Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-03-05

plete with information as to the trees in
Washington, that it is printed herewith in
full.
AYE be plantin' tree. Sandy. ma man!
It'll be CROWN when you're sleepin,'' was
the advice of Sir Walter Scott. This good
advisement might be followed in most of
our states and territories with the great
est beneficial results.
Trees are, indeed the glory the beauty
and the delight of nature. The man who
loves not trees 1 pity. Every man of land
ed property should be planter. Even an
old bachelor is not only free, but in duty
bound to plant tree. Unless his organs
OF philoprogenitiveness be small indeed,
as he looks at the young, tender plants in
his own nursery garden, his heart will
yearn toward them with all the longing
and instructive fondness of a father. AS
he beholds them putting forth the tender
buds of hope he will be careful to preserve
them from all blight: he will teach the
young idea how to shoot, and, according to
their different natures, he will send them
to different places to complete their edu-
cation. The old gentleman will be surpris-
ed to see how soon his young plants have
grown as tall as himself, even though he
should be an extraordinary member of the
Six-foot Club. An oak sapiing of some five
or six springs shall measure with him on
his stocking soles, and a larch, consider
ably younger. laugh to shake it's pink
cones far over his wig. But they all
dutiful children-never go Stravaiging from
IOIiie 1OilleS-an0 standing
together in beautiful bands and in majes-
tic masses they will not suffer MONDAY sun
to smite their fathers head. nor the winds
of heaven to visit his face too roughly
This extract is from the Ria psody of
Christopher North. in BIackwpod Maya
zine, ISIS. Said essay was first brought to
my notice by distinguished of the
commonwealth of Massachusetts,, IN ideal
istic lover of trees-Charles Sumner His
eloquent appeal in the United States Senate
TO the improvers of the Capitol grounds to
spare the splendid specimen Of Carpinus
betulus growing about stones throw from
the Senate chamber is memorable. Alas
his warning was in vain, for the tree Is now
dead! Its successor, planted by his friend,
John A Bingham, twenty-five years ago in
the Botanic Garden, is a rather handsome
specimen Voltaire was a great lover CT
this tree If when you visited his home at
Ferney you Gid not admire the horn beam
hedges and trees you were not Invited
back 1t is much used for hedges and
Wind-beaks in France and Germany.
Memorial Trees.
am very much in favor of memorial tree
planting in public parks. In :he Botanic
Garden at Washington we have fifty trees
thus made more interesting. Senator Uoars
hne plant of Cedrus Libani Is of interest to
Massachusetts people. Its companion,
planted by Senator Evarts. is doing Yearly
as well.
Whether the archbishop of Damascus Is
correct or not in his assumption that Solo
mon planted them with his own hands in
the quidnunc manner. as they now stand
In the valley on Mount Lebanon, we will
not venture an opinion. LamartiGa, who
visited these trees in 1899, very properly
says: They are the most renowned Eatu-
raj monuments in the universe Religion,
poetry and history have all equally cele-
brated them In Washington they have
fourished forty years without injury. At
Claremont and Sion House in the neighbour
hood of London, these cedars are over 100
in rai1n
Hopton House, near Edinburgh, and at
Beaufort Castle, in the highlands If Scot
land, there are trees over 100 years Old. At
the latter place it is said the tree rises with
all that boldness of outline and permanerce
OF aspect which renders it the glory Of
Lebanon and the boast of Palestine. 1t is
to be hoped that this tree will he more
planted in the future. 1t Is especially
adapted to cemeteries.
We saw, when last in Edinburgh, 100000
young trees Of this kind in the nurseries
there VIII my enthusiastic friend Mr.
jackson Dawson. inform US what he saw
when there last year of Cedrus Libani and
its varieties?
As to trees in the streets there are two
sides to this question. There is no doubt
but trees are an absolute necessity in the
wide asphalt or other paved streets in the
city OF Washington. But even thare bust
ness streets, as rule, are not freed At
ter the powers that be, in cities towns or
villages, have carefully considered whath-
er trees are desirable or not and II has
Dsen decided In the affirmative, we would
Ike TO make few suggestions not direc-
tons, gathered from an experience of over
twenty years as chairman of the tree park
ing commission in Washington, where w,
nave planted over seventy thousand trees
IN the streets, avenues and parkings. As
failures in this matter are not only expen-
sive but disappointing. we would recon-
mend that you secure the best talent
available. II experience is limited. see
that they have that with which the great
painter Opie mixed his colors: with
brains, sir, was his gruff reply to the
uiiettante chap who asked him how he did
1t.
In Washington, where the soil Is gen.
orally poor, We usually remove two OF three
gcod-sized carloads from a hole and r.
p,ace with the best top soil to be had. We
90 TINS in dry weather for obvious rea-
sens We stir up the bottom ard avoid
cempacting the sides of same Do not
plant TOO close. The character of the tree
selected must determine the distance apart
L hold myself chiefly responsible for p
great mistake in Washington which was
corrected by my kind friend, Maj. Twining.
engineer In charge Of public works in the
District Of Columbia with the remark
smith, you have planted your trees too
close. or not close enough, SO as TO admit
the cutting out OF every other ons." This
matter was better regulated in the future.
Few suggestions.
one important aid to success is the tree
box 1t is doubtful whether by shading the
stem OF the tree from the sun, to prevent
scaidins. or holding the newly planted tree
steady. is its most valuable service The
straps should be carefully arranged and
properly fastened. Four chestnut stakes.
1eet inches. are driven into the ground
and well nailed to the box
DO not attempt to go into the woods or
IhcuItvated ground for trees, except as a
ore necessity. We were compelled to do
this at first for some things and were mod
erately successful with American syca-
more, elmS scarlet maple and tulip trees.
They were not to be had In the nurseries
at the time. By transferring them to cut
tiVated ground in the nursery established
by authority of Gov. Shepherd, and cut
ting them severely back, educating them
Tor their duty in life. we got moderately
gcod results, but 1t is my deliberate opin-
len that in the interest of economy il is
better to get nursery-grown young trees.
Every city or village or suburban town am
bitious for distinction as TO being well
freed should have a nursery OF its own,
where healthy trees can be reared Get
clean seedlings from some reliable source
cultivate, prune and train them In the way
they should grow, in the best ground at