1392 



AMERICAN FORESTRY 



(Qi 7-1918. While the cold was severe, zero weather 

 continuing for a long period, the trees which died would, 

 in the large majority, have withstood the winter had they 

 not been weakened by long years of malnutrition. 



The chief handicap which species with a deep root 

 system have to face is the fact that the soil in Central 

 Park is only from two to five feet deep and that at a 

 depth of five feet there is a heavy clay which the roots 

 cannot penetrate. Consequently, when a tree reaches 

 an age at which its roots should go deeper than five feet 

 the clay prevents penetration and the trees lack sustenance. 



In many cases the experts making the examination for 

 American Forestry found that trees would be greatly 

 aided by the earth at their base being broken up. Num- 

 bers of trees were being choked by the hard earth cover- 



poplars, fourth, the lindens and last, the maples and 

 several other species. 



There are a great many varieties of trees suitable to 

 park planting and practically all of them vary in some 

 way from each other in their requirements of soil, mois- 

 ture, etc. Let us look over several species commonly 

 found in Central Park in regard to their soil and moisture 

 requirements. Take the elms. In general, the elm is one 

 of the species found most often in Central Park. It is 

 used on the outer edge to shade the walks surrounding 

 the park, on the Mall, and often is met with throughout 

 the interior. Many of them are rapidly approaching 

 death. The once famous cathedral aisles of elms along 

 the Mall have gone entirely, and along the borders of the 

 parks on Fifth Avenue, Eighth Avenue and the two end 



DYING TULIP 



DEFOLIATED BEECH 



A YELLOW TINE 



The soil about this tree was packed hard by the This 22-inch tree was an out-crop of rock. This tree suffered from a shallow soil, a windy 



constant playing of children and the grass kept The soil packed hard and exposed to full site, and exposure of the soil to direct rays of 



using up the soil moisture beyond the bare sunlight about the roots makes it impossible the sun. The result is stunted development and 



ground. The tree is slowly dying. for the tree to thrive. early death. 



in<j their roots or by heavy grass growth close around 

 them decreasing their nourishment. 



Climatic changes, smoke and dust also undoubtedly 

 adversely affected the trees but these are conditions which 

 cannot be overcome and trees hardy enough to cope with 

 them should be planted whenever new planting is under- 

 taken. 



The Dead and Damaged. 



Of the 3,000 dead trees removed in the last two years 

 the greater number were Oriental plane trees which had 

 been frost cracked and killed by the 13 degrees below 

 zero weather of the Garfield winter. Next in number of 

 dead were the elms, third came the oaks and Lombardy 



streets of the park one can scarcely find an elm of healthy 

 appearance. The other species of elm have apparently 

 withstood the strain better but they, too, are seldom to 

 be found in strikingly vigorous condition. 



Being so much used, the elms' ability to endure the 

 very trying conditions in Central Park is of great im- 

 portance. Let us see what the requirements of the elm 

 are for best development. A well known authority upon 

 dendrology writes of the elm : "It never occurs (natural- 

 ly) on dry upland (on account of root habit). In the 

 juvenile stage the root is shallow and spreading, rarely 

 reaching a greater depth than three feet six inches the 

 first year, while the shoot may be twice as long. A 



