THE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OF NEW YORK. 



of Streets in East Orange. The trees on about 40 miles of those streets 

 were pruned under the direction of the Shade Tree Commission since its 

 organization. In this work the street was treated as a unit. All the trees 

 were pruned to a uniform height, a height that would permit the un- 

 impeded passage of vehicles and would allow all street lights to be seen 

 at night. 



The lecturer exhibited a series of lantern slides, showing streets in 

 various cities, planted as they should^ and should not be. The illustrations 

 were certainly convincing. A number of the views were taken in Wash- 

 ington, D. C, the speaker remarking that it was the abundance of fine 

 shade trees and the care used in their selection and planting which made 

 that such a beautiful city. 



Mr. Solotaroff here remarked upon the importance of the choice of 

 trees in street-planting. The desire was often for a rapidly growing tree, 

 at the sacrifice of other more desirable qualities. The Carolina poplar was 

 often selected on account of its rapid growth, but it was not recommended 

 by the speaker, as its roots soon pervaded everything, filling drain pipes, 

 lifting pavements, and becoming a nuisance generally. The soft maple 

 was also condemned as being undesirable. The oaks were highly recom- 

 mended, especially the red and pin oaks. The prejudice against the oaks 

 was laid by the speaker to the fact that trees of this kind were often taken 

 directly from the woods. This is a severe test for any tree, and especially 

 for the oaks, as the feeding roots are a long way from the base of the 

 stem, and are all left in the ground when the tree is dug up. In nursery- 

 grown trees this difficulty is overcome, the constant plowing and root- 

 pruning to which they are subjected resulting in a ball of roots close to 

 the stem, insuring a mass of feeding roots when the tree is transplanted. 

 A series of lantern slides illustrated this point admirably. 



The subject of tree-pruning was discussed, the lecturer stating that the 

 trees must be pruned to a uniform height, and in such a manner as to 

 make a compact top, at the same time retaining in so far as possible the 

 natural habit and growth of the species. The proper methods of pruning 

 were illustrated with lantern slides, a number portraying the disastrous 

 results which follow pruning improperly done. 



The pests of shade trees formed a part of the discussion. These the 

 speaker divided into three classes : Those which feed upon the foliage, 

 such as the caterpillar of the tussock moth; the borers, represented by the 

 caterpillar of the leopard moth ; and third, the scale insects, including the 

 cottony scale. Methods of spraying were described, and several forms 

 of spraying machines were illustrated. 



The lecture aroused nnich interest, and at its close was freely 

 discussed by Mr. Troy, Mr. Southwick, and others. 



George V. Nash, 



Secretary. 



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