CENTRAL PARK TREES STARVING TO DEATH 



BY CHARLES LATHROP PACK 



PRESIDENT. AMERICAN FORESTRY ASSOCIATION 



TREES in Central Park, New York City, arc starving 

 to death. I'^our thousand or more have died since 

 1917. Three thousand of the dead have already 

 been removed, the others will be taken out in the next 

 few months. Hundreds are dying now and many of them 

 may be considered a total loss. Some of the weak and 

 sick are to be given special treatment in the endeavor 

 to save them and they may be saved. 



Various causes contribute to the present deplorable 

 condition of the trees in this famous ])ark of the largest 

 citv in the United States, causes which in one wav or 



selection of species for planting, and methods for better- 

 ing conditions of the unhealthy trees which remain stand- 

 ing, and their report indicates that much can be done to 

 improve the situation. 



Park Commissioner Francis D. Gallatin and City For- 

 ester J. S. Kaplan have, for several months, been closely 

 studying the causes which result in the failure of certain 

 species of trees to thrive and they have already adopted 

 measures to improve soil conditions and provide the trees 

 with more nourishment. This will undoubtedly be effec- 

 tive in many instances but it will not be thoroughly effec- 



DEAD WHITE ASH 



An example of the effect of hard packing of the 

 soil about the roots, dense grass sod, and full 

 exposure to sun and wind. This tree is near 

 72ncl Street and 5th Avenue and by proper 

 care could doubtless have been saved. 



NOURISHMENT LACKING 



A typical surface soil condition along Fifth 

 Avenue. Note the shallow spreading root sys- 

 tem and hard packed soil about the base of 

 the tree, one of the conditions which lead to 

 the starvation of the park trees. 



DEAD LINDEN 



This tree of fine dimensions was killed by the 

 bad surface soil conditions. This part of the 

 park is often thrown open to children and other 

 visitors for play and the earth is hard packed 

 wherever it is not grass coated. 



another affect tree growth in a great many city parks 

 throughout the country. What has happened in Central 

 Park may happen in many other parks, and the measures 

 being taken to save the stricken trees which remain 

 should be carefully studied by park commissioners and 

 city foresters of other cities in order to aid them in over- 

 coming similar conditions which may exist under their 

 jurisdiction. 



The American Forestry Association engaged two ex- 

 pert foresters to make a careful examination of the trees 

 in Central Park, the soil and the climatic conditions, the 



tive because of the fact that some species of trees, planted 

 many years ago, are not suited to withstand the hard- 

 ships which they encounter in the park. The relief meas- 

 ures will aid them, but, perhaps, only temporarily, while 

 permanent relief may be obtained only by the removal 

 of such species as will not thrive and their replacement 

 with trees so hardy that they will withstand both the 

 soil and climatic conditions which make careful selection 

 of species and great care of those selected imperative. 



There are some 60,000 trees in the park and about 

 4.000 of them were killed during the Garfield winter. 



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