Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-06
81 KINDS OF TREES
|NLAFAYETTE PARK
Or. CoviIIe, Plant Life Expert,
in Radio Talk Calls At
tention to Variety.

President Hoover can look out from
the White House. beyond his front yard
into Lafayette Park and see 81 different
kinds Of trees and shrubs. probably 9
greater variety than any other eQua
area OF park space in the city Of Wash
ington."
This was the message given to a radio
audience last night over Station WMAI
by DR.. r. v. Coville, plant life expert II
the Department of Agriculture, who il
taking q leading part in establishing
the National Arboretum, near the banks
Of the Anacostia River here. Giving 9
detailed description Of the trees ano
shrubs to be found in Lafayette Park
DR.. Coville told Of them, from the lone
deodar tree to the -four kinds of oak
five kinds of linden, six kinds Of elm
and IL kinds of maple"
DIR. Coville's address follows: "La-
fayette Park occupies two city squares
just across Pennsylvania avenue from
the White House. 1t contains so many
interesting trees that Col Grants
board Of park advisers, under the chair
manship Of Or. John G. Merriam
decided that map should be prepared
tree and shrub In the park. The mar
lished later by the American Forestry
Association.
81 Kinds In Park.
at the present time Lafayette Park
contains 81 different kinds Of trees and
shrubs. There are Spruces, FRS, horn
beams, beecheS, magnoliaS, cherries
ashes and hollieS. The park contains
four kinds Of oak. five kinds of linden
six kinds of elm and IL kinds of maple
Lafayette Park Is bordered with the
American elm, tree well known for its
large size and the beauty Of its out
wardly curving branches. An avenue
of American elmS 20 to 80 feet in width
forms an ideal Gothic arch, dignif1ed,
beautiful and impressive. Even at IS
feet. as on @ street between Twenty
eighth and Thirtieth, the Gothic effect
Is still evident, but at 90 feet, as on
New Hampshire avenue, the Gothic eff
feet is lost and Is replaced by a broad
rounded arch.
ION the street side Of the Sidewalk
on H street near the northeast corner
of Lafayette Park are flve large, tall
English elms. These and other scat
tered individuals are remnants OF ar
early planting of this tree along the
north and south sides of the park.
Northeast of the jackson statue
which stands in the center Of the park
Is q deodar tree, the only one in thC
park. The deodar, the cedar OF Leb'
anon, and the atlas cedar are sc
closely related that they often are con
fused, and a deodar sometimes is called
enormously, a cedar of Lebanon,
Memorial to Mrs. Coolidge.
Southeast of the deodar tree IS {
young red oak planted in April las
year as q memorial to Mrs. Coolidge.
"On the east side of the walk tina
runs north to Sixteenth street from
the Jackson statue is a cryptomeria
about 30 feet high. In Japan this tre'
grows to great size and produces yer!
valuable lumber.
Another japanese inhabitant of La
fayette Park Is the empress tree.
young and vigorous specimen, about q
inches in diameter, stands beside thu
walk that extends SoutheaSterly from
the Won Steuben statue at the north
west corner of the park. In May thu
tree will be covered with flowers abou
the size and shape of foxgloves, law
ender-colored and sweet-scented. Every
morning the tree sheds fresh flower
for the delight Of those who pass. Ir
Japan this tree Is the special symbol o!
the empress.
Along the west of the walk extend
ing north from the Jackson statue ar
three trees of the Southern magnolia
the State flower Of Louisiana.
Graceful Bald Cypress.
Gust back of the three magnolia tree
is a bald cypress about 20 inches II
diameter, tall, narrow and graceful
The bald cypress is one of the mos
valuable timber trees Of the South
eastern United States. In the excava
flower Hotel, on Connecticut avenue
large Stumps of bald cypress were found
together with leaves, cone scales ant
seeds of the same tree.
AT the northern edge Of the park
about Is yards west OF the walk enter
ing the park from Sixteenth street, Is
low evergreen with spread of ahou
25 feet and q trunk perhaps a foot IL
diameter. This is an excellent example
of the English yew, the tree from which
our ancestors in Western Europe made
their bows when they were savages.
"On the east side of the two walk
that extend south from the jackson
statue is q beautiful English holly, will
branches all the way to the ground
Farther east in the park, about hal
way to the Lafayette statue, is a ire
of American holly, about 20 feet il
height. A few yards northeast of tn
Rochambeau statue, in the southweS
corner Of the park, is q small tree o
yeIlowwood, with q trunk about i
inches in diameter at the ground.
Immediately south of the KoSciusk
statue, in the northeast corner of tn
park, is a large leaning tree about 81
feet in diameter. 1t Is a white ash. L
the middle of a grass plat, near tn
eastern end of the park, and midwa
of the park from north to south, stand
young, slender evergreen about Is fee
high. In a similar position at tn
western end of the park stands anothe
similar tree Of the same kind. Thes
are redwood, the California tree ths
stands next in size to the giant sequoia.