Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-19
PARIS STREET TREES
FOLIAGE ADDS TO BEAUTY OF
FRENCH CAPITAL.
0rea' Care Given to Greenery by Mu.
nlcipal ACCOMPLISHMENTS
for Other Cities.
Paris Correspondence New York Tr,,rne

| arls correspondence New York Tribune
| IN the early years of the second emnira
"hen Baron Haussmann submitted N NJ
poleoh III his famous plans for beautif,-
ing Paris by opening new and broe5
ana avenues. the empress remark
ea: All that is very well, but don't Won
link mat there will be a great Increase
" uust' ana that the shade afforded bv
the narrow, picturesque little streets VIZ
De greatly missed by the Parisians?"
| All! your majesty. have already ant,c,-
pated this objection in nv scheme ga a..
remedy is Trees! Trees! Treesl The tdeaI
modern city should have its streets lined
on poth sides with trees. Trees not only
| ieiio grace and attraction to the streets OF
CITY, but awaken i'm the spring of tho
year certain municipal sentiment, as IL
were Trees soften the character of the
| ciIlZens and make them easier to govern
L nave studied the question thoroughly.
your majesty. Trees do not interfere with
nealthful sunshine in autumn and wintar
VIII II is most needed, and afford in
| summer shade and keep the air pure ana
| Wen supplied with oxygen Paris oupbt
| 10 nave tree for every inhabitant"
Inc Idea of Baron Haussmann has been
taken TO heart by the munich autbori
| ties of Paris. where no deps rtrnent has
peeh more scientifically developed than thar
ol street trees, which forms SEPARATE
tseu uiSti.ct from the administrations
intrusted with the care Of trees growing
IN the Champs Elysees Bots de BouIorne
bols de NlncenncS, gardens of the fuller.
ies, Louvre, Palais Royal, Geological Gar
Qehs Botanical Gardens Square de Clunv
PARKS of Monceau, Buttes Chaumont. Mont.
souris, besides those planted in some is-
teen other public gardens, which have
special budgets of their own and which
form the great breathing places. or tha
lungs, of the city.
Lungs of Paris.
To give an idea of the scale upon which,
| these great lungs of Paris are kent I'm
healthfui action, IT may be mentioned
that the net receipts derived by the CITY
Of Paris for renting chalets and places
Of entertainment in the Bots de Boulogna
alone amount to $4,000 a year The
revenue the city annually obtains from
similar sources in the Champs Elysees is
$500 and $1,000 is yielded by the Bos
ae NNncennes. These sums all put together
represent only a small fraction of what
the city annually eXpends upon its lungs
or air reservoirs. The Paris trees are reno
waited when necessary by recruits from the
acres of pepineres or tree schools" mains
tanned in the environs of Paris.
Whenever a Partisan tree shows signs OF
decay huge truck drawn by four oxen
appears, and by most ingenious system
Of leverage the tree is pulled UP roots and
all without injury, by means of a gigantic
torceps. The operation is like that per-
tooth. Another tree is at once brought
from the nearest tree school, and planted
In the place of the invalid tree, which is
taken to what is called the tree hospital
where it is replanted, and by course OF
renewed loan and potash undergoes a
treatment analogous to that prescribed for
citizen Of Paris who gets wheezy in the
lungs. rheumatic, or whose liver becomes
clogged, and who starts forth for "curep
at Aix-les-Baines. Bourboule or vichy.
GRAY and Green.
Paris is essentially a gray city This 70
an artists eye is one of its charms. But
the delicate soft gray would become monot-
onous unless relieved by profusion of
green leaves and branches, which lend
grace to perspectives of long, straight
streets and boulevards. The result is that
tree culture has become sort OF religious
creed with Parisians, and the scientific
care and treatment of the city trees afford
food for reflection for the municipal au-
thorities of less favored cities
The annualcost of maintaining trees in
the streets Of Paris, where they alternate
in rows with iron lamp posts is $4,000,
There are 81 693 trees in the city of Paris
growing in rows along the sidewalks, ex-
elusive of the trees contained In the city
parks, gardens AND squares. A corps of
tree inspectors is constantly on the alert
watching the trees. The soil is frequently
renewed. Iron "corsets'' are placed around
young trees to protect them from injury.
A circle at least three yards In diameter
is kept free from asphalt or pavement
around the base of each tree. This circle
is usually covered with an iron grating, to
preserve the proper level Of the sidewalk.
The trees are watered by the street hose
twice a day. Excavations are made around
the trees so that the water collects ABOUT
the base of the trunk and percolates freely
to the roots.
The variety OF trees planted along the
Paris sidewalks comprises horse chestnuts,
elms. acacias. lindens, sycamores and the
japanese sumac. Horse chestnut trees are
great favorites with Parisians, because
they come so early in leaf The present
spring is unusually advanced. The horse
chestnuts put out their leaves on March Ii
and. Notwithstanding the recent cold winds
and rain, the streets Of Paris are ALREADY
fringed with delicate green branches