15 cubic metres of excavation at 4 francs =60·00 15 cubic metres of vegetable mould at 4 francs =60·00 Training poles about 5 metres in height = 1·50 ------ 121·50 Average deduction of 15 per cent. resulting from letting by tender 18·23 ------ Price by contract 103·27 Pipe drainage and materials 11·15 Watering appliance (average) 2·50 Cast iron grating round the base 46·69 Transport of tree from nursery 2·00 Planting, including stakes 3·00 Iron basket (to protect stem) 8·70 The tree 5·00 Labour for planting 1·69 ------ 184·00 The maintenance of each tree costs 1·58 francs. The total cost, therefore, of each tree capitalised reaches about 8_l._, and its life is said not to exceed twelve years. Before closing this chapter it is well to advert to the evident importance that the legislature attach to the planting and preservation of trees along the sides of the public streets in this country and their desire to protect them, as the following clause of the Public Health Act 1875 will show. “. . . Any person who, without the consent of the urban authority, wilfully displaces or takes up, or who injures the pavement, stones, materials, fences, or posts of, _or the trees_ in any such street shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding five pounds, and to a further penalty not exceeding five shillings for every square foot of pavement, stones, or other materials so displaced, taken up, or injured; he shall also be liable in the case of _any injury to trees_ to pay to the local authority such amount of compensation as the court may award” (38 & 39 Vic. c. 55, s. 149). It is a great source of regret that mischievous persons can be found who by their wilful malice injure the trees planted at the sides of streets out of the public funds and with great expense and trouble. [215] By the “Commons Act 1876,” powers were given to acquire and lay out commons for purposes of public recreation, etc. [216] Upon this latter point _Vide_ 24 & 25 Vic. c. 61, s. 21. [217] As a preservative against the malicious disfigurement of wooden seats, I have seen the following inscription placed upon some seats in an old public park, “Never cut a friend,” and it had apparently the desired effect.