as little as possible the original beauty of the landscape. Where native trees exist, 

 except in the vicinity of water courses, it is the graceful "weeping oak" that more 

 than any other tree gives distinction to the valley floor. To emphasize this dominant 

 tree, the roble of the Spaniards, more strongly, placing it in groups about homes or 

 irregularly along the highways ; and to greatly widen the fringe of native growth with 

 ash, alder and cottonwood along the streams, might be the ideal general treatment 

 for the great valley. For quick shade the oaks could be interspersed with native 

 maples, cottonwoods, and other fast-growing trees. At least let us not thoughtlessly 

 interpose a huge unchanging barrier of alien trees between us and "that wall of light, 

 ineffably fine, and as beautiful as a rainbow, yet firm as adamant." 



The gray-foliaged Sabine pine lends a peculiar charm to the hot, dry foothills of 

 the Sierra and other ranges. It should be cherished for its decorative value in the 

 regions where it grows; and the various species of oaks (its associates) depended on 

 for shade. 



THE OCEAN SHOKE. 



Cool breezes make shade less of a necessity in a driveway near the sea. And 

 there is the sense of freedom and wildness and broad outlook over the water to make 

 us hesitate before doing any planting there. It would be a pity to thrust petty 

 designs or tropical foliage on our rugged headlands to disturb the characteristic 

 beauty of the sand dunes ; or to make of any roadway following the seashore an 

 aggressive line of planting, destroying the subtle beauty of the shore line and ruining 

 the contour of headland and mountain and gently sloping hill. 



When planting seems a necessity there, and it must form an integral part of the 

 landscape, the native growth and its arrangement should be carefully studied. Where 

 shade is needed, groups of native conifers might form the setting for dwellings or 

 other buildings as the road approaches bold promontories. It is significant that 

 when the Monterey pine and cypress are transplanted to our dry inland valleys their 

 life is very much shortened. 



Where deep, wooded canons end abruptly near the ocean, the growth of redwood 

 or other native trees might be extended in straggling groups, as though they had 

 strayed from the main forest. And where willows, laurels and alders follow the 

 water courses quite to the sea, additional irregular plantings of these same trees 

 might be made nearby upon the shore. 



THE SEMI-DESERT COUNTRY. 



The desert, too, has its unique beauty which needs no adornment from the hand 

 of man. He is, in a sense, an interloper, and should strive, at least, not to "make 

 nature hideous by his presence." 



In the semi-desert regions of southern California yuccas and palms may be legiti- 

 mately used for planting. There is one native species of the latter Washingtonia 

 filifera. If the native trees do not give enough shade, where heat and light are so 

 intense, there are exotics which might properly be made use of, such as the mimosa, 

 the carob, and the locust. These being of the same general type as the native 

 mesquite, they would in a measure preserve the harmony and character of the 

 landscape. 



The pinons and junipers which give such a unique charm to the mesas and low 

 hills, should by all means be made use of for home and highway planting in the 

 regions where they grow. 



NOT A GEOGRAPHIC LINE. 



It will be seen that there is no thought of drawing a mere geographic line in advo- 

 cating the choice of native trees for planting. By native is meant the tree or shrub 

 indigenous to a given locality, not to the State as a whole. A redwood tree, for 

 instance, transported from a deep, moist canon of the northern ranges to the level, 

 semi-desert country of southern California, would be out of harmony with its new 

 enviionment. A foreign tree might be much more suitable from a landscape point 

 of view. There is the beauty of the three or shrub viewed alone, and the beauty that 

 comes from the harmonious whole. The olive is one of the foreign trees that seems 

 not out of place in certain parts of the California landscape. 



DETAILS PRACTICAL WORKING GENERAL SCHEME. 



To sum up : Preserve the original landscape as far as possible by the planting of 

 native growth. 



When, for practical reasons, the native trees and shrubs can not be used for plant- 

 ing, select from exotics those which are of the same type that resemble the native in 

 form, texture or color. 



