PARK AND CEMETERY 
222 
ington, of course, affords the best op- 
portunities for the study of City Tree 
Work, and the secret of their success 
lies in the fact that they have had the 
money, the nursery and the man. 
Lack of municipal control and plant- 
ing regulations has imposed upon Chi- 
cago an unnecessarily large number of 
soft wood trees. Then, too, we find 
elms, ash, catalpas, Carolina poplars 
and cottonwood trees are mixed along 
the same street and in the same block, 
and this treatment is not uncommon 
even in the most choice residence dis- 
tricts. Stumps and dead trees have 
stood in the parkways for years, be- 
coming an eyesore and menace to the 
public. Many of these trees were killed 
b}' gas leaks, while others have been out- 
rageously mutilated by careless and in- 
different citizens and the various public 
utility corporations. These dead, dying 
and unsightly trees, have in many cases 
discouraged and prejudiced our citizens 
against the planting of new trees, and 
they have become indifferent and unap- 
preciative of the beauty and comfort 
to be enjoyed in well planted streets. 
A series of instructional pamphlets 
were printed for free distribution, the 
first outlining the inception of the 
movement and the ordinance. The sec- 
ond “The Call for Trees” attempts to 
tell how trees make a city more beau- 
tiful, healthier and stimulate civic 
DECORATIVE USE 
Holly trees and holly berries are fa- 
miliar to every one, because of their as- 
sociation with the festival of Christmas, 
not only in our own country but in all 
the countries of Europe as well. Its 
uses here have come to us from the 
old world, and they have become fix- 
tures with us, for in the humblest homes 
of the land, a sprig or two of holly 
with berries on them is had if at all 
possible. 
Our native holly. Ilex opaca, is used 
altogether one may say for cutting pur- 
poses. The trees of the North and of 
the South pay tribute to custom in the 
furnishing of their branches of berries. 
Of late years more of it comes from the 
Southern than from the Northern 
States, this holly being more Southern 
than Northern, consequently far more 
abundant South than North. However, 
it is considered quite hardy anywhere in 
the Middle States, standing zero and 
lower without harm, so that it is the 
only one with red berries that is avail- 
able in our plantings. One does not 
often see many specimens of this holly 
in public grounds, probably because it 
is extremely hard to transplant, requir- 
pride. The third is intended to impress 
our citizens with the existing barren- 
ness of certain streets, the causes which 
have combined to bring about these 
conditions ; suggesting preventive rem- 
edies and directions for the proper re- 
moval of dead trees and the trimming 
of unsightly ones. The fourth gives 
some idea of what, where, when and 
bow to plant. These pamphlets hurried- 
ly compiled have necessarily been 
brief. Our newspapers have given this 
movement their hearty support. Our 
police department has acted promptly 
in reporting and prohibiting violations 
of the ordinances and the telephone and 
electric light companies have co-operat- 
ed by printing their own permit forms 
as recommended by the department. 
The co-operation of private citizens in 
removing dead trees is solicited by pos- 
tal cards. 
All permits issued by the street de- 
partment for the moving of buildings 
along the streets must first be approved 
by the City Forester, and where trees 
are in danger of destruction the per- 
mit is revoked. Many of our improve- 
ment associations and women’s clubs 
have arranged for lectures on City 
Tree Planting. These talks usually 
given in the evening are instructional 
rather than amusing. 
ILEX AQUIPOLIUM; ENGLISH 
HOLLY. 
ing that all its leaves be cut off and 
the branches cut back severely to have 
it succeed well. Treated in this way, 
safe transplanting may be anticipated. 
In the public grounds of Washington, 
D. C., there are some very fine speci- 
mens of this holly. 
During the Chicago Flower Show of 
Nov. 2-7 an illustrated talk on Munic- 
ipal Gardening and Street Tree Plant- 
ing was given every evening. About 
600 trees and 1,000 shrubs have been 
planted this fall under the directions 
and supervision of the Forester, in ad- 
dition to the usual planting by private 
citizens. 
This planting was made possible by 
the co-operation of citizens along cer- 
tain streets, each paying $1.25 for each 
25 foot of lot frontage. 
The Commission with the assistance 
of the Corporation Counsel has con- 
ferred with the Gas Company, making 
it clear to them that they will be held! 
responsible for all trees killed by gas. 
leaks. 
In addition to routine work, our ac- 
tivities for the near future will be di- 
rected toward removing all dead trees. 
and trimming unsightly ones now stand- 
ing in the parkways ; establishing a mu- 
nicipal nursery, the planting of small- 
trees, no larger than 2J4 in., one ft. 
from ground, in large numbers and to 
encourage the planting of better trees 
of the hardwood varieties. 
This gives you a brief outline of our 
activities since the establishment of the 
office. We have great hopes for the 
future. Our citizens and the City 
Council are giving this work their 
hearty support. 
OF THE HOLLY 
A beautiful holly is the English spe- 
cies, Ilex aquifolium. While hardy in 
favorable positions in the Middle States, 
it is not as hardy as the native one, 
opaca, already referred to. It will en- 
dure zero if in sheltered places and 
sheltered from noon day sun and high 
cold wind in winter; and it is worth 
a little trouble to .have it on one’s 
ground, for it is more beautiful than 
the other, having bright green and wavy 
foliage, with bright red berries. The 
writer has one which has stood quite 
unprotected in his garden unhurt in the 
slightest degree for three winters ; it is 
well sheltered by buildings near it, and 
practically no sun reaches it in the 
depth of winter. It is imported in 
great numbers from Europe every sea- 
son for Christmas and other uses, but 
not for cutting from for its berries, but 
for use as tub plans. They are planted 
in tubs a month or two in advance of 
Christmas, kept in some cool place, 
and then sold to Christmas buyers. 
They sell readily, because of the pleas- 
ure they give at Christmas and because 
after that season is over the plant can 
{Continued on page IX) 
