98 THE CONNECTICUT POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



with shade trees, but they should be cleaned of all the rocks 

 and stones, the surface smoothed off, and, in many places, 

 shrubbery of both the flowermg and fancy foliage variety 

 should be planted. What would add more to the beauty, 

 pleasure and comfort of a country road, where it is feasible 

 to do it, than shade trees, and different kinds of shrubbery, 

 interspersed with a few perennials and bulbous plants? This 

 is feasible and practicable. Almost every person owning a 

 country place can, and should, have a certain amount of care 

 and ornamentation given every year to the highway passing 

 by his home grounds at least. 



Our public roads should be laid out with solid roadbeds, 

 the sides lined with shade, ornamental trees and shrubs, wdiere 

 it is practicable to do it, giving them a park-like appearance. 

 This would make driving, walking or automobiling over these 

 roads safe, pleasanter, and more desirable. 



This would be a new departure from the present conditions 

 of most of our highways, but is it not high time there was a 

 new departure along this line? There are new departures in 

 almost everything else, and it is quite time that thought and 

 attention were given to our unkept, unattractive and many 

 times most unsatisfactory highways. 



Just one word more. To do this work will require much 

 discussion and education along these lines, also financial help 

 will be needed to some extent as a starter, and a tax of 3^ mill 

 -each year, laid upon the town assessment list of the property, 

 to be used for the purpose of beautifying our roadsides, 

 would be a wise and paying investment to any town which 

 tried the experiment ; the money to be given only to those 

 persons who agree to give as nuich in money, or work, as the 

 town gives towards improving the roadside in front of and 

 along- their property. This offer would be accepted by some 

 and the work would start, and, once started, it would soon 

 have many followers, and roadside planting and embellish- 

 ment would finally become not only practicable, but universal, 

 and the people elevated and made better because of it. 



Mr. Hale: I now call on Mr. Ripley of Glastonbury to 

 speak on the subject of signs. He has already done some- 

 thing about removing these unsightly objects. 



