ARGENTINE AND PARAGUAY FORESTS 



829 



PRACTICE OF FORESTRY 



This may be considered in two phases — aesthetic and commercial. 



Aesthetic 



This is perhaps more under the domain of landscape gardening. All 

 the principal cities of Argentine are in the treeless portions, and plant- 

 ing for shade and ornament is very extensively carried on. Nearly all 

 the street trees are exotics. Great quantities of eucalyptus have been 

 planted, especially in La Plate and other suburb towns. It does very 

 well, and reaches sizes up to three feet in diameter. 'Taraiso" (Melia 

 azedarach) is a common street tree, followed by oriental sycamore and 

 Norway maple, with some European poplar. The only Argentine tree 

 planted extensively for street trees is "Tipa" (Tipuana speciosa), a 

 handsome tree of the Leguminosae, rather resembling a locust, but 

 with handsome wistaria-like lavendar blossoms. Other Argentine trees 

 are used sparingly. In the parks, and especially in the wonderful 

 Buenos Aires botanical gardens, nearly every tree in the world may 

 be found, from blue spruces to Himalaya pine, from Japanese cherries 

 to Brazilian rubber trees. I do not believe the Argentine gardeners, 

 aided by the suitable climate, can be excelled in the world. 



One factor to be considered in tree planting in Argentine is the 

 danger of locusts, which periodically descend in great swarms from 

 the northern parts, and do immense damage to crops and all growing 

 things. I have a list, made by the ex-superintendent of parks in Buenos 

 Aires, listing trees in their relative resistance to locust damage. The 

 list is too long to print, but following is a selected list, ranged with the 

 most susceptible s'pecies at the top. It will be noted that melia azedarach 

 is about the most resistant : 



