22 REPORT OF THE 



and broken limbs from these trees in order to prevent accident 

 to passing vehicles and to pedestrians, has entailed consid- 

 erable work during the season. 



The preservation of our forest trees upon the park is a mat- 

 ter of no little importance, inasmuch as they form a very char- 

 acteristic feature in park scenery. 



In the west woods or picnic grounds, and elsewhere, the turf 

 has been trodden out and the earth so compacted and harden* d 

 by continuous use, as doubtless to deprive many of these 



of the nourishment through the medium of natural sources, 

 air and moisture, which is unquestionably essential to their 

 vitality. 



The necessary removal .of leaves, from the presence and 

 accumulation of which, trees in their natural state derive 

 material support, is no doubt equally productive of injury. 

 The danger from fire makes this removal imperative, however, 

 even if considerations for general tidiness, care of roads, Ac, 

 would not justify it. 



To restore to portions of our already limited forest areas a 

 desirable means of recuperation, the most radical proposition 

 and one most thorough in its possible results, would be to 

 sequester specific parts of the woods for a season, and work 

 over and refertilize the surfaces. 



Another means to accomplish the object, less completely 

 however, would be to apply a liberal covering of properly 

 selected manure about the base and over the root bed of the 

 trees. In view of the extensive use made of the grounds for 

 picknicking purposes and our limited means, the latter propo- 

 sition could be most conveniently carried out. 



During the last fifteen years a large number of the older 

 varieties of trees have died in the park. How far it will be 

 possible to rehabilitate this forest feature by replanting, is to 

 a considerable extent a matter of experiment. In the growth 

 of a forest, a greatmany more trees die than survive, and those 

 that come to maturity have fought their way to a sufficient 

 strength to command conditions favorable to their existence. 



