The times., 1901-05-05
SHADE TREES or THE CITY
Aboriculture Municipal Enter
prise in Washington.
Results Obtained by the Parking
Commission in, Systematic En-
deuvor to Benutify the streets.
superintendent Lanhan,s Work


There are few cities in the world where
the planting and care of trees receive such
systematic attention as in Washington.
Arboricuiture is here municipal enter
prise, and the selection of varieties, as well
as the protection of the trees afterward,
are not left to individual preference and
caprice as is often the case in other citifj.
Observation and experience united with
scientific knowledge in the practical
planting and raising of trees has resulted
in making Washington a well-shaded city.
Not only are the parks and public spaces
adorned with fine specimens, but nearly
all the streets are lined on each side with
vigorously growing trees.
The systematic culture of shade trees
began in Washington in 1871. when Gov
ernor Shepherd appointed the first Park
ing Commission. During the following
year the problem of lining the streets and
public spaces with forest growth was care
fully considered and practical plans were
worked out. The members of the Commits
sion were William r. Smith, Superintend-
ent of the Botanical Gardens; William
Saunders. Superintendent of the Agricul-
tural Grounds, and John Saul. nursery
man. There were probably not three 9TH
5er men in the United States better fitted
for the work to be performed.
In the report of this Commission for 1872
the qualities of good curbstone trees were
enumerated. and general plans for the
planting OF such species We're set forth
From this beginning has grown the pres
ent parking system. and the regular ex-
penditure of S20.00J annually in the care
and extension of the municipal trees. Tn
der the guidance of the practical men who
have served on the Parking Commission
arboricuture in Washington has never
been an experiment. but has gone on sys-
tematically from year to year. side by side
with the paving of the streets and the
drainage system.
In 1873 under a special appropriation for
the purpose 6.0o9 young trees were planted.
Since then the number each year has been
smaller, including the replacing of dead
trees and the removal of Objectionable
species. During recent years about 1900
trees have been set out each year in the
city and the suburbs an1 there are at
the present time about 81 coo trees under
the care of the Commission. During the
past fifteen years the practical work of the
department has been in charge of Trueman
Lanham, Superintendent of Parking. who
has been, since the death Of William
Saunders last year. a member Of the Com
mission. The department also maintains
its own nurseries for growing the young
trees, bringing about 5000 of ;he several
varieties used to the proper stage for
planting each year. The nurseries occupy
a tract of sixty acres on the grounds of
the Washington Asylum
The work of the department. there fore,
under Superintendent I4anham. consists in
raising the trees from the seed or from
cuttings. transplanting them TO the street
curbs in the spring and fall; protecting
-,
off the caterpillars, and trimmng the trees
in winter.
George b. SudworthJ Dendrologist of the
Department of Agriculture. is authority
for the statement that there are 400 va
rieies of trees in Washington and the
suburbs. But these iRclude the rare spe-
cimens i'm the Government parks, as well
as those in private grounds In the streets
of the city there are not more than thirty
varieties and thes chief Of these are not
more than twelVe
The Parking q sssnmission in 1872 recon-
mended the following list as best suited
To curbstone planting. their value being
estimated in the order named. :. The silver
maple. American linden, European syca-
more maple, American elm, tulip tree, SUI
gar maple. sweet gum. red maple, Norway
maple, Negundo. American ash, and the
two species Of buttonwood, platanus occi-
dentalis and platanus orientaiis Some OF
these trees We're chosen for their beauty Of
foliage rather than with reference to their
bine adapted 10 the conditions existing IN
the city streets. some of them have been
abandoned and other varieties substituted.
Last year the following varieties and the
number of each We're planted in the Dis
trict: Silver maple, S72; Norway maple bi;
sugar maple, 4l9; horse chestnut, 2; pin
oak 116; American linden, lSS; Oriental
plane, 453; GinCko, 10, and American elm.
143.
The silver m2.le has been found by eX-
perience to be best adapted to all the pur-
poses of a street shade tree. In nerof the
reports of the Parking Commission it is
described as rapid grower with beautiful
foliage, which Is never too heavy TO al
low the free circulation of air. 1t stands
the hot, dry summers and attains at the
curbstone about the same height and size
that 1t would growing in the forest or
open field. There are about 10000 of these
trees growing in Washington. They are
seen at their best on S Street northwest.
The Norway maple has proved itself one
of the best shade trees in the District. 1t
grows with low branching limbs and
spreads out widely. furnishing almost i'm
shade. 1t stands firmly against
storms and is almost never attacked by