Milford chronicle., 1919-10-10
RIBBON OF FOLIAGE
TO GRACE HIGHWAYS
ENGINEER LANCASTER RECOMMENDS
LANDSCAPING ENTIRE Length OF
The DIAMOND STATE
PARKS FOR EVERY TOWN
A SCHEME FOR The IDENTIFICATION OF
THE RIGHT OF Way ALONG THE new
HIGHWAYS HAS BEEN OUTLINED.

giuetr 10 the state Highway CommIs
sion has outlined % The Commission
q comprehensive scheme fO- the beau
t.fcati0u OK the right OF way along th'
new state highways Mr. Laucastel
recommends the planting OF tree
along the roads and be suggests tha
towns through which the principa
highways pass create parks 20 beau
Iify the landscape
'lt each town along the State High
way wll acquire a tract OF land large
enough i3s park purposes. and beau.
tify j. og planting grass. flowers
shrubs and trees IN the right way, Il
viii promote the welfare Of the entire
community, for the little children, as
well ais tie larger boys and girls OF
the towns need places for wholesome
outdoor recreation other than the
streets, says Mr. Lancaster in his re-
port TO the commission.
"A good start in this direction has
been made al Georgetown, and also al
Selbyvilie, where bright flowers and q
well-kept lawn attract the eye. Shade
trees should be added and Fairgrounds
provided fOs the children. Teter
boards, giant strides. and sand piles
cost but little and are worth much.
They attract the children to the parks,
and the older people will follow.
Concerning the treatment Of the
three trunk highways, eighty feet in
width north OF Wilmington, il is my
belief that the best results can be OBJ
iained by grading the roads 10 the full
width OF the right Of way and con-
structing a combined concrete curb
and gutter on each side Of the per-
maneni pavement. the face OF the curb
70 be twenty feet out on each side OF
the center line The intervening space
between the cutters and the pavements
10 be surfaced with six inches OF
macadam. bound with asphalt or tar,
the storm water sewers to be placed
in the paTkings far enough back from 1
the curb line to provide a space OF
eighteen inches between the outer
diameter Of the sewer and the inner I
line OF the curb, so as TO make room I
for poles OF any kind that may be nee
essary. AT least six or seven feet
should be left for parkings between
the curb and a five-fOOt sidewalk, the
remaining eight or nine feet to be
grass and planted in trees, spaced at
regular intervals. Center Of trees to
be four feet from edge Of sidewalk,
aud placed between the sidewalk and
The properties.
In order 10 meet the varying orig
nal surface OF the ground at the prop
srty line in a graceful way and hsf-
nonize with nature, retaining walls
should be avoided as far as possible,
he ground being sloped back and
planted with shrubs adapted 10 the
situation. Where retaining walls are
! would recommend that
hey be constructed Of dry masonry, ii
Iuitable stone can be obtained con-
'eniently. and the height Of the wall
.oes not exceed thirty feet"
The Oriental Plane, which resem-
les the Sycamore, Is recommended for ,
he Philadelphia Highway. This tree
S used on Pennsylvania avenue in the
aton's capital and on bOulevards in I
'aris II is recommended because "it
) able 20 resist the smoke and CRIME ,
I city life better than other trees"
ir. Lancaster says. This highway is =.
anked in part by the railroad and
lants along its lines whose smoke ,,
'ould injure less hardy trees, in MT ,
ancasters opinion.
Trees will be planted. il recommen-
atiOns are carried out, at intervals
Z seventy-hve feet, except in the vi
unity Of the steel plant south Of Naa
lan's creek. where. in order 10 pro-
ide a screen, they will be planted at l
itervals Of twenty-five feet. The in s
rvening spaces are 10 be planted with u
mall, low growing shrubs, selected =.
u color, flower or fruit, and Will vary I.
/ kind, according 70 suitability of the :
est OF the enyirOning landscape. q
For the Concord highway the red .
Ak. a native tree, is recommended, =
scause Of its beauty, quick growth, y
I'D its excellent shade giving proper =
es 1T forms a round or oval-shaped y
sad, has large, dark green leaves, "
lown for unsurpassed beauty" Mr.. ?
incaster says. NO American tree is ~
ore highly priced and frequently y,
en- IN Europe that this, the red oak" ~ ~
lese, too. will be set at intervals OF -
venty-fve feet in order to permit the q
reading Of its glorious tops to their -
II development These trees are also ~ y,
miliar to Washingtonians. ~ ~
The scarlet oak is recommende for a. a.
e Kennett Highway because of its VI VI
cognized quality Of being best suited az az
+ street and roadside planting, and az az
cause Of its rapid growth and hardi- "a
cd when not planted too close to- "a "a
ther. II forms a round, dOme-like ~, ne
ad, with leaves Of bright, shiny ~ ~
cen, borne on slender peticles that ~
ay rymthically to the breeze. The az
endOr OF our autumnal forests owes - o.
lch OF its color to the scarlet oak, ~.
. Lancaster sets forth. Shrubs will - -
planted in the intervening spaces. ti.' ~
The Lincoln Highway, which is the -s ..l'
in artery Of the trunk lines OF Del ~
are, connecting with the trunk lines NJ
the Atlantic Seabord, will be taken
n BY the State Highway Commits @ ~
a. Mr.. Lancaster believes, as soon ~. ~
the paving Is completed. mo pains - -
uld be spared" he said, Ito make W, ~
beautiful, as quoting Victor Hugo. lrs gI'
} beautiful Is as useful as the useful - -
nd sometimes more so" ie9
or the roads south OF Wilmington,
pin oak, the willow oak and the
iet gum are recommended because
se trees being indigenous will
I've in their natural surroundings +
.er than trees foreign to the coun- fish
The pin oak is pyramidal in form, par
a stem that rises like an unbrok- ert,
shaft and with branches that fam
tch out almost horizontally. The A
ow oak can resist heavy storms, Ora
Us everywhere in the State, is war
itiful, long-lived. and in every way pas
able for roadsides OF southern Eds
ware The sweet gum stands Cor
ectiy straight when grown in the II.
and forms a symmetrical top NJ
as a fine appearance and a beau ton
coloring that endures the sum- forr
through. 49,