Evening star., 1926-03-10
ELMS TO REPLACE
MANY SYCAMORES
Changes on BIadensburg
Road and Wisconsin Ave-
nue. Are Scheduled.

Discarding the old type of tree that
has tiouriShed on the streets of the
Capital for scores of years, two of the
main entrance streets to Washington
are to be planted with American elms
this year.
Bladensburg road running from
Fifteenth and II streets northeast to
the District line, and the entire length
of Wisconsin avenue are to be lined
with American elIns, similar to the
stately trees which grace the old vii.
IL ges of New England and New York.
Clifford L. Lanham, superintendent of
trees and parkings, announced today.
The elms will suppiant the sycamore
trees which have formed the basis of
WaShington'S tree decorations for
many years.
Employees will finish digging holes
for the planting OF elm trees on
EladenSburg road today and placing
Of the young trees in the holes will
begin within a short time, probably
about mid-April. Work will begin on
Wisconsin avenue as soon as clear
weather is assured. and both install
lations will be completed by Summer
Replanting to Be Limited.
At the same time Mr.. Lanham an
nounced a departure from the policy
Of planting softwood trees of the kind
which have lined Washington s
main thoroughfares for years.
The tree department will confine its
replanting in the future solely to
American elms. red oak for wide
streets and boulevards and Norway
naples for streets and avenues of
moderate width. Mr. Ianham said,
discarding the use of the fast growing
sycamore, softwoOd tree, which
spreads its limbs wide and gives con-
siderable shade. The elm. oak and
maple are classed also as fast grow
ers and good shade trees.
The three downtown streets being or
to be widened will not be shaded by
trees of the same size as those cut
down or to be cut down for many
years, even though as soon as the
widening of Eleventh street, f street
and Connecticut avenue is completed
trees will be planted. The trees placed
along the sidewalks of these thorough
fares, however, will be small. and will
require many years to reach mature
growth. THE present generation will
not live to see these streets shaded
by trees of the size of the present
sycamores," Mr.. Lanham said.
Many Fall Before Az.
One hundred and eleven trees have
been cut in the widening Of E street
from Fifth to Thirteenth streets: 80
trees will be cut in the widening of
Eleventh street from Pennsylvania
avenue to New York avenue, while
about Is of the old sycamores which
nave shaded Connecticut avenue so
, long will be cut down when the widen
ing of that thoroughfare begins from
X street to Eighteenth street.
The tree and parking department Is
working under an appropriation OF
SIS, 900 for the current year, the same
amount that is carried in the District
appropriation bill now before Con
gress. This is considerably more than
the appropriation for past years.
At hearings before District subcom-
mittees last week Engineer Commits
sioner Bell declared that Washington
should maintain it's reputation as
city Of beautiful trees, and said he
regarded a city whose streets are
lined with shade trees beautiful IL
only in that respect. He urged con-
tinued large appropriations for tree
replacement and maintenance.
Mr.. Lanham hopes to see the streets
Of the city remain lined with trees,
gram will involve elimination of many
old shade trees whose successors will
not grow to large size for many years
He said the tree department is several
weeks behind its replacement program
because of the inclement weather of
the Winter.