SURROUNDINGS OF THE HOME 259 



head waters of navigable streams in order to regulate their seasonal 

 flow .as well as to preserve the natural beauties of those regions. 



Shade trees along highways and about homes add to the beauty and 

 comfort of life. A wise choice should be made of the kind of trees 

 set out, and the best of care and judgment should be exercised in 

 transplanting them in order to avoid disappointment in results. 



When trees are uprooted for transplanting, the smaller roots and the 

 rootlets are largely left in the ground. It is through the rootlets that 

 the needed soil water is taken into a growing tree. By exposure to 

 sunlight and air the root surfaces become dry and less fit to take up 

 moisture from the ground when again set out. For these reasons the 

 top of a newly set tree must be nearly all cut off. The escape of water 

 from too many leaves, and at a rate faster than the roots at first can 

 supply it, kills the tree before it has had time to develop new roots. 



Exercises 



1. What are some desirable shrubs to plant in front yards? 



2. Discuss in detail the steps and precautions to be taken in transplanting 

 shrubs and trees. 



3. Name two of the common shade trees of your community, and give the 

 characteristics whereby you distinguish them at sight. 



4. Make a list of all the ornamental trees and shrubs of your neighborhood 

 known to you by sight, not including any which would be classed as 

 shade trees when grown. 



TREES OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD 



We recognize our friends at sight. Chance acquaintances 

 we may come to call by name. In neither case, however, 

 is it commonly true that we could give descriptions of them 

 sufficiently definite to insure their identification by others. 



Description of trees in books, if of very much use as a 

 guide in learning to know them at sight, presupposes con- 

 siderable first-hand knowledge of the trees round about us. 



Where any one kind of tree is known by name, and repeated 

 notice is taken of it, there comes not only a more extended but 

 a more detailed knowledge of its characteristics. By con- 

 trasting its features with the corresponding ones of other 

 trees whose names have been learned, there comes about in 



