152 THE PARKS AND GARDENS OF PARIS. [Chap. X. 



surely few greater evidences of obtusity of mind than is shown by 

 this persistent wasting of precious time and precious energy, and 

 thoughtless destruction of trees and shrubs, which so soon perish 

 in the smoke of London. 



It is not so with the deciduous tree or shrub ; nor with those 

 beautiful rosaceous bushes and trees which are the glory of the 

 groye in all temperate climes. After their summer-life they 

 enjoy a long winter-rest leafless-, and when spring returns and 

 the flues cease vomiting " blacks " they again put forth their leaves 

 in the purer air. The consequence is, they grow nearly as well 

 in London as in the country. No charm of tropical or other 

 climes surpasses the freshness of an English spring, during the 

 period of the leafing and blossoming of these winter-sleeping 

 northern trees. Why, then, should we not take advantage of the 

 fact, by developing chiefly those plants which flourish as well in 

 towns as out of them ? It may be noticed that Peaches, Almonds, 

 the double Cherries, and the numerous flowering trees and shrubs 

 allied to them, flourish as well in cities as they do in the country, 

 while beside them valuable evergreens are but the ghosts of what 

 evergreens should be. Supposing for a moment that evergreen 

 trees and shrubs throve as well within city influences as deciduous 

 ones do, it would even then be a questionable practice to use them 

 extensively, because they do not gladden us with that floral and 

 changing beauty which deciduous trees are wont to put on. They 

 do not keep time with our suns and seasons ; and they are not 

 so beautiful, because not so changeful, as the deciduous kinds. 



Notwithstanding the obvious advantages ofi'ered by the many 

 deciduous trees, planting in most of our parks is much neglected 

 — at least, in all its nobler aspects, while great expense and skill 

 are lavished on myriads of plants that live for the summer 

 only. The remedy wanted is the annual planting of a certain 

 portion of ground in each great park. That portion should 

 be thoroughly cleared, prepared, and planted. We should thus 

 secure perpetual growth and vigour, as well as stately beauty 

 in our park- trees. Stealing out a dying tree here and there, and 

 stealing in a young one — often done in Paris and London— is a 

 mistake. Frequently there are open bare spaces left unplanted 

 for years, as, for example, Primrose Hill, which is as bare as a 

 great inverted basin. 



