THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 685 



AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE SETTING OF WAYSIDE TREES. 



By A. L. BancrofTj Oakland, Cal. 



Because trees have been set in stiff, exact rows along the waysides for 

 ages, the possibility of there being any different and better way is 

 apparently never even thought of. 



Consider nature's way of grouping her trees and plants: there are 

 no straight lines and no uniform and exact spaces between growing 

 things of her setting, and she attains far better and more artistic 

 results in her work than the man with the straight-edge and measuring 

 line, and there is no end to her ever-changing combinations and artistic 

 effects. The "English garden," with its stiff straight lines, is an 

 abomination. The best to be secured is to follow along nature's lines, 

 but adopting them to the varying conditions of the waysides. 



In place of rows set the trees in clumps, as a rule of but a single 

 variety in a clump. Let the clumps vary in size and natural group- 

 ings to fit the place, from three to thirty in a bunch ; the distance apart 

 of the trees and the number in a clump to depend upon the size and 

 growth, habit of the tree and the distance between the clumps to 

 depend upon the lay of the land, the soil, moisture, exposure, and 

 other conditions. 



The grouping of the trees should be the work of landscape artists, 

 the best available. Their work would add much to the beauties of the 

 landscape that took in such roads. Some clumps might extend two or 

 three trees deep into the roadway, and, with the consent and co- 

 operation of the landowner, some might also project back into the 

 fields. Others, like the tall straight lombardy poplar and Eucalyptus 

 glohulous, would be effective in straight strings of about five in a line. 

 The setting of the stakes for the clumps and for each tree in the clump 

 should be the result of intelligent, artistic consideration given to each 

 particular group. The spaces between clumps should be, probably, 

 from fifty to two hundred feet. By this way of treating the waysides 

 much better results can be obtained. The view of the road from a 

 distance would be vastly more attractive, and the view from the roads 

 would be much more enjoyable than to have it alternate every second 

 or two by trees cutting off the view. 



The roads would have more sun to dry up the summer as well as the 

 winter rains, which would be an economic feature of importance enough, 

 to be taken into account and there would be numerous shady places 

 under which to alight and enjoy the vistas. 



Much more might be said upon this subject, but this is enough 

 to show that this way would be a great improvement. 



2— hb 



