STREET-TREE PLANTING IN A 

 WESTERN TOWN 



Bv W. W. ROBBINS 



A>HADE-TREE survey of a town 

 on the plains of eastern Colo- 

 rado was recently made. This 

 town of some 8,500 inhabitants 

 has 5,650 street trees. Of these, 35% 

 are Carolina poplars, 26% are lance- 

 leaf cottonwood, and 5% are western 

 broadleaf cottonwood ; boxelder, wal- 

 lows, narrowleaf cottonwood and 

 maple-leafed cottonwood constitute 

 another 10%, making a total of 76% 

 undesirable, quick-growing street trees. 

 Elms form 7% and green ash 11% of 

 the street trees. These figures are sig- 

 nificant; not that they indicate condi- 

 tions in one western town only, but are 

 representative of shade-tree planting 

 throughout the plains States generally, 

 and particularly illustrative of the wide- 

 spread tendency to plant rapid-growing 

 species. I will not say, however, that 

 eastern and middle-western municipali- 

 ties are free from censure in this re- 

 gard ; but it is true, perhaps, that they 

 are taking more interest in their tree 

 planting. 



Shade-tree planting in the west is not 

 hopelessly bad ; too harsh criticism of it 

 cannot rightly be made. It must be re- 

 membered that the west is young; 

 towns have sprung up like mushrooms. 

 So many questions relative to the larger 

 improvement of the country solicit the 

 attention of western people, that it is 

 not to be wondered at that they have 

 not given serious attention to shade- 

 tree planting. However, western mu- 

 nicipalities will, without doubt, soon 

 come to a thoughtful consideration of 

 their trees. In fact, Denver and Colo- 

 rado Springs have taken the lead in this 

 movement and already have accom- 

 plished much. 



An easterner in conversation with a 

 western girl remarked upon the pros- 

 perity and rapid material progress of 

 the west, but added that "the west had 

 not yet gotten the culture of the east." 



''No," was the reply, "but when we get 

 it we will make it hum." Whether or 

 not this illustrates the way western peo- 

 ple do things, it is well to remember 

 that desirable, slow-growing trees will 

 not "hum." After the proper system of 

 shade-tree planting is put into operation 

 it is a long time before benefits are ap- 

 parent. 



Shade-tree planting in the \vest is still 

 in the experimental stage ; it is attended 

 with no little difficulty. From the trees' 

 standpoint, the variety of successful 

 species is large; but the variety of suc- 

 cessful and at the same time desirable 

 trees for street planting is small. As. 

 has been indicated, the most conspic- 

 uous shade tree in all parts of the west 

 is the cottonwood and its near relative,, 

 the Carolina poplar. 



I consider that in this western coun- 

 try it is entirely justifiable to alternate 

 quick-growing trees with long-lived 

 ones, much more freely than is usually 

 practiced in the eastern States. There 

 is an urgent need for protection from 

 the hot sun and high winds. One who 

 is familiar with climatic conditions in 

 the west, and with the manner in which 

 it has and is being settled up, can look 

 upon a street planted with cottonwoods 

 with a less critical attitude. 



The most general practice is to plant 

 rapid-growers only. And again, if 

 there is an alternation of these with 

 longer-lived species, the former are al- 

 lowed to crowd out and interfere with 

 the normal growth of the more desira- 

 ble species. It is remarkable with what 

 tenacity an old cottomvood will be held 

 on to ! Overcrowding is practiced with 

 a vengeance. This results from a de- 

 mand for quick shade. It is not un- 

 common to see a double ro\v of thirty- 

 year-old cottonwoods along the walk, 

 placed not more than twelve feet apart. 

 Just as much shade could be obtained 

 with fewer trees. Proper spacing al- 



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