St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1899-04-26
City Tree Planting.

copyright, 1899. by the Author.]
Although America is called new
country she is doing great deal to live
down that Objectionable newness of
which Europeans have been in the habit
of talking for so long Her cities may
not possess the historic associations and
the charm of antiquity which hang over
many old world towns, but America
has certainly made gigantic strides to-
ward identifying her city streets in the
last few years. The citizens of this re-
public are beginning to realize the ex-
tent to which city can be ornamented
and improved by the judicious planting
of shade trees and the result is that in
a number of the more progressive towns
civic tree planting associations have
been formed. The object of all such as
sociations is not only the actual plant
ing of trees, but also the awakening Of
an interest in the Identification of the
residential portions of American cities
One of the most successfully operated
associations of this character in this
country is the New York Tree Planting
association. Although this association
has been in existence for only two years
it has done much toward enhancing the
attractiveness of many of the streets of
New York. The association has now
membership of almost 200, and besides
its down town office it will soon have
second office in the residential part of
the city. The annual dues of the asso-
citation are S., and no other assessment
is levied.
The revenue derived from this source
propriate literature, bearing clearly and
; intelligently on the subject of tree
: planting and to corresponding with
persons interested in the matter. Last
year the association was incorporated.
| Since that time it has been the means
of securing the plantation of over !, 900
trees.
1 In the list of shade trees recommend
ed by experienced nurserymen as being
the most suitable for growth in the
northeastern cities of our country are
included three varieties of naples,
Q American white elm, Scotch elm pin
Q oak and red oak, American white ash,
: American sweet chestnut, common
: horse chestnut, hardy catalpa, tulip
s poplar, balsam poplar and Lombardy
i poplar, cottonwood, American linden,
v lime, nettle tree and American plane
!, tree.
f In the suburban districts of any city,
of course, where the streets are not YET
q heavily paved, the cost of planting tree:
is insignificant In no way can the
@ value of residential property be more
q surely enhanced than by the establish
ment along its boundaries of shapely
"a and vigorous trees.
e But beyond this mere commercial
f compensation there is more importan
!. even though less tangible aesthetic
value attached to tree planting. 1t re
quires no profound arguments to satisfy
the intelligent citizen of the value O
+ urban shade trees Their variety of tin
. and outline, the perpetual music o
| tHcll ukluS DkdlCnto, uut SldtiuCd
tion which the eye receives from thei
II depth of verdure the GOODNESS an,
freshness and comfort which they i'm
part to the air on close summer day
the numberless and ever changing form
which their fiuttering leaves present
all their living beauty and grace an
le perfume appeal to the aesthetic sens
is and have their definite effect upon tn
character.
Nor, on the other hand, should til
direct effect of trees on the health {
people be entirely overlooked. Beside
:. tempering the winds of winter and gi,
~ ing protection from hot suns in sun
10 mer they are ever active and potent [
y, counterfeit miasma and injurious an
~ unhealthy exhalations Of the soil. Frol
y. .o the elm Of our own country to the Q,
40 calyptus Of the tropics trees are all a
20 mosphere purifiers.
1t But in the plantation Of trees alor
city streets there are certain DANCE
that have to be faced. The first of the
in is the lack of water supply for the roo
is another is the menace of natural al
ri artificial gas poisoning, another t
as deadly smoke Of furnace and factor
ost and still another the attacks of insec
rec While copious enough rains may
nt over city, tagging and modern pa,
all ments carry it swiftly off by way of {
nd cutters into the sewers, where 9TH
BED wise it would slowly percolate throu
in the soil and be drink for the thirt