New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-22
SHADE FOR ROCHESTER,.
Roads Entering the City To Be
Lined zcith Trees.

In many parts of the country the perspring
bicyclist dusty pedestrian has had occasion
to long for 1.-The shadow of great rock or a
tree and turn loose his stock of denuncatory
adjectives at the ancient methods Of roadmak-
ing he plodded across treeless plain In the
full glare Of a summer In times past when
The country roads under the direction Of some
economically minded and inexpert public off,
caI were mended by ploughing up the sides and
shovelling in sods and dirt from the ditch along
side until they were In such condition that
every shower turned them into miry morass.
it was expedient that many trees be sacrificed
along the roadside In order to give the roads an
opportunity to dry out Now that the improve
ment of many country highways by draining
and macadamizng has removed the objection to
avenues of trees, systematic effort ls being
made to shade the roads OF Monroe County in
the neighborhood OF Rochester.
The work which has been begun there Is said
to be the first Of its kind in this country. The
idea had its origin with j. Y McClntock, In
gfneer of Monroe County and recently connected
with the State Forestry Department His sus-
gestions we're supported by several Of the more
wealthy members Of the community. some OF
them, fortunately being identified with the
nursery business one Of the prominent indus
tries of Rochester. II Is proposed to plant
certain number OF trees every year until the
chief county turnpikes are bordered with them
from Rochester to the boundaries OF the county
The most satisfactory tree for planting along
the roadside according to MI McChntoch' IL
the elm. He gives two reasons for this-one
aesthetic and the other practical Mr.. McChn-
took in discussing this feature said:
THE limbs Of the elm do not begin to spread
until the trunk has reached n goodly height from
the ground and then. instead of plunging out
bard I'd md
curve This in most cases gives q clear space
beneath for the unobstructed passage OF cleo
trio wires an important factor in these days OF
rapid transit. And here must be spoken a word
OF protest. The worst enemy the roadside trees
have to fear is not the plague OF insects, but the
ruthlessness Of man The electric lineinan has
TO eye for the beauties of trees form, only Tor
the distractions which its graceful limbs offer
to the clear passage of his wires and poles Some
lovers of trees have gone far as to brand
these heartless vandals tree butchers"
1t is expected that the cost Of planting the
trees in Monroe County will not be great In
many instances already trees have been fur
nshed freely by the great nurseries: In others
the farmers have offered to share the expense IT
is hoped that some Of the funds appropriated by
the State for the Improvement OF roads may be
devoted to the purpose OF identifying them
when they are turned over to public A
side shall be seventy feet apart and eight feet
from the edge OF the road. Naples and other
varieties OF trees be set out fifty feet apart
This about hundred and fifty elms.
reckoning seventy-fve a SIDE to the mile.
and two hundred Of the other varieties for the
same distance The average cost Of tree plant
ing in Monroe County is IS cents, 80 cents for
the tree and % cents for the work This amounts
to an average expense OF S130 mile The trees
selected for planting about twelve feet In
height, and, as they placed In the sol most
adapted TO them In moisture the percentage that
lives is as high as 95.
On the long roads II Is the intention of Mr.
McCNntock to vary the kind of tree put In For
example, there would be mile OF elms, then a
mile or more OF maple. perhaps as long stretch
or Lonbardy poplars, and on for mfle after
mile. The topography of the country IS heinz
taken into consideration Also and on one par
ucuIarly conspicuous eminence along the Ridge
guard Of lofty white pines will soon be sta
TONED where. in a few years they wifi form ons
OF the most noticeable and picturesque features
Of the landscape.