TREES THEIR PLANTING AND CARE. 51 



While young they occupy but little space, and the desire 

 to have enough planted to give immediate effect often leads 

 to too close planting. The larger the space to be decorated 

 the more and larger trees may be used and the greater 

 variety obtained. 



The reader is again urged to study carefully the descrip- 

 tions given in Chapter X. 



Distance for Planting. 



Specimen trees should never be planted so closely that 

 they will touch, even when fully grown; but if grouped for 

 the formation of a grove, for dense shade, close planting is 

 advisable, and the more closely planted the taller will they 

 grow and the fewer will be the lower branches. 



While of small size it may be well to plant closely for 

 immediate effect, removing the least desirable specimens 

 before they touch so as to injure the more valuable. 



For avenues, for shade of walks and drives, the distance 

 should be such as to give full development and yet give the 

 desired shade. 



If the walk or roadway-space is narrow, the distance 

 lengthwise may be much greater than across the space, as 

 in Fig. 26. For the large-growing trees, like the elm and 

 oak, 50 feet is about the best distance for roadside shade, 

 and for the maples, poplars, tulip-tree, etc., not less than 

 30 to 40 feet. If shade is desired more quickly than can 

 be obtained by full growth, the trees may be set out at half 

 the above distances, and then when they come together so 

 as to endanger the beauty of all every other one may be 

 cut out. The great danger of this practice, however, is 

 that we are liable to neglect the desired thinning out until 



