The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-03-16
STUDY OF sAvANNAH's TREES.
DENDRoLOGIsT sUDWORTH's RE-
PORT UPON THEM.


scape-There Are Very Few Good
Trees, He Says, Too Little variety
and Too Much MonOtOny--A PIenti-
full supply and Variety of Good
Trees to BE Found in the Adjacent
WOOds-VnIuabIe information Civ
en- on the Planting and Care of
Trees-PubIic Morality Must BE
Raised 10 the Point of Respecting
Public Property.
The report of Mr.. George B. Sudworth,
dendrologist of the agricultural depart
ment at Washington, of the results Of his
examination of the street and park trees
of Savannah and the surrounding coun-
try, together with recommendations and
instruction for planting and increasing
the city flora, which was recently receiv-
ed, was read before the park and tree
commission last night. The report is full
of information on the subject of tree
planting, growth and care of trees and
will be a valuable aid to the commission
in it's work. The commission decided to
have the report printed for distribution
for the information and instruction of
those interested in this work.
The practiced eye of Mr.. Sudworth was
not favorably impressed with Savannah
as a beautiful Forest City" He gives
his impression of this feature of the city
in opening his report, under the head Of
General Aspect of the Existing Tree
Flora" as follows: THE general impress
sion received in a survey of the streets is
a lack of uniformity and of the parks
one of monotony, both in the form of the
trees and in the abundance of two very
similar predominating species, live oak
and laurel oak-"water oak" The same
ness in form. Objectionable in the parks,
is caused chiefly by the close planting of
pole stock or forest-grown saplings, the
trunks being long at first continue to
carry the crown high into the air. Chc
almost total absence of green sward gives
an additional baroness with little to ar
rest the eye but limbless tree trunks. One
is also struck with an apparent dispro-
portion of the large-sized trees growing
in narrow, lane-like streets, as also by
the large size and excessive number found
In the small squares and parts of even
larger ones. The effect is one of hetero-
geneous crowding with the production of
dense shade, which is destructive to nm
dergrown shrubs or other plants"
A full list of the trees occurring on the
streets, and in the parks and squares of
the city, together with additional species
and varieties common to the surrounding
country is given. Mr.. Sudworth favors
the use of only one variety or kind of
tree on each street, with the use of differ
ent kinds on different streets with view
to obtaining variety in general. Naturally
wde-spreading and highgrowing trees are
not desirable, he says, for narrow streets
for the reason that the street becomes
crowded with a tangled growth. Slow
growing, narrow and dense-crowned kinds
are favored for narrow limits.
Park nl9DtiDp and IT'S objects are dealt
with at some length by the dendrologist
the aesthetic effects and educational value
of the parks. being dealt with as well as
the question of shade
Savannah the report says, may pro-
duce an unique impression in it's streets
and parks by experimenting it's already
large number of live oaks and introducing
in the parks and in certain streets con-
spicuous lines of the native palmetto.
Both are popularity and widely known, and
the visitor can never forget the peculiar
impression left by each collectively and
individually. Regardless of its other tree
| fora. it can be distinctively the city for
| it's sombre live oaks and stately palnet-
| toes"
! OF park planting Mr.. Sudworth says:
| Every park or small square should have
| emphasizing features made prominent by
| contrast in the size of its trees and other
plants. Grounds planted entirely with uni
! formly large, middle or small-sized trees
may serve in less degree the same pur-
poses and for the more confined areas
| form the principal elements. Low-growing
| or shrub-like trees are useful, and neces-
| sary for producing mass effects at certain
| points, or in angles at the opening of
/ walks. for the sake of variety in form,
| or, in still other places dense planting is
! necessary TO form vistal outlooks, all Of
which give pleasing variety as the observ-
er proceeds"
Lists of native and foreign trees and the
| purposes for which they may be used are
given. Mr. Sudworth favors the nursery
idea as an important adjunct in supplying
the streets and parks with trees.
| Much valuable information is contained
| in the report as to the care and culture OF
trees, special attention being given to
| pruning. The report closes with few
words on public spirit in the protection
| of street and park trees, which ii would
be we'll for every man, woman and child
| in Savannah, to read and remember. Mr.
| Sudworth expresses himself in the follow
| ing language;
1t is not too much TO say that the
| American public is no respecter Of private
| or public plants. Often, only the police
man. the watchdog. or the inpenetrablt
iron fence restrain the ever present spirit
| of vandalism. A rose, or any other at
| tractive flower, blooming in an unprotect-
| ed private ground or unmatched public
| place, is a menace to the snatching ten.
denotes of any otherwise well-ordered cit
liens Apparently the citizen has a pecu,
liar, or rather no pride a all, in the pres.
ervation OF the plants that adorn the city
at private or public expense. When adults
| stultify all moral obligations in this direc
ton. 1t is not strange that the children
| who roam our streets and parks should
not hesitate to pull flowers and breal
| branches, or swing pleasantly to the de,
| struction of some of the smaller trees, and
commit many other damages. 1t cannot bs
| otherwise than that the reverse Of tho
adage 1.-THE boy is the father OF the man.
Is the true explanation of so common anc
lamentable a disregard. Children taught
to respect as individual public and private
plants and property viii as men and wo.
men, exert the same influence by theil
| example The moral principle violated In
the theft of a valueless flower is no les.
evident than in the case Of money stoler
or property destroyed. Moreover. Il Is Z
concomitant of true civilization, ant
should be a matter of public pride 20 Tho
citizens Of every community TO unite in &
| spirit OF protecting and maintaining from
| destruction the Citv'g plauta