TREE PLANTING NEEDED IN TEXAS. 31 



diseases and methods for their control, the characteristics and growth 

 habits of trees and shrubs and landscape architecture. As a further 

 desirable qualification he must be willing to admit and adopt new 

 methods, the worth of which has been proven. 



Cities and towns of from 4,000 to 15,000 inhabitants, of which there 

 are a large number in this State, may establish a medium for handling 

 their street trees at little expense. Interested citizens in each town 

 could organize a tree club which would have for its object the com- 

 pilation of a census showing the number, species, condition and location 

 of the town trees. With this information at hand interest could be 

 developed and subscriptions taken for carrying the work further. Tem- 

 ple, Texas, as already stated, has organized such a tree club and made 

 the preliminary census. Interest was aroused in the undertaking by 

 offering prizes to those making the closest estimate of the actual num- 

 ber of trees and many residents co-operated in the counting and listing. 



Whether a city forestry organization is established or not it is de- 

 sirable for every city to make regulations to protect its trees. City 

 trees are greatly handicapped by reason of their unnatural surroundings 

 and should be properly handled and protected. City tree ordinances, 

 beyond setting forth the personnel of the governing body and the man- 

 ner of appointing and duties of the city forester, provide for regulating 

 the planting, spraying, pruning or removal of all trees, whether pub- 

 licly or privately owned, and generally place the control of all such 

 work under a city forester through a system of permits. Such ordi- 

 nances may specify the kind, size and manner of planting of all trees 

 within the city limits and also provide for the assessment of property 

 owners who are benefited as a result of city tree improvement work. In 

 addition, and perhaps of more importance, the tree ordinances impose 

 penalties for certain acts detrimental to the welfare of the trees and 

 define those acts without chance of misunderstanding. 



A sample set of ordinances covering the above points is as follows: 



1. The board of (insert name) shall have full power and authority 

 over all trees planted and to be planted in any of the streets or public 

 places of the city, including the right to plant new trees and to care 

 for the same, and to remove trees, living or dead, and to trim, spray and 

 otherwise care for such trees. 



2. The board of (insert name) is authorized to appoint a city for- 

 ester and such other employes and assistants as may be necessary, and 

 to prescribe and define their respective duties and to fix the amount 

 of their compensation. Such forester shall be an expert, trained in the 

 care and culture of trees. 



3. The board of (insert name) shall recommend to the (insert name 

 of civic legislative body) from time to time, ordinances to be enacted 

 by the said (insert name of civic legislative body) for the planting, 

 care and protection of trees in the streets and public places of the city; 

 but no such ordinance not recommended by the said board shall be 

 enacted by the (insert name of civic legislative body). ]N~or shall any 

 ordinance enacted pursuant hereto be altered or repealed without the 

 recommendation of said board. 



