Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-10
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

Trees, forever remain q mystery to
those who love them.
One would have thought that, owing
to the drought, every tree in Washing
ton and its suburbs would have lost its
leaves by this time.
AS a matter Of fact, many of them
have not even begun to show a change
Of color.
Truly the tree is a sturdy product of
Nature.
AS the friends of trees survey this
resistance they begin to hope that the
long, dry Summer will have no inimical
effect upon them.
1t has been estimated in some quar-
tiers that the actual money which trees
add to a city is very large. If this is
so, the National Capital is very well off
In this as in other particulars.
Trees continue to be cut down, how
ever. This work is now being carried
out on X street, much to the distress
Of all tree lovers.
Traffic conditions, dying trees-these
account for what seems to many to be
a ruthless destruction. There can be
little doubt even in the minds of friends
of trees, that the tree is doomed in
the modern city.
Just how much bad air, owing to the
continual automobile exhaust, has to
play in annual loss Of trees we do not
know; but if We can judge from the
foul air which Swirls into public vehicles
it must play large part.
The lack of rain this season has
worked havoc to trees, there can be
little doubt, even if their leaves do not
show the damage. There is a chance,
of course, that their tremendous vital
ity will pull them through without ulti-
mate hurt.
One must expect them, however, to
disappear from the city scene. Even
in residential sections most of them
ultimately will die out. We know that
industrious efforts are made by the
municipality to prevent this, but we
have been watching the small trees as
planted in some sections and are not
thrilled by the prospects.
The sapling must meet the same
vitiated air conditions faced by the
large tree, the same weather and the
same indifference from the general pub
lie. Until every one becomes what one
hesitates to call "tree conscious" the fate
Of trees in modern urban areas will
remain doubtful.
The very sturdiness of this tremen-
dous shrub works against it, since it
makes the average person feel that
trees Il66Q no ACIentlOn. linen, 100,
the belief on the part of the average
householder that the municipality does
not desire him to touch the trees also
tends to work against their general
welfare.
He has been told, probably by some
other home owner, that he must not
sow seed in the parking space between
the trees and that he must not fer
tilize the trees. The result has been
that many home owners have carefully
RETAINED from doing the slightest bit
of work of their own lawns, although
their hands have itched to plant grass
seed
During the past Summer the District
government was forced to issue an ap-
peal to residents to help care for the
trees by taking the nozzles of hoses
and permitting the water to flow around
the bases for at least three hours at a
stretch.
1t was suggested in this appeal that
the water be turned down low. so that
what did come cut Of the nozzle would
have a chance to soak into the soil.
As far as the observation of this writer
goes, very few householders availed
themselves Of the chance to help the
trees.
Perhaps the practical difficulty OF
rlacing a hose across the sidewalk, and
Of having 1t walked over by scores OF
pedestrians, and roller-skated over by