Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-01-24
identifying to the general appearance of


the city.
Yet Il seems to us that. area and popu-
lation considered. Richmond has mot as
many ehado-trccs now as formerly. In
establishing new grades OF streets and
In the laying Of new sidewalks. hundreds
of handsome trees have been Killed. We
believe that II is the practice OF tho city
10 replace such trees, but II takes much
time for striplings 10 assume the full
arboreal growth OF shade-troes.
In many localities here. too. old trees
have been killed by various other causes
or have died natural deaths, and no
one has taken the trouble to replace
them. For instance, fifteen or twenty
years ago the Capitol Square was en-
circlcVi by lovely trees. On Bank street
there was a line of willow oaks on
Governor street there was a line OF ASH
trees: on Ninth street another OF poplar
etc. Look at those streets now. Through
lack of replanting or from some other
cause, the trees have been thinned OUT
or have disappeared entirely.
We know not whether the trouble was
in the parsimony Of the Legislature, or
was with others, but the fact Is that
There are no such rows OF trees on the
sidewalks around the Capitol Square as
were TO be seen there many years ago.
And the same may be said with re-
florence 10 the trees on Grace and Frank
lin streets. Perhaps 1t was thought at
one time that Richmond had assumed
such metropolitan proportions as to make
tho presence OF trees undesirable. Trees
are not needed upon our business streets
but they are as desirable as ever upon
orr residential streets. Cities OF far
Greater consequence than Richmond are
~ this very time making liberal appro-
nr,ot,ons for plaating shade-trees by the
thousand. And it would be well lor us
also 10 give special attention to TINS SUD-
jet.
FIFTY years ago our property-owners
were extremely diligent in planting trees
on the sidewalks in front Of their prem
ises At the southwest corner of Main
and Foushee streets there was
notably beautiful row Of horse-chestnuts'
on Franklin street, near wnere the
jefferson stands. were also lines OF stately
trees
Indeed every man who built house IN
those days took care to plant shaue-
trees. Many experiments were mace
with the view of getting quick-srowing
and umbrageous trees. Thus, the VIE
sme,line ailantus and the knotty-
trunked Haytien mulberry were miro,
duced Neither proved satisfactory anu
both have been discarded and are no"
looked upon as nuisances. so, too' inc
towering and tapering Lombardy poplar
had its run. 1t was brought mere we
believe. by Nj. jefferson. He had seen
f. Identifying the landscape in France
end had admired its stately proportions
there. but ours proved an uncohsehi@'
climate for it, and it was Of snort ne
here. .s
We may now be said to have passed
the experimental stage in the matter Oh
planting shade-trees. The intelligent
nurservmen now know what our climate
needs; ALSO which trees will grow quickly
and which will make the most snaae'
But. alasl as a rule the trees that spring
ND most rapidly are the first to die.
There are trees, too, that are the iaVo-
rite feeding places of caterpillars. Oi
such. are some Of the species of elm. In
these trees the caterpillars annually breed
nv tens of thousands, and thence set
ont to destroy all the vines and tehuer
leaves in the neighborhood. Our city
authorities ought to cut down every such
tree. They should be rooted up STOCK
snd branch.
The planting of trees in Richmond is
now in the hands of the corporation
authorities. 1t viii take many many
years to give US all the trees we need
and therefore, tree-planting cannot be
carried on too actively here.