Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-27
Care of Shade Trees
Demands Attention
To the Editor of The Star:

To the Editor of The Star:
The late James Bryce. author of
THE American Commonwealth" but
probably better known as the most
popular British Amba ssador ever in
Washington, a few years ago deliv
cred the principal address at an an
niversary Of the university founded
by Thomas Jefferson. In the course
of his address Lord Bryce reverted to
the conjecture Of Jefferson that prob
ably the reason for the prairies haV-
ing no trees on them was because
large animals had denuded the prai-
ries of trees.
Whether or not animals denuded
the prairies of trees, it is a certainty
that high buildings, automobiles. ce-
ment sidewalks, caterpillars. paved
streets, oil, monoxide gas, salt from
ice cream delivery wagons and other
evidences of a highly concentrated
civilization carelessly fabricated have
denuded Washington streets of trees.
Superintendent Lanham can replace
every local tree destroyed by nature
or man, but trees cost mOney-1t costs
money to doctor" trees after they
are planted. 1t costs about $11 to
plant a tree. 1t costs about 81 to
trim a tree, and various other cost
items enter into the whole upkeep
cost, sucn, for instance, as spraying
the trees several times a year, which Is
not done as often as should be, simply
because the appropriation for the de-
partment is so small.
A few years ago, or before the
World War. we gloried in our 100, O00
trees on the streets-we had a right
to be proud of them Today they are
q, sickly.looking family and the NOR
tality is fearful. The total number is
probably less than 10 years ago, and
of those still with us more than a
third are pest-ridden, or being slowly
starved or gassed or murdered with
salt brine or are dying because they
need surgical attention.
Within 10 years our local wealth
has increased nearly 100 per cent, our
population has increased about 1907
900. and many miles Of new streets
have been opened up. For every tree
our hurrying, bustling civilization de-
stroyed 10 years ago It now destroys
FIVE trees. Ten years ago Super1n-
tendent Lanham's department was
having $3.50 a day for common labor;
today the laborer gets about $3.5O:
Ten years ago his department could
easily and quickly dispose of It's trash;
TODAY the trucks carry trash probably
four times as far to dispose OF 1t:
Costs all along the line have increased
in about the same proportion.
With far greater mortality among
the trees than 10 years ago, with
MANY more miles of streets to be
taken care Of. with more than 100 per
cent increase in first costs and cost
Of upkeep, yet the appropriation for
Lanham's department has not been
Increased much more than 80 per
cent. The percentage Of increase,
based on all costs and taking into
consideration the phenomenal growth
of the city in wealth. miles OF new
streets, etc. should be not less than
$50 per cent.
Unfortunately, there is no local So
ciety for the preservation of the noole
tree-but there is a local society FOR
looking after homeless alley cats, etc.
What have the Rotarians or K1wanas
got on their programs for the next
year? Here's something that ought
to arrest their attention. These ana
other organizations should invite
Superintendent Lanham to tell them
his troubles-or rather about the ro-
nance of the noble tree-its place In
the economy Of nature and its place
in the scheme of the world beauti-
full" GRo|EH w. ~ r~o