TREES 91 



The ranks of sleek, gray, satin-coated beeches rising on every 

 side are in an overwhelming majority over all the others com 

 bined a majority of from 75 to 90 per cent. 



This proportion is not possible always of course, nor necessary, 

 but if three trees are to be planted, let two be of one kind and 

 one of another. If ten, use five or six of one kind, three of another 

 and one or two of still another, rather than three of one kind, 

 two of three others, and a solitary specimen of a fifth species or 

 variety. 



There is a system of selection which has been used in some of 

 the best and greatest landscape parks in the world, that is worth 

 considering by the owner of even a half acre, though he may not 

 be able to apply it fully. This is the formation of groups com- 

 posed entirely of different varieties of one family or species. 

 Take for example the maples ; there are in all between sixty and 

 seventy species, out of which a dozen are found in North America 

 enough to make up a very respectable group from just native 

 species, even though some must be omitted as not hardy north. 



The red maple is a beautiful tree in winter and summer, 

 whether young or old, and grows from eighty to one hundred and 

 twenty feet high ; the silver maple attains the same height but is 

 distinctly different in habit, being more spreading. It is swifter 

 growing too, but its wood is soft and branches and even giant 

 limbs are easily broken, therefore it has not the permanent value 

 of the other varieties. The sugar maple, seventy-five to one 

 hundred and twenty feet high, is probably the finest of the genus, 

 when all its good points are considered. Beauty, permanence, 

 shade and utility are some of these, but unhappily " it is the host 

 of many fungi;" and insects aid and abet their malicious work. 



The black maple is very like it, but differs in its habit and the 

 shade of its green; the large-toothed maple is smaller and dif- 



