The evening times., 1899-12-01
THE PLANTING OF TREES
f4A1G
What Has Been Done in the Dis
triet During Ae Year M
Forty Thousand Dollar. Expended
in New sapIinxs and In Keeping
the Older Foliage Healthy-Great
Damage by storms-Insect and
Other Enemies-Recomme

Other Enemies-Recomme ne ndatiOns.
According to the estimates of the Com
missioners about $4,000 will be expended
In planting new trees in the District next
year. The expense of trimming the old
foliage will be paid out OF this fund. The
amount seems very small when the num-
bers Of streets that are without shade are
taken into consideration. The trees must
be given constant attention by the Super
intendent of Parking. and the employees
are kept busy trimming and pruning from
one end of the season to the other.
The planting of new saplings next year
will be carried ON more extensively than
It has been in the past. for the reason that
a large number Of old trees were destroyed
last summer by the. severe storms that
were experienced in the city.
The Parking Commission Is perhaps one
of the portions of the District government
about which the least Is known. The re-
cent report Of the Superintendent Of Park
ing shows that two and one-half tons Of
leather straps were purchased and used on
all young trees In their boxes to prevent
their coming in contact with the tops OF
the boxes and being girdled In the time OF
high winds. Because of the small amount
of the appropriation no wire was purchas-
ed for the purpose of protecting the larger
trees from injury by horses eating them,
but about 10, 900 old wire guards which had
become useless from many causes, being
rusted out. and badly broken, were re-
moved condemned. and carted to the
dump The work OF loosening tight wires
and readiusting them has been given the
usual attention. 41s-~
Caterpillars appeared on the trees only
in small numbers last season, and were
promptly attacked and destroyed at small
cost
The trimming of trees in various parts
of the city was given the usual attention,
most Of this work being done on the older
trees. which yearly have considerable dead
wood in them, caused probably by their
being too close together. and In many cases
by the resetting of curbing and laying OF
cement sidewalks. Brick sidewalks with
sand under them absorb the moisture from
rains and serve as a mulchfng for the re-
teEticn Of the same while cement Sidewalks
SHE'D it all, and the broken stone and ce-
ment base affords no place for their roofing.
When systematic tree planting in this
the streets, and the trees were planted
much closer to the curb than is now being
on the streets, and the trees were planted
much closer to the curb than is now being
done Their roots therefore, in many in
stances have forced the curb out OF line,
and when a broader curb is used and the
line Strengthened, many roots are necessa-
rly cut, and in a number Of instances trees
have been killed outright and in many oth-
ers so severely injured as TO render their
removal obligatory. These have TO be re-
placed and from the fact that none OF ms
work had been anticipated and provided for
by an increase in the appropriation. in en-
deavoring to keep up the lines OF trees al
ready established the work of planting on
new streets has been falling behind; and
this cannot be avoided unless appropriations
are increased at least so per cent or the
trees now on the streets are neglected.
About 200, 600 trees were planted during
tine year in various places. AS stated be-
fore, the summer storms destroyed great
many shade trees and these were replaced
at the expense Of the new localities where
trees OF any kind are badly wanted.
The people living in the suburbs have
been complaining to the Commissioners OF
the lack Of shade in these places for the
last two or three years and numerous Pc
Building requesting that trees be planted.
The petitioners have been invariably in
formed that the Commissioners cannot
grant the requests on account of the rava-
ges of the storms in the more thickly set
tied portions of the District. The parking
Commission stated in their last report that
the money appropriated for the work OF
street tree planting and for the many ope-
rations connected with the proper care Of
the trees and parkings throughout the city
is altogether inadequate. yearly apprs-
priation of $40. 900 is needed to maintain
and extend these improvements as they
should be done and fill the reasonable ex-
pectations of everyone interested in havz
ing the city ornamentation developed in this
the pioneer and leading city of the world in
this respect. they stated.
Prominent among the many things that
are said to be necessary is the removal
of trees at street corners where they in
terfere with the proper lighting Of the city.
The trees are closely set at these points
and prevent the proper distribution of light
from the lamps. This has long been a
source of annoyance, and would have been
remedied if means had been at command.
Equally pressing is the removal of su-
perfluous trees from the parkings in front
of dwellings. These served purpose for
shade when the street trees were SMALL
but now they are useless. as they injure the
growth of those set at the curb and over
shade the houses. so as to impede light
and the circulation Of air.
Many thousands of trees are exposed to
injury and mutilation by horses and other
causes, owing to the absence of wire
guards, which Is the most effectual protec-
tion that has been employed for this pur-
pose.
In some parts Of the city 1t has become
necessary to remove bad trees and substi-
fute better kinds. Especially those that
injure the pavements by upheaval from
surface roots should be removed. These
now entail expense in repairing injured
pavements, and the only effectual remedy
is the removal of the trees and the plant
ing of others less Objectionable in this re-
spect.
DEWEY's SURGEON TO WED.
DIR. Carpenter to Marry Into the VAN
derbilt Family.
NEW YORK, Dec. IA coming we'd