Street and Shade Trees. 15 



one species. The cork elm ( U. racemosa) is a curious slow-growing 

 tree with stiff corky, winged branches, rarely planted. The slippery 

 elm ( U.fulva ) is seldom planted because of its stiff open habit, slow 

 growth and dull foliage. 



Fruit trees are less desirable for street or road planting than nut 

 trees (which see). Plum and peach trees are too small for shade 

 purposes along a road or street, and also too easily broken, but apple, 

 pear and cherry trees attain good size. The apple is iaclined to grow 

 low and spreading, and the branches will be in the way as the tree 

 grows old. Pears are slow-growing trees, but sometimes many reach 

 very large size. Many fruit trees, and especially apples, have too 

 rough leaves for road- side planting. Such leaves hold the dust. Fruit 

 trees rarely bear well upon the street, because of neglect. 



Ginkgo, or maiden-hair tree (^Salisburia, or Ginkgo adiantifoUa) 

 is a native of Japan and notable as an oddity. It combines the char- 

 acteristics of the conifer and the deciduous tree in its fruit and habit. 

 The tree is of medium size, rapid growth, with beautiful foliage of the 

 maiden-hair fern type. It thrives well in any good- soil, and is 

 adapted for ornamental purposes rather than for extensive planting. 

 As it grows tall and straight, it can be recommended for narrow 

 streptC' 



*^orse chestnuts and buckeyes {yEsculus) are trees of magnificent 

 foliage, large growth and fine habit. They are rapid growers, and in 

 the spring are beautiful with the abundance of large panicles of white 

 or yellow or reddish flowers. The heads are very round and compact, 

 and often form such a dense shade that grass will not grow beneath. 

 They are a heavy tree on the lawn, and their fruit, which ripens in the 

 fall, is so much in demand by small boys for missiles that the branches 

 in consequence are often broken and injured. The Ohio buckeye 

 i^jEsculus glabra) is a well known tree of the western states. It has 

 yellow flowers, and blooms before the others. The double white-flow- 

 ered horse chestnut is a superb variety, with double flowers and little 

 or no fruit. Horse chestnuts do well in most soils, but the more 

 loamy it is the better, The common or Old World horse chestnut 

 is most too stiff and farmal for extensive planting. 



Kentucky coffee tree ( Gymnocladus Canadensis ) is a fine native 

 tree of medium size, resembling a locust or acacia in foliage. It is of 



