Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1909-03-25
TREES FOR STREETS,
Advice on Planting and Properly
Caring For Them.
OF MUNICIPAL CONTROL

0ess way TO oecure ECU Gen.
eral Tree Beauty, Says an Authority.
Choice Of Trees Most Important.
Why Systematic Planting Pays.
An authority on the planting, proper
rare Of and regulation of street trees
who strongly favors municipal regula-
| don Of the trees says:
investigation will show that in no
Dther way can adequate general tree
beauty be secured. 1t is the universal
practice abroad to have the trees cared
for by the municipal authorities, and
not by the individual property n
1t cannot be said that the tree really
benefits primarily the person who lives
near it. He receives al incidental ben
Pit. but the tree adds to or detracts
from the value of the street generally
more than it does the value of the
property which it fronts.
I'm the United Suites the cities
which show the best trees have almost
uniformly municipal control, with the
exception of some eastern cities. where
public sentiment amounts to the same
thing.
"WaShington has the best ordered
md best maintained trees in America.
There are some $4,000 of these, all
planted municipality and cared for mu-
nicipally. There has been great atten-
ton to the planting of proper trees in
uniform shape-that is, a certain street
will have nothing but horse chestnuts,
another nothing but English syca-
mores, another nothing but tulip trees.
There are whole II devoted to
splendid oaks, some splendid n
of elms and naples, an occasional
street showing Carolina poplars. and
some more paintings of the pin oak.
In each case it is Il solid street of q
tree, and the effect is exceedingly good.
No such effect could be produced by
individual initiative, for one man
would want an elm and another Il
Carolina poplar and possibly another
II horse chestnut. None of these trees
might be the right trees for that par
ticular place, and thus the following
of individual preference would be
making patchwork Of the street.
"In considering trees for city streets
the width of the streets and the use of
The primary purpose of streets is to
serve commerce and business and not
to serve as a nursery or park. The
park and tree adornment should add to
the comfort, the convenience and the
health, but it is an adjunct to the gen.
eral use Of the street. Therefore such
trees must be chosen as will promote
the best use of the streets. Obviously
this means that on narrow streets 1t 1s
not proper to put a tree which has the
habit Of spreading out into a wide
head. The round, compact form of the
Texas umbrella tree does not suggest
that it is a good tree for a narrow
street, whereas the vase form and
height of the elm does at onc suggest
1t as a proper tree for narrow streets,
and, indeed, for most wide streets, for
1t Grows up and out Of the way and its
limbs reach over in a most attractive
fashion.
"some of the cities in New Jersey
have undertaken to regulate trees and
to plant trees municipality. The best
examples are in Newark and East Or.
ange, both Of which cities are succeed
Ing admirably in their efforts. The
Tendency is to plant from twenty to
forty feet apart, to stagger the rows
On either side, always to dig a deep
hole and fill with good soil and set the
tree with an adequate stake, afterward
protecting it with a simple guard, usu'
ally made Of chicken wire, so that
horses cannot gnaw it. Much are is
being given toward keeping the tree
lin proper shape without having its
bark torn by improper guards Or by
the tying to fasten it to the necessary
stake"
In East Orange, N. j., all street
trees are pruned to a uniform height
q height that will permit the unim.
peded passage Of vehicles and will al,
low all street lights to be seen al
night. Few things are more important
in the care of trees than proper prun.
ing. The cut should be made close tc
and even with the trunk. When prun'
ling is properly done the scar will heal
When short stumps are left they dry
and rot, prevent the wound from heal
ing and carry decay into the trees.
Even from a financial point Of view
the systematic planting and care OF
trees on streets would prove a paying
investment. Many cases are known
where bare land of superior value has
sold at a much less price than inferior
land with the frontage aligned with
street trees. For all purposes but the
growing of crops street trees are OF
more Importance and value to the land
than quality of soil. Newcomers are
not attracted to a town by garish
shadeless streets any more than they
are by dirty or poorly paved streets
insanitary conditions or other forms
Of slovenly civic housekeeping.