122 LANDSCAPE GARDENING. 



be expected or desired, but there should always be a well- 

 rounded gutter between the road-bed and the border. 



As with trees, we find also a great many shrubs, ferns, 

 and flowering plants already established along the roadsides, 

 and but little care is needed to put them in condition of 

 perfect growth. Shrubs can be more severely pruned and 

 more quickly grown into perfect shape than trees. 



This work, however, should not be left to the irresponsi- 

 ble road commissioner or agent, but should be in the hands 

 of the village improvement society or some one who can be 

 depended upon to trim out only the undesirable varieties 

 and preserve such as are the most ornamental and of the 

 best form. 



Should the soil be very poor, a light dressing of compost 

 or fertilizer should be used, but generally the road-wash can 

 be so utilized as to make the best of top-dressing and pro- 

 duce the most perfect growth. 



If we take the ornamental trees, shrubs, vines, etc., as 

 we find them along our roadsides, we are pretty sure that 

 the soil in which they are found is well suited to their 

 growth, but if we transplant to fill up places not properly 

 provided we must be sure to set out such as are suited to 

 the soil and exposure of the place. Some species will only 

 do well under conditions of a close tangled growth and such 

 conditions must be provide^for them, while those that only 

 reach perfection in full exposure on all sides should be 

 planted accordingly. 



The custom in many sections of our country of regarding 

 everything growing along the roadsides as common property 

 will need some reform before roadside decoration can be 

 carried out to its fullest extent, but the process of education 

 is going on in our public parks and squares, in cemeteries 



