The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-05-22
SHADE TREES DE-;
REMEDY At HAND.
Mills Ordinance, if Followed Out
and Enforced, May
Save Them.
EXPERIENCE OF OTHER CITIES
EXPERIENCE OF OTHER CITIES
Trees Must Have Sufficicncy OF
Mother Earth for Nourish-
ment and Health.

Richmond has from time inmemorial
prided itself on the beauty and the aouh-
dance of the shade trees along It's streets.
Some Of the old shades trees along the
leading thorouglifares are regarded as
sacred. For instance: Suppose couh
Gilman should offer resolution IN inc
particular branch of the legislature OF
which he Is a member. providing Tor the
cutting down and burning or the granu
old sycamore tree which splits the SIDE
walk on East Franklin. between Sixth
and Seventh Streets! What would hap
men To that councilman? He would be
very lucky to escape lynchins. Ihere
nre numbers of other grand oid silaue
trees on various streets In the city that
are equally as sacred, and II Wooonah
should come along with his niue axe
to threaten them, instead of prayer 10
spare them, howl OF righteous NV
would greet his ears.
Tbese old trees have not only stood
.he storms Of years. but they have also
detied the march of modern city I'M
movements They were deeply rooted
and obtained their growth before the
solid pavements were laid, ana the'r
great roots, away down under the
ground, find all the dampness needed
for proper nourishment. The nara. not
. II
trunks, but they bloom and bring l"rlh
leaves in season all the same.
The Younger Generation.
Not SO with the younger generation OF
trees, They were planted since tho hard
navomonts we're laid, and it would seem
that the planters thereof did not allow
enough Of earth space around them to
furnish proper dampncss and nourlsh-
ment TO keep the roots in health. The
water that falls from tho clouds upon
the hard pavcments flows quickly 10 the
cutters and off into the river. leaving
the roots of the young trees parrh"d
and thirsty. The result IS hat many
of them have died aud others have been
stunted and are in Cengcr OF passing
hence at an early date.
Where the Trouble Lies.
Now that the .unmers sun is hecon-
ing oppressive Richmond people are tax
Ing note of the trouble with the shade
trees along the streets, and are asking
what Is the matter
The simple answer Is hard, watershed
ding pavements, but that answer does
not suffice. 1t only tends ID bring up
the other question: Cant we nave pave
1nents and shade trees. too?'
This question has troubled other cities
Paris, Berlin. London, New YORK, Chl-
cago, ST. Louis. etc.
Experiments. have. simply developed
yhat ordiuary" Virginia farmers have
known for generations, and that Is that
everything that grows out OF the ground
must have certain amount of water
to3dempen the arth around its roots, and
thus furnish nourishment. or the plant.
whatever it may be. will pine away and
die.
The Mills Ordinance.
More than six months ago Councilman
Morgan r. Mills took this matter +
Shade trees under consideration. and
after studying the modern methods
eAopted by other cities, notably Paris,
offered and had passed an ordinance In
tended to remedy the trouOla and save
The trees. Under this ordnance the city
may furnish from its nursery free CT
charge. shade trees 10 be planted on TIC
sidewalk in front of the property Of
any citizen The city mny also furnish
free OF charge boxes to enclose these
young trees until they gan stand alone.
The ordinance also provides that space
Of earth at least three feet square must
be left about the tree, and the box Is
intended to enclose this square. The
experience in other cities shows That
this much earth left nnparcd around y
tree Is sufficient 10 furhish the neces
cary nourishmen,. The ordinance Is not
absolutely mandatory ana mucn is lcf
10 the discretion of tho Guy engineer
and the Street Committee, especially a
20 planting trees on new ctr"eto and II
new parts of the city; but, as The Times
Dispatch understands IT, any proper
owner on any street can apply at III
nursery for trees 10 plant In from. o
his property, and 10 the city engineer 70
boxes 10 enclose them,
The ordinance Is not as explicit MS /
sloull bn this Dart1ruiAr lDItt. lu