52 HOW TO LIVE IN THE COUNTRY 



green trees that are native to your section. In New 

 York State the hemlock and the spruce are especially 

 good, and in New England the white pine is one 

 of Nature's preferred defences. 



In the Western States the Lombardy poplar has 

 been freely used, and of late the Carolina poplar. 

 These trees are brittle and soon go ragged, but still 

 worse is the root growth, which extends forty to 

 fifty feet from the trees, greatly hindering cultiva- 

 tion and the growth of turf. Both of these trees are 

 now excluded from our best-ordered cities because 

 they destroy the pavement. I should prefer the 

 evergreens and after them the white and black ash 

 and the American linden. The linden is particularly 

 good because it can heal over a breakage or wound 

 very rapidly. 



In a yard or lawn the mountain ash makes a good 

 row, and if faced with stout shrubbery, such as lilacs 

 and viburnum opulus and Tartarian honeysuckle, 

 breaks the wind admirably. Some of the fruits will 

 do you good service, especially the pears. The Buf- 

 fum pear in particular, growing upright as a Lom- 

 bardy poplar, makes a stout hedgerow, besides giving 

 a large supply of very fair fruit. 



I should not think of building a house or in any 

 way establishing myself in the country without in- 

 viting the birds to come with me. They are allies 

 that must be won for success, and the quicker this is 

 done the better. Unless your home is made gen- 

 erous and agreeable to the birds you will be whipped 



