SOCIETY OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS. 157 



though they were able to heal wounds as speedily as they are made. 

 Pruning is often practiced with as little study as in splitting stove- 

 wood. In spite, therefore, of the necessary prominence and useful- 

 ness of trees for highways it is very rare to find them, either in town 

 or country, even fairly well selected and managed — a shameful 

 acknowledgement. Is it not time that the horticulturists of the 

 country should vigorously bestir themselves upon a subject so general 

 in interest and so important in public esteem? Missionaries are 

 needed, — home missionaries in every township and school district, 

 where line upon line and precept upon precept must be largely relied 

 upon, for example, alas, is too slow. The beauty of an avenue of 

 trees comes only after decades or centuries. He who waits for the 

 stimulus of the results of his neighbor's recent planting most likely 

 waits for ever. Older planting must be studied. What lessons ai'e 

 daily taught by the magnificent avenue of elms on Boston's 

 " common,'' planted before the Declaration of Independence was 

 signed ! In our fertile soil less time is required for splendid results, 

 but in all cases prominence in thought ought to be given to the 

 distant future in tree planting on streets. 



This is no place for detailed directions which must necessarily 

 trespass upon the time, if not upon the patience of the society, but 

 some general considerations are offered. Let us first note some of 

 the qualifications of good road and street trees. These may be dis- 

 cussed under the heads of (1) appearance; (2), size; (3), hai'diness 

 and healthfulness. 



1. It is uot saying too much that an ornamental tree must be 

 ornamental, and valuable in the degree of the latter quality. The 

 manner of growth, the shape of the head, the peculiarity of the 

 branches, the quality and color of the foliage, the time of the ap- 

 pearance of the leaves in spring and their fall in autumn, the flowers 

 and the fruit, all enter into the complex whole, making a beautiful 

 and appropriate tree. It would lead us too far to attempt specifica- 

 tions here, but an inference ma}^ be had from the selected kinds 

 named below. Usually the head should be naturally round — neither 

 spire-like nor drooping; the foliage should be abundant with consid- 

 erable play of light and shadow, and length of season, earliness ana 

 lateness combined, is desirable. Flowers give additional charm, but 

 ought never to be counted against good foliage. 



2. As to size, a mistaken idea seems prevalent that the largest 

 growing trees are the best. A fine tree of great size is, indeed, 

 a magnificent object — one of natures grandest productions; but we 

 especially admire this as a single specimen standing in an open park 

 or field. For rows along the highways less size is better for the 

 practical, if not for the artistic, results. The road-bed itself should 

 not be shaded, neither should a continuous wall of foliage be per- 

 mitted, shutting out the breeze and the view from the traveled-way. 



