Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1909-07-15
AS BEAUT|F|ERS
Results Obtained In Holland
Through Systematic Culture.
EXAMPLES FOR AMERICANS.

Srraii Cost FER capita FOR care OF
Trees In Utrecht and The Hague.
Valuable From Hyeienic Point Of
View-Their Worst Enemy.
New that there is beginning q gen
eral movement in the United States to
bring about systematic cultivation of
trees. not only by reforestation on a
grand scale. but by the growth of 1
shade trees in towns and cities for the
ornanentation of streets, the expert
ence of Holland in providing forest
effects for its citizens should be of in
terest TO Americans. There is perhaps
no other we'll populated country in the
world which has so many we'll wooded
towns as has Holland. Most of the
streets and grachts. or canals. have av-
enues Of trees. Utrecht has two rows
of trees on either side of its quaint ca
nails. Its canal banks are constructed
as if in two stories. The lower story,
almost flush With the water level. is
lined with warehouses and vaults.
while the upper story has dwellings
and shops. Both levels are planted
with trees, the tops of the lower ones
just reaching the street level.
So many OF trees make a
Dutch town exceedingly pleasant. es-
pecially on a hot day. The foliage
tempers the glare of the sun. and the
vistas OF green are refreshing to the
eye. But these abundant growths in
thickly populated WI are highly
useful as Well as ornamental. 1t is rec
! ognized that from 4 hycienic point of
view they are valuable to the citizens.
Not only do shady walks tempt peo-
pie to enjoy the open air. but the liv-
ing roots in the soil have a purifying
effect. which was by no means to be
despised in the past, when the drain
age of Dutch towns left much to he
desired. Further. the foliage produces
ozone and puriies the air. II also
: tends to keep the air moist and to
temper the wind. thus causing less
dust to be blown about. In the au-
tumn the fallen leaves give the sane
kind of service that is given by tea
leaves scattered on a floor when the
lt'i!!! il " ~ ~ NiJl- ivy !tk.t l-1c 'tt't.
More important still. trees wage var
\ upon noXiouS bacteria. for inyestieI-
lions by scientists show that thee
: harmful erowths are comparatively
rare where trees are plentiful. Be
sides all this, the aesthetic valuc Of
beautiful trees certainly is not small.
II Holland aIl these useful services
are gratefully recognized and the trees
are carefully tended by the municipal
ties. The cost of this care per capita
in the different owns varies come
what. Last Year. for example. Utrecht
devoted ~ cents (Dutchp to its trees
fer each inlabitant and The Hague ..
cents for each of its $4,000 citizens
1t takes 81. Dutch cents to equal Il!
American cent About ten Years ago
the annual cost Of caring for the trees
of The Hague was 10 cents Dutch
i per capita. but since that time man!
new trees end shrubs have been plant
ed throughout the city, and new parks
have been laid out.
It has been found that not every
az, kind of tree will thrive in the streets
of a town, for trees have many enc
mics both above md below ground
a Gas escaping from pipes under@roure
is the worst enemy of trees. becaU.t
! quite small quantities of it are deadly
For this reason special precautions ar
taken against the leakage of gas i!
Dutch towls. How electricity escap
ing under ground acts upon trees :
Vet has not been sufficiently studio
to be understood. Trees will not groy
in very narrow streets where tn
houses are high. Neither Will the,
thrive if tho pavement does not let j.
moisture and air in sufficient uuant.
{. ties.
de The best trees for street planting i
- Holland are elms and lindens. hut th
elm is the harder of the two al.d vi
grow where q linden will not. Tree
Of these kinds reach a great age, lih
the old elms along the quiet grarhts c
Edam. one of the dead" cities of tn
Zuyder Zee. which saw the fleets {
J Van Tromp and De Ruyter in the ha,
Dor of Edam-the harbor which al
pears SO thy to modern eyes that on
with difficulty imagines the terror {
the North sea" anchoring there. The
there are the magnificent lindeus
the Maliebaan in Utrecht, which a.
pealed to The French monarch. Kir
Louis XIV. Those lindens he cor
manded his soldiers to spare on peril
their lives. And there are the Under
Of the Workout at The Hague. WI
can ever forget them after havir
breathed their perfume on an eveni1
in late June or early July or seen the
in their array of gold and orange
September or October?-W. J. L. Kie
in Chicago News.