The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1901-05-03

with a view to having the matter lait
before the washington board of trad
for its Endorsement.
The matter of labelling the trees anC
shrubs now in the parks and reserva
tons has been allowed to slumber un
til the department of agriculture coult
see it's way clear to the making of the
trees and shrubs in it's own grounds
with their correct common and botani
\ cal names, habitat ETC., in order thai
the work might be begun under proper
supervision and in a scientific manner
This, l am assured, will soon be accom-
plished, and when done will, we are In
hopes, serve as a nucleus for the greater
tree garden desired, as we'll as an ar
Igument for the extension of the work to
all our parks and reservations Should
the systematic planting of the riverside
parks, the lower parts of the Arlington
estate, lately turned over to the use of
the agricultural department and all the
lands not wooded that may be taken
into the park system of the District be
decided upon in advance by competent
authority, it would appear that with
planted magnificent arboretum, con-
tanning all of the trees and shrubs of
the world that will grow in this climate,
might be formed at comparatively
small expense. This could all, I feel
sure, be accomplished without sacrifi-
chg In any way whatever perspective,
lpicturesqueness or beauty, SO essential
to the success of any parking system
The department Of agriculture has eve
ry facility at hand for the gathering
together Of the necessary plants from
this and foreign countries for the pur-
pose. and the expert knowledge to plant
care for and name them when obtained.
If this matter could be taken up and
decided upon in advance, the trees and
shrubs could be obtained and kept in
nursery ready for use as soon as the
landscape architect had the grounds
laid out for their reception
Mr.. Read has sent to Mr.. Mcmillan
with his letter correspondence and ex-
tracts from the Star bearing on the
subject Of his suggestion. Frederick
v. Coville, botanlst Of the department OF
agriculture, writing OF the arboretunl,
says: II believe that as an education
al institution an arboretum Of this sort
would be enormously useful 1t costs,
little more to grow ten trees each of ten
different kinds of naples than to grow
one hundred trees of silver maple. It
would cost little more to have some
one place in the mall a complete colec-
ton of hardy Japanese trees than to
grow a large mass Of Norway naples.
Educationally, however, the two plans
are incompatible. In his annual re-
port of 1899 the secretary of agriculture
refers to the first arboretum estab-
lished by the department In 1858 by Will
liam Saunders. This was necessarily a
small undertaking, as the establishment
of an arboretum in this climate would
require, he said, an area Of several
hundred acres.
The time has come when the econom-
ic needs of the department and the edu-
cation and pleasure of the people de-
mand a rlchqcollecticn of trees planted
go as to secure the best effects Of land
scape art furnishing complete materi-
ais for the Investigations of the depart
ment of agriculture, and so managed as
to be perennial means of botanical ed
lcation. We'are now engaged in intro
iucing usefurtrees from all parts of the
world, such las those producing fruits,
iyes, nuts. eMfs and tans, those useful
Tor ornamental purposes, and especially
hose promising shade shelter and fuel |
n the arid region. At the present time |
we have no central place in which to |
plant and maintain a series of these |
rees for study and propag CATION. The |
must be sent out as fast as
hey are received, without any oppor-
unity for our investigators to make
my observations on their behavior I'M
Ter cultivation and in the case of small
nd valuable lmportations subjecting
he whole stock to the possibility of to-
al loss. In view of these conditions,
Wish to bring to the attention of con-
ress the Importance of placing at the
isposal of this department an area Of
uitable size and situation for a COM
rehensive arbortetum. In order to
i've a specific basis for consideration
f this project, l suggest that the area
nown as the mall be set aside for this
urpose."
In a recent communication to the Star
n the necessity for marking trees to in
icate their names Mr.. Read said rs
not fact that we teach our children
/ the public schools a certain amount
botany and then neglest to open up
, them the more practical study Of this ,
,ience by placing before them in their
ally walks the knowledge of the trees
nd shrubs and flowers so lavishly dis
ayed in our streets and parks? The
garden does at present, In
alf-hearted way, name its plants with !
OGDEN tags and stakes, and the extern
on of their system, In whole-hearted Y
ay through the mall could be ar
lnged with comparatively little cost.
he agricultural department prints for
lie good of farmers costly bulletins on
restry and then neglects to give 6
ngue to the magnificent collection of
sciduous and evergreen trees. Think q
that fine grove of oaks, made up OF II
any varieties. In the west side Of its
growing up stately, beautiful
ees, without any in the city but a few
ecialists able to name them, Much (
'e to write learned dissertations on
ees for the unlearned and ignore the 3
collection at the seat Of z
e government, seen of all men, where
G word and the thing can be SO easily :.
ought together, ready for assimilation
the mind, and thus become basic
ct from which 1t can raise to further
owledge--further pleasures. The
esent condition of nameless trees and
known p1anfe ic before long we hhDa |