Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-08-18
SIX REASONS AGAINST
REMOVING TREEs-sHRUBs
Mrs. John SHELTON Williams. I'm All.
dress nj Roanoke, Urges Tree
Conservation.
PROTECT WINTER TRAVELLER
Trees Add to Beauty OF Highways.
Enhance Value of Property and
Attract Possible Purchasers. De-
cinrcs the Speaker.
"H-nutifyinK the Road.,sc.-

h~nuhfyinR the Rond.id~.-
The above was the ,uhi.c, M NJ.
1"hh SHELTON Williams address do
'reu at the annual convention az
.he virginia Good Roads Association
~ hoahoke. January, 1921. Mrs vii,
liams said:
rhe Garden Clubs OF Virginia have
appointed me their representutiv. tn
put before you the destruction OF
roadside trees In Virginia.
come To appeal to you not for
money. but To save money Our great
ntate or Virginia has been mos,
pressed with wonderful trees OF all
N,hhS' trees dating back to the time
"heh Indians roamed the woods win
h"'seieSs tread, making those trails
"hich are now our roads. In the
neat or day they were given shade
ana IN storm some protection from
tue weather. and At all times they
were surrounded by the beauty or
nature. In spring. beautiful nower
ing trees. like doEwood. red bud. rho
o""ehdron. laurel and magnolia: the
Dense foliage and verdant growth In
the summer. and in the fall and win
Ter chahIir' huea OF oak and maple
evergreen holly. pine. cedar and
magnolia | these the Indian. hal
as they c."pt silently through our
"oods-and what have we now In
our hurried times We no longer loit.r
ny the way. hut in our motors dash
quickly through the roads. admirinr
the beauties of Virginia landscapes
Inc danger now confronting ny is:
snail we have our roads mere strcaks
OF concrete across the country Bills
terinE In the sun. or shall we have
them glorined pathways through our
historical land?
Nothing spared by Hond- builders.
This danger Is apparent to any
one motoring through our country.
In cutting wide roadbed. nothing
Is spared. Old trees. hundreds OF
years old. are felled that their moor
old roots might not drain the roads
or their leaves soften the fierce RAYS
Of the sun
81 know that chapter 370 of the
Acts OF 1920. page 55I. authorizes the
Board Of Supervisors OF any county
Of Virginia to fell and remove trees
along public highways for a distance
OF fifty !e"t on each side thereof. and
Z" keep the land along such highways
Cleared OF growing trees. Now. in
some situations this IL necessary, but
In many others II Is simply lack
OF intelligence to cut down these
ancestral trees. Ancient cedare arc
In miles to he affected by cedar rust.
and the telegraph and telephone com
panics top all trees that might In
terfcre with their unsightly posts.
and so we have no shade along our
routes. no beauty to admire. In VIII
mington. Del. General Coleman du
Pont has provided $4,000. 900 for the
building OF highway. He called in
Samuel Lancaster. the builder Of the
Columbia River Highway. who made
n survey OF the State. In the report
he spoke OF 'glorificd highways In
pointing out how beautiful a road
could be made. and advises permanent
pavementS and suitable trees planted
along the roadside. Also, societies
are being formed all over the country
for the planting of memorial trees
trees Of sad memory to those who
gave their lives that we might live.
and trees OF joyous thanksgiving for
those sons who have returned to bless
and work for our country.
Our Garden Clubs have been asked
to plant these trees along the routes.
What are we to do? Miles and miles
OF these grand old oaks. sycamores
and ccdars are all passing. I have
in mind a beautiful line OF trees out
side Of Richmond which have been
feiied. and those trees lie there in all
their fallen dignity. their branches
raised to heaven in deep protest Of
such brutality.
The Bcautiful Ronds OF France.
'The beautiful roads of France:
the roads are drained by bitches ont
each side: along these bitches are
planted the poplars and chcstnuts.
the latter to serve for food. In Ger
many are planted nut and fruit trees.
which give food to the poor. All
land with large trees on It Is Of in
creased value. and in Pennsylvania,
where the roads are very wonderful,
especially along the Lincoln High
way. no trees are cut outside the