The record., 1914-01-15
TREES co WITH GOOD ROADS
Washington School Teacher ccn;'i5'
utes Striking Appeal in Federal
Bu.le.in-Ci tiuch AiS.
VOL Nv. NO. 40.

Good roads and their relation to
the welfare e humlaity. and ;he re-
l2iion of trees To good roads. are the
subjects with Vh.ch Miss Susan h.
Sipe. q teacher in the James OrmoEd
Wilson Normal school and :: the
head Of the school garden work. deals
n a pamphlet just issued by the Uni
ted States bureau OF education. The
bulletin is entitled Good Road Arbor
Day" and advocates the planting OF
trees in connection with good roads.
Miss Sipc points out that often
trees are disliked along the sides OF
bad roads because they prevent the
mud from drying quickly after rain.
This forms no objection when the
roads are eood. however, il is point
cd out
Reasons fer planting trees by the
roadside are given by Miss Sipc:
"one has only to pass from the
glare of the 6lst and heat of the long
stretch Of unshadei road on hot sum-
mer day to the relief afforded by trees
TO know the value Of roadside plant
ing This SAME physical comfort
comes TO horses as well as TO man.
The effect Of trees on the road IL
self is seldom thought of, except TO
the disadvantage Of the trees. They
keep the roads from drying out after
wet weather. is tho usual charge. On
a poorly built road this is true. They
are an aid on n well built one, il not
planted too close. Roots constantly
taking in water assist in drainage.
That which IS protection from the
sun is also shelter from rain. The
tree tops break the force of driving
rains. thus preventing washes in the
road. This more than counterbalances
the occasional drip marks that are
seen.
THE most important use OF trees
by the roadside is the prevention of
dust Dust is the cementing material
in macadan roads. and If it 10 loosened
and blown away. the road suffers.
Properly planted they form %ind-
breaks and prevent c-Swdrifts. tn
sa--a~ - ;ad cesaies.-hx-....ey ...ey b.
warrsr ~ light and serve at niga.
10 nala tic road"
Dr. Philander p. Claxton, United
States commissioner of education. has
the following to say b. way of intro
duction to the book in his letter of
transmittal:
One of Tie greatest needs of our
country is cood public reads. The
reason we Go not have them wherever
needed is noi primarily because of the
cost OF building them. for In the last
quarter of century we have spent
more mercy for other things than
would b. required to Pay for the
building OF coed reads to and through
every place having any considerable
population. Our annual mud tax is
greater than would be the tax neces-
.sary TO pay the interest on bonds TO
build scod reads.
The reads are rot built because
the people co not understand their
value nor comprehend how much
beauty they would contribute to the
country and how much pleasure to
life. II is largely a matter of senti
uSnt ana lucaiS. neSe are mOsl tas
lily created in childhood What one
would nave in the state of tomorrow
must be put into the schools Of today
Not only should We build good roads
we should also make them attractive
and comfortable to travel over. IL
many European countries this is done
by planting the roadside with row:
of trees.
"On some CT the broader and more
important pablic highways there ar,
double rows OF trees on either side
The eye follows the road across coun
try not as broad wh.te baad. viii
heat shlmriering above it or dus
lowering over il, but BY rows OF state
ly trees oovered with foliage in tn,
summer, their bare branches sii
houetted against the sky in winter
On many OF the roads fruit trees ar,
planted. These add to the fruit sup
ply OF the people and to the resource
OF the state for the upkeep OF tn
roads. This i-oe planting by the road
side has not yet become common i,
this country, as IL should"