Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1908-10-02
TREES AS BEAUT|F|ERS
Value Of a Welfare Leagues Cru.
sade Already Apparent.
PRICE OF LOTS ADDED TO.
Property Owners In Evanston, Ill.,,
Now Realize the Benefit-how the
Village Has Been Improved In a Few
Years.

Village Has Been Improved In a Few
| Years.
The village Of Evanston, H., was
/ built up in few years on the site OF
number OF dairy farms lying be-
4 tween Walnut Hills and Norwood.
There We're no natural trees on these
farms, and the result was the new
| village was without shade. All the
streets in the village were paved with
brick, and the reflection of the hot sun
on summer day made the need of
shade trees all the more marked.
Three years ago the Welfare associa-
ton OF Evanston appointed commit
tee on shade trees, and this committee
called upon every lot owner in the VII
lage and urged the planting OF trees
twenty-five feet apart along the curb
line. This request was heartily re-
sponded TO. says the Cincinnati Com
mercial Tribune. and resulted in the
planting of 500 hard naples, each
about twelve feet high.
The work was done by an expert,
who planted the trees scientifically and
mulched them carefully. Each tree
was then provided with wire tree
box, so as TO be carefully protected.
The committee Is still In existence,
and each year II has planted additional
trees where none had been planted be-
fore or where trees have died. There
are now over 100 of these trees In
the village, and those which were
planted three years ago have grown
enough to give considerable shade and
TO lend beauty and charm to the scene.
The committee had some opposition
to overcome. Occasionally n property
owner feared that the leaves OF the
trees would clog the cutters and down
spouts; others said the roots would rip
up the sidewalks, while still others
said the time would come In fifty years
or more when the trees would be so
dense as to shut out the light The
committee. therefore, had to argue the
points in favor OF trees. the beauty OF
the budding foliage In the spring. the
glory Of the summer and the splendor
Of the colors in the fall.
They presented the fact that the tree
Is a purifier OF the atmosphere. The
carbonic acid gas which is exhaled
from the lungs Of human beings and
which is poison to animal life is abb
sorbed by the leaves OF trees and Is
the food Of plant life. Thus vegetation
keeps the atmospheric balance and con.
tributes to the health Of mankind.
Every one has experienced the de-
lights Of q rest under the shade OF
tree on a hot summer day. Not only
does the tree contribute TO comfort by
mitigating the rays Of the sun. but the
and tend TO maintain a fixed, equable
temperature. This is so well under
stood that the New York County Med
ical society some years ago passed a
resolution in which II found that one
OF the best means OF diminishing the
death rate among children in our cities
is the cultivation OF an adequate num-
Der OF trees in the streets.
Any one can tell the difference be-
tween the air OF forest with Its brac-
ing ozone and the stuffy hot air OF a
treeless city street The air in the
woods contains less bacteria and dust
particles and other air impurities than
does the atmosphere removed from the
vicinity of trees. Trees invite outdoor
| life.
For instance, In Evanston before the
advent OF shade trees there were hours
on hot summers day when the chill
dren were driven from the sidewalks
and the lawns by the bllstering rays
OF the sun and sought refuge indoors.
Now they gather under the shade OF
the little trees, and year by year their
opportunities In this connection viii be
broadened.
The foregoing advantages OF trees
apply strictly TO cities where II has
been more or less difficult to persuade
property owners to plant SO much has
been said about the devastation OF the
forests throughout the country, 90
much has been argued with reference
TO floods, drought, winds, the washing
away OF soil and the like, that the ma
| ton at large has become aroused to
the needs OF the preservation OF our
/ forests. and going hand In hand with
that agitation comes the realization OF
the same need In cities and villages.
In planting a tree the hole should
be large enough 10 spread out all the
roots. II is a mistake to cut up the
roots, as is sometimes done. The soil
should be well rammed about the tree,
and then the trees should be mulched
With black soil or with well rotted ina.
nure. Subsequent to planting the tree
needs little attention save that II should
be occasionally watered during a very
dry spell.
! A shade tree has a commercial value.
Instances are not wanting where two
lots side by side Of the same size and
character are offered for sale. One has
shade trees and the other has none.
The one with the trees sells for more
I money. There is an Instance In the
Cincinnati courts where as much as
500 was recovered as damages for the