667 
PARK AND C EM ETERY 
Cavity filling is justified only where 
the tree is a much valued specimen, 
where the filling can serve the prac- 
tical purpose of eliminating moisture 
pnd where every trace of diseased 
wood can be thoroughly removed 
before the filling is inserted. In many 
cases the proper use of the chisel or 
gouge alone without the filling will 
eliminate all disease and leave the 
wound in a position where moisture 
will not collect. The absolute eradi- 
cation of all infested wood from a 
neglected cavity is often impossible, 
and in many cases where this is true, 
the axe is by far the safest and most 
practicable tool. Street trees espe- 
cially should be cut down as soon as 
they become hollow or badly infested 
with disease. For as soon as the 
citizen notifies the authorities of the 
condition of his tree, all responsibility 
is shifted on the city and lawsuits 
are sure to follow in case of any sub- 
sequent damage. 
Spring is the time for planting, but 
the preparation for planting should 
be commenced in the fall. Fall is the 
time to purchase trees and leave them 
standing labelled in the nursery for 
spring delivery. Holes in the side- 
walk about five feet long, three feet 
wide and three feet deep may be 
opened in the fall and ashes, tin cans 
and beer bottles frequentlj^ compos- 
ing a street soil may be changed for 
a cubic yard of rich black loam. 
In selecting the trees for street 
planting consideration should be 
given not only to the species but to 
the specimen as well. The specimen 
tree should be about 2'^ inches in 
diameter, should possess a straight 
trunk, a definite leader and a sym- 
metrical crown, commencing at seven 
to nine feet from the ground. It is 
sometimes difficult to find trees that 
will in every respect meet these speci- 
fications and it might then be well to 
agree to a smaller diameter, but to 
insist on well formed specimens. In- 
dividual perfection, symmetry and uni- 
formity are fundamental principles in 
successful street planting. For this 
reason it is important to plant trees 
on the same street or at least on a 
stretch of several blocks, to have all 
trees of uniform size and to set them 
out at equal distance apart. Thirty 
feet apart is a suitable distance for 
most street trees and a tree like the 
elm should be allowed sixty feet. It 
is in the realization of just such 
points wherein lie the advantages in 
havng a municipality undertake such 
work. If left to the citizens to do 
this individually, the trees will be 
planted either too close or too far 
apart. Alany species will be mixed on 
the same block and manj^ blocks will 
have no trees at all. 
As to the selection of the species, 
that will of course vary with the lo- 
cal conditions. In a general way, 
however, persons in the east will find 
the Oriental Sycamore the hardiest 
of all for street planting. The syca- 
more has lately been slightly afflicted 
with a leaf blight (gloeosporeum nev- 
isequum), but the disease has not 
become general enough to do serious 
damage. The Norway Maple is an- 
other tree equally desirable. The oaks 
though of slower grow'th at first, are 
by far the noblest and most long- 
lived trees. The red, pin and scarlet 
oaks are the three best species for 
street purposes. The red oak is the 
fastest growing and least fastidious 
in its soil and moisture requirements. 
The pin oak is the most beautiful 
when its low pendulous branches are 
disturbed as little as possible and 
when its roots can get plenty of 
moisture. The tree is therefore best 
adapted for suburban sections. The 
scarlet oak is worth the trial for its 
persistent and brilliant foilage. The 
Ginkgo has demonstrated its adapta- 
bility to poor soils, to unfavorable 
city conditions, and its resistance of 
insects and disease. It should be 
tried to a greater extent for street 
planting than it generally is. The 
English Elm is another tree doing 
well in many large cities. 
There are a number of trees that 
are planted for their admirable quali- 
ties of either form, color or beauty 
of their flowers, but requiring special 
favorable conditions and care, should 
be chosen with a greater degree of 
hesitance than the above, and plant- 
ed preferably in suburban sections 
rather than in the heart of the city. 
The principal of these are the sugar 
and red maple, European linden, 
horsechestnut, American elm, and tu- 
lip tree. 
The Sugar maple has a symmetrical 
form and combines many shades of 
color in the fall, but requires plenty 
of moisture. In the vicinity of New 
York City, the trees of this species 
planted in the heart of the city are 
rapidly dying off and there is no other, 
cause attributable for this condition 
except the excessive evaporation from 
the leaves against the meager quan- 
tity of moisture taken in by the roots 
from the impoverished street soil. 
The red maple and the linden are 
both moisture loving trees and. the lat- 
ter is a favorable food for insect pests. 
The European linden is the better tree 
for street planting. The American lin- 
den grows very straggly in the vicin- 
ity of New York though it seems to do 
better further south. The horsechest- 
nut prefers a rich soil and is subject 
to a fungus disease, which discolors its 
leaves, causing them to drop in mid- 
summer. It is also a common victim 
of “slime flux,” a disease that causes 
the flow of sap from crevices in the 
trunk. The tree is used extensively 
abroad for street planting but for reas- 
ons just stated, should be used more 
sparingly in this country. The elm has 
the noblest form of all our shade trees 
but should only be planted on wide ave- 
nues, in suburban sections where it can 
find a deep, rich, moist soil and plenty 
of unvitiated air. The tulip tree com- 
pares favorably with other species in 
form and attractiveness but it is so ex- 
acting in its soil and moisture require- 
ments that only young specimens should 
be used and its planting restricted to 
suburban sections. 
The objectionable trees for street 
planting are all the poplars, the silver 
and sycamore maples, the catalpa, and 
male ailanthus. The poplars are very 
short-lived trees. They are dangerous 
in wind storms and grow so fast as to 
require constant cutting back. At a 
certain age their roots upset the side- 
walk and their fine rootlets clog the 
neighboring water and sewer pipes. 
Their leaves drop very early in the fall 
and if the species is of the pistilate 
kind, the catkins falling on the side- 
walk become a danger and a nuisance 
to pedestrians. The silver maples are 
constantly full of dead wood, are sub- 
ject to boring incests in the vicinity of 
New York, though in other places it 
has escaped these pests. The variety 
of ailanthus tree that bears the male or 
staminate flowers generates a strong, 
rather oppressive odor, but if the pis- 
tilate form is chosen, the tree will pro- 
duce a beautiful head and grow in 
places where no other tree will grow. 
Such are the principal problems of 
those charged with the care of street 
trees. I have not attempted to dilate 
on the details of the work because they 
are too numerous and because, as in ev- 
erything else, their solution will often 
depend more upon the judgment of the 
forester in charge and upon the local 
conditions than upon any rules that may 
be laid down. But whatever the prob- 
lems, do not let us forget that they can 
always best be solved by one equipped 
with technical knowledge and experi- 
ence and that the street trees are worth 
the effort since they are always valued 
by the citizen and ultimately lead to a 
better appreciation of the parks them- 
selves. 
