358 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS OF 



In fact, it would be better to buy nursery trees for village planting, also, unless 

 compelled to use the other for economical reasons. If one must go to the forest for 

 young trees, pains should be taken to obtain as straight, thrifty, and perfect 

 specimens as possible. 



Selection of trees. — In making a choice the first thing to be considered is the width 

 of the street ; also, the width of the sidewalk or nearness of the houses. Some trees, 

 the elm for instance, will injure the foundation walls of a house by the pressure from 

 their far spreading roots. Where the house line is near the curb, trees with a tap root 

 are preferable. 



The following list includes all, or nearly all, the species which are desirable for 

 street planting. They are named in the order of their desirability, although in some 

 instances their preferment is somewhat a matter of taste concerning which any 

 discussion would be a waste of time. 



WIDE STREETS. MEDIUM WIDTH AND NARROW STREETS. 



American or White Elm, Norway Maple, 



Sugar Maple, Silver Maple, 



Tulip Tree, Red Maple, 



Basswood (Linden), Ailanthus, 



Horse Chestnut, Cucumber Tree, 



Sweet Gum, Ginkgo, 



Sycamore (Buttonball), Bay Willow, 



Oriental Sycamore, Pin Oak, 



White Ash, Red Flowering Horse Chestnut, 



Scarlet Oak, Yellow Locust, 



Red Oak, Hackberry, 



White Oak, Catalpa (speciosa), 



Honey Locust, Lombardy Poplar, 



American Chestnut. 



The Elm (Ulmits Amej'icana) stands first on the list by right of its superior size, 

 beauty, and adaptability to street planting. It is rapid in growth, withstands trans- 

 planting and pruning better than most other trees, and will grow on almost any soil. 

 Its habit is such that any pruning of the lower limbs is seldom necessary, a valuable 

 feature in a street tree. It thrives not only on country roads and village streets, but 

 also in our larger towns. New Haven has attained national fame as the " Elm City," 

 on account of the many and beautiful trees of this kind which line its streets. There 

 are various forms of the American elm. Emerson, in his " Trees of Massachusetts," 

 describes three distinct shapes. The most desirable form for a shade tree is that of 

 the umbrella shaped top with slender, pendant branches on its outer edge. In trans- 

 planting, or in giving orders to a nursery, care should be taken to secure this particular 

 form of tree. The English and Scotch elms have been planted extensively in some 

 places ; but as these species are inferior in appearance and other respects their use 



