156 THE PAEKS AND GAEDENS OF PAEIS. [Chap. X. 



them not only growing, but thriving as well as anywhere. There 

 is, indeed, good reason to think that they will soon overtake their 

 older Paris relations, and as we (unlike our neighbours) are 

 fortunately not often obliged to boil the soldier's pot or warm the 

 famished citizen with our trees, we may expect them to live long ; 

 how long they may live we cannot say, but there is some proof 

 that the Plane is a very long-lived tree even with us. Other 

 trees we have in all stages of decay, but where are the crippled 

 Planes? The oldest and biggest trees in London seem infants 

 as regards freedom from decay. There being such good promise 

 of fine trees, more than ordinary care should be taken to guard 

 against impeding their growth from over-planting or want of 

 timely thinning. The Planes on the Paris quays are not un- 

 frequently too close together ; such, we hope, will not be the case 

 here. When timely thinning is not carried out, it is not only that 

 the trees are not allowed to assume their full be'auty overhead, 

 but the exhaustion of the soil by the trees to be eventually cut 

 away is an important consideration; therefore we should never 

 wait till the trees crowd each other, but remove them as soon as 

 they come in contact. 



Next to the Plane, the Horse-chestnut seems to ofi'er the 

 greatest advantages. It has not indeed the stature and beauty 

 of the Plane, nor does it attain as large a size and as perfect 

 health in cities, but it possesses great claims from its fine foliage, 

 large sweet silvery spikes of bloom, and proved capacity of growing 

 well as a town-tree. "While selecting trees for towns that are not 

 liable to suffer from disease or insect-pests, we should encourage 

 variety as much as possible. The Horse-chestnut would be worth 

 growing for the sake of its foliage alone, but when the additional 

 charm of its blossoms is taken into account, there can be no hesita- 

 tion in placing it among the town-trees. 



The common Eobinia or Locust-tree has been so long and 

 extensively tried that we need have no more doubt about it. It 

 will never justify the reputation that Cobbett gave it, but no tree 

 maintains such a depth of sweet verdure even in the dustiest 

 roads. No drought seems to affect it ; no heat renders it rusty- 

 looking or fatigued. It is worthy of being much more extensively 

 used as a park and square tree ; it is also good for street-use, not 

 growing too large, and is the best of all trees for planting in the 



