Evening star., 1928-01-22
hepherd Tree Planter of Capital Had Vision of oays Needs

doubt that the planting Of avenues would
do more 10 interest every little child
whose home was near the highway, and
make It appreciate trees than oil the
hit-or-rniss Arbor day paintings can
ever expect TO do.
Il know something OF the dificulty Of
planting street trees. for have planted
many Of them. but when saw the thor
ough way In which the trees we're plant
ed In Morocco. / wished that could
show them N certain ot my American
Is necessary Is TO dig hole in the
ground and throw the tree into II. No
careful orchardist in the Piedmont
peach region plants his peach trees with
more care than the Berber road makers.
under French direction. plant TO euca-
lyptis or olive or carob or mulberry or
American black locust or maritime pine
or elm or plane trees which are 10
shade the highways Of Morocco.
Evidently the French think that they
cannot liVe in country without trees
and. on the other hand. II must strike
European that the American Is de-
termined not 10 have any trees around
him, for, IL ne wanted them. would he
not take care Of them and plant thenn7
cannot forget the rutnlessness witn
which the careless road builders siasi1sd
the trees that we're along the roadside
of nv place near Washington. and the
utterly callous Tay In which they met
my objections 10 the cutting down Of
the trees. And think Of the way the
telephone. telegraph and electric light
compenies are allowed 10 slash through
the most beautiful old trees rather than
move pole few feet out Of align
menti
n
GIT strikes me that it Is a pretty Sc
Yious cosnic o6ense TO Gu. down
trees and not plant new ones 70 take
their places. II man could create
trees. II he were capable Of making any
thing so perfect in its proportions and
its details. would feel differently, bit
he cannot Apparently. ne can only
make more or less satisfactory buildings,
and even these require plants TO prop
er!y set them Of.
When I asked my old friend. DR..
Trabut Of Algiers. one o. the great tree
lovers of the world. how many shade
trees he thought we're planted in France
he said: Ten thousand miles. perhaps
Will America ever have 10 900 miles OF
her highway planted 70 trees? America
! has led the world in the establishment
| OF great national parks. where the Wild
. life Of great areas is conserved. but how
/ few there are who can enjoy these
| parks in comparison with the millions
who would love the grateful shAde which
| tree-lined avenues would afford!
When Walter Page was busy with
| the plans for the Federal aid % road
building which ultimately crystailized
| into the Once Of Public Roads, vas
/ living in his house. ! well remember
/ the time when. together. We planted q
/ japanese maple in his front yard. 7 do
not think the idea ever occurred 70 him.
/ and know IL did not 70 me. 70 put into
/ the law a clause which would have set
aside q certain portion Of the funds
which were appropriated for roads for
the purpose Of planting the highways
with trees. Il Is scarcely q forestry
problem. although IL should be closely
associated with . system Of arborets.
The making and maintenance Of good
roads Is legitimate function Of Gov
errment, and the planting Of them with
shade trees Is unQuest!onabiy an essen
tial part o. the program"
Few American officials charged with
the construction Of roads have had the
vision o. "BcSs" Shepherd. American
Forestry Association officials point out.
The feverish activity which has az
tended road construction particularly
. in the last two decades, has n this re-