The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-05-09
TREES king EDWARD PLANTED
TIE OAk IN THE PARK ~
DEAD, THE ELM LIVES.

Aboui a Year Age the Imported Tree Was
cut DsWn-PAFt IN Aluseum-TwO
Employees vine were IN the Depart.
mcnt az ThAt Time Are SIN Living.
The death Of King Edward VII. has set
the folk in Central Park TO iaiiing about
the comparatively recent death Of the
Kings oak which Edward planted In
Central Park az tho time Of his visit 10
this country In $3.50 when he was Prince
Of Wales. The death Of tho oak took
place a year ago II was year ago that
the Kings health Is said TO have started
on the decline.
Park employees recalled that In 1900
tho oak was thought 70 be dying. samuel
Parsons the landscape architect. reported
to Park Commissioner WILCOX that he
did not think the tree would live much
longer,
AZ that time Edward. then Prince %
Wales. was seriously III. Il was after the
death Of Queen Victoria and before tho
coronation Of the new King.
An operation was performed upon the
Prince and he recovered. AZ the same
time a sort Of operation was performed
upon the oak. Some Of the, decayed
parts were cut away. the soil about the
roots was freshensd and other thlnRs
done 10 stimulate healthy growth. The
tree recovered much Of lie former vigor.
Two years ago tho tree was struck by
] lightning during severe electrical storm.
/ The bcit did considerable damage TO the
1 A a
good as dead and Park Commissioner
| Henry Smith instructed Supt. Beatty
to cui II down aud carry it to the Arsenal.
| Trunk and branches were taken to the
| basement Of the Arsenal and pat In the
storeroOm and the door was securely
[ locked
souvenir hunters sought to get pieces
/ Of the old oak. but they were disap-
| pointed. A section Of q large branch Of
| the tree is now in the ONCE OF Park Com
/ missioner Slower. Parts Of the tree were
sent TO the Museum Of Natural History.
The oak was at first known a. the
/ Prince Of Wales treo. When the Prince
succeeded Victoria AZ monarch % Great
| Britain the tree became known a. the
| Kings oak
| II stood on the Mall Just east Of the
/ Centre Drive and about twenty yards
l from the elm tree which the Prince Of
Wales planted at the same time The
elm still hOurishes. IL is one Of the
/ largest and noblest on the Mall. where
many elms were planted shortly before
/ and shortly after The elm was Amer
can born: the oak was born in England
and imported by a nursery shortly before
the Prince arrived In this city.
| There are two employees Of the Park
| DEPARTMENT who saw the tree planting
Phil Holmes. the keeper Of the deer house
in the menagerie, got a job a. water hoy
in February. uSss James Conway, the
shepherd. got his appointment a. water
Garner the same year
! Holmes said yesterday that he remem-
/ bered the ceremony % planting the trees
| 4 shook hands with the Prince Of Wales
that day and felt very proud over t.
he said. tie was jolly good young man.
who didn't seem 20 be a bat stuck ~
Every one there wanted the honor Of
shaking hands with him and he was
willing 10 crafty them. | was driving
/ then Tor Park Commissioner Andrew NJ
Green, and I went up 20 the Prince with
| the rest % them and held OUT my hand,
I and he gave Il q squeeze and then shook
I hands with the next one