regular work, as laid out by the Commission upon the principal 
streets and thoroughfares of the city, and make exceptional 
cases, but simply wait their turn until sufficient appropriations 
have been made to accelerate the work, and thus bring 1¢ within 
the lifetime of the average individual. 
In other States, provision has been made for planting trees 
along entire streets and thoroughfares, and charging up the ini- 
tial cost therefor as special taxes to the individual owners, and 
collecting the same as other taxes are collected. The laws gov- 
erning special taxation are so uncertain in their workings in Vir- 
g-nia, that no attempt has been made to make them applicable 
to such improvements in this city, and inquiries as to making 
them applicable have been met with adverse opinions from those 
best posted in the law. Apparently, the “sacred rights of pri- 
vate property” are still regarded as paramount to the larger 
interest and welfare of the public in the State of Virginia. Hence, 
the provision made in the ordinance for the voluntary application 
to the Commission upon the part of citizens willing to pay the 
initial cost of planting, and tne preference given by the Commis- 
sion to such plantings over and above its regularly planned work. 
The most advanced thought and ideal method is well ex- 
pressed in an act recently passed by the Nova Scotia legislature, 
at the instance of the Halifax Improvement League, the sections 
bearing upon this subject reading as follows: 
Fifth—The cost of providing, planting or transplanting 
trees in any street, and of suitable guards, curbing and grading 
for the protection thereof, when necessary, and of the proper 
replacing of any pavement or sidewalk necessarily disturbed in 
the doing of such work, shal! be borne by the owner of the real 
property in front of which such trees were planted or set out: 
and the cost thereof as to each tract of real property shall be 
certified to the council of such town or city, and also to the offi- 
cials having charge of the collection of taxes for the said town 
or city; and upon the filing of said certificates, the amount of 
the cost of such improvements shall be collected in the same 
manner as the general rates and taxes of the town or city, and 
if not paid by the property owner as hereinbefore provides, shall 
become a lien upon said real property in front of which said 
trees have been planted, set out or removed. 
9 
