TACTICAL ARBORICULTURE 415 



Crataegus Pyracanth, or Evergreen Thorn, is of easy culture, grows from 

 seed, making a spreading shrub, very thorny, and as it grows well on dry, gravelly 

 soils, will probably succeed in the Western dry regions. 



The Missouri Wild Currant Ribcs Aitreum grows wild from Missouri to 

 the Pacific Coast, and might be utilized as a "nurse." It grows rapidly from cut- 

 tings which root quickly, making a shrub 6 to 10 feet high. 



Of the Mulberries, several grow well on the prairies. Russian Mulberry 

 succeeds and furnishes a small, pleasant fruit, as well. 



Sassafras is worthy a trial in the farther West. In the older States it occu- 

 pies the poorer soils, often takes possession of abandoned, worn out fields, spread- 

 ing over them completely. The roots run rather deep. Many mills are engaged 

 in extracting oil from the sassafras roots and stumps for medicinal purposes, while 

 thousands of men are employed in digging these roots in the regions where it 

 abounds. 



HACKBERRY IX COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA. 



In a recent visit to South Carolina's Capital we were impressed with the 

 beautiful avenues of hackberry (Celtis occidentalis), which line many of the 

 street's. 



Southern cities, as a rule, are noted for the absence of shade trees upon the 

 streets, and also for the want of care they should receive, and considering the 

 protracted hot weather and the pouring sun, shade is needed far more than it is 

 farther north. 



In our extensive travels we have never before seen such a number of hack- 

 berry trees on the public streets as there are in Columbia, fully three-fourths of all 

 trees on the city streets being of this species. 



When we consider the cleanliness of the hackberry, the few insects which at- 

 tack it, the beauty of the foliage, the great quantity of nutritious berries which it 

 produces to feed the birds, and the agreeable shade which the foliage affords, we 

 only wonder that a tree possessing so many good qualities should have been neg- 

 lected, as a hardy, healthy, handsome, easily grown tree suitable for both shade 

 and ornament, and one so universally successful, is not obtained so easily as is the 

 hackberry. while none are better suited for general use. 



We commend the authorities and citizens of Columbia for the excellent ex- 

 ample which they have set for other cities, both South and North, and for their 

 choice of so grand a tree for their streets. 



PLANTING A FOREST. 



Nature employs many agendes in distributing forests. Some seeds, as edible 

 nuts, are carried by squirrels and other animals to their homes, often at a consider- 

 able distance. A portion are scattered while gathering their winter supplies in 

 a very irregular manner. 



Very many have wings, and are impelled by the winds which soweth them 

 without system, whithersoever it bloweth. 



Other seeds, contained in berries, are eaten by birds which may fly to distant 

 points, dropping them from whatever branch they may chance to perch. 



