224 Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. flO April, 1916. 



Drying winds have a very detrimental effect upon all cultivated land 

 on account of the greater evaporation of moisture from the soil, and, in 

 addition, orchards often suffer badly through the fruit being severely 

 damaged. 



Another factor which principally affects the citizens of Melbourne 

 and suburbs is the dust storms in summer time. Not only is great dis- 

 comfort caused to residents, but it is estimated that the annual losses to 

 shopkeepers owing to injury to goods runs into thousands of pounds. 

 This dust is not of local manufacture, but is, to a great extent, blown in 

 from the parched plains beyond. Its progress citywards is quite unim- 

 peded by the native timber growing on the outskirts of Melbourne's 

 northern outer suburbs, which is mostly redgum, lacking in density of 

 growth and foliage. If, however, a fairly wide belt of trees, such as 

 Pinus i?isir/iiis, or other suitable varieties of trees, were planted from, 

 say, Heidelberg in the east to the north of Essendon on the west, and 

 thence south-west to the sea front, much good would result in mitigating 

 the dust nuisance by breaking the full force of the blow citywards. 



The creation of dust is facilitated by wide roads. Even if well kept, 

 the wind has free play and clouds of dust are the result, but this bad 

 condition is made worse when the roadway is not kept in thorough repair. 



Roads that are very wide in and near cities and towns should be 

 divided into sections, and these interplanted with trees; St. Kilda-road, 

 Melbourne, typifies this contention with its sections so arranged. 



This not only adds beauty to the roadway, but, in addition, the 

 trees provide a breakwind. 



Such an arrangement also lessens the cost of road maintenance, and 

 consequently the road surface is kept in a better condition, and the 

 creation of dust minimized. 



Selection of Trees. 



The choice of suitable trees will, of course, depend entirely upon 

 their allotted position, whether it be in street, park, plantation, private 

 garden, or break-wind. One whose duty is to select trees should be 

 able to see the realization of his objective in, say, twenty, or even fifty 

 years hence. Looking down the perspective of his ideal avenue or 

 street he will see uniformity in every direction — species, distance apart, 

 and general development. Before planting his ideal street trees he 

 ^^•ill have chosen those varieties having the desirable qualities essential 

 to their well-being. These will include hardiness, which, in the case 

 of street trees, is perhaps the most requisite quality owing to the adverse 

 soil and atmospheric conditions under which such trees have to grow. 

 It is not a case of the survival of the fittest with trees planted in streets, 

 for every tree must be fit and do well. Other necessary qualities for 

 such trees are a clean habit of growth, not making a perpetual state of 

 litter as with some varieties, clean erect stems,, power to recuperate after 

 injury or heavy pruning, a fair degree of immunity from the attacks 

 of insects and fungus foes, and a uniform development of crown. 



" It has been said that a beautiful boulevard is an unit of a design 

 preconceived, allowing for perfect harmony of arrangement, as in music, 

 where all parts are fitted together to form a harmonious whole." 



