The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-13
RUGGEDTREE LANDMARKS
MANY Still Survive the March OF
Modern Civilization.
Alexander HnmiItop's Grove Still
Lingering on the Hili Where They
We're Planted to Illustrate the
Original Statcs-Mnny Old ArbOr
Centenarians Suffer From AsPhySia

serves 20 stimulate even an urban interest
in trees especially in such city as this,
where not only do the parks contain many
fine specimens. but where single trees are
still to be found in the mares of granite
and asphalt. having survived in an envir-
onmont about as unfavorable as could we'll
be contrived. This is because nearly all
the islands composing most of the terri
tory of the city Of today were originally
very well wooded, as was that part of the
mainland included in the Borough of the
Bronx
Perhaps the most famous individual of
its class he city ever contained was the
pear tree planted in his garden by Peter
Stuyvesant. the last Governor of the New
Netherlands as such, Who brought 1t from
Holland upon his return from a visit there
not loag before his surrender to the Eng
lish. Ii kept his memory green more than
two centuries and indicated 10 succeeding
generations the site of his dwelling. The
city. becoming metropolis, crowded
northward, invaded the farm. and thrust
streets through the garden The old pear
tree found itself at the corner of Third
Avenue and Thirteenth Street. where 1t
continued to blossom every spring. ana TO
bend under the weight of its fruit in the
autumn. An iron railing was set about IL
for protection. but could not save II from
toppling in the severe storm of February,
1861 Many loyal mourner," writes
local historian. 'strove 10 obtain frag-
ment OF its broken body TO preserve in re-
membrance of its bygone times. The rail-
Ing which enclosed it may still be see-.
and within it a vigorous young offshoo,
OF the parent tree putting forth its leaves
and branches with an appearance of family
pride and a good degree of the family
energy" This was written several years
Ego. and in the meantime the second tree
also has disappeared. although some of the
Oldest trees in the city are still in Stuyve-
SAINT Park, near by.
The thirteen trees planted by Alexander
Hamilton to represent the first members
of the Union still stand upon the elevation
at One Hundred and Fortieth Street and
Convent Avenue. They are enclosed, but
boys have been at them with hatchets, and
one has already lost all its branches. The
recent Assembly at Albany passed bill
appropriating money for the purchase by
the state of the trees with the property on
which they grow.
Mention was made in the Evening
Post not long ago of the transportation
of a couple of noble English yews from
Columbias old site in Fiftieth Street to
commanding position in front of the Low
Memorial Library. belonging to the uni
yersity on Morningside Heights. They
were imported more than century ago.
and Samuel Henshaw. the Botanical Gar
dens' head gardener, who planned and sup
erintended their recent removal. thinks
they will last several centuries longer.
Their first resting place in this country
was ST. Johns Park, which has vanish
cd n, rris oh 1f
witch village, in which it lay. the place
being occupied by the great freight sta
ton with the gilded statue OF old Commo-
dore Vanderbilt in lefty niche. Here
early IN the century, under the inspira-
ton OF Dr.. Hosack, Columbia decided to
establish an arboretun, If not an entire
botanical garden, and planted many trees,
There were common and slippery elms,
naples Of English and American varieties,
the Bahylonica or weeping willow, the
horse chestnut or buckeye the catalpa-
whose long seed-pods the boys used to try
TO smoke-the Platanus occiGentalis or
American plane, popularity called button
wood or sycamore. baisam and LoInbardy
poplars. the boneylocust, and the allan
tus, besides eyergreens. wistaria, and
honeysuckle. Chancellor Livingston in
troduced the Lombardy poplar from abroad
and it became favorite throughout the
of them about Bowling Green a foot and
half or two feet in diameter, but they
are all gone now. The ailantus came from
China. where they call it the tree of
heaven
An old oak still shades Poe's cottage at
Fordham. A mile or more away in Bron.
Park, is the only remaining hemlock grove
in this part CT the State almost as still at
this season as it ever was, and wont TO pre-
Of
iude even when frequented by the noisy
cyclists. In this vicinity many fine trees
have been felled. but still greater num-
Der remain. One, known as bear tree
stump" cut down by Mr.. Henshaw's or
Gers FOR park purposes, was proclaimed d.
Its anaulation to be 100 years old. A
red oak killed by the artificial embankment
Tor the lew reservoir was older still: IL
was cut into twelye-inch planks from
which was made a stone-boat, now used
in the park. Some of the finest tulip
trees in the country are still there. five
feet IL diameter and at least 150 years
old. Then there is the largest sassafras
tree in the FIVE boroughs. three feet in
diameter and estimated to be more than
leo years old.
Central Park contains comparatively few
notable trees. On the Mall there are some
rather fine elms transplanted from Sing
about Seyentieth Street and Fifth Avenue.
and again in the body of the park north
OF le5.h Street. Harlemites call an old |
tree en- the north side of East 125th Street |
gust west OF Third Avenue THE SORROWS
LodginghouEe. II is a Landmark. The sole
survivor of row that used to line both
sides OF the street. then only lane. when |
Harlem was sleepy little suburb. During
the Gay 1t is practically deserted hut il |
kNGifp-S frnFf~anaE of /
the Eight. They begin to gather about |
dusk, and in good weather their chIroinp I
and chattoring never fail to attract a /
crowd. ShopEeepers and residents indicate |
the tree as a curiosity. and restrain the |
boys Of the neighborhood from using their |
bean shooters on the birds; but none can
explain why so many sparrows should
choose 10 roost in that particular tree.
with Mount Morris Park only a few blocks
away.
This smallish park retains the original
character Of the ground better perhaps,
than any other in the city; ana doubtless
it contains some cid trees. but none dis
tinguished by tradition. The lesser breath |
ing spaces south OF Central Park arc more
favored in this respect Besides Stuy- |
vesant Park, Madison. Union. and Wash /
ington Squares, Gramercy Park, and St. |
Marks churchyard contain trees which |
could doubtless tell interesting stories |
In Washington Square for example--it was |
the militia parade ground then. and te-
fore that it had been potters' neld-Polly |
iodine was hanged to tree when the |
century was young. The tree doubtless 70
longer stands: ii is thought 10 have been
one OF those broken down by a series OF
storms in 1859.
Another remarkable tree OF those DAYS
was giant before the Varian place in
Broadway. between Twenty-sixth and |