THE ADVANTAGES OF TOWN TREES 49 



ing was considerable, and it was only after 

 attention had been called to the beauty of 

 Continental towns, where trees were largely 

 used in the squares and streets, that the 

 adornment of London in a similar way was 

 countenanced. Now, however, with a rage for 

 tree planting, it is to be hoped that our 

 larger towns and cities will come in for a 

 share of attention. 



Bearing on the question of trees in towns, 

 Dr. Phene, at the Social Science Congress 

 at Edinburgh, remarked as follows: "To the 

 occupants of houses in streets having a 

 northern aspect, the glare of reflected light 

 is injurious; but the effect would be much 

 modified by the coolness to the eye pro- 

 duced by the green of trees. In ancient 

 surgery persons having weak or declining 

 sight were advised to look at the emerald. 

 In the old style of building the streets, 

 being narrow, were cooler, both from the 

 sun not being able to penetrate them with 

 direct rays, and less subject to noxious ex- 

 halations, from the scouring and purifying 



