El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-02-22
Study Trees In ArbOretum
Nearly 100000 Trees Are Planted
by Experts Mt LetehwOrth
Park, New York.
by Frederic J. Haskin
, ASHINGTON. d. C.. Feb p


and Historic Preservation society at
LetchWOrth park, New York All Of the
valuable timber trees of the world
which will grow in a climate CORE
spending to that at LetchWOrth park
are being planted in this great arbore-
tum and definite efforts viii be made
to learn the full possibilities OF these
woods when grown under forest condl-
tiOns in the United States. Planted
sinEly and in groups. viii be every Kind
of tree that has any chance of growing
in such climate Visitors will thus be
! afforded an opportunity to STUDY the
value of trees for ornamental planting
and for landscape purposes
Many Varieties of Trees.
To each species Of-trCe is assigned an
irregular block OF ground Of an acre
or more in area, and the trees viii be
planted and the grounds laid OIL with
due regard for landscape and color ef-
fects. Planting will be so close as to
simulate forest conditions, and each
tree will be given a good start and then
told to shift for itself In this way
trees untitled to grow under Sucn con-
ditiOns will be eliminated, but when all
the plats of ground have been planted
with trees that will grow, LetchWorth
park will contain more kinds of COM
merciaIly valuable trees than any other
forest in the world.
Through this forest Will run wind
ing bride paths. and as the visitor ira
verses them he will see growing all
the commercially valuable trees of the
United States and Canada, those Of
Europe.
little known regions of the earth 1t IS
intended to make this arbOretum Of
value not only to the professional Tor
ester. but to every American citizen
who is about to undertake tree planting
and who wishes to get the benefit OF
the lessons at Letchworth park
LetchwOrth Sought Pla.7SrOund-
The history of LetchwOrth park be
gins in 1859 when William Pryor
Letchworth. a citizen OF Buffalo, sought
a playground where he could free him
self from the cares OF business he
bought place at the Upper FaiIS OK
the Genesee river. near Portage. which
he named Glen Iris Most Of the land
had been denuded by the woodlands
ak and the sawmill, but LetchwOrth set
to work to restore it to its pristine
beauty. He employed the science of the
forester and the art OF the landscape
gardener. and soon had one OF the snow
places of New York state place
where nature was dressed IN its best by
art.
time lying on both sides of the Genesee
river. until ne owned about 1000 acres.
embracing the three famous Portage
Falls and the wonderful gorge cut by
the river. The voice of primeTal man
/ SPOKE to him out Of the forest ana
called upon him to establish museum
for the relics Of the indians who once
peOpled that region And in carrying
out that idea he secured the old Council
house in which they long held their
councils: he brought back for reverent
SEDllLuIt the remains O4 mary JE4l44-
son, the splendid young white wor-an
who cOnsecrated her life to the well
fare OF the indians
4 Gift TO state Of New York
In 1906 DIT LetchwOrth consulted
with many friends. and year later de-
ciCed to present his estate to the people
OF the state of New York, retaining
life tenancy. which was terminated by
! his death in December, 1910 4 condition
of the gift was that it was to be in
the permanent custody of the American
Historic
ciety. which organization is preparing
4 to make the gift Of the greatest pos
sible ultimate value to the people Of
tt is intended that the value of the
arbOTetun viii not merely consist in
demonstration Of the results that may
be expected to follow forest plantation
OF various kinds OF trees but that our
exact knowledge of tree life viii be
| enhanced. Skilled observations and
systematic records will be kept the
measure of each growing tree will be
taken at stated, times: their liability
to disease will be observed as will
behavior in pure stands and when
growing with other kinds of trees,
their influence upon the forest floor.
Not only viii the information thus
made available be placed at the dis
pcSal of those who can visit LetCh-
worth park, but carefully prepared.
ECDtechnical circulars, givinr the re-
suits Of all such studies, will be s(nt
tC those interested in forestry
Forest Expert Plants Trees.
The work Of planting the arbOretum
is in charge of OvertOn W. Price. who
for 10 years was Clifford Pinchots
right hand man while he was at the
head OF the forest service of the United
States He has had much experience
with practical forestry, having gradu-
ated from the Forest school at MU-
mich, Bavaria. and having had three
years work abroad under the late sir
Dietrich Brands, former inspector gen
eral of the forests Of India. The direc-
tor of the arbOretum is Charles NJ Dow.
a prominent publisher of jamestown.
Nearly 100000 trees have been plant
ed since the arbOretum had its be-
ginning as such The director has en-
tered into an agreement with the
United States department of agricul-
ture whereby an observer from the
forest service Will make frequent sci
y i'll make viii be published as govern
ment bulletins. The department will
also furnish several thousand seedlings
annually.
Impetus to Refo-estatfon.
The work at LetchwOrth will prob
ably give new impetus to the movement
in favor of reforestatiOn in the United
states. Although We are drawing
( heavier prOpOrtiOnate drafts uDon our
forests than any other nation AT tho
same time the United States Lays be-
hind in provisions for future forests.
The world is now planting 600 600
acres of forest trees a year In some
places it is to replace forests that have
fallen before the ak. In other places
fire has been the grim DESTROYER of the
trees that are being replaced. In still;
ether places bare hills that within the
ken Of mortal never bore trees before.
are made to support their share of tbe
worlds trees. In Asia in South Africa
in Australia. everywhere trees are be-
ing planted by people who live more
than a day q a time
Tree Planting Abroad
In tne Black Forests of South Ger
many one may see long rows of girls
and women in Quaint peasant dresses
moving steadily forward like companies
Of soldiers. planting the little trees
that viii IN years to come be the mon
archs OF the forests. In India one may
see groups of turbanned bare-IeEga1
East Indians planting the teak in the
rich soil that borders its historic rivers
In China and in Japan he NAV behold
hundreds OF coolies planting the seed
| lipgs that are destined to solve seri-
Gus problem of the orient. KafffTs i'm
South Africa bearded and bIanLefed
CossacK4s on the bleak steppes of Rus
sia,' all join in the worldwide tree
planting army.
Americans Plant Few Trees.
But Americans? Compared with the
treasures they have reaped from rho
forests, measured by the needs with
which their country is confronted
inf