The Washington times., 1913-04-06
JAPANESE CHERRIES |
ADORN PARK DRIVE
Mikado's Gift to United States
Forms Avenue Of Beauty 10
BIossomins Time.

III ali the riot Of blossoms which have
brrseonel forth In Potomac Para Withs
IN the last week. to make tIsst tface
the most gorgeous anywhere In tho
district. therp 10 none which show more
delicate beauty than the blooms on the
Jape nese cherry trees which were pfes
sented to the Ua.ted States b. the COVE
srnnlent of Japan q year ago. Th6oo
fragrant. beautiful trees are blooming
Ierc for the first time. The river drive
rom the Virginia bride up to Twenty
sixtr street Ii fragrant with them. ana
thousands have stopped their carr!ates
20 admire the dellcacy and beauty Of
the blooms.
Unlike the domestic cherry the Ja-
aresc variety leans more to bloom thaa
IL does to fruit The chief strength Of
the trees seems to be spent In putting
fo,th the wonderful clusters Of BIOS
soms which cover the iImbs- The trees
have been planted for Just little mere
man a year and Of course have not
obtained any beauty in regard to ce1-
.oi nation. The pruning knife has had
opportunity to work toward symskry
and the branches spread awkwsrdiy
dooye the main stem.
blossoms Are Beautiful
The blossoms. however. are ~ beam
iiful now a. they viii be in years to
come and make the observer tcrget the
shape Of the tree. In appearances tue
o.ooms are q delicate pink SHADING
s.most TO white in some instances.
:aeh cluster 10 made up OF dozens Of
,rd.vidual blossoms which are fornsd
,ofnewhat like the Wild rose
\ little over year ago the Depart-
ment of Agriculture received consten-
ment Of several hundred cherry treea
from, Japan. One Of the shipmsuts of
trees was found to be infected with .
scale disease, and, for fear that eome
new tree plague might spread from she
District, the heads Of the Department
considered destroying the wholi ioe o.
several hundred trees. Ci0se exeume-
we're in the minority. and. after -weeei
ing out the affected ones. the remaanaer
The original intention was 70 past
the cherry trees all over the DistSfcf g
Columbia. but after the scale was ~
covered the plan was changed ana ne
trees planted along the river bank n
Potomac Park In this location tney
are practically segregated, ana. II tne
scale develops further, II will be . c0mrs
paratively simple matter to keep tn4
disease In q restricted area until u 70
stamped out.
Park Gay With Blooms.
Although the japanese cherry olos-
SONS are the most delicateiy beautiful
in the park. that tract is now filled with
blossoms OF every description From
the ragged Scotch broom to the apple
trees. almost every, color and shape can
be seen. The mild winter. combines
with almost ideal weather conditions f0r
the development Of blossoms, has made
the blooms more beautiful and larger.
than for several years -.
Particularly beautiful are two groups
Of apple trees along the western edgN
Of the basin. Each group is OF three
trees, and every tree IN wen nigh per;
feet The blooms cover every limb with
an almost solid mass Of delicate white
Other groups Of plum and native cherry
trees follow close upon the apples N
point of beauty. and the whole combine
to make Potomac Park frasrantly beau.
tiful and riotous with spring.