Cbe matfonal IHurscryman. 
FOR GROWERS AND DEALERS IN NURSERY STOCK 
The National Nurseryman Publishing Co., Incorporated 
Vol. XXX. 
HATBORO, PENNA., JANUARY 1922 
No. 1 
Care of Public Parks 
By Frederick W. Kelsey In The New York World 
In the following interview, Mr. Kelsey, who is known as the “Father of the Essex County, N. J., Parks,” 
and one of the Park Commissioners in the early development of those parks, gives in this interview convincing 
reasons for liberal park appropriations. 
Mr. Kelsey prepared the original Shade Tree Commission Law of New Jersey (1893), which in its main fea¬ 
tures has since been adopted in a number of other states. He was one of the original members of the American 
Forestry Association, the American Civic Association and, similar organizations. His book, “The First County 
Park System” has been widely read by those interested in public parks. 
Mr. Kelsey is a man of wide experience and actively interested, in civic and legislative affairs and President 
of the F. W. Kelsey Nursery Company. He is well qualified to discuss the requirements and up-to-date treat¬ 
ment of public parks. 
From the growing interest in parks, while every one 
recognizes that reduced municipal expenditures are now 
desirable, in accomplishing this by undue limitation of 
appropriations required for park purposes frequently 
costs far ‘more, especially for planting improvements 
and restorations where such needed improvements are 
deferred. 
As a treeless city with unkept parks is lacking in one 
of its principal attractions and valuable assets, likewise, 
the parks suffer an irreparable loss from lack of the 
requisite care, especially of its plantations and the 
proper upkeep of the green turf, trees and shrubbery to 
the highest standard of landscape efficiency. 
Those who have not given the subject of public parks 
particular attention are apt to under estimate the im¬ 
portance of their being maintained in the best possible 
condition. The more consideration given this matter, the 
more this fact is recognized. The people have a pride in 
their parks as is now reflected in public opinion. 
When it is realized that the growth and development 
of trees and shrubbery with the exception of favorably 
located real estate, are about the only kind il property 
that continuously and rapidly increases in value, instead 
of deteriorating from the cost as do all artificial con¬ 
structions from buildings to bridges, the first cost of 
trees even with a large expense for planting—as for in¬ 
stance on the boulevards and streets of Paris—elimin¬ 
ates the objection to a suitable appropriation based on 
the cost, and places the financial status of all such ap¬ 
propriations in a distinct class wholly different from 
other municipal expenditures. As the enthusiastic 
Scotchman put it, “the trees will be growin’ while ye’re 
sleepin,” and he may well have added they keep grow¬ 
ing whether we’re asleep or awake. 
Trees, however, being things of life, must have 
proper conditions of soil, planting, needed pruning and 
after care to insure proper development. And intelligent 
Tree Surgery under city tree growth conditions has also 
become a pre-requisite of success, like the strides ot 
medical surgery during the past decade. ' Iree Doctor¬ 
ing” has become a well recognized factor by the well in¬ 
formed in the management of trees. Something more 
than the use of the woodmen’s axe, as recently recom¬ 
mended by one of the Landscape Architects and others 
besides the requisite fertilizers are necessary for insur¬ 
ing satisfactory results in the upkeep and restoration of 
all city parks and street trees. 
As a rule, especially in municipal planting, smaller 
trees are preferable. They move more readily and far 
better bear the effect of transplanting, make much bet¬ 
ter specimens and are far less costly. 
There is a trite and true saying, “the more one plants 
the smaller the trees required.” It is obvious that ample, 
good soil and open space for roots that admit the neces¬ 
sary moisture is a primal requisite for all plantings. 
Even with shrubbery beds, groupings and borders, this 
is also a fundamental requirement. Frequently in cities, 
park, avenue and street plantings, trees are dying from 
lack of care and proper environment. Larger street trees 
are some times found with an opening in the stone or 
cement flagging only three or four feet wide and the 
smooth hard pavement to the stone curb prevents the 
necessary moisture reaching the roots. The trees are in 
consequence literally dying from thirst. Sufficient atten¬ 
tion has not been given to these important conditions. 
Some of the critics of public parks cast too gloomy a 
view with the average reader who does not take the op¬ 
portunity of personally examining park conditions. The 
defects from the necessity of more tree replacements, 
removal of dead wood, proper thinning and pruning, 
care of the turf, are unduly magnified. 
As a former Park Commissioner with some degree of 
familiarity for many years with the leading park sys¬ 
tems of this country and of the larger European cities. I 
have frequently compared park criticisms with actual 
conditions. 
That increased appropriations and executive direction 
for promptly effecting the needed park improvements, is 
vitally important cannot be questioned. This is well il¬ 
lustrated by the present decadent condition of Central 
Park, Manhattan, and Prospect Park, Brooklyn, the two 
large centrally located parks of Greater New York. The 
