TREES AND CIVILISATION 199 



The city man need not stand aside from the fight 

 for better recognition of the place of the trees in 

 modern civilisation. The cities need the trees as 

 much as the country. In an esthetic sense, they 

 need them more. Large urban areas are completely 

 void of beneficent shade and leafy inspiration. 

 Streets are often planted with trees which are out 

 of keeping with their surroundings. 



The study of city tree-planting is a considerable 

 art. It is not given to every man to know untaught 

 when it is best to plant the small and close-crowned 

 horse chestnut beneath an iron grating. Only ex- 

 perience teaches that the Norway maple, the Orien- 

 tal plane and the English elm are best in formal 

 open spaces. It is hard to understand that the 

 wide-spreading oaks and elms, beautiful as they 

 are, should be restricted to the freedom of parks and 

 boulevards. 



Yet these things are gradually being learned. 

 The Mall in Washington is a magnificent avenue 

 of inspiring trees. Many other towns and cities 

 can exhibit splendid examples of perfect tree cul- 

 ture. 



THE END 



