ARBORICULTURE 



29 



The elm is a gross feeder, and its de- 

 mands for fertile soil and abundant moist- 

 ure must be supplied, otherwise it is folly to 

 plant this tree; yet so long as it maintains 

 a thrifty growth it is able to withstand the 

 attacks of insects and disease. 



There are many varieties of the elm fam- 

 ily, but two are prominent — Ulmus campes- 

 tris, the English elm, which was largely 

 planted in New England during the Revolu- 

 tionary period, many grand specimens of 

 which still remain in excellent condition. 

 The historic trees upon Boston Common are 

 largely English elm. 



Throughout the West and South the na- 

 tive American elm has been almost exclu- 

 sively used. 



This is doing finely in Colorado and Utah 

 under irrigation. At Denver and in Salt 

 Lake City, and other points in the West, 

 wherever water is supplied the elm is emi- 

 nently successful. 



We present three views of typical elm 

 trees. No. 1 is a natural growth where 

 allowed to spread its branches and form a 

 round, broad head. This tree is eighty feet 

 high, while its branches spread over 7,500 

 square feet of surface. Yet this is by no 

 means an unusually large tree. 



No. 2 is another type, but which shows 

 the effect of clearing away the surrounding 

 forest, which had eliminated the lower 

 branches. 



No. 3 shows more distinctly this effect, 

 the broad spreading head having overtopped 

 all its fellows, and now it stands alone with 

 bare trunk. 



If a handsome form, good shade and long 

 lived permanent tree is desired, sufficient 

 room must be given while trees are young 

 and vigorous. Too many trees are planted 

 on a given space and little care given to 

 each. For permanent trees forty feet apart 

 is none too far, although a temporary tree 

 may be planted half way between the others, 

 but these intermediate trees must be re- 

 moved before they injure the more valuable 

 ones. It requires nerve to cut out a tree, 

 but it is often necessary, as has occurred on 

 Commonwealth avenue, Boston, where the 

 trees were injuring each other. 



THE MAGNIFICENT HARD MAPLES. 



In nomenclature we adhere to Linnaeus. 

 There are two principal forms of the maple, 

 Acer rubrum, scarlet maple, and Acer dasy- 

 carpum, silver maple, both growing in 



swamps. And the hard maples which are 

 found upon higher and drier locations. 

 Acer saccharinum, sugar maple, Acer pseu- 

 doplatanus, sycamore maple, Acer plata- 

 noides, Norway maple, with several varia- 

 tions or sub-varieties of each. Besides there 

 are others of which we have not now time 

 to speak. 



Throughout the Northern and Eastern 

 states the sugar maple surpasses all other 

 trees in nearly all those qualities which con- 

 stitute a perfect tree. 



While the forests remained the sugar 

 camp was a noted resort, as upon these 

 trees was the dependence for sugar and 

 syrup by the pioneers of America. 



In the dense woods the true beauty of 

 this tree was imperfectly observed. The 

 coloring of the foliage after being touched 

 by autumn frosts is superb. The mountain 

 landscapes throughout New England and the 

 Alleghanies are grand when the maple as- 

 sumes its gorgeous hues. 



It is a remarkably clean tree, few insects 

 are found upon it, and it is very free from 

 disease. 



An erroneous impression prevails that it 

 is slow of growth, but this all depends upon 

 the soil in which it is planted and the care 

 it afterwards receives. If these be favor- 

 able the tree responds quickly to the kind- 

 ness bestowed. 



The silver or soft maple will grow more 

 quickly, but it requires constant pruning to 

 preserve a proper form. The branches are 

 inclined to grow at great length, and as the 

 wood is brittle a strong wind or adhering 

 snow breaks them down, usually injuring 

 them permanently. Not so the hard maples, 

 which require little or no pruning and are 

 strong, wiry and stand the storms well. 



The hard maples grow in a clay or com- 

 pact soil and with less moisture than do the 

 soft forms or swamp maples. The roots 

 are vigorous, large, and penetrate deep into 

 the subsoil. 



In suburban districts about our cities 

 there is no tree that will give equal satis- 

 faction. By far the handsomest avenues of 

 New England and New York are composed 

 of the sugar maple. 



By all means purchase trees from respon- 

 sible nurseries, and secure such as have 

 been often transplanted and have good, 

 well-balanced roots. The top may be formed 

 after planting, but ample roots are a neces- 

 sity. For intermediate trees I would rec- 



