32 ARBORICULTUKK 



Tree Planting in Cities. 



N( ) city of America possesses such found to be so objectionable. Many of our 



avenues of fine shade trees as are western cities are phinting this Carolina 



seen in Washington City, indeed it pophir cottonwood, to the exclusion of every 



is doubtful if any country can excel in this good tree, and ere long the blunder will be- 



regard, come ai)parent, and at a late day they will 



Several lessons may be learned by study- begin anew with small trees and be a long 



ing the methods employed by the authorities time without shade. 



at Washington. For half a century all the Men educated by long experience and 



trees within the city, in parks and on streets, sure of their employment without the ne- 



have been under the control of a non-par- cessity of ward political work, keep the 



tisan Park Commission, composed of three avenues properly pruned and intelligently 



able and conscientious men, recognized cared for. 



throughout the world as foremost in arbori- The trees of the city are held in higher 



culture. estimation than architectural display or the 



The late William Saunders, superintendent importance of frequent changes in street 



of grounds, Department of Agriculture, was grades and excavations. Ignorant city 



principal in directing this work. engineers are not permitted to destroy 



Political changes have brought new men valuable trees by unnecessary damage to the 



in control of the government, but this roots as in the thousand towns and cities of 



commission never changed until death re- the West, 



moved one or more of its members. Broad open parkings are frequent in 



It is impossible to have economic adminis- Washington, thus giving to tree-roots some 

 tration of park officers where ward politics space where water and air may find entrance, 

 dominates the board. Every city of the While visitors admire the line public build- 

 Union, where the appointment of superin- ings, everyone will admit that chiefest of 

 tendent and employees is made to pay Washington's attractions is the beautiful 

 political debts, becomes extravagant and ex- avenues of trees which makes it one mag- 

 pensive in their management, or thoroughly nificent park. 



inefficient, or both. A system was early The city of Washington, says the Provi- 



adopted and followed, by which each street dencc Journal, "has set a good example to 



or avenue was planted with one variety of American municipalities in the matter of 



tree, which gives a symmetry and character tree-planting. Within its limits there are 



to the city, which can never be obtained now no less than 80,000 shade trees, and it 



where each lot owner plants what he may is unnecessary to dwell on the added beauty 



choose and at such distance as he wishes, they lend to the place. Paris has an even 



In planting, good trees were selected, with greater number, and it is said that $60,000 



ample roots. is expended annually by the latter city in 



As the soil was often inferior, stony and the care of them and the setting out of 



in places filled with rubbish, large holes new ones. Every street of a certain width 



were excavated, the trash hauled away, and is entitled to a row of trees on either side, 



good loam brought in. Each tree was given every street of a certain greater width to a 



proper space for perfect develoi)ment. This double rdw. The criticism has been made 



is impo.ssible where trees are planted ten to that the Paris method results in too great 



sixteen feet apart, as is often the case. uniformity, but, as Charles Mulford Robin- 



The oaks, elms, lindens, maples, oriental son, author of a new book, entitled the Im- 



plane, honey locust, ginkgo and trees of provement of Towns and Cities, says, it will 



highest character have been planted, as always be a (|uestion of taste between for- 



they have been found to give the best re- nialism and naturalism. The cities of Italy 



suits. These trees are permanent and will sometimes go further than Paris in the 



be as enduring as the city itself. direction of formalism, trimming their trees 



Long years ago the worthless Carolina to fantastic sha])es. For us probably the 



cottonwood was discarded when it was best system is a happy medium between 



