28 



STREET AND HIGHWAY PLANTING. 



fruit is a small whitish berry, rich in oil, but very inconspicuous on the 

 tree and not noticeable underfoot. The camphor, as a whole, seems- 

 one of the first class trees for the city street, provided, of course, there 

 is a wide parking and a considerable amount of care, for the first five 

 years, at least. 



THE BEEFWOODS OR SHE-OAKS. 



The various Casaurinas have all been used in the parking spaces but 

 perhaps the most desirable one is the species C. strict a. 



This tree has a very peculiar characteristic form, which tells of its 

 drought-resisting qualities, and which, in the more mature trees, is 

 somewhat suggestive of the habit of the pines. The trees are not of 

 strikingly beautiful appearance and are likely to be disfigured by the 



dust which accumulates on them and the 

 reddish discoloration due to the forming 

 of the winter buds, but have considerable 

 claim upon the attention from their oddity. 

 Aside from these facts, however, the tree 

 has some peculiarities which make it inval- 

 uable in certain localities. First and fore- 

 most is its resistance to alkali. The exact 

 per cent which can be tolerated is not at 

 hand, but it is reported that a considerable 

 quantity of alkali will not affect the vigor 

 of the tree in any visible degree. And like 

 most of the alkali-resistant plants, the tree 

 wdll tolerate long periods of drought. Moreover, under favorable con- 

 ditions, the tree is of fairly rapid growth, and will give light shade in 

 a reasonable time. 



This tree was noted in good condition throughout the south and the 

 interior valleys, but it is less frequently planted in the bay region and 

 farther north, though it grows successfully in many of these situations. 

 When, however, there is no real necessity for a tree of such marked 

 adaptions to arid conditions, there is little justification for its use. 



THE CASSIAS. 



The most frequent cassia (C. tomentosa) (Fig. 10) is properly a large 

 shrub or small tree and not suitable for parking use where shade is the 

 only object. To be sure, it is rarely found so planted, but occasionally 

 it does occur. It is a leguminous plant with terminal panicles of showy 

 yellow flowers which are followed by pendant legumes. Altogether it 

 is too brittle and too short-lived to be considered as an ornamental tree 

 of great value, though it might be used in situations calling for special 

 treatment. 



Figure 10. 



