Evening star., 1923-09-02
PURCHASE Of SITE
FORNURSERYU URGED
lanham Says Step Is Neces.
sary to Preserve Tree
4 System of District.

Purchase Of a site for permanent
nursery Is urgently needed II the
system OF shade trees, so attractive
in the Nations Capital. Is to be main
tanned and developed, Clifford Lam
ham, superintendent OF trees and
parkings. told the Commissioners In
his annual report. made public last
night.
AS evidence of this need, Mr.. Lam
hams report shows that during the
last fiscal year the city suffered
net loss of 1895 shade trees. me
actual number at the close OF the
year was 104,593.
Mr.. Lanham tells the story OF how
the tree nursery has been snllted
from one temporary site to another
at great expense and suggests that
1t would be a move toward economy
to buy site.
Transfer Cost High.
"The erection of the Gallinger Hos
pital on Reservation Is deprived the
department of its nursery. In when
more than 80 per cent of the trees OF
Washington were raised. Following
this the loss of the nursery at Geor-
gia avenue and Cpshur street which
we were required to vacate and re-
occupy on two different occasions.
cost US thousands of dollars in stock.
We are now located at Fort Du-
pont.; a most desirable site. on which
trees have been raised In half the
time required on the aforementioned
sites; but there is not enough ground,
and this site. too. must be vacated
in time, as it is occupied by q tenn
porary permit from the federal gov
eminent.
1--WE have also started operations
on another loaned site. on the Ana
In n
Field. Here we have spent already
hundreds Of dollars. although it is
to be doubted whether this low land,
with the water. table SO near the
surface, will produce the hardwood
trees. such as the Norway maple and
street planting.
Lend Purchase Urxed.
The money expended in occupying
these various sites temporarily would
more than purchase permanent
nursery. and il would seem that the
most desirable step in point of econ
omy would be the purchase of addi-
land Is cheap and highly suitable for
our needs"
In another part Of his report Mr.
Lanham says the planting of trees
during the past year had to be aban
doned. due to the fact that he had to
give up the reservation 13 nursery
and the nursery at Iowa avenue and
Wester street.
The loss OF the last-named site
was serious blow. Many fine trees
or the proper size for transplanting
to their permanent position on the
streets and many others which could
have. been planted on the streets in
the next two or three years were
totally destroyed"
One outstanding point in the report
10 the statement that Of all the trees
destroyed during the year only one
was killed by insects. Here are the
causes of tree death given by the
superintendent:
'Of the -1.621 trees removed during
gerous; were of inferior and con-
DENIED variaties; IA. to relieve excess
sire shade; i. interference with park
Ing Improvement; 131, street improve
ments: 40 for driveways; IA, inn
provements to alleys; 80, destroyed
by automobiles; 136, storms; ., in
terference with entrance to build
ings: 8, close proximity to buildings;
8, interference with building opera
tions: II. Injurious curb trees: and 1.
interference with the construction of
water main. 1t was ascertained that
SO trees were destroyed by illuminat-
ing gas. 46, salt water; So. abnormal
moisture supply; 81. by being filled
around; 33, by being girdled; SO. by
drought; /, by insects; 38, by root
mutilation; II, by Oil; 1, by sewer
gas; 28, by horse bite: and the deaths
of 404 were unexplained"