XL itort (fee ipiattittuj t« 2Urijmott& 



The problem of planting and maintaining street trees in 

 the Borough of Richmond is, of course, radically different 

 from that in Manhattan, since the general condition in the 

 various towns and villages of Staten Island are normally 

 those of a surburban community. One would naturally ex- 

 pect to .find on Staten Island conditions for growing street 

 trees of a most favorable nature, and in many cases this is 

 true. However, due to the unusually narrow streets which 

 prevail, this is not always the case. 



It is doubtful if we will find anywhere in the country 

 streets with such uniformly narrow parkings (often no more 

 than twelve or eighteen inches wide), as exist in this bor- 

 ough. The condition has doubtless come about as a result 

 of adapting modern street design with its paved roadway, 

 curbs and sidewalks to ancient country roads, without hav- 

 ing these roads replated, widened and laid out as city streets 

 of normal street widths. This condition is a very serious 

 one not only from the standpoint of the city forester but 

 from that of the city planner who must foresee a growth to 

 city conditions in this borough similar to that taking place 

 in the other sections of ISTew York City. It may be and 

 probably is out of the question to widen the older streets at 

 this time, although it may have to be done some day. How- 

 ever, all new streets should certainly be provided with more 

 generous parking areas. It is evidently not always the 

 custom to do so, for in several cases new streets have been 

 built which follow the style of the older thoroughfares, with 

 parkings from one to three feet wide. 



New Planting: 



In selecting trees for new planting in the narrow park- 

 ings of Richmond we should endeavor to secure trees of 

 small size and moderate growth, not only that these narrow 



(87) 



