple is one of the best
street trees that could be selected, reputa.
ton that it continues to bear, If properly
managed when yoHngI
Few Coca street Trees.
1.-The early planting was not, however,
confined to this Selection; other species.
such as the linden. plane, elm, sugar and
Norway naples. ald tulip tree, were freely
used. Others wire employed in limited
numbers for trfali purposes mainly. Elk
perience has sho%p sAat the list of good
street trees is comparatively small in num-
bers. Il, At. -...-
came to be planted sqsmany trees that are
now rejected; als4 it, 5nay be stated that
no trees of the Carolina poplar or the ash
leaved maple have been, set during the past
decade at least. The sWork of removal OF
from time to tAEe, for a number Of
uor1r froy, yi0crOuaiv sbod