76 
PARK AND CEMETERY. 
tions for years, is a most handsome 
tree when in bloom. Large clusters 
of fleecy white flowers are produced, 
presenting an appearance unlike that 
of any other tree. 
Chinese and Japanese magnolias are 
all beautiful. Some of the hybrids are 
much alike; the conspicua, Soulan- 
geana, stellata and Lennei are the best 
of the better known kinds; and all 
magnolias should be planted in the 
spring. 
Citrus trifoliata is the hardy orange, 
so called. It is hardy to New York 
City and to Connecticut along the 
coast, and it is looked on as the fore- 
runner of a race of hardy edible or- 
anges. The fruit is small and bitter. 
Of the flowering crabs, Pyrus coro- 
narius and the Bechtel’s, the former 
is the well known old style one, fam- 
ous for its delightful odor. Bechtel’s 
crab is a double form of the Western 
species with clusters of flowers 
looking not unlike those of roses. 
The Calycanthus sold by nearly all 
nurserjmien nowadays as C. floridus, 
is but C. laevigatus. It has some odor, 
but not nearly the appearance of the 
floricTus. The latter species is hard to 
obtain, as it rarely seeds, and its in- 
crease depends in dividing the plants, 
chiefly. 
Rhododendrons have been men- 
tioned, not that they do well far 
North, but they can be grown where 
zero weather or lower prevails if 
grown where free from sun and winds 
in winter. Give them shelter and 
they will stand great cold. There are 
sorts much hardier than others. Ever- 
estianum, Roseum elegans and the 
two natives, Catawbiense and Maxi- 
mum, are good to start with. Album 
elegans, Charles Dickens, H. W, Sar- 
gent, Lady Armstrong, Old Port, Car- 
actacus. King of the Purples and Mrs. 
Milner are all among the hardiest. 
Styrax obassia is from Japan, and 
is a handsome tree in both foliage and 
flowers. The leaves are as large as 
those of a linden; the flowers are 
white, in fair length racemes. Anoth- 
er one, S. Japonica, has numerous 
clusters of waxy white flowers. Both 
are among the hardiest of Japanese 
trees, which assures their hardiness 
far north with us. Joseph Meehan. 
A PROPOSED NEW TREE 
LAW FOR PENNSYLVANIA 
At the instance of the American 
Civic Association, a comprehensive 
bill for the planting and care of shade 
trees on highways in cities, townships 
of the first class and boroughs of 
Pennsylvania has been introduced in 
the Legislature of that state by Rep- 
resentative Kiess. The following is 
a synopsis of the bill: 
Section 1 provides that there may he ap- 
pointed a commission of three to be known 
as the Shade Tree Commission who shall 
serve without compensation and have ab- 
solute control of and power to plant, set 
out, remove, maintain, protect and care for 
shade trees on any of the public highways. 
In townships, boroughs or cities in which 
a commission for the care of public parks 
shall have been created that commission 
shall be charged with the duties of thQ 
commission above provided. 
Section 2 says that the commissioners of 
any township of the first class or the coun- 
cils of any borough or city in the State of 
Pennsylvania, may by majority vote in the 
case o'f the commissioners or by joint resolu- 
tion in the case of the councils accept the 
provisions of this act and then such com- 
missioners shall be appointed for terms of 
three, four and five years respectively and 
on the expiration of any term the new ap- 
pointment shall be for five years. Provided 
that in cities where a commission exists for 
the care of public parks the term and ap- 
pointment of such commission shall not be 
changed by this act. Such Shade Tree 
Commission shall twice in every year re- 
port in full its transactions and expendi- 
tures for the municipal fiscal year. 
Section 3. When such Shade Tree Com- 
missioners shall propose the setting out, 
planting or removing of any shade trees or 
the material changing of the trees in any 
highway they shall give public notice of 
the time and place appointed for the meet- 
ing at which such work is to be considered 
specifying in detail the highways or por- 
tion thereof upon which trees are proposed 
to be planted, removed or changed in one or 
more — not exceeding two in all — of the 
newspapers published in said township bor- 
ough or city once each week for at least 
two weeks prior to the date of the meeting. 
Section 4. The cost of planting, trans- 
planting, or removing any trees in any high- 
way and of suitable guards, curbing or 
grating for the protection thereof when nec- 
essary and of the proper replacing of any 
pavement or sidewalk necessarily disturbed 
in the doing of such work shall be borne by 
the owner of the real estate in front of 
which such trees are planted. 
Section 5. The cost of caring for the 
trees and the expense of publishing the no- 
tices provided for shall be borne by a gen- 
eral tax to be levied annually in the man- 
ner that taxes for township, borough and 
city purposes are now levied, such taxes not 
t6 exceed one-tenth of one mill on the dol- 
lar on the assessed valuation of property. 
The needed amount shall each year be cer- 
tified by the Shade Tree Commissioners to 
the authorities charged with the assessment 
of taxes and paid as other taxes are paid. 
Section 6. The Commission shall have 
power to employ such superintendents, en- 
gineers, foresters, tree wardens or other as- 
sistants as necessary, to enforce regulations 
for the care of and to prevent injury to the 
trees on the highways, and to assess suit- 
able fines and penalties for violations of this 
act. 
Such fines and penalties shall become liens 
upon the real property of the offender and 
be collectible as liens for taxes upon real 
property are now collected. 
