66 



ARIK)1>!I( 



'URE 



Vincennes, Iiul. 

 Editor Arboriculture. 



Referring to the item in Ocotber num- 

 ber, signed "Propery Owner," many of 

 our citizens have experienced the same 

 hardsliips. 



Our streets were beautified bv iar^e 

 and spreading trees, liard maple, elm, 

 ash and hackberry. 



First came the granetoid (artificial 

 stone) walk and the roots of the trees 

 were cut off and elug out on one side, and 

 to avoid their being blown over bv the 

 wind, the trees were heavily topped. .\s 

 this always occurs in summer, when in 

 full leaf, most of them died. 



Then came the telephone, and the taller 

 trees which had escai>ed the mutilation of 

 roots, were ruthlessly topped and many 

 ruined. 



But that was not all, another telephone 

 company secured. the privilege of paral- 

 leling the first line and other trees had 

 to suffer. 



Trees 50 or 60 years old, whose 

 branches entwined clear across the street, 

 making cool and beautiful avenues. 

 have been destroyed. 



It appears almost useless to replant. 

 The demands of civilization as now prac- 

 ticed is the deadly foe of trees. 



Referring to shade trees, I may add. 

 the sugar maple makes the most beauti- 

 ful and symmetrical tree in this locality. 

 The gray ash is a clean and pretty tree ; 

 also one of the most beautiful trees in In- 

 diana at this season is the sweet gum. It 

 is red and beautiful in foliage. 



I took a twenty-mile ride yesterday and 

 found it inspiringly lovelv. The dog- 

 wood is red as crimson. The gums are 

 gorgeously beautiful. The red, pin and 

 white oak, maple anrl sassafras are be- 

 yond description in beauty. 



T.\Mi-:s P. II. Wi-i.M.^. 



cipal kpiowledge is how to make a 

 straight line, have created ruin among 

 the street trees. So long as present po- 

 litical methods prevail, and an honorable 

 business man can not be elected as coun- 

 cilman, or alderman, there seems no rem- 

 ed\ . Tile trees are doomed. 



The editor has often admired the 

 magnificent street trees of the historic 

 old \^incennes. 



Our correspondent describes a thou- 

 sand towns in the West, whose citizens 

 have delegated all authority to a set of in- 

 competent politicians ; the.^e, led bv a 

 woul<l-be civil engineer, whose prin- 



Richmond, Tnd. 

 Editor Aruoriculture. 



I take the liberty of addressing you 

 relative to the process of "topping" trees. 

 This seems a barbarism and, of course, 

 entirely destroys the decorative effect, 

 w hich is the prime consideration in shade 

 trees and parks. 



I want an authoritative and scientific 

 opinion on the subject, as I have been 

 protesting long and strenuously in the 

 public prints over the mutilation and 

 demolition of our shade trees here by 

 electric light and telephone companies 

 and the trolleys. E. G. W. 



There are some trees which have the 

 bad habit of growing long branches. 

 reaching u])ward to great height, and 

 forming undesirable shapes. Among 

 these are soft maple, accr dasycarpuin 

 and Cottonwood, Carolina poplar, popii- 

 liis inoiiilifcra. 



Such trees require severe pruning 

 oft repeated to form a well-shaped head. 



I apprehend, however, that E. G. W. 

 refers to the clipping practiced by elec- 

 tric companies, which is invariahlv done 

 to suit their own purposes and not to 

 benefit the trees. It would seem tliat 

 here, as elsewhere, the city authorities 

 are dominated by the electric companies 

 and authorize this nmltilation. 



We have a large tnmiber of complaints 

 from every portion of the country, and 

 the situation seems to require a general 

 uprising by all good citizens to protect 

 their own interests. 



No tree should ever l)e pruned when 

 in full leaf. This lowers the tree's vi- 

 tality, and it is incapable of withstanding 

 disease, insect attacks, nor can it recover 

 this loss. 



Telegraijh and other lines should be 

 relegated to the alleys, and trolley lines 

 should be prohibited from cutting a tree 

 w ithoiu permission of the owner of abut- 

 ting property. 



