Ornamental and Shade Trees 



A Department for the Advice and Instruction of Members of the American Forestry Association 



Edited by J. J. Levison, B.A., M.F. 



SELECTING TREES FOR PLANTING 



WHILE spring is the time for planting, the prepa- 

 rations for planting should commence in the 

 fall. Fall is the time to purchase trees and 

 leave them standing labelled in the nursery for spring 

 delivery. Holes in the sidewalk about five feet long, 

 three feet wide and three feet deep may be opened in the 

 fall and the ashes, tin cans and bottles frequentiv com- 

 posing a street soil may be changed for two cubic yards 

 of rich black loam. 



In selecting the trees for street planting, consideration 

 should be given not only to the species but to the speci- 

 men as well. The specimen tree should be about 2] 2 

 inches in diameter, should possess a straight trunk, a 

 definite leader and a svmmetrical crown, commencino- at 

 seven to nine feet from the ground. It is sometimes 

 difficult to find trees that will, in every respect, meet these 

 specifications and it might then be well to agree to a 

 smaller diameter, but to insist on well-formed specimens. 

 Individual perfection, symmetry and unifonnity are fun- 

 damental principles in successful street planting. For 

 this reason, it is important to plant trees of the same 

 species on the same street or at least on a stretch of 

 several blocks ; to have all trees of uniform size and to set 

 them out at equal distances apart. Thirty feet apart is 

 a suitable distance for most street trees and a tree like 

 the elm should be allowed sixty feet. It is in the realiza- 

 tion of just such points wherein lie the advantages in 

 having a municipality undertake such work. If left 

 to the citizens to do this indi\-idnally, the trees will be 

 planted either too 

 close or too far 

 apart. Alany spe- 

 cies will be mixed 

 on the same block 

 and many blocks 

 will have no trees 

 at all. 



-\s to the selec- 

 tion of the species, 

 that will, of course, 

 \' a r y w i t h the 

 region and local 

 conditions. In a 

 general way, how- 

 ever, persons in the 

 East will find the 

 oriental sycamore 

 the hardiest of all 

 for street planting. 

 The svcamore has 



A WELL PLANTED STREET 



Here are two fine rows of Norway maples which, with a few years' growth, will give a bountiful shade. 

 The street is in Brooklyn, where expert attention is given to street tree planting. 



lately been slightly afflicted with a leaf blight (gloeo- 

 sporeum nervisequuni ), but the disease has not become 

 general enough to do serious damage. The Norzuay maple 

 is another tree equally desirable. The oaks, though 

 of slower growth at first, are by far the noblest and 

 most long-li\ed trees. The red, pin and scarlet oaks 

 are the three best species for street purposes. The red 

 oak is the fastest growing and least fastidious in its soil 

 and moisture requirements. The pin oak is most beauti- 

 ful when its low pendulous branches are disturbed as 

 little as possible and when its roots can get plenty of 

 moisture. The tree is therefore best adapted for sub- 

 urban sections. The scarlet oak is worth the trial for its 

 persistent and brilliant foliage. The Ginkgo has demon- 

 strated its adaptability to poor soils, to unfavorable city 

 conditions and its resistance to insects and disease. It 

 should be tried to a greater extent for street planting 

 than it generally is. The English elm is another tree 

 doing well in many large cities. 



There are a number of trees that are planted for their 

 admirable qualities of either form, color or beauty of their 

 flowers, but, requiring special favorable conditions and 

 care, they should be chosen with a greater degree of hesi- 

 tancy than the above and planted preferably in the 

 suburban sections rather than in the heart of the city. 

 The principal of these are the sugar and red maple, Euro- 

 pean linden, horse-chestnut, American elm and tulip tree. 

 The sugar maple has a symmetrical form and combines 

 nian\- shades of color in the fall, but requires plenty of 



moisture. In the 

 vicinity of New 

 York City, the trees 

 of this species 

 planted in the heart 

 of the city are rap- 

 idly dying off and 

 there is no other 

 cause attributable 

 for this condition 

 except the excessive 

 evaporation from 

 the leaves against 

 the meagre quan- 

 tity of moisture 

 taken in by the roots 

 from the impover- 

 ished street soil. 



The red maple 

 and the linden are 

 both moisture^lov- 

 543 



