Arizona republican., 1906-02-20
TO NAME THE TREES.
The Forest Service Will identify Trees
 in Streets ard Parks.


 The increased interest in forests and
 forest trees which is a sign of the
 times, has, among other things. led
 many city and town officials to seek to
 make known the names of trees grow
 ing in streets and parks Not only are
 such trees in very many cases now
 without marks of Identification. but fin
 not a few cases they have been labeled
 with incorrect names. The Forest ser
 vice has devised plans by which it's
 cooperation may be secured in correct
 ly identifying the public trees of any
 community which may care to call up-
 on #.
 It is remarkable how little uniform
 ity there is in the use of tree names Even scientific names, which are. of course, always more exact than the common names, are in many cases un- settled, but common names are often used almost at random In different parts of the country the same species may be popularIy known under very different names, and on the other hand. the same name 1s often used in differ eht localities for altogether different trees.
 In the effort to assist toward uni- formity of usage in scientific names of forest trees, and also to lessen the chaos in the use of common names. the Forest Service has already publish ed "A Check List of the Forest Trees of the United States" This serves IS guide when once a tree has been identified by the bOtanist. But the first requisite is that the identification should be correct. It is here that diff fculty is often met with. For this reason the Forest Service now offers it's technical knowledge to city auth critics.
 There are two ways in which assis- tance may be given. Where the work is on large scale, a representative of the service will visit the town or city and identify the tree by examination On the spot. In most cases. however, Identification by correspondence will prove entirely adequate. This will re- quire merely that specimens of trees be sent to the Forest Service, together with rough sample plat showing their location, the plat and specimen being to correspond
 For such illustration a full set of specimens, Illustrating mature foliage, and, if possible, the nature of the flow CTS and of the fruit Gas the botanisr call the seeds) should be sent. Fruit specimens are very essential, but flow CTS may be omitted if they can not be readily secured. Two or three speci- mems of branches in leaf, 10 or 12 inches long, taken from different parts or the crown, so as to exhibit all of ths leaf forms common to the species, will answer for the foliage. One or two two specimens of the foliage, flowers. and fruit may be placed between sheets of ordinary newspaper or plotting pa per about 12 by 16 inches in size. Thirty to fifty specimens and sheets may thus be piled on top of another and the whole bundle placed between two stiff pieces of mill board, paste board, or thin picture backing a little larger than the sheets of paper car rying the specimens. The package must then be well tied and wrapped, when it may be sent by mail if under 1 pounds in weight. If before sending, the specimens are changed to dry sheets of paper once in twenty -fouc hours, keeping them constantly under a weight of from 40 to 50 pounds. they can be thoroughly dried within two or three weeks, when they will not be so heavy and will still be in excellent condition for Identification
 Suggestions as to labels and thei. use are also made blythe servica when