Evening star., 1898-07-04
CARE OF THE TREES.
Some Communications to The Star on
the Subject.

the Subject.
Several communications have been re-
ceived in reference to the protection and
care of the trees, among which are the fol-
lowing:
Thomas w. Gilmer writes: A correspond
ent of The Star advocates the use Of little
curbs, three inches high,'' to protect the
grass in sidewalk tree spaces. The pro-
posed curbs would be dangerous obstruc-
tions on the sidewalks, and they would not
protect The grass.
ESper.ence has shown that grass cannot
be successfully grown in the tree spaces Of
a public sidewalk.
Whenever new sidewalks are laid citi-
zens should request the District Commits
sioners TO face the entire walk except about
one foot around each tree
When the existing tree spaces are larger
than necessary, owners can get the mud
streaks paved by paying one-half of the
cost under the permit system, act of Au-
gust Z, 1884, % Stat, 247. Application
should be made to the Commissioners for
an estimate. The cost to owner for paving
tree space twenty feet long is only about
81. Judging from my own experience 1t
will pay every citizen to order the paving
OF the surplus tree space In front of his
house.
Tree Lover says: Public attention should
be called to the bad mutilation of large
trees by curbstone settlers. In resetting the
curbstones at New Hampshire avenue and
21st street / saw a gang of men engaged in
this work hacking off the roots of the
splendid elms growing at that point close
up to the trunk and then, instead of put
ting back the good dirt they had taken out,
covered the badly mutilated roots with
gravel and clay. Precisely the same state
of affairs was observed at the corner CT
18th and Corcoran. These men seemed ig-
norant OF the elementary principles Of tree
culture, and there was no representative If
the parking c immission arouI,l TO see that
no ayn RI
c. M. Campbell writes as follows: If
Washington is to maintain it's prestige as a
city beautifully planted with trees great
deal of work reeds to be done WiJlo,it dc.
streets has proved a failure. Jhe soft ma
pie, diseased specimens of which line 14th
and many other streets, should all be taken
out, ds there is hardly perfect shade tree
in the lat. While Mr.. Smith says tha. 1t is
a good feeder that Is about the only good
quality 1t has, as 1t casts a thin shade and
is vecy easily split by the winj. The lin
den is also a poor shade tree for the city,
as it will not grow after the roots strike
the clay. Such trees as the oriental plane
and Norway maple should De substituted
John Saul told the writer, just before his
death, that the parsmony of Congress in
granting money for shade trees was some
thing he could not comprehend. They have
millions for schemes In which congressman
are interested. but when it comes to beauti-
flying the capital of the nation at a small
comparative outlay tSat will yield 1000
per cent in comfort not only to citizens and
visitors to the capital, but to congressman
themselves. they dole out the few Thousand
dollars allowed as If 1t were a matter re-
quiring the most rigid economy Mr.. Saul
said that the parking commission, of which
he was member, never had one-fourth the
money 1t needed for absolute wants. and
that the very least that should be appro-
priated is $4,000 a year, instead Of the
$4,000 or 10000 heretofore Appropriated
|. He agreed with the writer that whole
streets badly needed replanting, and that a
fund should always be on hand for fighting
iasect pests and replacing trees broken
down by storms.
All Of which Is snhnnitted to the Commits
sioners. who are now engaged In making
up their estimator for next year.