Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-08

| the appea rance of the city is concerned
There are two reasons for this and ono
! Is lack of consideration the part of tn.
| public for the grass spaces, so that they
are used freely as a part OF the sidewalks
and the other is the difficulty in Keeping the
grass alive owing to the dense shade of the
| trees that line the streets.
This arrangement of the street showing
lawn space between the house and the
sidewalk, and another between the side
walk and the curb and extending on both
sides of the streets, looks very well when
laid out on paper. especially when an at
tractive shade of green is used in the wa
ter-color drawing In reality, however, this
space is bare ground and very ugly. show
ing no improvement over the pavement.
What Can Be Done.
Some things can be done to remedy this
| condition. In the first place the efforts OF
the householder to cover this section with
grass can be aided by having the branches
of the trees a'ong the streets trimmed of,
especially the lower limbs, and i'm this way
give the sunlight chance to reach the
ground. Grass, as is well known, does not
thrive in the shade. 1t needs the light OF
the sun. and If the municipal gardener
would only give this section of the streets
chance there is no doubt that at once
decided change would be seen IN the conii-
tons IN this particu ar. AT the same time
this treatment of the trees would be a good
thing for the parking proper and would Te-
suit in giving new life to the lawns. and
hui ildht IL necessary TOT Inc HOUSEHOLDER
to reSod his lawn every year in order to
Keep IL In any sort of shape.
There is something else that can be done
and this Is also for the city authorities.
that rs tie making of a sSrt of curb along
the outer edge of the sidewalk so as TO
border this open space. 1t need not be
more than a couple OF inches in height,
and can be, to speak the turning up of
the edge of the concrete sdewa k:e --.~
The purpose Is. that slight as Ii may
seem as dividing line between the SIDE
walk and the grass space the oute-
SIDE yet it will be sufficient to remind the
careless and neglectful citizen that he
ought not to trample the space inclosei An
example of what this sort of a thing can
accomplish may be seen about the u;tlc
public reservation at the intersection of
Connecticut avenue with Q and 10Th
streets. The sidewalk is curled up at The
outer edge In the manner suggested. and
that seems to afford competent protec-
ton to the grass plot between the sidewalk
and the curb.
OF course if the public had more respect
for grass and for the fact that when along
a public street it belongs to the public ana
is the property of ali for the delight of the
eye and the adorlment of the city, II
would no. be necessary to make any provs-
sion to keep the idle careless foot from
straying over on the green strips which
border the sidewalks of the city. But tho
fact Is that the public does need TO be d.
rected. to some extent. and when 1t can he
done at what seems to be a trifiing aadi-
tionai outlay, the advantage of giving
some consideration to this matter is too
obvious TO need argument 7t-
Then In something is done about the
trees, so that tie shade about their bases
is not as dense as 1t is at present. there
Will be a marked Improvement not only In
the places referred to, but a.so In tho
parking. The latter Is a matter not only OF
present consequence in the looks Of lie
city. but also OF financial moment To eve-v<
householder who, pays any attention al ali
TO the parking In front of his house.