THE ANNUAL MEETING. 149 



colors, continuauce of bloom, and all the characteristics aforementioned, I be- 

 lieve this collection stands unrivaled, and will give general satisfaction. 

 Professor Beal remarked as follows upon 



HIGHWAY PLANTING. 



The finest roads are to be found in a country where gravel abounds. To the 

 landscape gardener or the artist roads are pleasantest which wind about through 

 the country, parallel to the ridges or streams, or pass obliquely up and down 

 the hills. In Michigan most of the roads follow the points of the compass. 

 In some portions, where hills abound, these straight roads are a great tax on 

 those who work them, and on all those who travel them. In too many cases a 

 road goes over a hill when it would be just as near and save much unnecessary 

 labor if it went around the hill. 



Along the highway, we have all of us been accustomed to see trees, wherever 

 they are planted, set at equal distances from each other, and at a uniform dis- 

 tance from the fence. They are generally placed too close to each other for 

 the best results. Large kinds of trees ought not to stand nearer than forty feet 

 of each other. 



If the row is straight and unbroken, only one kind of tree should be used. 

 The longer the unbroken row of uniform trees is made, the grander the effect. 

 But just here comes in a difficulty which I have never yet seen remedied. I 

 never have seen such a long uniform row of trees. I presume no one else has 

 ever seen one. Trees are often set out all right, but one or more of them dies, 

 or is broken down by an unruly cow, or it wears off where the wind rubbed it 

 against a board, or the soil is uneven and some trees grow faster than others ; 

 borers kill or injure now and then a tree ; the wind splits down a limb or breaks 

 off the top. Perhaps another tree is kept in reserve, and is set out in place of 

 the one just planted ; but this does not catch up with those near it. In spite 

 of you, vacancies will occur. The break in the row is an eye-sore, and causes a 

 sigh of regret to every particular person who enjoys things which are neat and 

 in good order. Whenever seen, he exclaims " What a pity this row is not com- 

 plete!" 



I venture to present a different plan for higiiway planting, even at the risk 

 of differing from most of those present, and most of those everywhere who 

 advocate trees by the roadside. I am fully convinced of the plan after much 

 study and observation. As I cannot have a long row of uniform trees at equal 

 distances apart, I will not attempt it; neither will I attempt anything which 

 looks like a row of trees. I would plant trees in irregular groups. In rare 

 cases, at long intervals, let one come quite near a track of eighteen feet in 

 width. This would usually occur where the road is rather high and not likely 

 to get out of order. The groups would have a varying outline, but the length 

 would generally be in the direction of the road. Some of these groups may 

 extend into the edge of the field, if the owner of the farm is a lover of trees 

 and does not object to a little shade for his cattle and sheep in the midday sun 

 of a hot summer's day. I would plant large kinds of trees on the elevations, 

 and smaller trees or slow growing trees towards the hollows, which would gen- 

 erally be left destitute of trees. A thicket would now and then be very appro- 

 priate. 



To increase the room for tree planting, allow the I'oad occasionally to come 

 near one of the line fences, and farther on let it bend in an opposite direction. 

 I know this will be opposed by every one who has grown up to believe that the 



