Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1919-03-14
Four Hundred And Fifty Miles
OF Trees.
By F. W. BEsLEY, STATE FORESTER.

Arbor Day, by proclamation of the Gov
ernor, comes early in April. On this day,
many memorial trees will be planted for
those who made the supreme sacrifice in
the great war, and surely there could be
no more fitting memorials. Not only will
individual trees be planted around the
home, there will be extensive planting
along the roadsides.
What could be more fitting than plant
ing memorial trees along the State High
way from Worcester to Garrett, passing
through Baltimore and seventeen counties,
covering about 400 miles of roadway, of
which, eliminating the wooded portions
and stretches where planting is impossible.
would leave approximately ITS miles suit
able for plantingH
To make the plan State wide and include
all Of the counties, an extension from Balti-
more to Prince Frederick and another from
Rockville to Leonardtown would add so
miles suitable for planting, and include the
remaining counties of the State. This may
seem like large program and could not
be carried out in one year. A start should
be made this spring, and the planting ex-
tended from year to year until completed.
Different communities and organizations
in each county would plant different por-
tons of the roadway, and in few years
it should be possible to link these up by
State system, each portion planted to
preserve its identity by suitable markers or
monuments. The plan offers unlimited
opportunities for participation.
The State Roadside Tree Law, enacted
in 1914, provides for the planting Of trees
along the highway and places the protec-
ton of roadside trees under the State Board
of Forestry. The proper plan for procedure
would be for those who want to plant to
select portion of the roadway and apply
TO the State Board of Forestry for an exami-
nation Of the location to determine the
suitability for planting, the best species to
USE and estimated costs, and thus work
out uniform system of planting
The cost of the trees and their planting
will vary from $L00 to $500 each, de-
pending upon local conditions. After the
trees are planted, their care and protection
would properly come under the State Board
of Forestry. The planting would have to be
done in accordance with regulations of the
State Roads Commission, as affecting the
roadway, and the trees should not be less
than fifty feet apart. For trees attaining
very large size seventy-five feet would be
the proper distance thus requiring from
$50 to 200 trees per mile. planting both
sides of the roadway.
1t would also be desirable for each county
to select a particular kind of tree for GEN
eral planting, thus giving to each county's
roadway a distinctive feature. Native
species should be used as far as possible
Fortunately. Maryland has so many differ
ent kinds Of native trees suitable for road
side planting in each county and Baltimore
city that an inexhaustible list is presented.
Under the plan proposed. each community
or organization could have its distinctive
memorial; yet the combined results would
serve as fitting memorial for the entire
State and be of such character as to in
crease in beauty and service with the
passing years.