The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-12-21
CITY PLANTING ..s.
AND BEAUTIFYING

Il L
1By Julia Lester Dillon, City Land
scape Architect, Sumter, s. g.
Ten years ago it would have been
almost impossible TO find IN the
south one O., the smaller cities Or a
small town where the municipality
recognized the necessity aof; city
planting and beautifying. ana. con-
siaered the question of enough i'm
po.tance, to incorporate aR its
naget funds to cover the swc-k of
the Tree and Park Departments. 1t
is especially true in this section
that our trees, ard our>tewns,s as
well, are like Topsy. they jes
xrewed." ~
Until the General Federation of
Women's Clubs took up the work al
Conservation there was noaconcert-
ed effort looking TO civic beauty.
fheir civic leagues, garden clubs
garden contests, committees for
beautifying school grounds, rail-
road stations, and court ,hosiSes;
with their Individual attempts to
plant t II cir h o m e grounds
artisticaliy,. foil o W ed by the
movement inaugurated by the
Forestry Association, af-
ter the great war. for the planting
of Memorial Trees and Parks, have
brought about an awakening. The
tourists who. have built homes IN
the south and brought landscape
architects from other sections te
make gardens fer them have also
helped.
Now, our towns are realizing their
Ggliness. are seeing their neglected
trees, their crooked streets, or their
bare concrete paved driveways that
ars>like raled lines on map. their
grass- grown parkways on the SIDE
walks. and recognizing the need
are tryiag to find a remedy. They
are also seeing the unbounGed
reduces of the southern fora as
God-givcn heritage hitherto despis-
ed and unused. What has been
toFmen -riotous growth-is be-
coming known as an asset, more
and more valued. This problem
of city planting and beautifying
is as wide as the south and IS vital
to her present and future progress
and prosperity.
Intelligent planting Is the first
step, In the campaign. This calls
fora survey Of resources and con-
difions. There must be an intefli-
gent recognition not only Of the
present conditions but future de-
velopsrens and needs must be look
ed after.
On our city maps, we have the
paved streets, sidewalks, sewerage,
gas and water limits marked. Then
census OF the trees anust be
a3de. Listed in the field book-wll
lie the location, distances apart, va
riety, size, ard condition OF every
tree in the streets and parks :ef the
city. During the working season
It IS very easy to make this census
while the workmen are. pruning
the trees. Their work helps nauch
IN deciding about the condition OF
each one, because it is practically
Impossible 10 estimate the decay
OF any tree until the dead wood
is removed and the sound wood is
tested. BY transferring from, the
fsld book. to the city map the loca-
) ton of each tree on the street lines
& glance shows how the trees are
grouped, where they areneeded and
low R1any should be planted. New
rrees are marked on the map with
red ink and from season TO season
IL IS easy to keep the record
The field book also tells what
Kind of trees should be planted on
a street to carry out the planting
ALREADY started and whether or not
yhe old trees are worth working on
or new ones should be set among
them. Following the nomenclature
Of Soiotareff, of East Orange. New
Jersey, they are marked good, to
indicate that. they are in perfect,
condition. and need only moderate
care with annual inspection to
keep them 50. Medium means
yaat witt, slight repair-root holes
flied with cement, holes in the
branches flied, these trees will go
over into the good" class. Fad"
means that much work and expense