Ornamental Planting. 123 



the simple ornamenting of streets by planting and paving, to their 

 grading and drainage, the maintenance of grass plats and flower- 

 beds upon public squares, the providing of fountains and drinking 

 troughs, the clearing off of snows in winter, lighting of streets at 

 night, and other subjects of like character. 



486. Extending beyond the material, they may wisely include 

 the intellectual welfare of their localities, by the formation and 

 maintenance of a public library and reading-room, courses of public 

 lectures, local museums, and, in short, whatever tends to elevate 

 and refine the taste, or to promote the enjoyment of the citizens by 

 uniting them in common interests, wherein each one contributes his 

 share, and from which he derives pleasure. 



487. An attractive plantation of streets and squares in one village, 

 becomes an object for imitation in another, and by friendly emula- 

 tion, each may tend to stimulate the efforts of the other in securing 

 a beautiful effect. 



488. Where the children in the public schools, and students in 

 academies can be interested in these improvements, the impressions 

 formed may be permanent, and will find application in after life in 

 diffusing a correct taste for rural adornment in places far remote, 

 while the memory will travel back to these scenes of quiet beauty, 

 and rest with satisfaction upon the incidents that they recall. 1 



(3.) City Parks, and the Plantation of grounds in Rural Cemeteries, 

 and around Public Institutions. 



489. It is only in recent years that the advantages of providing 

 places of public resort, under official management, in the neighbor- 

 hood of our cities and large towns have been recognized, or the op- 



ir The form of a charter of a " Village Improvement Association," by 

 George E. Waring, Jr., is given in Scribner's monthly for May, 1877, and 

 the subject is further noticed in our Forestry Keport for 1877, page 217. 

 The Hon. B. G. Northrup, Mr. N. H. Egleston and others, have done much 

 to piomote these objects, and their writings may be consulted with great 

 advantage. 



T'je city of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, is sometimes called the "Druid City," 

 from the oaks planted some forty-five years ago, at the instance of Mr. 

 Thomas Maxwell. The city of Cleveland is called the "Forest Cify" through 

 the plantations induced by the late Leonard Case, and other property 

 owners. New Haven is called the ' : City of Elms," and well deserves its 

 name. 



