Evening star., 1902-04-24
TREES AS LIFE SAVERS
MORTALITY OF CHILDRENGREAT
EST IN SHADELESS DISTRICTS.
Foliage Cools the Air in Midsummer
Relation of Death Rate to
Temperature.

iObi tHe -Ne" iorh
The governor of New York has approved
a bill providing for the planting and cul
tivation of trees in the streets of New
York city by the park department The
bill is the outcome of studies of the causes
of the excessive mortality of children dur
ing the summer months. 1t appears that
upward of 1900 children die during the
months of June, July, August and Sep
tember in excess of the number dying dur
ing the remaining eight months of the year.
A comparison of the temperature records
with the mortality records shows that
when the former rise above y degrees
Fahrenheit the latter follow like a wave,
ascending and descending with the UTMOST
regularity. but at an interval of about
thirtysix hours. So perfectly do tempera
ture and mortality correspond that when
the temperature falls. during the heat of
summer for twenty-four hours, owing to
cloudy and rainy weather, the child NOR
tality falls during the next thirty y-six hours
to nearly the average of the cooler months.
Even the sudden fall of temperature due
to a thunderstorm with high winds is fol-
lowed by a fall in the death rate in about
thirty-Six hours. Another feature of this
study. of great importance In view OF the
possibility of applying remedial measures,
is the fact that as the area of stone and
brick increases and the area of open grass
covered spaces diminishes the summer NOR
| tality of children is steadily advancing to
at the peril of the life of a child to be
kept in the city during summer months,
even in the best residence districts
Heat and Health.
Fortunately we have In vegetation, and
especially in trees, the means of counter
acting the evil effects Of summer heat upon
the public health. Vegetation gives to man
the oxygen essential to his life, and absorbs
for its own sustenance the gases in the air
which are poisonous to man. The power OF
tree to cool the air is twofold: First the
temperature Of tree is about 40 degrees
Fahrenheit at all times, and hence it's
presence cools the air In summer and
warns 1t in winter; second, the surfaces of
the leaves emit large quantities OF vapor
into the air, which is a powerfully cooling
process. The amount of vapor thus thrown
off increases with the increase Of tempera-
ture, the maximum being reached on the
hottest day. A test of the influence Of a
tree on temperature showed that when the
heat of the pavement in an avenue was 13O
degrees Fahrenheit in the shade Of a tree
it was 72 degrees Fahrenheit, or that Of
summer. The capacity of a single tree was
established by Prof. Pierce Of Harvard,
who determined by accurate estimate that
the Washington elm of Cambridge, a tree
of moderate size. produced crop of 1000
900 leaves, exposing a surface Of about five
acres of foliage. According to this state
ment we may have in front of our resi-
dences in the city acres of parks, purifying
anu COOlluS the ali WHICH tilleTS the VIII
dows.
History Of the Bill.
This study led to the drafting of a bill
which empowered the park department to
have the exclusive care and control Of the
trees now and hereafter planted and grow
ing In the streets Of the greater New York,
the jurisdiction of the commissioners being
at present limited to the trees in the parks
and parkways. The bill passed the legis-
latures Of 1899 and 1900 but was not ap-
proved by Mayor Van Wyck for reasons
never made public. The bill was again in
troduced into the last legislature, and
through the efforts of Assemblyman Julius
II. Seymour and Senator Nathaniel A Els
berg was passed; it received the prompt
approval of Mayor Low and was signed
last week by Gov. Odell. 1t is entitled AN
act to extend the Jurisdiction Of the park
board of the city of New York to the pres
ervation, planting and cultivation Of trees
and other vegetation In the streets there
of for the purpose of improving the public
health" 1t empowers the park board to
create a bureau of tree culture, the chief
officer of which must be skilled and ex-
perienced arboriculturist; 1t may make
rules and regulations and ordinances gov
erning the planting and cultivation CT trees
In accordance with which persons may
plant their own trees. Violations Of these
ordinances are punishable as misdemeanors
1t may raise it's own tree plants in the
parks where this be done without det-
riment to the park so used.
Washington Leads.
1t is believed that this law will inaugu-
rate most useful reform both regards
the public health and in the direction OF
beautifying the city. New York Is far be-
hind other cities In the cultivation Of trees
in her streets. Paris has 81 1893. Washing
ton has upward of 10000. Kansas City
planted 1900 last year, and other cities
are showing equal activity. We have un-
bounded facilities for planting and cult
waiting street trees, especially in the new
suburbs. in Richmond. Queens, The Bronx
and large sections Of Kings and Manhat-
tan. If our city authorities would plant
trees In the streets, under the direction of
skilled and experienced officials, giving the
proportionate number of trees to the In
habitants that holds in Paris-viz., 80
they could make New York the healthiest
most beautiful and most attractive residen-
tial city, both summer and winter in the
world.