The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-02-13
Forestry Service Will Identify
Trees in Parks.
GREAT MANY HAVE INCORRECT NAMES
Representatives of the Service Will
Soon Visit All of the Cities and
Towns in America.

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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
growing in the streets and parks. Not
only are such trees in very many cases
not without marks of Identification,
but in not a few cases they have been
labeled with incorrect names. The
Forest Service has devised plans by
which it's cooperation identifying the
public trees Of any community which
may care to call upoI 1t.
1t 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 popularity known under very
different names and, On the other hand
erent localities for altogether different
trees.
To assist the effort toward uniform
ity of usage in names of forest
trees, and also to lessen the chaos In
the use of common names, the Forest
Service has already published "A
Check List Of the Forest Trees Of the
United States" This serves as a
guide when once a tree has been identi-
fled by the botanist But the first
requisite is that the Identification
should be correct. 1t is here that the
difficulty is often met with. For this
reason the Forest Service now offers
its technical knowledge to the city
authorities.
There are two ways in which assist
ance may be given. Where the work Is
On a large scade, 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
require merely that specimens Of the
trees be sent to the Forest Service, to-
gether with a rough sample plat show
ing their location, the plat and speci-
men being numbered to correspond.
For such Identification a full set of
specimens, illustrating mature foil
age, and, if possible. specimens of the
flowers and fruits Gas the botanist call
the seeds) should be sent. Fruit
specimens are very essential, but flow
ers may be omitted if they cannot be
readily secured. Two or three of the
branches in leaf. 10 to IL inches long.
taken from different parts of the crown
so as to exhibit all of the leaf forms
common to the species. may be placed
between sheets Of ordinary newspaper
or plotting paper about IL to 16 inches
In size. Thirty to fifty specimens and
sheets may thus be piled upon top of
another. and the whole bundle placed
between two stiff pices of mill board,
pasteboard. or thin picture backing,
carrying the specimens. The package
must be then we'll tied and wrapped.
when 1t may be sent by mail If under
pounds In weight. If, before sending
the specimens are changed dry sheets
or paper once in twenty-four hours
keeping them constantly under weight
of from 40 to 60 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 their
use are also made by the Service when
requested.