236 TREES AS GOOD CITIZENS 



specified modifications and deductions for defects of 

 species, trunk, crown and other factors. Under Mr. Par 

 ker's supervision 271 trees on Washington Street, in Hart 

 ford, of which 216 were more than one foot in diameter, 

 were appraised at $37,500.00 or an average of $138.41 for 

 each tree. 



(7) The Square-inch Basal Area Method. In figuring 

 the area of a trunk this method reduces the computation to 

 square inches. It has been used by Mr. W. W. Colton, to 

 estimate the value of the street trees of that suburban 

 beauty spot, Newton, Massachusetts. Taking a maxi 

 mum of 75 cents for each square inch of basal area, Mr. 

 Colton, as city forester of Newton, placed a valuation of 

 $1,516,602 on 12,577 trees. This was an average of 

 $120.50, and the figures were reached after deductions as 

 indicated in Plan 6. 



Newark, New Jersey, has had an annual appraisal of 

 its trees for 10 years. This appraisal is made by the City 

 Shade Tree Commission, at the request of the City Audi 

 tor. The inventory carries a valuation of the shade trees 

 upon the public thoroughfares and in the city parks; and 

 the financial department of the city government, very 

 properly, lists the total amount among the assets of the 

 municipality. The Newark figures have been based 

 largely on replacement value, which is manifestly inade 

 quate, as the trees could not be replaced with others of 

 equal size at the valuation of $2,037,532.50 given for 

 66,308 trees, an average of $30.72. 



As a concrete example of results to be attained through 

 application of various plans of appraisal, the Newark trees 

 might be estimated under four methods. Under the Roth 

 plan, the trees would be given a valuation of $3,330,884, 

 equivalent to $50.23 apiece, which is still inadequate. By 



