London to John O 1 Groat's. 257 



"woods," covering hundreds of acres, all planted by 

 hand, our shade-trees will outnumber hers, and surpass 

 them in picturesque distribution and arrangement, when 

 our popular programme is fully carried out. In two 

 or three important particulars, we have a considerable 

 advantage over this- country in respect to this tasteful 

 embellishment. In the first place, all the farmers in 

 America own the lands they cultivate, and, on an 

 average, two sides of every farm front upon a public 

 road. Two or three days' work suffices for planting a 

 row of trees the whole length of this frontage, or the 

 roadside of the farmer's fence or wall. This is being 

 done more and more extensively from year to year, 

 generally under the influence of public taste and custom, 

 and sometimes under the stimulus of governmental com- 

 pensation, as in Connecticut. Thus, in the life of the 

 present generation, all our main roads and cross-roads 

 may become arched and shaded avenues, giving the 

 whole landscape of the country an aspect which no 

 other land will present. 



Then we have another great advantage which England 

 can never attain until she learns how to consume her coal 

 smoke. Our wood and anthracite fires make no smoke to 

 retard the growth or blacken the foliage of our trees. 

 Thus we may have them in standing armies, tall and 

 green, lining the streets, and overtopping the houses of 



