A CITY OF TREES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19372, 6 July 1926, Page 16

A CITY OF TREES.

WORK OF STREET PLANTING. LARGE SCHEME IN PROGRESS. FIFTY MILES COMPLETED. Among the many forms progress is assuming in Auckland the planting of the city streets with avenues of trees holds out the most promise of artistic good. The City Council's policy in this respect is all-embracing, for practically every suburban street within its area is to be planted with trees, giving Auckland that true " garden city ' appearance which is the aim and wish of all good citizens.

During the pas. four years, street treeplanting has been pushed ahead at the rate of 1800 trees annually, or 9 to miles of streets each year, so that to-day no fewer than 50 miles of Auckland's streets have been planted. The work continues each year in the planting season with a gang of from four to six men, under the supervision of Mr. T. E. Pearson, superintendent of parks. Two men are engaged in pruning in tho proper months. Last yea pruning was carried out over 38 miles of street, and the work naturally grows heavier as the planting continues.

The tree-planting activities of the City Council at the present time are concentrated in three different directions. There is first of all the planting of the city streets with exotics, then tliero is the experiment of planting New Zealand native trees in the Domain, and finally there is the afforestation work in progress at Cornwallis Park, in the Waitakeres. Trees from Australia. A good deal of thought and attention has been devoted to street tree-planting in recent years, for it stands to reason that different classes of trees are suited to different localities and varying conditions of soil. Exotic trees are chosen primarily for this work, as one or two early attempts 'o grow native trees and shrubs in suburban streets turned out to be failures owing to the difficulty of acclimatising them in volcanic soil faf from their natural bush haunts. The result is that all trees selected for street plantinr now come from Australian nurseries, where the dry climato ensures a hardy early growth. The favourite species imported in this way include elms of the Canadiao type, silver birches (poetically called " our lady of the wood,") planes, grevillias (the Australian silk oak), eucalypti, of the flowering type, and the tropical pepper plant. The only New Zealand tree which has found a satisfactory place in the scheme is the puriri, which is flourishing exceptionally well in certain suburban streets.

The planes are chiefly noted for their rapid growth in the Auckland climato. It is nothing for them to shoot up from 6ft. to Bft. in th' short space of six months, and for this reason they are invaluable for planting in the colder, more exposed localities where trees of less hardihood would become stunted. Thus the roads on the Westmere Estate and Point Chevalier arc to be planted with this species, together with Canadian ehns. Worlc will be commenced - at Point Chevalier very shortly in order that the whole of the planting in ay be accomplished this season. • Peppers and Japanese Cherries.

Last year Marine • Parade, Heme Bay, •was planted with peppers (schinus molli), which have since made abnormal growth, encouraging, probably, a more extensive use of thesr picturesque trees in the immediate future. They are best suited to sheltered localities.

Apother successful experiment was the planting of Japanese flowering cherries in Banff Avenue, Epsom, and Woodley Avenue, Remuera. These trees are extensively grown in the streets of California and their importation into Now Zealand s has give, every satisfaction. Those planted in the two streets named have shown a vigorous, healthy growth, anil have flowered well, bearing a small red cherry. Authorities say they are doinjr as well as in their original home of japan. It is the intention of the City Council Parks Committee to plant out more of these beautiful trees this year.

The work that has been going on at the Pariiell end cf the Domain, should take definite shape in th<> next few days, when a start will be made with the planting out of from 21 to 3 acre- in native trees and shrubs. Anothei five acres, which has been cleared, will be planted in a subsequent season. t Native Flora for Domain, This work is perhaps the most interesting that the council has in hand, as it constitutes sn attempt to reconstruct in the very centra of the city a typical segment of New Zealand bush. Attempts in this direction have been going on for vears. through the instrumentality of Mr. Pesrson, and a few native trees and palms, including 500 nikaus, have been planted in the midsl ->f the exotic forest. It'was decided, however, simultaneously with this steady permeation of the exotic thickets with native flora, to clear an area on the eastern side of the Domain and plant it out entirely with mixed native trees and tree ferns. No fewer than 1400 native trees and shrubs arc now Teadv to be planted out in this area, in addition to 1000 pungas, or young tree ferns. A great deal of preliminary work has already been completed in the way of rejuvenating the soil with rich humus. It is interesting to note that, apart from the new soil introduced into the Domain, the large amount of 500 tons of black soil is required every year for the street planting work. In the last two years during which treeplartting has been carried on in Auckland the gkrdeners have been much encouraged by the interest and solicitude of the public in tbeir work. It is not very long ago since the destruction of young trees bv hooligans constituted a serious menace, but the complete disappearance of this type of vandalism has in recent months been a marked feature. The City Council and its staff take a certain pride in referring to this aspect of the work, and express their indebtedness to the public for the widespread interest taken in the present comprehensive scheme for the beautification of the city. When it is remembered that, apart from the restful effect of an avenue of trees, the green foliage acts as a potent health-giver by replenishing the oxygen in the air. there is a very real utilitarian reason for helping the council in its work.