234 Architecture in the United States 



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ful shade tree, and will be found most suitable when the streets are 

 wide; when narrow, tlic maple, I believe, is found to answer best. 



As to country houses and their premises, so much depends on the 

 , character of the ground, and of all objects, even to a distance of miles, 

 that the subject swells entirely beyond our hmits. I must be allowed 

 however, to remonstrate against the warfare which is every where 

 carried on against our noble forest trees, trees which should be esti- 

 mated by us as far above all price. The first thing done in the new 

 parts of our country, when a spot is determined on for a house, is to 

 cut down all the trees within many rods of it ; and then, year by year, 

 the w^ork of destruction goes on, as if the very sight of a forest tree 

 were odious. The house stands alone in the clearing, its inmates, 

 and particularly the children, roasted and browned under the hot sum- 

 mer's sun ; but by and by, the nakedness and dreariness of the situa- 

 tion is felt, and then are planted some Lombardy poplars " all in a 

 row," Now, the trees which we cut down with such an unspar- 

 mg hand, are the very kind which English gardeners cultivate with 

 the most persevering diligence, and are planted here just as they labor 

 most to plant. And we too shall cultivate them before long, and shall 

 then think, with the most bitter regret, of the sad destruction which 

 we and our ancestors have made. But in vain; for all the art of man 

 Avill not be able to restore in any length of time, such glades, and 

 thickets, and lawns, as we now possess. When about to build in a 

 new country, we should save, near our house, an acre or two of the 

 forest, and should guard it with the most watchful care. Morning, 

 noon, and evening, it would be an agreea]ple retreat ; its shade would 

 be refreshing in our scorching heats ; it would connect us in some 

 measure, with ages long since gone, and would bring before us the 

 wild, but high-souled Indian, his council, his battle song, the w^ar, the 

 chase, the feast and dance ; its noble and manly forms would grat- 

 ify our taste; it w^ould raise our thoughts to Him who is " a shadow 

 from the heat, a strength to the needy in his distress." I say again, 

 let us spare our noble forest trees. Many pollucal considerations 

 might be adduced to show the imprudence of our rude havoc among 

 them, but for these we have not room. 



A few words more and we have done. They will be designed for 

 cities chiefly, but will be found applicable also to towns. There is 

 one practice among us most destnictive to property, and yet strangely 

 suffered to exist almost without comment. I refer to roofing wiili 

 pine and oak shingles. The frequency and extent of fires in our 



