494 CALIFORNIA FRUITS: HOW TO GROW THEM 



but its broad, thick base fills the gaps between the bare stems of the 

 gum trees. Another tree which has often been planted with the blue 

 gum, to supply a thick, low growth, is the pepper tree (Schinus 

 molle). It is also grown in rows by itself. It makes a dense head, 

 grows rapidly, and flourishes without much care. Trees planted 

 eighteen feet apart will soon come together and make , a dense wall 

 of very beautiful, bright, light-green foliage. The pepper is not 

 only a good windbreak, but also an excellent dust-catcher. Unlike 

 most trees which are used for this purpose, it does not become laden 

 with dust. The leaves are smooth and glossy, and therefore repel 

 the dust particles, which, stopped in their flight by the dense foliage 

 of the tree, instead of clinging to it drop to the ground. The growth 

 of the pepper tree near the coast is much slower than that of the 

 Monterey cypress. The eucalyptus and the cypress for the coast, and 

 the eucalyptus and pepper for the interior valleys, make, probably, 

 as perfect a wall of foliage all the year round as can be had. The blue 

 gum is, however, somewhat subject to frost killing, especially when 

 young, and in very frosty places is objected to on that account. A 

 number of other species of eucalyptus are now being planted, and are 

 being found more hardy than the blue gum. The rostrata, rudis, 

 tereticornis, polyanthema, amygdalina, viminalis and others are of this 

 character. 



The Monterey pine (Pinus insignis) is a rapid, high-growing tree, 

 and, though a native of the coast, has proved itself well adapted to 

 the interior valleys of the central portion of the State. Its foliage is 

 dense for a pine, and its shelter, therefore, the more complete. A 

 native white cedar (Libocedrus decurrens) has also been employed as 

 a shelter tree in the San Joaquin Valley, and is commended as a 

 rapid grower in the interior as on the coast. Its ability to stand 

 drouth, heat and frost is said to exceed that of any of the conifers 

 of the seacoast. It stands well in the most exposed situations, as its 

 roots run very deep into the earth and it is claimed that it does not 

 sap the fertility from the soil around its base, as with the blue gum. 

 It is also said to be less subject to frost injury than the Monterey 

 cypress and pine. 



All the foregoing are evergreen trees, and therefore afford pro- 

 tection summer and winter alike. Of deciduous trees there are many 

 which may be well employed. The California black walnut makes a 

 very satisfactory growth both in the interior and upon the coast, and 

 is largely used for roadside planting. The California broad-leaved 

 maple (Acer macrophylla) is very beautiful, rapid in growth, and 

 dense in foliage, and the same is true of the box elder (Acer ne- 

 grundo), but probably both trees are especially suited to the coast 

 regions. Of the poplars, the Carolina (Populus monilifera) is 

 best, because of its breadth, density of foliage, and comparative free- 

 dom from suckering. The locust (Robinia pseudacacia) is used to 

 some extent, but its suckering is very objectionable. 



Quite a number of the larger-growing deciduous fruit trees are 

 used to some extent along the exterior lines of orchards for the pro- 

 tection of the inclosure. The fig, the walnut, the chestnut, seedling 

 almonds, and apricots are especially commended for such use. 



