COUNTRY ROADS AND ROADSIDE IMPROVEMENTS. 119 



Preserve Native Trees and Shrubs. 



The native trees and shrnbs should next have considera- 

 tion. No country possesses so many beautiful woody plants 

 as the United States; they are generally found growing 

 where they thrive best, and any desirable kinds found 

 growing by the roadside that can be made to produce a 

 proper form of growth should be preserved and improved. 



The laws passed by some of our States for the protection 

 of shade-trees, whereby it is made the privilege (it should 

 be the "duty") of the town or city authorities to mark 

 such trees and shrubs as it is desirable to have preserved, 

 and making it a criminal offence to destroy those thus 

 marked, are steps in the right direction, and should be 

 adopted in every State. 



There is nothing which adds so much to the comfort of 

 the travelling public as well-shaded streets, and a compara- 

 tively short time is required for our most rapid-growing 

 trees to reach the size to afford considerable shade; but, 

 whether we live to enjoy or see others enjoy their beauty 

 and shade or not, we are certain that if properly planted in 

 suitable soil more than one generation will be benefited 

 by them. If every landowner would trim up and care for 

 a few trees found growing by his roadside, or plant a few 

 each year where none are now growing, it would be but a 

 short time before our country would be noted for the beauty 

 of its roadways, as well as for the general comfort and 

 beauty of the homes of its common people. 



Trees found growing by our roadsides will often be of many 

 varieties and will seldom be in so exact lines as if set out, 

 but often more real beauty will be the result of this variety 

 and irregularity of line and spacing. In many cases very 



