XI. 



THE BIRCHES, HORNBEAMS, CHESTNUT AND BEECH. 



It would seem that the plantuig of trees in our streets 

 was formerly done more by private individuals than 

 now. It is the present tendency of the times to 

 have affairs in general, which were formerly conducted 

 by private enterprise, placed in the hands of city 

 governments, and the planting of our shade trees forms 

 no exception to this rule. Theoretically, this would 

 be of great advantage. A city forester, skilled in his 

 profession, would be supposed to have the entire charge 

 of the department and control of all the trees, his 

 work and expenditures being regulated by a committee 

 of the city government or an outside board appointed 

 for the purpose. Such an arrangement would insure 

 the planting of suitable trees, and prevent the irregular- 

 ities which now mar our streets, where all sorts of trees 

 are planted in such a manner, and at such distances 

 apart, as fancy dictates. Under a systematic manage- 

 ment, entire streets would be planted with trees of 

 one sort and of the same size, with here and there 

 groups or single trees of other species whose effect 

 would be most suitable for special situations. 



Then, too, we should avoid the exceedingly unfortu- 

 nate, not to say exasperating state of affairs, where one 

 city committee, with the very best intentions in the 

 world, sends its agents about the streets planting young 

 trees and judiciously trimming old ones and protecting 



