April, '12] BURGESS: SHADE TREE PESTS 177 



In Boston a contract was recently awarded for planting shade trees 

 on each side of one of the fashionable thoroughfares. In doing this 

 work it was necessary to take up a portion of the brick walk, dig out 

 large holes, and when the trees were planted, to fill in these holes with 

 rich soil hauled from the countr3\ It was required that the trees 

 should be pruned and protected for two years, and all that might die 

 within that period were to be replaced. The contract price for this 

 project averaged about $50.00 per tree and as this amount was con- 

 tributed b}' the people who resided on the street, it indicates, in a 

 way, the value which they place upon shade trees. Of course this is 

 a far greater amount than would ordinarily be expended for tree 

 planting in cities, but it should be remembered that the planting of a 

 new shade tree is merely the beginning of an annual expenditure of 

 money, if the tree is to grow and become worthy of the name. 



In Cambridge, where so many trees have died, it has cost on the 

 average about S20.00 per tree to remove them, and this figure was 

 secured because the contract was such a large one. The amount 

 which, will have to be expended for removals should have been sufficient 

 to protect the trees for at least ten years. 



It seems evident that any city or town can well afford to expend a 

 relatively small amount of money each year to care for large and 

 valuable shade trees and protect them from insect damage, for if this 

 is not done their death and removal is certain. Future shade must 

 result from planting small trees under much less favorable conditions 

 than those which surrounded the trees that have been removed. They 

 must be cared for many years before any considerable amount of 

 benefit or shade will be derived and it will l^e necessary to expend as 

 much, if not more, money annually to protect them than would be the 

 case if the large trees were put in good condition and given adequate 

 attention. 



The care of existing shade trees, and their protection from insect 

 enemies is so necessary that it should appeal strongly to citizens in 

 every community who are interested in their home town or city. If 

 city shade trees are worth several hundred dollars apiece, their preser- 

 vation should be a matter of prime importance and their care should 

 be placed in the hands of competent and experienced men. These 

 men should have the benefit of the advice of the State Entomologist 

 or his assistants and in order that proper remedies may be used, that 

 official should be given sufficient funds to investigate the habits of 

 shade tree insects about which little is known, except that they cause 

 serious injury to trees and are difficult to control. 



It is probable that few cities have had as difficult an insect prob- 



