422 Journal of Agricidture. [ii July, 1910. 



The green lustre of trees takes away the hardness of city life and 

 tends to make it more endurable, pleasant, and healthy. The reason that 

 large trees in the streets of thickly populated cities promote health, is easily 

 understood. The more foliage for evaporation, the more oxygen, the more 

 shade, the more even temperature. 



Here, in this happy State of Victoria, making due allowance for the 

 good work already done, we have yet opportunities enjoyed by no other 

 .southern land to carry on a project so beneficial as is tree planting, not 

 only to our physical, but to our moral health. 



It should be remembered that the effective planting of street trees, trees 

 that may last many generations, is not a matter in which cheapness and 

 economy should be allowed to mar effective work. Cheap planting is 

 usually bad planting. 



" Select the strong, the fair, 

 Plant them with earnest care, 

 No toil is vain." 



Hott- TO Plant. 



If a street or road is a chain and a half (or more) in width, it can 

 be effectively ornamented with large trees, such as the Plane, Elm, or 

 Poplar, and they should undoubtedly be planted on the road, 5 or 6 feet 

 from the gutter. For narrow streets, smaller-growing species must be 

 .selected, and they may be set out on the footpath, if the same has a 

 reasonably sufficient width. The distances apart must be regulated by 

 the ultimate sizes to which the trees will attain. This subject will be dealt 

 with later on in the article. One of the greatest charms of a leafy avenue 

 is regularity and uniformity of growth ; therefore, if in parts of the street 

 to be planted the soil is poor and shallow, make the holes larger and 

 deeper, and add good, rich soil copiously, with a liberal admixture of bone 

 dust. A hole for a plantable street tree should never be dug less than 

 6 feet in diameter, and 3 or 4 deep. In a wide road or street, it is pre- 

 ferable to thoroughly trench a strip light along the same, and pro\ide, if 

 possible, for effective drainage. 



Trees .should eitner be specially grown by the Council controlling a 

 town, or selected from the stock of some reputable nurseryman. They 

 must be clean, well-rooted, and healthy, and have a strong, sturdy stem 

 at least 6 or 7 feet in height. The head — i.e., the branches springing from 

 the tn\) of the stem — should be of uniform growch and evenly balanced. 

 (See Fig. i.) The planting is a very importai.t matter, and the employ- 

 ment of skilled labour is a sine qua non if successful results are to be 

 hoped for. The roots must be spread evenly, neither too deep nor too 

 shallow, and should l)e covered up and packed between with fine soil 

 l-ires.sed down firmly with the foot of the operator. 



After the tree guard is placed in position, a good watering can be 

 given, and the tree secured from blowing about by three strong cords 

 affixed to the uprights of the guard. (See Fig. 2.) Place .some bagging, 

 a strip 6 inches wide will do, around the stem, so as to prevent any 

 chafing by the cords. It is better for a tree to be able to sway about a 

 little than to be tied up too rigidly. If possible, never fasten to a stake, 

 such a process being harmful and unnatural. During the -first year espe- 

 cially, newly-planted street specimens should be carefully attended to in 

 the matter of mulching, watering, and cultivation — i.e., stirring and keep- 

 ing loose the surface of the soil around them. 



