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many better Acacias, this one may be quite ignored for street work. 

 The one most like it is the following:- 



Acacie raelanoxylon (The Blackwood) is perhaps the most common of all the 

 Acacias in the southern part of the state. It is a rapid growsr and easily 

 and cheaply raised from seed. Its blossoms are quite insignificant although 

 the seeds and seed-pods are quite in evidence later on, and the foliage is quite 

 a dark green and very fresh in appearance. This dark color is objectioable to 

 many and certainly is bad when emphasized by the close planting which commonly 

 prevails. Plantings will be made with but twenty foot spaces between trees 

 in five year's time the trees will be almost a solid hedge. Although the citi- 

 zens do not hesitate to complain both vehemently and long on account of the 

 funereal darkness, they rarely make any move to remove the alternate trees. 



Because the Blackwood will stand a maximum of abuse, it has been woefully 

 neglected. Because a seedling eighteen inches high will make a tree of some 

 fifteen to twenty feet, speaking conservatively, in five years' time, without 

 any special care in planting or afterwards, Is no reason why such treatment 

 should be advocated or tolerated. Acacia melenoxylon will stand more water 

 than any other of the acacids and hence it is best for parkings where there is 

 grass Too abundant water supply leads to the production of a superficial root 

 system. Furthermore, unless there is special care taken at planting time, this 

 tree v/ill form a surface root system which will not support a tree of any size 

 against heavy winds. 



This Acacia grows in many ways. The prevailing type is the pyramidal one, 

 but there is great individuality among the trees of thio shape. Some trees 

 will grow four times as rapidly as their neighbors which have had the same care. 

 By four times as rapidly is meant, a growth in height only as the more slow 

 growing forms usually make a better spread. It has been found necessary and 

 practicable both at Riverside and Los Angeles to do something to make these 

 trees more uniform. After experimenting it was found that a severe topping, 

 as much as one-third at the age of four or five years, made the desired change. 



