PLANTING AND CARE OF TREES 77 



The principles involved in the planting of city streets are entirely 

 different from those involved in the planting of country roads. 

 In the city the treatment necessarily must be of a formal nature 

 to harmonize with the geometric lines of city streets. City plant- 

 ing is done amid artificial surroundings and in this respect it differs 

 radically from country planting, which is always associated with 

 natural objects. It is important, therefore, that the trees on a city 

 street should be uniform in character and should be planted in 

 straight lines. 



Arrangement of Trees on the Street — It is essential for the best 

 results that streets be sufficiently wide to admit of a strip of 

 ground between the sidewalk and the curb for the exclusive use of 

 the trees. This strip need not be more than four or five feet in 

 width, but twice this width w^ould give the street a better appear- 

 ance and would facilitate the growth of the trees. On some streets 

 there is no strip left for this purpose, and the trees necessarily 

 must grow through openings in the sidewalk. Trees in such posi- 

 tions do not look so well and are not likely to thrive so well. In 

 some cases, where the roots may extend beneath the walk to the 

 open spaces in front of the residences, the trees are not likely to be 

 seriously handicapped. Where the street is too narrow for a suit- 

 able planting strip and where there is an open space on the abut- 

 ting property, it would seem advisable to place the sidewalk near 

 the curb and to plant the trees along the inside of the walk. When 

 the buildings are close to the street and when there is no room for 

 a planting strip, the conditions are unfavorable for the develop- 

 ment of trees. Oftentimes the roadways are wider than is neces- 

 sary to accommodate the traffic. In such cases they should be re- 

 duced in order to make room for planting. 



When the planting strip is narrow the trees are usually set in 

 the center, but with wider strips their position will depend upon 

 the width of the street and the proximity to tall buildings. Where 

 the street is wide the trees may be set near the curb. There is 

 danger, of course, in getting the trees too near the curb, where they 

 are likely to be injured by horses and vehicles. On the other 

 hand, where the buildings are tall and near the street, it is neces- 

 sary to place the trees as near the curb as possible, excej^t where 

 the streets are very wide. 



