PLANTING AND CARE OF TREES 93 



of the lot an open space may be left along the other side, connecting 

 the front and back 3'ards, and in this way giving the expression 

 of expanse. 



Back Yard Planting — By the planting of a few shrubs or small 

 growing trees the back yard may easily be transformed from a re- 

 pository for all kinds of rubbish to a beautiful secluded spot where 

 the family may obtain much enjoyment. The back yard of the 

 common city residence is usually a piece of ground measuring not 

 more than fifty or sixty feet in each direction and is oftentimes 

 much smaller. It is generally surrounded by a high board fence. 

 In an enclosure of this kind it is well to form a border of shrub- 

 bery around the whole area and preserve an open center. (See fig. 

 33). The unsightly fence may be covered by the use of climbers 

 or tall-growing shrubs. Grape vines, Easpberry and Blackberry 

 bushes may be used for this purpose. These often thrive better in 

 shaded locations than the purely ornamental vines and hsrubs. If 

 preferred some of the ornamentals, like Virginia Creeper, Dutch- 

 man's Pipe, Philadelphus, Wegelia, and Spirea, may be used. A 

 space of three or four feet in front of the shrubs may be devoted 

 to herbaceous perennials or annuals. 



The number of trees in a back yard necessarily must be small. 

 As a rule where other plants must be grown there is not room 

 for more than one tree, and this should not be especially large. It 

 should be located in the most convenient place to furnish shade, but 

 should not be too near the house. For this purpose there is prob- 

 ably nothing better than the pear or the apple. There are longer- 

 lived species, but, under favorable conditions, they may be expected 

 to attain an age of at least one hundred years. With a little care 

 in the way of pruning and spraying, a single apple tree may be ex- 

 pected to furnish all the apples the ordinary family can use during 

 the winter. For the sake of giving greater variety and to furnish 

 fruit over a wider period, the tree may be grafted to two or more 

 varieties. Cherry trees, although shorter lived, are also very 

 useful for back-yard planting. 



Some species, like the Red and Norway Maple or the Pin and 

 Chestnut Oaks, are not so likely to be affected by insects and dis- 

 ease, and for this reason are generally preferred, especially when the 

 trees are not likely to receive the proper attention. AMiere no slirubs 



