The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-27
TREES OF THE CAPITAL
The Various Species Aiding Its
0.hcr AdOrnments.
Not Sufficient Appropriation Avail
ablc for Their Proper Welfare,
Constant Attention Required Dur
ing the Season of ArboreaI Infancy.
The Original Parking Commission.

It is not probable that many people con-
slider the labor and expense necessary &c
provide them with the beautiful trees and
lawns which so much enhance the APP
pearance and comfort of this city during
the warm weather. For this purpose
$4,000 tthe entire appropriation allowed
by Congress) is expended annually, ant
even this sum has been found literally moi
half enough for the purpose. Col. Theo-
dore Bingham, Superintendent Of Public
Buildings and Grounds, says that s5o.00t
would be none to little for keeping the
public parks and lawns in proper oondi
tion, and for the raising and care OF trees
This is, in itself, an enormous item of ex-
pense. as can be readily seen from the fac
that the average cost of planting single
tree is "a, and that at least 1000 Lew
trees are planted during the year. Then
of course, there is the expense in rear
ing and nurturing the young trees, and
keeping those already planted in good
condition. The first is done at the nursery,
an enclosure of about ten acres adjacent
to the city Jail, and here the young shoots,
are watched and cared for with as much
solicitude as is bestowed upon human in
fants; rather more. one cannot help fancy
ing. than the infancy OF some OF those In
the Jail nearby have received. The young
tree in the nursery is transplanted three
times before being placed in its final posi-
tion on the street it is intended to adorn.
II is found that this strengthens the roots
and enables the tree to mature more
rapidly and certainly than If it were left
to grow continually in the same place.
The period allowed for growth in the
nursery varies with the different species
of trees, the shortest probably being a
year, which is sufficient for the silver
maple, but the majority of other species
occupy two seasons before they can be
safely planted in a permanent position,
and left, to large extent TO fight their
own way in the world. 1t is necessary to
place a box or netting around them for
the first year or SO of this new existence.
after which their great Vitality enables
them TO resist the attacks of the nibbling
horse and the thousand and one other
wounds likely to be inflicted upon them.
are subjected in their after life, but one
which has been greatly overrated. is the
attack OF insects. notably the caterpillar.
Various precautions have been taken by the
Parking Commission 1.-THE advisory board
having in immediate charge all matters
pertaining to the care of trees, shrubs, and
grass to render the trees immune to the
attacks of the caterpillar web worm. bag
worm. etc. Several years ago there was
employed for this purpose machine which
emitted spray of paris green upon the
trees, but besides being very expensive
consuming the entire appropriation al
lotted for all horticultural purposes) it
called forth such an immense amount Of
public protest that il was soon abandoned.
In the summer of 1883 the city suffered
from what might be literally called a
plague of caterpillars, and in that year
the trunks of all the trees in the city
were whitewashed as a preventive
against the damage wrought by the in
sidious insect. This method as also that
of binding a piece of raw cotton or other
material around the upper portion of the
trunk in order to protect the leaves the
caterpillar'e point of vantagel has been
found Intellectual, or nearly so. as the dam
age is wrought by the moth depositing its
eggs among the leaves.
Strange 10 say. not a tree was killed
during the summer of 'SS by insects. al
though between the ragged appearance of
the leaves, produced from this cause and
the glaring and unnatural aspect of the
whitewashed trunks, they presented per-
haps less attractive appearance than at
any previous or subsequent period.
Notwithstanding all that has been said
and written regarding the danger from in
sect attack, the cisy has never lost but
one tree from this cause" said William
Saunders. of the Agricultural Department.
TO Times representative. Mr.. Saunders
is the last remaining member of the origi-
nal Parking Commission appointed by Gov
ernor Shepherd in 1871, as a purely adj
visory board, to look after the gardens and
grounds OF the city. The original commits
sion consisted of Mr.. Saunders, William
Smith, and John Saul. and the agreement
made al the time OF their organization, and
which has been since faithfully kept by the
Government. was that they were to receive
no compensation whatever for their SER
vices rendered to the city. Mr.. Saul is
dead and Mr.. Smith has resigned, SO that
the commission is now represented entirely
by Mr.. Saunders, who occupies the unique
position in Government service of bearing
the expenses of his Office personally even as
regards the paper and postage stamps used
in his correspondence, while he has not
during the thirty years he has held Office
received one cent of remuneration.
The selection Of most of the trees which
now adorn this city has been the selection
Of Mr.. Saunders. who is regarded as among
the most eminent horticulturalists in the
country.
1T has been found necessary" said he,
Ito change many Of the trees which we
originally planted because they were rapid
growers. and during the improvements OF
Governor Shepherd, as well as Immediately
after. rapidity was the order Of the day.
We have. however. learned many things
from experience. and IL is to be regretted
that the limited appropriation allotted does
not allow OF the removal of several varie |
ties of trees from some streets in the city |
and the substitution of other and better |
species. These trees. such as the Carolina /
poplar. really become, in sense, !
and so balance by their unde- |
sirable qualities the advantages of shade |
and rapid growth.
Among the varieties at present in !
vogue are the red oak. the willow oak, I
the pin oak the ginkgo. the Norway ma /
pie the horse chestnut, and sycamore. I
prejudice has long existed against the oak (
as a street tree but IL may be said that /
this is now cffectually removed. A beau
tiful specimen OF the effect produced by .
the red oak is TO be seen in Twelfth /
Street, between B Street northwest and
Street southwest. In the autumn the rich
russell gold Of their leaves is especially
The ginkgo is native Of Japan, but
thrives remarkably In this soil and eli
mate II is peculiar in many respects, Of
pyramidal form, the branches remarkably
regular. and the leaves Of most unusual
shape. fine avenue of these trees is in
The grounds OF the Agricultural Museum,
leading from the terrace in front of the