SPOILING THE WILLOWS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume II, Issue 590, 31 December 1915, Page 8

SPOILING THE WILLOWS.

CUTTING BACK CONDEMNED. TREE-PLANTING IN THE CITY. EMINENT FORESTER'S VIEWS. One of the greatest living authorities on trees is Mr D, E. Hutchins, F.R.G.S., the eminent, forester who has been engaged by the New Zealand Government to report on the subject of forestry in this Dominion. Therefore Mr Hutchius's opinion that the willowy trees which are situated on those portions of the banks of the Avon under the control of the Reserves Committee of the! Christchurch City Council are being J spoilt by what is technically known as pollarding—that is, being cut back—must carry the greatest weight. Mr Hutchins was inspecting trees in North Hagley Park when he noticed a fine willow tree which happens to be in the Park, and therefore does not come under the City Council's jurisdiction. He stopped, looked at the tree , for a few moments, and thenVremarked, "That is a fine tree., lt#bisEt3t been touched, and it is a ver»rstty l tree." . Noticing took' cognisance. the tree had not representative the expert ori|'msi%Wof the Park, asked, "What think of the practice of pollarding willows, Mr Hutchins?"

"It is a bad practice when the trees are wanted for scenic purposes," was the distinguished forester's reply. "The practice is carried out where willows are wanted for basket-making, but it spoils the beauty of a tree. Pollarding a willow causes the young shoots to grow upwards, and in time a tree so treated loses many of its weeping-willow characteristics. It does not 'weep.' There is no prettier willow tree than a weeping willow which has been left to itself."

"Then the weeping willows by the Avon which have been cut back are being spoilt?" asked the pressman. "Yes," replied Mr Hutchins. Another thing which the visitor found fault with was the practice in portions of Christchurch of laying asphalt by the bases of trees. He bad noticed this particularly in Latimer Square, and he pointed out that the asphalt spoilt the tree. In reply to a question, Mr Hutchins said he admired Christchurch's beauty, but he thought that the city could be improved by more avenues of trees in the streets. "You could make this city more beautiful," said he. "Some people have a prejudice against trees in the streets, but those people do not differentiate between the conditions in England, for instance, and thpse here. In dark English streets it would be a mistake to plant many trees, as they would interfere with the light on the houses and shops, but here you have a better light. You could have more avenues of trees without any interference with light. In France and in Southern Europe generally much use is made of trees for beautifying the streets, and the result is splendid." , Subsequently the Sun man arranged a meeting between Mr Hutchins and the Mayor Of Christchurch, and the visitor promised to spend some time, after.he returns from the West Coast, in discussing the question with the Mayor and in visiting the city reserves. Mr Hutchins was very pleased with the Botanical Gardens. He remarked that they were second in Australasia only to those of Melbourne, but the latter city had a big advantage in having more money to spend on its Gardens, and a much larger staff of gardeners than Christchurch possesses. He stated that the rosary in the Christchurch Gardens was the finest he had seen. Mr Hutchins also expressed much commendation of the work and ability of the curator of the Botanical Gardens, Mr J. Young.