PARK AND CEMETERY. 
39 
social features were enjoyed by all present. 
The following were among those pres- 
ent: The Mayor and Commissioners Cold- 
well and Smith, of Newburgh; Commis- 
sioners Ward and Eliot, of New York 
City; Colonel Austen and Messrs. Man- 
ning, Green, Zartmann, Beatty, Burgevin, 
Haible, Merkel, Walsh, Paul, Kelsey, Levi- 
son and Grassau. J. J. Levison, 
Secretary. 
ASSOCIATION EMPLOYMENT 
BUREAU, 
Wanted: A position in some line of land- 
scape work offering good futurity ; four 
years’ experience at surveying, etc., pre- 
vious to four years’ course at Pennsylva- 
nia State College, School of Landscape 
Gardening. Address “B. X.,” care Secre- 
tary Levison. 
J. J. Levison, Secretary and Treasurer, 
American Association of Park Superintend- 
ents. Dear Mr. Levison : I am very grate- 
ful to you for printing my letter in this 
issue of Park and Cemetery and for the 
information contained in your reply. I have 
long been of the same rhind as yourself 
regarding the need of undergrowth and 
mulch in the preservation of our park 
trees. Unfortunately, however, a large area 
of the parks have already been opened up, 
the undergrowth all removed and sod es- 
tablished, and these portions of the parks 
are needed by the people who throng to 
these parks. 
The present problem that we have to con- 
sider is: “What are the best methods of 
preserving the forest trees standing in these 
cleared areas?” We cannot let these areas 
go back to their original condition and yet 
we would like to preserve the old forest 
trees. 
I shall be very grateful to you for any 
information you may be able to give me. 
Fred J. Lazell, 
Dept, of Parks and Public Property. 
Cedar Rapids, la. 
* * * 
Fred J. Lazell, Cedar Rapids, la. Dear 
Mr. Lazell : I want to acknowledge your 
letter of the 18 th inst. and possibly add 
one or two more thoughts on the subject 
of “What are the best methods of preserv- 
ing the forest trees standing in these cleared 
areas?” 
Under the conditions mentioned, I pre- 
sume it will be practical to suggest that the 
older trees be fertilized with well-rotted 
manure and well-decomposed leaf mold 
mixed with black loam. Such fertilization 
should extend about eight inches or more 
in the ground and to a distance away from 
the stem of the tree equal to the spread of 
the branches. In applying this fertilizer the 
A member who is superintendent of parks 
in a metropolitan northern city wishes to 
change position on account of political in- 
terference with his work. Trained in hor- 
ticulture, planning and development of 
parks; has done important work of park de- 
velopment, and is thoroughly familiar with 
park work of every character; can furnish 
highest references as to ability to take 
charge of large city park system. Address 
“Politics,” care Secretary Levison. 
NOTICE. 
Mail addressed to Bernard F. Rifkin, 
Reading, Pa., has been returned to me by 
the Reading postoffice on several occasions, 
and I would therefore ask you to kindly 
insert a notice in your columns calling 
upon Mr. Rifkin or his friends to furnish 
his correct address to the Secretary. 
sod will naturally have to be lifted up and 
replaced. 
This, however, is an expensive process 
and cannot be recommended for general 
use, and I must, therefore, repeat that if 
you can re-establish the natural forest con- 
ditions, you will find it to be not only the 
easiest method, the least expensive method, 
but in the long run also the most beneficial 
method for all trees on the grounds. What 
I mean by re-establishing the forest con- 
ditions is to stock the ground with a large 
number of trees, so that in as short as pos- 
sible a time you can have the crowns of 
these trees meet and the ground under- 
neath entirely shaded out. As soon as this 
condition has been reached you already 
have the conditions necessary for a natural 
forest. From that moment on the soil will 
begin to change for the better. The fallen 
leaves will decay rapidly, change into humus 
and enrich the soil from year to year. The 
older trees will then also be thereby bene- 
fited. Of course, it will be important to se- 
lect trees for such underplanting as will 
stand the shade produced by the older trees 
above. Hemlock and beeches are generally 
excellent species for that purpose. 
The wholesale dying of trees which were 
formerly accustomed to forest conditions 
may often also be attributed to other causes, 
such as overthinning as well as to the in- 
sects and disease, all of which can only be 
judged best by a personal examination on 
the grounds. I have seen many instances 
in this locality where fine specimen oaks 
growing under woodland conditions sud- 
denly began to die because these woodlands 
were heavily thinned and the sun and the 
wind allowed to dry up the remaining trees 
and the soil around them. 
T doubt whether I can say much more to 
advantage on this subject without knowing 
a good deal more about the premises, but 
trust that the few suggestions have al- 
ready been of some assistance to you and 
that you will get many more valuable sug- 
gesitons from our fellow members. 
Very truly yours, 
J. J. Levison, Secretary. 
* * * 
In the last issue of Park and Cemetery 
we read the letter of Fred J. Lazell, in 
which he asks the brethren for advice in 
saving his woodland trees. 
This thinning out of the forest and rak- 
ing off the mulching (making a grove, as 
it were) will always result in disappoint- 
ment unless we correct certain other con- 
ditions. 
Right here it becomes necessary to study 
the characteristic difference between a 
woodland tree and one growing in isola- 
tion. The woodland tree is tall and pro- 
portionately weak of trunk, because this 
tree was striving for more light, and the 
surrounding trees protected it from storms, 
so that there was no necessity for pro- 
ducing a strong trunk. The root system 
is also much different with the woodland 
tree. These roots are all found growing 
near the surface, because here, in the leaf 
mould, is found the greatest amount of 
plant food and moisture. These conditions 
are just the opposite with the isolated tree; 
it must adapt itself to conditions of storm 
and drought, thereby growing strong of 
trunk and deep rooted. 
Now, when we rake off the leaves and' 
leaf mould, we rob these trees of their 
supply of food and moisture and practically 
lay the roots bare; then if we thin out 
one-half the trees, we subject the re- 
maining trees to more violent storms than 
their physical condition can withstand, and 
the result of these trees being swayed and 
bent just a little farther than is good for 
the tissue will result in a rupture of the 
sap cells, which generally is first noticed 
in a dead lop or possibly a side branch. 
Having made several good groves out of 
the most dense woodland, I can safely rec- 
ommend the following treatment: After 
taking out the weakest trees and raking 
off the roughest of the leaves and sticks, 
apply four inches of good top-soil over the 
entire surface. Cultivate with harrow or 
disk for one whole season before sowing 
down for lawn. This will make a proper 
bond with the sub-soil. Where the remain- 
ing trees are proportionately weak of trunk 
for their height it is well to cut them back 
severely. Always remember to do this by 
gradation, ;. e., don’t permit one tree to 
stand out thirty feet higher than its neigh- 
bor. Don’t be afraid of this cutting back. 
I have cut slender trees in half, and the 
new head, in four years’ time, was better 
than I thought possible in an oak tree. 
Add four inches of good top-soil, as 
mentioned above, if you would have a 
lawn that is worthy of the name, and this 
top dressing will help the trees to adapt 
themselves to the new condition. 
Wm. G. MacLean, 
Madison, Wis. Supt. of Parks. 
WOODLAND TREES IN THE PARKS. 
