CHAPTER XXXV 

 ON PLANTING SHADE TREES* 



NOW that the season of the present is nearly over; now 

 that spring with its freshness of promise, summer 

 with its luxury of development, and autumn with 

 its fulfilment of fruitfulness, have all laid their joys and 

 benefits at our feet, we naturally pause for a moment to see 

 what is to be done in the rural plans of the future. 



The planting season is at hand. Our correspondence 

 with all parts of the country informs us that at no previous 

 time has the improvement of private grounds been so active 

 as at present. New and tasteful residences are everywhere 

 being built. New gardens are being laid out. New orchards 

 of large extent are rapidly being planted. In short, the 

 horticultural zeal of the country is not only awake - - it is 

 brimful of energy and activity. 



Private enterprise being thus in a fair way to take care of 

 itself, we feel that the most obvious duty is to endeavor to 

 arouse a corresponding spirit in certain rural improvements 

 of a more public nature. 



We therefore return again to a subject which we dwelt 

 upon at some length last spring - - the planting of shade- 

 trees in the streets of our rural towns and villages. 



Pleasure and profit are certain sooner or later to awaken a 

 large portion of our countrymen to the advantages of im- 

 proving their own private grounds. But we find that it is 

 only under two conditions that many public improvements 

 are carried on. The first is, when nearly the whole of the 

 population enjoy the advantages of education, as in New 

 England. The second is, when a few of the more spirited 

 and intelligent of the citizens move the rest by taking the 



* Original date of November, 1847. 

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