Canadian Forestry Journal, July, 1919 



299 



WHAT IS ^ 



City Forester Colton says it is worth $142.55, and if 



uninjured by higli tension wires would 



be worth $199.56. 



15 per cent below a perfect tree. Therefore, if 

 the value of a sugar maple was 64'/2 cents per 

 square inch of cross-section, the value of a per- 

 fect tree ,or a standard value, would be 75 

 cents. 



A table has been prepared, using 75 cents 

 as the value per square inch of basal area for 

 a perfect tree ,and showing the proper deduc- 

 tion factors for all species of shade trees. This 

 table is being used by this office in obtaining 

 values, and has been found very satisfactory. 



There is one point in the discussion of the 

 value of a shade tree which has not been 

 touched upon in this article, and that is "loca- 

 tion". Viewed from some angles, this is a very 

 important point. From the fact, however, that 

 there is such a chance for diversity of opinion 

 as to the proper and improper location of a 

 shade tree, I have purposely neglected to take 



this into consideration in my factors for deduc- 

 tions. The opportunities for deductions of all 

 kinds are so great ,and the possibility of arriv- 

 ing at any definite figure for abatement so un- 

 certain, that it has seemed best to eliminate 

 this factor entirely. It is my belief that this 

 deduction can safely be neglected, unless the 

 tree is most obviously out of its proper location. 

 If, as stated above, there can be no question 

 about its improper location, then the party or 

 parties judging the value should make some 

 arbitrary reduction from the value placed on the 

 tree by the prepared tables. 



As a concrete example for the usefulness of 

 some set value for shade trees, we have estab- 

 lished an approximate value for all the street 

 trees of Newton, Massachusetts. 



In the summary of data gathered from the 

 shade tree census, we have grouped all our trees 

 by species, diameter classes and conditions. For 

 instance: sugar maple, 1 6-inch; 7/12-inch, 

 etc., and either Good, Fair or Poor condition. 



Species. No. of trees. Value. 



White Maple 355 40,206.00 



Sugar Maple 6,531 $612,851.00 



American Elm 2,471 41 7,867.00 



Norway Maple 1,130 98,737.00 



White Ash 382 85,112.00 



Red Maple 480 72,324.00 



All other species 1.228 189.505.00 



Total valuation 12.577 $1,516,602.00 



To obtain an approximate value for these, we 

 have eliminated those classed as Poor alto- 

 gether, and then based our calculations on an 

 average valuation for trees in each diameter 

 class. The average value was then reduced for 

 species and the resulting value applied to the 

 number of Good and Fair trees of each species 

 in each diameter class, with the above result. 



This is discounting entirely 2.320 trees classed 

 as Poor, which would, of course, have some 

 value. 



It can readily be seen that with a permanent 

 value established, the above figures are of un- 

 mistakable assistance to a city forester or arbor- 

 ist in convincing the city government or town 

 fathers that it is a good investment for them 

 to appropriate a sufficient sum of money to pro- 

 perly care for these trees. 



PHOTOGRAPHS WANTED. 



The Canadian Forestry Journal will pay $1.50 

 each for unusual photographs of shade trees or 

 of wild life. 



