STATE HORTICULTURAL SOOIETT. 327 



I learned from the superinteadent of the Parking Commission 

 of that city, Mr. W, R. Smith, who is also superintendent of the 

 Botanical Gardens, and I hope the recital may be profitable, and 

 not uninteresting to you. 



Mr. Smith has had the personal supervision of the planting 

 of over 60,000 trees, on 125 miles of streets in Washington, divided 

 as follows: 



Trees. 



50 miles of maples (in variety) 25,000 



14 miles of poplars ....... 6,500 



12 miles of box elders 5,500 



II miles of elms 5,500 



11 miles of lindens 6,000 



10 miles of buttonwood ... 4,500 



18 miles of miscellaneous 8,000 



In planting trees the commission have adopted the plan of 

 ''poling;" that is, cutting every branch off, leaving a straight pole. 

 The trees are of uniform height, and the heads form more symetri- 

 cally than when planted Avith a few straggling limbs, and I know 

 from experience they are more liable to live. Grreat care is taken 

 in planting; large holes are dug from which two or three cartloads 

 of earth are removed, and its place supplied with good rich soil. 

 No stimulants are ever emploved. The trees are taken from the 

 nursery, or forest, as the case may be, the roots carefully and 

 smoothly cut, and while being transported to the place where they 

 are to be planted, are kept sl^eltered from the wind and sun. 

 After being set in place, and the earth firmly ''puddled " about the 

 roots, boxes made of twelve two-inch slats, are place around them. 

 These boxes serve two purposes; they protect the bark from the 

 sun, and from the horses of the doctor, the milkman and grocer. 

 These, my Scotch friencLsaid, were the mortal enemies of city 

 trees. It costs to plant trees in Washington in the thorough and 

 careful manner described, about $2.50 each, and the percentage 

 of loss is so small, that the fact is demonstrated that it pays to 

 entrust the planting* to experienced hands. The loss on over 

 60,000 trees has been less than 1 per cent. 



TREES IN MINNEAPOLIS. 



The people of Minneapolis have lost more trees by failure to 

 protect and care for them, than are growing here to-day. This 

 may seem to you a rash statement, but as 1 look back twenty years 



