A FEW GOOD TREES 85 



only benefits his own grounds incalculably, but 

 he also does a service for his neighbours and the 

 adjoining countryside that is the best kind of 

 charity. The most picturesque of the Oaks are the 

 Red and White, which many people never dream 

 of planting on account of their traditionally slow 

 growth; but they forget that these trees begin 

 to show their characteristics at a comparatively 

 early age, and they also forget that the trees 

 that are of slowest growth are of the greatest 

 merit. The truth is that the Oaks are not any 

 slower of growth than many trees that are more 

 extensively planted. The Pin Oak, which is really 

 a rapid grower, is particularly beautiful planted 

 along an avenue or a road in double rows, and is 

 interesting at every stage of its development. As 

 a background for the garden it is unrivalled, for 

 the foliage is dense and of an exquisite glossy 

 green colour and shimmers in the sunlight and 

 vibrates bewitchingly in every breeze that blows. 

 It is a good tree to have in the garden, for its ap- 

 pearance is ideally semi-formal. The Pin Oak 

 carries its limbs close to the ground and the lower 

 branches curve downward, giving it a luxuriant 



