178 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



Roadside Trees. 



The subject of highways naturally suggests the topic of 

 roadside trees ; and in that connection I wish to call atten- 

 tion to an act passed ])y the Legislature of 1899, codifying 

 and amending the laws relating to the preservation of trees. 

 In brief, it provides that every town shall, at its annual 

 meeting, elect a tree warden, who may appoint deputy tree 

 wardens, as he deems expedient. The town or the select- 

 men may fix the compensation of these officers. The tree 

 warden is to have the care and control of all public shade 

 trees in the town except those in public parks or open 

 places under the jurisdiction of the park commissioners, 

 and shall expend all funds for the setting out and main- 

 tenance of public shade trees. Towns may appropriate 

 money for the planting of shade trees, not exceeding fifty 

 cents for each ratable poll. The tree warden may plant 

 shade trees in the public ways, or, if it is expedient, upon 

 the adjoining land, at a distance not exceeding twenty feet 

 from the public way, for the purpose of shading or adorn- 

 ing the same ; but, if the trees are set on private land, the 

 written consent of the owner of the land has to be ob- 

 tained ; and all shade trees within the limits of any public 

 way shall be deemed public shade trees. Whenever a citi- 

 zen, other than the warden or his deputies, wishes to cut 

 or remove a public shade tree, he has to apply to the tree 

 warden, and provisions are made for a public hearing on 

 the question ; or the warden may grant permission without 

 a hearing, if the tree is on a public way, outside the resi- 

 dential portion of the town, and the decision of the tree 

 warden is final. 



This is a very interesting statute, and it is pleasant to 

 note that recently the tree wardens of various Massachu- 

 setts towns, to the number of nearly one hundred, with 

 others interested in arboreal culture, had a meeting in Hor- 

 ticultural Hall in Boston and a conference upon this subject 

 of shade trees. Mr. J. Woodward INIanning gave on that 

 occasion an interesting lecture, showing how the natural 

 beauties of a town or village may be enhanced by skilful 

 grouping and trimming of the native trees and shrubs, and 



