Hungry Horse news. [volume] (Columbia Falls, Mont.) 1948-current, 1955-02-25
BouIevords Help
Town Appearance
by Leonard Wager, horticuiturlst

Montana Extension Service -
BOHEMIAN - Boulevards that
are planted to trees and grass i'm
prove the appearance of towns and
cities immeasurably, providing the
planting is well planned. However,
If the selection and planting of
these trees is left to the individual
property owner, there will be no
uniformity and the result will not
be pleasing.
When individuals do their own
boulevard planting, some will
have no trees, others will space
their trees too close together, some
will select poor species of trees,
and many trees will suffer from
neglect or from improper pruning.
In some cities and towns the
mayor will name a committee
whose responsibility will be the
planning of a comprehensive bou-
levard Improvement program. This
! committee may be headed by the
city engineer, parks superintend-
ent, or city forester. Service club
members, garden club leaders and
!; extension agents make good mem
. bers for such committee.
In any event, such committee
has these responsibilities: l. Tt
draft an ordinance regulating the
: planting, care and removal o.
! street trees; 2. prepare survey o.
! existing street trees and develop
= a future plan for an attractive ane
: orderly development of street tree
/ paintings; 3. Develop a program
: for the planning and improvement
: of existing and proposed parks
S p1a grounds and landscapinl
9 around public buildings; 4. in
r form the public of the program.
e A well written ordinance make
g the program effective and provide
s for the control of selection of de
sirable species of trees, prope
spacing, planting methods ,insec
and disease control, pruning an
care.
No tree species can meet all 9
the desirable characteristics re
\ quired for good boulevard plant
: ings. The following are some thing
: to look for in a good bouelvar
tree: 1t must be able to Withstan
gas, smoke, dusty, dry atmospher
g and a minimum of air in the sol
1t must have root system whic
will not penetrate sewers. 1t mus
possess an attractive shape, an
= the branching must carry up we
and not interfere with traffic Wis
, ion. The tree must be free of lite
- producing branches and fruits an
= it should not produce Offenslv
- odors. A good species will hay
= hard wood and strong branchir
that is not easily broken by wind
re or heavy SHOWS. 1t must be rels
e lively free from disease and inSe
r. pests. It should be long live
, Above all, the species must
l. hardy and adapted to the local sc
re conditions, rainfall and climate.
Il 1t is most desirable to plant OF
L species of tree per street. A COX
plan may be developed where J
ty more than half dozen differe
lie species are used in all. In sor
j. areas, the choice of species M
s. be restricted to much less than tn
ar number.
IS Boulevards in many MOnta1
mt cities and towns are now owe
k crowded with trees. Careful sele
DIS, ton and thinning and removal
ne overcrowded trees would help IL
on measurably. Good spacing to X
on low is 80 feet apart for small ire
ng so feet apart for most species, a
ort a few very large growing tn
for need spacing as much as rs Il
ess apart.