ARBORICULTURE 



253 



The Red Cedar for Snow Guards. 



Last month we had an illustration of 

 snow fences for protecting railway cuts 

 from snow drifts, and explained how the 

 wind was thrown into whirls and caused 

 to deposit the snow upon the lee of such 

 obstructions. The height of the obstacle 

 governs the distance from its base at 

 which the snow will be deposited. The 

 great expense of maintaining wooden 

 fences for this purpose would suggest 

 some other and m.ore durable substitute 

 that boards. 



A living hedge, which could be kept 

 at a regular height, and which could be 

 successfully grown in arid locations and 

 high altitudes, as well as in moist regions, 

 would be a desirable acquisition. 



Some of the cretaegus thorns may well 

 be used in some moister locations, such 

 as in Central Nebraska, and eastward 

 to New England. The dwarf oak might 

 be utilized in portions of the Rocky 

 Mountains. 



Probably the best plant for this pur- 

 pose for almost all situations is the red 

 cedar, or juniper, planted in hedges at 

 proper distance from the track. 



Some score of years ago the Burling- 

 ton road attempted to control the snow 

 bv planting deciduous trees. This was 

 all right for a while, but as the trees 

 increased in height the snow was thrown 

 into the cuts, causing much additional 

 trouble in clearing the tracks. 



The cedar is a kindly plant, easily 

 transplanted, grows almost everywhere, 

 and may be pruned into any desirable 

 shape, being easily kept at the height oC 

 a fence or hedge. 



I do not consider that there is more 

 than one variety of the tree now under 

 consideration, Juniperus Virginiana, or 

 red cedar, yet there are many forms, 

 changed probably by localitv. In Maine 

 and New England the trees assume an 

 upright, slender habit, some of them be- 

 ing like a Lombardy poplar in form. 

 Similarly, many on the Hudson River are 

 very erect. 



In the mountains and craigs of Ten- 

 nessee and Southern Kentucky the cedar 

 makes a much larger tree — is spreading, 



irregular and much branched. On the 

 slopes of the Rockies it shows very great 

 age, yet is dwarfed, spreading, with short 

 trunk. 



In Kansas and Nebraska, in better 

 soils, it grows thriftily, and differs from 

 both Tennessee and Eastern shapes, be- 

 ing rounded and regular. 



In the Garden of the Gods it takes on 

 a silvery color, as do many Colorado 

 conifers. 



Nursery-grown evergreens, with com- 

 pact roots, may be readily transplanted, 

 but those grown wild extend their roots 

 to great distances and they cannot be 

 saved. The sap of evergreens is resinous, 

 and, when once dried, cannot again be 

 moistened, the sap becoming hardened 

 so it cannot flow. Never allow them to 

 remain exposed to air or sun. 



Trees 18 to 24 inches high are proper 

 size. In order to show how readily the 

 cedar may be pruned into all imaginable 

 forms, we have engraved the Italian Gar- 

 den of the late Mr. H. H. Hannewell, at 

 Wellesley, Mass. 



This magniiicent specimen of land- 

 scape architecture has been mostly if not 

 entirely formed by continuous pruning 

 with a definite object in view, of the juni- 

 per or cedar growing so abundantly in 

 the vicinity. 



The office of Secretary and Treasurer 

 of the International Society of Arbori- 

 culture is at Connersville, Ind. 



FOREST LEAVES. 



The official organ of the Pennsylvania 

 Forestry Association, in its June number, 

 contains much useful and interesting 

 reading matter and a number of fine en- 

 gravings. Forest fires occupy a large pro- 

 portion of the space. State reservations 

 are discussed. Levees and reforestation 

 form the basis of one good article. This 

 mimber is considerably improved over 

 all former issues. 



