TREES AND SHRUBS FOR PLANTING IN TOWNS. 123 
VIL. Zrees and Shrubs for Planting in Towns. By A. D. 
Wesster, Holwood, Kent. 
To those whose lot is cast in or near our more important centres 
of industry, this subject is of vast importance, and one which, at 
the present time, occupies a large share of public attention. 
The surprise experienced by most persons in this country on first 
visiting any of the larger Continental cities—Paris, Brussels, or 
Berlin, and where street planting would seem to be considered as a 
matter of paramount importance—is great indeed, and invariably 
leads to the somewhat pertinent question, ‘‘ Why cannot we make 
our cities beautiful by planting suitable trees and shrubs?” No 
doubt there are a few drawbacks to be encountered in so doing, 
but that very much more might be accomplished than has hitherto 
been done is clearly evident to those who have devoted even a 
small share of attention to the matter. 
The atmosphere of our larger towns and cities—London, Glas- 
gow, Liverpool, Manchester, and Sheffield—is, it must be candidly 
admitted, impregnated to a far greater extent with noxious fumes 
and vapours than is that of any of the Continental towns above 
mentioned, and, therefore, the difficulty of establishing many trees 
and shrubs is correspondingly increased. 
Observations and experiments carried on during the last ten 
years in three of the largest towns in Britain—London, Glasgow, 
and Liverpool (a trial garden was for this express purpose instituted 
in one of the most smoky districts of East London) 
proved, however, that there are not a few trees and shrubs well 
have clearly 
suited for withstanding even the deleterious effects of the impurest 
of town atmospheres. 
Not for one moment do I wish it to be inferred that there are 
not certain districts—to wit, the environs of the Lambeth potteries, 
and some of our huge chemical works—where, do what we will, 
vegetation, be it of whatever kind, will not succeed; but as we 
recede from these centres of sickness and death, particular trees and 
shrubs flourish amazingly, and no better example can be pointed 
out than the healthy and rapid-growing specimens that adorn the 
Thames Embankment, and which are removed but a very short 
distance indeed from one of the barrenest and most miserable of 
the city suburbs—the pottery district. 
That certain trees and shrubs succeed best in particular towns 
