New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-05-07
TREES.

Ar1,o, 0or uas marked with the usual plant
ina o4 +raes There is some fitful talk Of
having trees planted upon Broadway again Dy
somebody to replace those which were uesuoyeo
by the subway builders. In Prospect Fark nun
dradS NJ vounq trees are being planted, and in
Central Park some EFFORTS are Oelns il"ue ~
improve arhoreal conditions. These things and
others like them are all very well in their way;
hn+ there is one thing that is vastly more i'm
Dortant than the planting Of new trees. mat
f. the preservation of existing trees lt Is
pretty safe thing TO assume that II people 90 NOT
take care of what they already have they VIII
not take care of whatever else they get IL inc
new trees that are being planted are not TO De
better cared for than the old ones it is simply
waste of time and money ana Wretcheu LlocA-
cry to set them out
Passing by the wholesale destruction OF the
superb trees of Broadway, which was done to
facilitate the construction of a great public utl
i+v If is TO be observed that in few streets of
the city are existing trees escaping either gross
neglect or actual abuse. That is to be said even
of Brooklyn, where the proportion Of shaded
streets has ever been much greater than in Man
haitian. A fragrant case of abuse is to be seen
along the Eastern Parkway, where trees ought
to flourish in perfection, and where they would
do so If they were decently treated. Innumer
able trees have been mutilated to make room for
electric wires and others are now being mutt
lated by the wires which have been strung
among their branches The result is that q
large proportion Of those trees, which ought to
be as robust and shapely as those in a prl-
meval forest, are deformed, disfgured and
diving Along the fine residence streets of the
Bedford region and the Prospect Park slope,
which were few years ago lined with beauti-
full trees, a creditable looking tree is now the
exception rather than the rule. Third-st for
example, from 0th-ave 10 the park, used to be
an arboreal arcade which was the pride of the
city. To-day there is scarcely tree ON it that
should not, for decency's sake, be removed to
the woodward.
There are various causes for this deporable
state Of affairs. Horses are permitted to gnaw
the bark from tree trunks and builders use
them as posts TO which to attach guy ropes and
chains. The men who string electric wires
hack and slash the branches at will or run the
wires among them to chafe against and DESTROY
them. Concrete sidewalks are laid close around
the trunks Theoretically sealing the ground and
the roots against all moisture from above and
booming the trees to speedy death from thirst
Leaky gas pipes poison the SOIL and wavward
electric currents bear death to the roots These
last two evils are doubtless the hardest of all
TO correct, but even they might at least be con-
siderably mitigated, while all the others arc
quite inexcusabe and are to be attributed IN
only wantonness or Grass ignorance We arc
not sure but that It would be a profitable thing
FOR at least year. instead OF planting new
trees on Arbor Day, to conduct a vigorous cam
paign for the salvation OF existing trees through
strict enforcement Of the law and through in.
struction Of some people in at least the rudi
mentary principles of arboreal life and culture