172 LUTHER BURBANK 



THE FINEST OF ORNAMENTAL TREES 



There is one peerless tree, however, that I 

 must single out for a few added words of special 

 mention in concluding this brief summary of 

 some of the more notable among the ornamental 

 trees. 



This is the elm, a tree that occupies a place 

 apart, having scarcely a rival when we consider 

 the ensemble of qualities that go to make up an 

 ideal ornamental and shade tree. 



Whoever has visited an old New England 

 village, and has walked through the corridors of 

 elms or looked down the vista of streets arched 

 over by the interlocking branches of the rows of 

 trees on either side, will not be likely to challenge 

 the preeminence of this tree. Nothing could 

 more admirably meet the purposes of a shade and 

 avenue tree. 



The English elm, which is a more compact 

 grower than the American species, has been 

 widely planted in California. But the American 

 elm thrives here also, although not native to the 

 coast, and it is much less subject to insect pests 

 than is the European species; also the Eng- 

 lish elm is stiff, and quite lacking in the grace- 

 ful lines that the American elms so naturally 

 assume. 



