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STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



KINDS OF STREET TREES. 



Societies or individuals interested in civic improvement should see what can 

 be done to secure greater variety in the kinds used, not on the same street, 

 but on different streets of the city. The maple and elm are beautiful street 

 trees, but that is no reason why others should be excluded, as is often the 

 case. There are not many trees that are adapted for street planting. A 

 street tree should possess the following qualities: It should not be easily 

 injured by gas, smoke, dust and pavement; it should be at least moderately 

 quick growing, not offensive in odor when in blossom (like the pistillate 

 Ailanthus); of a size suitable to the width of the street when fully grown, 

 and adapted to the local conditions of soil and climate. The City Forester 

 of Lowell, Mass., makes the following excellent selection: 



For Wide Streets. 



American or White Elm. 



Hard or Sugar Maple. 



American Basswood (Linden). 



Horse Chestnut. 



Sweet Gum 



Sycamore. 



White Oak. 



Scarlet Oak. 



Red Oak. 



Honey Locust. 



American Chestnut. 



For Narrow Streets. 



Norway Maple. 



White or Silver Maple. 



Red Maple. 



Ailanthus. 



Cucumber tree. 



Ginkgo. 



Bay Willow. 



Pin Oak. 



Red Flowering Horse Chestnut. 



Black or Yellow Locust. 



Hardy Catalpa. 



Far too many of the several varieties of cheap and rapid growing poplars 

 are planted on our streets. These may often be planted to advantage, 

 however, between the slower-growing kinds, to be removed when the latter 

 need more space. Over crowding — the prevailing sin of street planting — ■ 

 should be guarded against. Some cities have an ordinance that no street 

 tree shall be planted less than 35 to 40 feet apart. The average distance in 

 many cities is 10 or 12 feet. Much of the beauty of a well grown tree is in 

 its symmetrj^ which is never realized under crowded planting. 



Aside from these larger considerations in street planting, there are details 

 in the care of municipal trees that tree lovers should look after. Guard the 

 trees from the gnawing of horses, which quickly ruins them. The trunk 

 of every street tree, whether small or large, should be enclosed in inexpensive 

 wire netting, or some other metal guard. Watch for trees that are being 

 killed by gas escaping from a leaking pipe, and compel the gas company 

 to repair the pipe. Insist that limbs that have to be removed are sawn off 

 close, and the wound painted, not hacked off, a foot or more from the trunk, 

 thus inviting rot. Provide for fighting the insect enemies of shade trees, 

 especially the tussock moth on elm, horse chestnut, white maple and the 

 lindens; the elm leaf scale, the cottony maple scale, and, most omnivorous 

 and dangerous of all, the San Jose scale. If there are some particularly 

 excellent specimens of trees in the neighborhood, have them marked and 

 saved. Use your influence to save the fast disappearing groves. You are 

 also interested in the country roads leading into your town. Protest against 

 the common path-master method of slashing down all the beautiful native 

 trees, shrubs and vines along the roadside, and substituting therefor a bare 

 cut over right of way, with a stiff row of maples along each side. Don't 



