New-York tribune., 1906-05-01
THE CARE OF TREES.

Theoretically it may be that, as we are told
the central idea Of Arbor Day-which occurs on
Friday next in New YOrk-is the intelligent and
appfeclative planting Of trees by school children
Practically, we are inclined to think It should
be, at any rate in and about this city, the in
telligent and appreciative care Of trees by both
children and adults. 1t is good thing to plant
trees, and such planting should of course be
done inteligenty, so that the right trees will be
planted in the right places at the right time and
In the right way. But all such planting in the
world will not avail if the trees are not prop
erly cared for after they are planted; and with
out any intent to discourage tree planting
which, on the contrary, we desire to encourage
and to promOte-we must say that in many
parts of the city and it's suburbs the fatal i'll
treatment Of trees seems to be pretty closely
keeping pace with the planting.
We do not now refer to the actual destruction
OF trees outright, as was done by wholesale
when the elevated roads were built and again
when the subway was constructed; nor to the
manning and mutilating, such as was done so
largely along Broadway by the subway work
men who used trees as stakes around which to
put chains and cables for derTicks and what
not, and thus ripped off the bark, broke branches
and even dragged some trees out of their erect
position and left them leaning and half dead :.
nor yet to the hacking and slashing of trees
by those who put up electric wires for telegraphs
telephones, lights or trolleys. These abuses are
nearly all so hagrant as to cry aloud their own
condemnation. But there are other evils of a
more insidOus nature, which pass almost IN.
noticed by the general public, and yet which are
scarcely less ruinOus to our urban and suburban
trees.
Thus considerable proportion Of newly plant
ed trees are seriously damaged, If not killed
by the mischief of boys, who climb them and
break the branches, or cut and hack the bark
with their knives. boy can thus inf1ict in
five minutes injuries which tree cannot ont
grow IN five years, or, indeed, ever in its life.
Many other trees are irremedabIy injured bv
being gnawed by horses which are tied to them
or left standing near them. If a horse gnaws
the bark from tree and mars the wood beneath.
1t makes scar that can never be healed Again.
trees are often ruined by the very means en-
plOyed Tor their protection. 1t is good thing TO
put an iron framework about a young tree TO
keep boys from climbing 1t and horses from
gnawing 1t. But if the framework is not Drop-
erly secured it will chafe the bark from the tree
and If 1t is not enlarged removed when the
tree trunk grows large enough to fill it the hoODs
VIII become embedded in the bark and in
the very wood Of The trunk, and thus the tree
Will be garrOted. There are to-day hundreds of
trees in New York which have been irreDarably
damaged in precisely that way. Still another
common and most perniciOus practice is the law
ing Of watertlght pavements close around the
trunks of trees, so that no water can reach the
roots from the surface of the ground
1t will be well on ArbOr Day to teach children
TO plant trees and equally it will be we'll TO
teach them-and adults tOO-to care for them.
TO stop abusing them, TO regard avOidable muffin.
ton OF tree as a crime and to exercise certain
vigilance I'm guarding them from harm and in
promoting their symmetrical and sturdy growth
In the most favorable circumstances, life in city
streets is struggle for trees II their life th4re
Is TO be prolonged and is to be made profitable
as a source OF beauty. health and comfort tbe,,
will need all the aid and protection we can give
them,