Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-25
TREES WITH A HISTORY
SOME NATURAL MONUMENTS TO
STIRRING EVENTS.
Recent Destruction Of Three Ancient
Elms in Boston-s Steps for Preser-
walton of waverly Oaks.

From the New York Evening Post.
One of the most significant facts in the
prevailing activity for local and national
improvements is the growing interest in
tree preservation. Old and historic trees,
except in a few isolated cases, have never
been regarded with more devotion than at
the present time. A popular love of nature
is abroad. 1t has found expression not only
in the Jealous care bestowed upon certain
individual trees, but in the demand for state
and national forest reservations.
In New York and=B Boston the subject of
tree preservation has appealed powerfully
to the popular mind. Here the sacrifice OF
hundreds of shade trees along the route of
the Underground railway came as heavy
blow to many of the residents of the city,
while the people of Boston about the same
time experienced the shock of realizing that
the old elms on their historic common were
in danger OF annihilation through decay and
lack OF proper care. In fact, three large
elms, dating back before revolutionary
days. had to be cut down. They were the
nobleSt survivors of American elms the
common since the famous common elm was
pio"n down in a gale of 1876. English
eims nave been planted in their places, and
steps nave been taken to prevent the trans
FORMATION of the historic little park and
playground into miniature prairie. The
famous dwarf gingko tree still remains,
lover of Holmes for the latter immortalized
the tree IN his "Autocrat of the Breakfast
Table"
Carlisle Pines.
1t Is also of interest to note the permanent
preservation of the celebrated Waverly
oaks and the majestic Carlisle pines, accom-
plished primarily through the efforts of the
Appalachian Mountain Club. OF the Wav-
eriy oaks 1t has been said that there Is not
another group of such noble trees in the
eastern states. Their age has been esti-
mated at from 400 to 500 years James Rus
sell Lowell, who made a careful study of
one that was cut down over fifty years ago,
salo ne counted 100 rings in the base of the
trunk. ihese survivors of the forest prime
val are in the Beaver Brook Park reserva-
uon, a short distance from Boston, There
are over nifty acres In the park, and it was
the nrst to be acquired by the metropolitan
park commission which was craated in
1898. Al
Inc Carlisle pines. which were saved from
all Danger of destruction about two years
ago stand in little reservation of ten
aeIes; twenty miles from Boston. The APP
palachian Mountain Club is custodian Of
the property The trees are white pines.
ana the group Is the only remaining one
OF the extensive white pine forest which
covered large part of New England in
aboriginal days.
washington Elm.
The difhculties of tree preservation were
illustrated few weeks ago In Hartford
when despite popular appeals the old
Wadsworth elm. or Washington elm as it
was also Familiarity called. was cut down,
owing to Its decayed condition The elm
stood In front of the Wadsworth Athe-
naeum and in 1894 the Sons of the American
Revolution placed a bronze shield upon the
trunk recording the fact that Washington
was entertained there by Captain jeremiah
Wadsworth on June %. 1775, while on his
way to Cambridge to take command of the
american army. Since the loss Of the Char
ter Oak this elm was the most historic tree
In Hartford. 1t was badly decayed. and
when the trunk was cut through it was
found that the live wood was barely two
inches thick. The fear that the venerable
elm might fall during storm led the NUM-
cipal authorities to order its demolition A
large section of the trunk has been placed
In the rooms of the Connecticut Historical
Society," -.
The Charter Oak.
The Charter Oak, although 1t is now near
ly half a century since great storm hurled
1t to the ground. still lives not only in mem
ory but in countless souvenirs shaped from
its wood and. better yet. in two vigorous
offshoots. now sturdy and graceful trees
~ q,
Mark Twain uttered the facetious remark
that the bridge over the Connecticut river
at Hartford was built entirely of Charter
Oak timbers. natural suspicion has been
directed against Charter Oak souvenirs. In
the city Of its home. however, one may see
some handsome pieces OF the original tree.
The Connecticut Historical Society pos
sesses several. but the finest specimen is
in the capitol 1t is chair made wholly
from Charter Oak. exquisitely carved. and
is occupied by the speaker of the senate
during the legislative sessions. The old
Connecticut charter Is still sheltered within
the tree as 1T was tn 1857. only instead of
being secretly hid In the great cavity il Is
now In box made from wood which was
carefully selected after the destruction of
the oak. Many estimates have been made
OF the probable age of the historic tree. and
from 800 to LOCO years have been accented
by many botanists. This is in accordance
with Dryden. who says:
The monarch oak, the patriarch Of the trees,
Shoots rising up and spreads by slow degrees
Three centuries he grows and three he stays
Supreme In state; and In three more DECAYS"
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