Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-09-10
ADVISES PLANTING
MORE TREES IN D. c.
Supt. Lanham Reports Need
of Funds to Shade New
Streets.


nual appropriation for tree planting
in the District new streets will have
to go unshaded, Clifford Lanham, su-
perintendent of trees and parkings.
told the Commissioners in his annual
report made public today.
The appropriations for tree plant
ing have never been adequate" Mr..
Lanh1m asserts, "and it would seem
tnat unless Congress increases this
annual appropriation the extension of
tree planting will have to be dis
continued. and an attempt made only
TO maintain the existing trees
First Cost Small.
THE first cost of planting trees is
very small compared with the assess
ments for street improvements. The
cost of properly planting trees is
very small percentage Of the cost of
the proper improvement Of the street
The use of the street will cause it to
deterioriate and need repairs, while If
the trees are properly cared for they
will thrive and grow, and the first cost
Will be insignificant when compared
with their increased value few years
later. Real estate men realize that
trees increase the value of their prop
velopment in the District. trees are the
first thing they ask for after the streets
are opened.
1T would seem that sufficient funds
should be provided to not only main
tain the fine rows of trees that line the
streets throughout the city, but to ex-
tend these lines as rapidly as streets
are made. The citizens of the District
of Columbia know it is the duty of this
office to plant trees on all streets where
conditions justify, and to comply with
these requests at the present time it is
necessary to neglect some other branch
of the work. The increase in wages of
labor and supplies, and the continual
increase in the street extensions, with
no increase in appropriation for this
department. makes it impossible to
keep pace with the growth of the city
unless sufficient funds are made avail
able"
1.145 Curb Trees Planted.
During the fiscal year ended June
80 last 1,145 curb trees were added to
the streets. making a total of los. .s9s
now planted
Mr.. Lanham also tells the city heads
that his department has outgrown
the present tree nursery at Fort
Dupont. On this subject the report
states: ~
About all the available ground in
the nursery at Fort Dupont is now
used. and in a. few years we will be
unable to grow the stock fast enough
to keep up with the demands of the
transplant trees in the nursery rows
on the tract of ground on reserya-
tion No. 13 because the ground is TO
be used in the near future for the
Ga Ga1iinger Ling Hospital: los The frequent
locations is hardship. because
many trees are lost, and it takes an.
proximately five to seven years he
fore trees can be transferred to the
streets after they have been set ont in
nurseTy nHa rows The past spring about
800 Norway maple seedlings were
transferred from the seed beds to the
nursery rows. The nursery is well
stocked with young trees. A masoritv
OF these trees are small and not the
proper size to transplant to Their
per, permanent ai. position on the streets.
enough to enable this department fo
grow the trees fast enough tn aro
tend the tree system, provided we
are restricted to the use of onIv the
cieared area 1t is necessary to
rows each year in order to keen neny
Win the street extensions
Trees Die Unavoidably.
lunureus OF trees die annually. ar
i0hurhg in i'rias 10 n,a the superintendent. from
has no control The chief somrca ~
injury to shade trees. he says. is
the poor condition Of the soil beneath
cement sidewalks, from which the
trees must gather their subsistence.
is responsible for the death of manv
trees, the report declares.
The scarcity of labor made it i'm
possible for the department to carry
on systematic campaign of trim
ming during the year.
Referring to his action pruning the
trees on 18th street. from street to
Florida avenue northwest, Mr.. Lam !
ham says they were "in very bad |
shape" They have shown rapid |
new growth during the past summer. |
and in two years will present a fine |
in the opinion Of the |