PKOCEEDINGS OF THE AUTUMN MEETING. 57 



where I have lived the past twenty-five years, as they have been subjects 

 for study and observation. About twenty years ago, a double row of 

 American elms, (over a mile in extent,) was ordered to be planted along 

 the entire front of the Agricultural College farm. Those in the street 

 were forty feet apart and ten feet from the fence, while alternating with 

 this the trees were forty feet apart and inside the fence four feet. In all 

 such designs for planting, the idea seems to prevail that long, straight 

 roAvs ol one kind of tree, with distance uniform, must make in time a 

 grand display; but such results are rarely realized — probably never. In 

 the case now under consideration, the ground is far from uniform in fer- 

 tility. The trees are very uneven in size, some now having a diameter 

 of trunk five times that of others of the same age, not far away. The 

 shapes of the tops differ a good deal. .Some trees are near native trees 

 along the road and crowded; others are near trees in the orchard. Occa- 

 sionally a tree has broken off or has been split down. In several instances, 

 one or more trees died, and others set in their places died also, and this 

 leaves unpleasant breaks in the rows. This season some of the trees 

 weremuch damagedbytwoorthreekindsof insect, while others were much 

 less molested. In these rows, to use a common expression, we venture too 

 many eggs in one basket. Now, let us pass to the west, over a gently 

 rolling country, on the same road, and see what nature has done and 

 what the orderly old-fashioned pathmaster has done. The native trees 

 and shrubs and perennial herbs in great variety have taken possession of 

 the road on either side, excepting a track of suitable width for the pas- 

 sing of teams. The fences are hidden from sight for much of the dis- 

 tance. Here is a great variety of woody growth, and some views such as 

 an artist would select for his sketching. I noticed within half a mile, 

 five or six kinds of oak, three of poplar, two of elm, two of ash, three 

 sorts of hickory, eight of willow, three of dogwood, several kinds of vibur- 

 iiura, one kind of hazel, a sumach, three kinds of maple, a blue beech, 

 ironwood, basswood, wild plum, wild crab-apple, sassafras, butternut, 

 Mack walnut, grape vines, Virginia creeper, button-bushes, two sorts 

 of wild rose, raspberries, several sorts of hawthorn, asters, and golden- 

 rod in variety. Here are bunches of second-growth called sprouts, 

 where some trees or shrubs have been cut down — very pretty; here groups 

 of hawthorns, beautiful when in flower, beautiful in autumn when full of 

 fruit; and there are bunches of willows, beyond a bog of sedges, and 

 over the willows are festoons of Virginia creeper now clothed in scarlet 

 and crimson, as are our sumachs and red maples and some of the oaks 

 and dogwoods. The highway is in excellent condition for most of the 

 year, and I know from observation and hearsay that city people and 

 others especially enjoy such roads where they can see nature dressed in 

 her neatest robe. On the knolls certain sorts prevail; in the lowlands 

 others are found, while the wet places have still a different combination. 

 I must say, that, to my way of thinking, there is much more to admire 

 along this highway of half a mile, where nature has made her mixed 

 planting, than there is along the highway where stand the double rows 

 of American elms. But, a few of those present will say that this is not 

 new ; that I told much of the same story last winter or the year before at 

 a meeting of this society. I repeat it here for its especial application to 

 village planting. I would plant or leave, if already there, some haw- 

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