Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-03
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PAUL Y. COLLINS.

Yes, Washington has more beauty
in it's trees than has any other city In
the world, but does anybody imagine
that we are planting new trees as
fast as matured ones are being cut
down? It's crime-a crime, the way
trees are being sacrificed" exclaimed
an official of the American Forestry
Association yesterday as he con-
templated Connecticut avenue, where
many blocks are denuded in the
process of widening the street.
"Of course" he added, widening the
roadway win let more automobiles go
by, but look at those magnificent
trees, 1t makes me sick to think OF
them"
II am assured by an expert that
they know so much more now than
they did Is years ago, about selecting
and cultivating trees for shade. that
in 10 years they can have fine lot or
new trees, In place of what he calls
the trash-soft Inaples-which they
must now sacrifice" was suggested.
Trash? / beg to differ with him
there were many fine sycamores. All
over the city trees are being cut
ruthlessly. Back of'Where l live Is
grove of the finest of natural forest
trees. We have tried to get the Park
Commission to buy it and save the
trees, but, no, they have no money.
why don't we have a law preserv-
ing trees, as they have in Europe,
where, for every tree, even on private
ground, that Is cut down. another
must be Immediately planted to re-
place it,"
well. they have some such law
across the line, in Maryland. Also in
Pennsylvania. and MISUNDERSTANDING
/ think also In Minnesota. In some OF
these States. no tree on the highway
can be trimmed or sprayed or cut
down without a notice posted several
days in advance, announcing the In
tent to so attack the tree, and notify
ing all who object to meet beneath
that tree at a certain time and enter
their protests, which will be decided
by popular vote.
"Of course, here in Washington, the
trees on the sidewalks are under city
authority. and trees in the parks are
under Federal authority-the director
of parks and public buildings. But
there Is no control over privately
owned land bearing primeval forest
right within the city. Builders have
no compunctions In destroying beau
ties which can never be replaced
certainly not i'll our generation.
'If the public only knew the havoc
that Is going on in Washington, day
by day, by the builders, they would
hold a. mass meeting to protest" de-
clared the forester.
The care of shade trees has become
a science in recent years. Capitol
Hill is a. marvel of arboreal interest,
not only in it's fine variety of trees,
but in their perfection of develop
ment, too often inadequately appre-
ciated by the visitor, and through
over-familiarity, certainly not always
recognized by the citizen.
For example. there is that magnifi-
cent American elm, known as the
Cameron elm," because. through
the insistence Of the late Senator
Don Cameron, it's life was preserved
and the paved path made to detour
around it when the Capitol grounds
were improved many years ago. A
year ago the Cameron tree was suf-
fering for nutr1ment and especially
for water 1t is perched high and
dry" upon q mound, left when the
ground was graded down. 1t Is
what is known as a shallow rooted
species, SO that, what with the paving
and grading, it was dying of thirst.
Then came the expert care. under
the nursing of w. A. Frederick. A
trench was dug four or five feet
deep in 35-foot circle around the
tree and layer of broken stone
filed in, with openings In the con-
crete above the trench, through which
water can be flooded daily. The
ground was MANFRED and the
branches of the tree supported by
cables, with a. great cable running
from the mass to a stake 100 feet
away to brace against the prevailing
winds.
Today the tree-so sickly a year
ago--is actually shouting its strong
health from it's thrifty green foliage.
while masses of new footlets cross
the water holes.
Many trees OF Capitol Hill have