Ornamental and Shade Trees 



A Department for the Advice and Instruction of Members of the American Forestry Association 



Edited bv J. J. Levison, B.A., M.F. 

 Arboriculturist Brooklyn Park Department, Author of "Studies of Trees," and Lecturer on Ornamental and 



Shade Trees, Yale University Forest School 



COMMON SENSE LABELS ON PARK TREES 



THE ignorance of many people regarding the trees 

 in their own back yard has long been a subject 

 of regret to the favored few well versed in 

 arboriculture. While it is well known that this ignorance 

 may be overcome by a visit to botanical gardens or pre- 

 serves, where experts are expected to have information 

 on such subjects posted at conspicuous places, it has not 

 always been the custom to make public parks do duty as 

 a school of instruction. 



Popular interest in trees, however, has of late greatly 

 increased and park officials have in consequence begun 

 to take notice of various means of meeting this interest. 



A knowledge of the common tree species of the locality 

 was recognized to be one of the fundamentals to begin 

 with. That knowledge had to be given in the easiest 

 and simplest way because many citizens find it too much 

 trouble to go to a botanical garden to find out. If they 

 could be enlightened unconsciously, as it were, when 

 they go to or from their day's work, they would have no 

 objection. On the contrary, they would be inclined to 

 welcome any acquirement of knowledge that did not 

 entail loss of time and money at an era when the high 

 cost of living makes the quest of dollars rank higher than 

 that of knowledge, of youth and of happiness. 



Years ago requests began to come to the Brooklyn 

 Park Department's office regarding the labeling of trees 

 in the public parks. We then endeavored to comply with 

 the evident public demand for instruction of the "he 

 who runs may read" variety. At that time the depart- 

 ment manufactured some labels by stamping lead plates 

 and attached them to park trees with generous impar- 

 tiality in an attempt to cover all extra species as well as 

 native ones with useful as well as ornamental informa- 

 tion. In many parks this system of labeling the extra 

 species burdened the busy public with too many names 

 and details, requiring for the average pedestrian the use 

 of a pocket dictionary and not assisting him one whit in 

 the knowledge of that one particular tree which adorned 

 his own back yard. 



We therefore had to devise a new label which would 

 not immediately become lost, strayed or stolen because 

 of their lead valuation, and a quantity of real, practical 

 knowledge posted in the parks for general dissemination. 

 The system which has now been adopted by the depart- 

 ment differs from that of the botanical gardens, in that 

 it confines itself to 100 of the most common trees the 

 100 which everyone ought to know. 

 1062 



This label is a simple, enameled label, brief in context, 

 thoroughly legible and without the special information 

 usually put on labels informing the beholder of the tree's 

 family, locality and other details. 



The nomenclature used is the latest and dates on best 

 authorities. Only the common and botanical names of 

 the tree appear upon the labels. 



O 



FLOWERING DOGWOOD 



CORNUS FLORIDA 



o 



Following our custom of dwelling upon the special 

 characteristics by which almost every tree may be recog- 

 nized at all seasons of the year, rather than by less per- 

 manent features, the trees were labeled in winter time 

 and identification based upon these permanent charac- 

 teristics and not upon leaves. 



Park authorities always find that the public takes a real 

 interest in the matter. The people readily respond to 

 their efforts to give information in this manner and there 

 is seldom a time when a stroll through such labeled parks 

 will not result in seeing quite a number of people pause, 

 read the labels and then look closely at the characteristics 

 of the tree. It is a very good thing, for the simple reason 

 that knowledge and recognition of trees by their detail 

 characteristics and the ability to tell them apart stimu- 

 lates a broader interest in nature and everything that is 

 beautiful. An interest of this sort in the young may 

 prove the root of higher civic pride and may lead to 

 greater civic development. 



Our common trees are so constantly about us that 

 knowledge of a few inevitably broadens out to a more 

 extensive knowledge of many so that soon, instead of 

 looking upon trees as meaningless objects, they become 

 individuals, each with a definite character of its own, and 

 much pleasure is derived without the expenditure of 

 extra time for these observations. 



