A ROADSIDE TREE LAW 



675 



li^ht companies which have wanted to 

 save a Httle expense in erecting and 

 maintaining their Hnes. 



Planting of trees has also been done 

 only in a very spasmodic way and on a 

 small scale because there was no as- 

 surance that the trees would be protect- 

 ed and because everyone feels that 

 the ex])cnse of such work should 

 be borne by the public and not by pri- 

 vate individuals. It is also recognized 

 that in addition to the beauty of shade 

 trees along a road or street and the 

 great contribution to the comfort of 

 traveling which is afforded by their 

 shade and the lessening of the force of 

 the winds, trees along an improved road 

 are of decided advantage from the 

 standpoint of maintaining in good con- 

 dition the surface of the road itself. 

 and should therefore be considered 

 part of the improvements of the road. 

 The heavy traffic on modern improved 

 roads grinds the stone surface, and if 

 the surface is dry the suction from the 

 swiftly moving automobiles lifts this 

 binder in clouds of dust which is then 

 blown away ; but the binder remains in 

 place if moist, as it is when well shaded 

 by trees on the side. In view of these 

 conditions public opinion was very 

 strongly in favor of the movement to 

 put the control of roadside and street 

 trees under the State Board of Fores- 

 try, and the passage of the roadside 

 tree law has met with almost unanimous 

 approval. 



The law stipulates that the term 

 roadside trees means all trees planted 

 by the Forest Wardens, or existing 

 trees three inches or more in diameter, 

 measured two feet from the ground, 

 that may be growing within the right- 

 of-way of anv public road or between 

 the curb lines'and property lines of any 

 streets in an incorporated town in the 

 State. The trees on the streets of the 

 City of Baltimore come under the pro- 

 visions of the law, but since the City 

 presents a peculiar problem and since 

 before the passage of the State law_ it 

 had a City Forester and an appropria- 

 tion for this particular work, the ad- 

 ministration of the trees on the streets 

 in the City is being left to the City 

 Forester as before. 



It is made a misdemeanor punish- 

 able by a fme for any person to cut 

 down, trim, mutilate or in any manner 

 injure any roadside tree without a per- 

 mit from the State Board of Forestry, 

 except in an emergency where trees 

 have been uprooted or branches broken 

 in such a way as to endanger persons 

 or property ; and it is made the duty of 

 the Forest Wardens and others having 

 police power in the State to arrest all 

 offenders. Under this provision wanton 

 mutilation of trees will in all cases be 

 prosecuted by the State Board of For- 

 estry, and where trimming is desired 

 by pole line companies in order to free 

 their wires from contact with trees 

 which are growing into them, permis- 

 sion will be given where such work 

 can be done without any great damage 

 to the trees and where the value of the 

 service by the electric light or telephone 

 company justifies it. but ahvays under 

 the direct supervision of a Forest War- 

 den of the State of Maryland, who has 

 been instructed in the correct principles 

 and methods by the experts of the State 

 Board of Forestry. In many instances 

 if the work is done right, considerable 

 trimming can be done in a tree without 

 any appreciable damage bemg done, 

 provided it is done by people who un- 

 derstand it and have the welfare of the 

 tree at heart. 



The leaving of stubs is not permitted 

 All cuts must be properly made and all 

 large ones covered with an antiseptic, 

 and the use of climbing irons on trees 

 is forbidden. 



It is provided that the planting of 

 trees along roadsides shall be done only 

 according to plans approved by the 

 State Forester. This provision is made 

 in order that the trees planted may be 

 of good stock, of the right species and 

 suitably spaced, etc., and in order that 

 the street or road may be developed 

 .systematically and uniformly. The 

 average person has little knowledge of 

 such matters and as a result planting 

 has often been done of inferior species 

 and shade trees have usually been placed 

 too close together, and in the matter of 

 caring for trees by spraying, it is very 

 necessary that it should be under the 

 control of the State Forester since un- 



