III. 



ON PLANTING SHADE-TREES. 



November, 1847. 



NOW that the season of the present is nearly over ; now that 

 spring with its freshness of promise, summer with its luxury 

 of development, and autumn with its fulfilment of fruitfulness, have 

 all laid their joys and benefits at our feet, we naturally pause for a 

 moment to see what is to be done in the rural plans of the future. 



The PLANTING SEASON is at hand. Our correspondence with all 

 parts of the country informs us, that at no previous time has the 

 improvement of private grounds been so active as at present. New 

 and tasteful residences are every where being built. New gardens 

 are being laid out. New orchards of large extent are rapidly being 

 planted. In short, the horticultural zeal of the country is not only 

 awake it is brimfull of energy and activity. 



Private enterprise being thus in a fair way to take care of itself, 

 we feel that the most obvious duty is to endeavor to arouse a cor- 

 responding spirit in certain rural improvements of a more public 

 nature. 



We therefore return again to a subject which we dwelt upon at 

 some length last spring the planting of shade-trees in the streets 

 of our rural towns and villages. 



Pleasure and profit are certain, sooner or later, to awaken a large 

 portion of our countrymen to the advantages of improving their 

 own private grounds. But we find that it is only under two condi- 

 tions that many public improvements are carried on. The first is, 

 when nearly the whole of the population enjoy the advantages of 



