THIRD ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART X. 



607 



On the station grounds are planted trees, shrubs, perennial and an- 

 nual flowering as well as bedding plants. Along the right-of-way, fruit 

 trees, small fruits, a few ornamental shrubs, some of the flowering plants 

 and small kitchen garden vegetables are used. On the line of the right- 

 of-way, various hedges are planted — those adapted to the section in which 

 tbey are planted. 



As far back as 1870 in this country this movement was manifested. 

 Several years later articles were now and then printed on this sub- 

 ject. In 1880 the movement gained rapidly in favor, and in 1889 a promi- 

 nent writer said : "Railroad gardening has come to be considered a neces- 

 sary part of construction and maintenance among prosperous and pro- 

 gressive companies seeking to develop local passenger business." Among 



Scene at a railroad, crossing along the Long Island 

 Railway system. (Loaned by Floral Publishing 

 Company. ) 



the first companies to improve their station grounds by decorative plant- 

 ing were the Central of New Jersey (1869), the Baltimore & Ohio; Bos- 

 ton and Albany (1880), New York Central (1880), and the Erie (1881). 

 Other roads were greatly impressed by this work until now it has spread to 

 every large system. All of the trunk lines of Iowa are doing consider- 

 able planting at present, and the future promises more effort in this di- 

 rection. 



Many systems in the United States and Canada have not only prac- 

 ticed ornamental planting about their grounds, but are engaged in large 

 plantings along the right of way for economic purposes. Foremost among 

 the lines planting in the latter direction is the Canadian Pacific of Canada 

 and the Northern Pacific Railway of the United States. Only recently I 

 noticed an article in one of the dailies that the Michigan Central Railway 

 has decided to plant in the spring Catalpa trees along its right of way, and 

 I am informed by their engineer that this work is well under way. When 

 fully grown the trees are to be used to supply the company with material 



