OCR Text |
Show TREES. The near approach of the spring season suggests the desirability of trees in the scheme of beautifying our city. While many streets have had their border of threes destroyed by the establishment of new grades for sidewalks and street improvements, it is pleasing to note that sufficient ground is left between be-tween the roadway and sidewalks upon which new trees can be started with almost certainty of their growth. On streets where sidewalks and paving I completely cover the ground, thus preventing the absorption of moisture, trees will not grow, but with four or five feet not thus sealed, as our broad residence streets will have when improvements are completed, there is no reason why our thoroughfares outside the business district should not be lined with trees as they wore before the em of improvment set in. Nothing has tended more to give our city a reputation rep-utation as the city beautiful than the long lines of poplars bordering our thoroughfares and the streams of clear water which furnished the means of sustaining life in those trees. Methods no doubt can be devised whereby the same conditions may be restored, and the paving will but add to the beauty. Aside from the beautifying effect which trees have, they make life more agreeable and the city more comfortable as a place of residence, and tourists tour-ists no doubt appreciate the trees and probably linger ling-er in our midst because of them. If this be a fact, it is evident that our trees are profitable from a purely pecuniary view. It is certain, however, that trees left standing several feet above the level established es-tablished by new grades will not live long. The methods of irrigation used to supply the trees with necessary moisture are not conducive to the growth of deep roots, and trees thus left above the street level have had most of their feeders destroyed. Xew trooe should be started to replace these, and attention atten-tion should be paid to the necessity of watering them during the dry season. Plans for improving streets should take this feature specially into account. ac-count. It is quite as important as a good roadway, and would add to the value of property fronting on such streets, to say nothing of the comfort derived from the shade, Americans are not so practical as the (leriiians in the matter of trees. In the province of Ilaimvcr, the public highways are lined with fruit trees, ami have been for nearly 100 years as the result, of the public spirited work of some nobleman. It is estimated esti-mated that a L'O.OOO-acre orchard would not contain the trees along these highways. The government maintains large nurseries to supply young trees to replace those destroyed by the elements or which have died of age. The Herman idea is profitable, too, the net income from the sale of fruit, running some years as high as 40,(1(10. Willi all our boasted wisdom and prosperity, the old world affords at least one lesson of practical usefulness. Plant trees. |