BULLETIN No. 170. 



DEPARTMENT OF BOTANY. 



SHADE TREES, CHARACTERISTICS, ADAPTA- 

 TION, DISEASES AND CARE. 



BY GEORGE E. STONE. 



Introduction. 



The general interest in shade trees, particularly in the eastern States, 

 well illustrated by the amount of money expended upon them and the 

 many questions asked concerning their welfare, has created a demand 

 for a brief, pra'ctieal bulletin covering the various questions relative to 

 shade trees and their management. Bulletin No. 125, issued in 1908 by 

 the Massachusetts Agricultural Experiment Station and the Massachu- 

 setts Forestry Association, covered the subject in a general way, but the 

 publication is now exhausted. 



Shade trees add greatly to the desirability of a community as a place 

 of residence, and their aesthetic value cannot be estimated in dollars and 

 cents. It is no exaggeration to say that the complete destruction of all 

 the trees and slii'ubbery would reduce the valuation of some cities and 

 towns very materially. 



Trees also possess a utilitarian value which is recognized by the courts, 

 and for the careless destruction of street trees the abutter is entitled to 

 compensation. A street tree adds value to real estate in the same way 

 that a sidewalk or curbing does, but while the sidewalk and curbing may 

 deteriorate, a tree increases in value for many years; for example, a tree 

 originally costing $2 to set out may be worth $150 in sixty years, which 

 is equivalent to 7| per cent, compound interest on the investment. 



Too much emphasis cannot be laid upon the care of shade trees. In 

 common with crops they give the best results under cultivation, but 

 unfortunately the best conditions do not always exist. Trees grow fairly 

 well on lawns, however, especially when the lawn is occasionally fertilized. 

 Conditions on congested streets are quite different. Many of the trees 

 on our village greens, where often little attention is given to their care, 

 show neglect and need of better treatment. In many places they have 



