66 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



For a wide street there is no tree that can equal the 

 American elm in producing the arched effect so much admired 

 in many of our older towns, but the elm requires a good soil 

 and is impatient of drought, and should not, therefore, be 

 planted in dry, poor land. The desire for immediate effect 

 ought not to cause this tree to be cast aside in places where 

 it is possible for it to flourish, of which there appears to be 

 a great danger, for the beautiful streets of arching elms 

 which have made the towns of the Connecticut Valley sa 

 famous should never be allowed to become merely tradi- 

 tional, for here this tree grows in its utmost luxuriance. 



In the more crowded streets of the cities, however, the 

 European elm, a tree of naturall}^ wide range, has proved more 

 satisfactory. For more than one hundred years this tree 

 has been grown in New England. Its habit is more dense 

 and it retains its foliage much longer in the autumn than the 

 American tree. It better endures the poorer atmosphere of 

 the city, and it is free from the attacks of the canker-worm, 

 which so often disfigure the American elm. It is, therefore, 

 a much better tree for our city streets than the native elm, 

 and one which may be considered as fairly tested here by 

 actual experiment. 



In the vicinity of the sea shore the Norway maple is a 

 most desirable tree, but in the interior its leaves often 

 become rusty as the season advances, making it less suitable 

 for such situations than the native rock maple. The white 

 maple, too, is a tree of most graceful habit, but it is best 

 seen when planted in parks or lawns, although it answers 

 well for the less frequented streets. The white ash may 

 also be used in some cases with good effect, and the bass 

 wood, red maple and Dutch elm, are of value in proper 

 situations. The red oak has proved in many places a fine 

 street tree, growing in one instance faster than the rock 

 ma|)le, and for many streets in the country towns the 

 hickory, birch, chestnut, necklace pophir and some other 

 species may be used which would not be suitable for city 

 streets. 



The selection and planting of trees for our streets should 

 always be placed in the hands of some general committee 

 or permanent board. If left to the abutter, a scattered. 



