6 - BULLETIN 816, U. 8S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
In order to have good shade trees at a reasonable cost which 
receive timely and efficient attention, with the effective control of 
wire lines, the care of the trees needs to be vested in some adequate 
authority. 
PUBLIC CONTROL OF STREET TREES. 
Providing shade on city streets is as much a municipal function as 
providing lights or sidewalks and should, therefore, be cared for by 
public officials. All street trees should be directly under the care of 
duly appointed officers, who should be responsible for their planting 
and care, as well as for their pruning or removal. Negative control 
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Fic. 6.—A desert of asphalt in the business center of a city having less than 100,000 population. 
by requiring permits for planting, pruning, and removal is little better 
than no.control. 
The officials in charge should have the necessary authority and 
should be required to initiate and carry forward planting and all 
other needed work connected with the establishment and mainte- 
nance of street trees. Probably the most satisfactory way of securing 
supervision is through an unpaid commission of three or five members, 
which in turn employs an executive officer. In a small place a com- 
mission of three persons may be best, one being appointed every 2 
years for a 6-year term. In large places five members may be better, 
and the ideal term would be 10 years. A compromise would be a 
5-year term, a new member being appointed each year. The great 
need of long-term appointees.is that.it takes two or three years for a 
member of such a board or commission to see and realize the things 
