Evening star., 1902-01-08
TRIMMING OF PARK TREES
PROTEST MADE AND REPORT BY sU-
PERINTENDENT LANHAM.
Varieties of Maple Improved by Prun-
ing at Certain Stages of
Growth.

The protest of w. G. Fowler, superintend-
ent of the Columbia Institution for the
Deaf and Dumb, against the alleged need
less trimming of shade trees in the Dis
trict, especially on 9th street between G
and H streets northwest, has called from
the superintendent of parking, Mr.. True
man Lanham an extensive and interesting
report to the District Commissioners on the
subject. Mr.. Lanham says the trimming on
9th street was done after the matter had
been reported to the Commissioners and
approved.
Where soft naples have but few
branches. and thus give but little shade"
says Mr.. Lanham, their condition has
been very much improved by the severe
trimming and topping and their life pro-
longed by the treatment complained Of
Th1s method has been in vogue for the past
seventeen years to my personal knowledge,
having been employed in my present ca
pacity for more than that length of time,
ana large number Of the soft naples on
the streets previous to 1884 bore evidences
of having been thus treated before my in
cumbency. This Is no experiment, but has
been practiced here on the older trees of
that kind at various times since 1872. wher
tree planting on the streets was first under
taken in a systematic way by the District
Trees grown on the streets of city where
the roadways are paved mostly with as
phalt and the sidewalks with asphalt, both
lmpervious to water, are under entirely
different conditions to those standing in
'heids or wide parkings.
Result of Experience.
MANY years Of experience in the care of
the trees planted on the Streets" continues
the superintendent, 'have amply demon
strated to me the necessity of trimming
them at certain stages of their growth and
particularly is this true of the soft or silver
ma nj he no;xy
the District.
This variety Of tree under favorable con-
ditions attains a large size, and in good
seasons often makes growth that it fails
TO maintain in following seasons not SO
favorable. Often large single limbs die
near the trunk and individual trees suffer
very differently in the same block This
process goes on for years and gradually the
trees present q forgotten and neglected ap-
pearance, some nearly dead and some yet
in fairly good state of preservation.
THESE conditions depend upon the quality
or the soil, amount OF moisture at the roots
OF the trees and general environment. The
wood of the silver maple is comparatively
brittle, and many limbs are broken during
storms. This cause Is largely responsible
for the destruction of their symmetry.
When these conditions prevail the best
remedy Is severe trimming and consistency
necessitates that 1t should be applied at
the sa me time to entire blocks. There are
many blocks throughout the city planted
Win sui IudpleS WHeTe tnlS mas Deen QOne,
and the trees are now giving fine shade
and are symmetrical in appearance This
is true Of trees that would otherwise have
had to be replanted to look as if cared for
at all.
Instances of Beneficial Results.
"As good instances of the beneficial re-
suits OF the treatment 1 would respectfully
call your attention to the following locali-
ties: Maryland avenue southwest between
1st and Sd streets, both sides; Maryland
avenue northeast between 18th and 18th
streets, both sides: N street, Georgetown,
between 32d and 35th streets, both sides
and 10Th street northwest between street
and Dupont Circle, both Sides This severe
trimming has only been found necessary
on a large scale in the case Of soft naples.
Other trees have occasionally to be thus
treated, but from local causes"