Street and Shade Trees. 5 



in summer, and is pleasant to look upon in winter. Oaks are admired 

 for their sturdiness, but are slower growing than the maples, and do 

 not form so neat and compact a head, and they do not transplant 

 easily. The locust presents a rough, crooked trunk and many dead 

 branches, but is valuable for its flowering qualities and quick growth. 

 The linden and tulip tree are of similar character of foliage, are tall 

 and upright, with a bare trunk for some distance and a good, round, 

 close-growing head. A few evergreens are always desirable about a 

 place to break the monotony of trees of a similar habit of growth and 

 to present something green and snug in winter. Norway spruces are 

 good while young, but are apt to be ungainly as they grow large. 

 They should be kept well trimmed. Pines are effective, especially 

 when planted in a group or at some distance from the residence. It 

 is always desirable to plant a variety of trees, especially upon the 

 home grounds. A list of some of the best trees is given in succeed- 

 ng chapters. 



In laying out a place, trees should be planted in groups, clumps 

 and masses about the borders, with but few single specimens. A pur- 

 ple beech and other colored or exotic trees look better alone than 

 mixed with other trees. As a rule, do not mix deciduous and ever- 

 green trees promiscuously in the same clump, but keep them separate. 

 So, also, do not plant oaks and willows together, for they are not 

 only of widely dissimilar habits of growth, but the rapid growing wil- 

 low would soon hide and possibly injure the slower growing oak. 

 Avoid so many trees that the place looks like a forest, but do not 

 plant so few as to give it a barren aspect. Those of greatly differing 

 characteristics should be somewhat separated. Planting for color 

 effect in autumn foliage may also be done, and to secure this a care- 

 ful study of the shades of leaf of each variety and species, with the 

 time of their assuming different tints, is necessary. As a rule, an in- 

 dividual tree takes on the same tint each fall, but this color would 

 probably be made to vary by transplanting the tree to other soil. 

 The autumn color of American foliage is among the brightest in the 

 world, and its effects should be more sought in lawn planting. 



