The Cvnirasst. 29 



THE CONTTwiST. 



BY WILLIAM HACOX. 



A quarter of a century ago it was a mere oceurreucc for any one to set 

 sliade trees around their dwellings. The Lomhardy Poplar, a tree of easy 

 and rapid growth, had, to be sure, from the novelty of its form and the 

 little labor necessary, been somewhat employed for this purpose, but prej- 

 udice in a few years caused the axe to ])g laid at their roots and the great- 

 est proportion of them were destroyed, and the comparatively few dwellings 

 they had shaded were left to stand in unblushing nakedness, exposed to 

 the fierce glaring rays of the sun, the merciless peltings of the storm, and 

 the harsh and angry singing of wiury winds. 



Then came the reign of !^Iaples ; all trees set by dwellings or by the 

 wayside, whatever the soil or exposure, must be maple. It has to be sure 

 some recommendations. Its beautiful symmetry and saccharine qualities, 

 the latter entering into the dollar and cent calculations, brought it into 

 particular notice. People entered into the transplanting operation with a 

 commendable zeal, and had their knowledge been equal, many a dwelling 

 now naked and unadorned, would now have been shadowed with delightful 

 fohage, while by our waysides we should have had miles of shady avenues 

 where we now have rods — not all maples, however, for there are soils 

 where it will not flourish, even if it lives. 



This idea of all maples for shade trees, illustrates the American charac- 

 ter in one respect most forcibly — with whatever we undertake we go the 

 whole figure. What succeeds with one, becomes for a time, the hobby of 

 many others. It was peculiarly so with maples, and instead of imitating 

 nature and helping carry out her designs, we set her laws at variance in the 

 matter, so that where a pleasing variety ought to exist, we make a dull, sleepy 

 uniformity. Who ever saw a forest composed entirely of one variety, or 

 even one species of trees ? Then, again, we set them in rows as stifi" and 

 formal as ranks of soldiers, and they grew so monotously uniform that na- 

 ture almost refused to give them their wonted beauty. 



Experience and obsexwation have taught us a salutory lesson. Where 

 we find vacancies to fill, we increase the variety to the greatest extent pos- 

 sible, observing with due care to plant those of dissimilar habits and foliage 

 in proximity, mixing in evergreens with such deciduous trees as retain 

 their fohage for the shortest period, and interspersing trees ^vith dark 

 and hea\'y foliage with those showing more light and cheerful appearance. 



