1392 



AM F.RICAN FORESTRY 



1917-1918. While the cold was severe, zero weather 

 continuing for a long period, the trees which died would, 

 in the large majority, have withstood the winter had the\ 

 not been weakened by long years of malnutrition. 



The chief handicajj which species with a deep root 

 svsteni have to face is the fact that the soil in Centra! 

 Park is only from two to five feet deep and that at a 

 depth of five feet there is a heavy cl;iy which the roots 

 cannot penetrate. Consecpiently, when a tree reaches 

 an age at which its roots should go deeper than five feet 

 the clay prevents penetration and the trees lack sustenance. 



In many cases the experts making the examination for 

 Ami;rican Forestry found that trees would be greatl\- 

 aided by the earth at their base being broken up. Num- 

 bers of trees were being choked by the hard earth cover- 



[joplars, fourth, the lindens and last, the maiiles and 

 several other species. 



There are a great many varieties of trees suitable to 

 park planting and practically all of them vary in some 

 way from each other in their recjuircments of soil, mois- 

 ture, etc. Let us look over several si)ecics commonly 

 found in Central Park in regard to their soil and moisture 

 re(|uircmcnts. Take the elms. In general, the elm is one 

 of the species found most often in Central Park. It is 

 used on the outer edge to shade the walks surrounding 

 the i)ark, on the Mall, and often is met with throughout 

 the interior. Many of them are rapidly a])proaching 

 death. The once famous cathedral aisles of elms along 

 the Mall have gone entirely, and along the borders of the 

 parks on Fifth Avenue. Eighth .\venue and the two end 



L)V1.\U TULIP 



The soil .iliout this trt-e was packcil hard hy the 

 constant playing of children and the grass kept 

 using up the soil moisture heyonil the bare 

 griiund. The tree is slowly dying. 



DKK0I.1.\TKD BKECH 



This 22-tnch tree was an out-crop of rock. 

 The soil packed hard and exposed to full 

 sunliglit about the roots makes it impossible 

 for tile tree to thrive. 



.•\ YELLOW PINE 



This tree suffered from a shallow soil, a windy 

 site, and exposure of the sr)il to direct rays of 

 the sun. The result is stunted development and 

 early deatli. 



ing their roots or by heavy grass growth close around 

 them decreasing their nourishment. 



Climatic changes, smoke and dust also luichmbtcdly 

 adversely affected the trees but these are conditions which 

 cannot be overcome and trees hardy enough to cope with 

 them should be planted whenever new planting is under- 

 taken. 



iiiE Dead and Damaced. 



Of the 3,000 dead trees removed in the last two years 

 the greater number were Oriental ])lane trees which had 

 been frost cracked and killed by the 13 degrees below 

 zero weather of the Garfield winter. Next in number of 

 dead were the elms, third came the oaks and Lombardv 



streets of the park one can .scarcely find an elm of he.ilthy 

 a|)pearance. The other species of elm have apjiarciitly 

 willistodd the strain better but they, too, are seldom to 

 be found in strikingly vigorous condition. 



I'.eing so much used, the elms' ability to endure the 

 ver\- trying conditions in Centra! Park is of great im- 

 jjortance. Let us see what the requirements of the elm 

 are for best development. .\ well known authority ui)on 

 dendrology writes of the elm: "It never occurs (natural- 

 ly) on dry upland (on account of root habit). In the 

 juvenile stage the root is shallow and sj)reading, rarely 

 reaching a greater depth than three feet six inches the 

 first year, wliile the shoot mav be twice as long. .\ 



