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AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



1906 



A Study of Street-Trees 



By E. P. Powell 



NEW study of street-trees is rendered neces- 

 sary by the general failure of the hard 

 maple, and the elimination of some of our 

 imported trees. The general rule holds 

 good that the best trees for transplanting 

 are generally the natives of the section — 

 although this is not absolute, as I shall show. 



THE SUGAR MAPLE. 



i. The sugar maple, as noted, is failing over a very ex- 

 tended territory. This is apparently due to insects, but in 

 reality it is owing to a lack of understanding of the tree. 

 The hard, or sugar maple, where it is rightly trimmed, is 

 just as healthy a tree as ever. I can show you fifty lawn 

 and street-maples, of which only two have been even touched 

 by borers. But where maples have been trimmed up, after 

 acquiring considerable size, so that the sun strikes sharply 

 on the bark, you will find blistering, and then cracking of 

 the bark — after which the worms take their chances. This 

 trimming up of old trees overlooks the fact that Nature 

 does not give her foliage for our convenience, but spreads 

 out the leaves to protect the tree itself from heat in summer. 



THE NORWAY MAPLE. 



2. I do not hesitate to place next to the sugar maple the 

 Norway maple; and where there is not to be common sense 

 and good judgment exercised, I would place it foremost of 

 all trees, both for lawn and street. The juice of this tree is 

 milky and acrid, so that insects rarely touch it. The foliage 

 is much larger than that of any other maple, and the growth 

 is more rapid by at least one-fourth. In fact it is one of the 

 most perfect trees in all ways that exists. The coloring in 

 autumn is a canary yellow without a touch of red. 



THE AMERICAN LINDEN. 



3. The third tree, and a close rival for the two already 

 named, is our American linden or basswood. The prejudice 

 against this tree has arisen wholly, I think, from the fact 

 that its wood is neither good for lumber nor for fuel. As 

 to form, and shade, and beauty of leaf, it comes well to the 

 front, while we have no other tree, except the catalpa, which 

 gives us such noble florescence. As a bee tree it stands pre- 

 eminent and for this quality alone it deserves to be planted 

 very generally all over the United States. Honey can be 

 made every man's luxury, if we have enough basswoods in 

 our streets, although it should be planted much more liberally 

 on our lawns and in groves. It is a very wholesome tree, 

 giving us abundance of ozone in June. It thrives in Florida 

 nearly as well as in New York and Ohio. 



THE CATALPA. 



4. The hardy or speciosa catalpa has just begun to win 

 its way among our people. It is a wonderful tree in all ways, 

 for beauty of foliage and of blossom, but above all for 

 timber. Its growth is astoundingly rapid, making from ten 

 to fifteen feet within three years after planting. Care must 

 be taken, however, not to set the less hardy catalpa, that 

 blossoms in June or in early July. This is a spreading tree, 

 rarely attaining any height, and wholly unsuited for street- 

 planting. 



K 6 THE WHITE ASH. 



5. The white ash has special qualifications that give it 

 high rank. In the first place it is very sturdy, and will heal 



over where a breakage occurs. If not mutilated by too 

 much trimming, the contour becomes very fine for the street. 

 Still more important is it that the ash develops its leaves 

 very late in spring, and drops them very early in the 

 autumn. In this way it gives shade only during the heated 

 term of the summer. When naked it gives an unusually 

 fine study of limbs. A real tree is the trunk and limbs, with- 

 out foliage. 



THE ELM. 



6. For street-planting in river-bottoms and flat lands, the 

 elm is, of course, pre-eminent; and as a rule this magnificent 

 tree, rising with a tall shaft, and drooping its limbs over 

 the street, is the best for city-planting. It can allow the 

 stretching of telephone-wires beneath its lofty foliage, 

 without requiring serious mutilation. 



THE OAKS. 



7. The oaks, but particularly the scarlet oak, must stand 

 exceedingly high over a large territory. They should be 

 trimmed somewhat high when set; which is the rule also with 

 the maples. This avoids the necessity of mutilating the 

 trees at a later period of growth. The shade afforded by 

 the oaks is very perfect; but, in planting, it must be borne in 

 mind that the foliage is very persistent — dropping only 

 after freezing weather has begun. 



THE APPLE. 



8. The apple, if grafted high up, makes a noble shade, 

 beside giving a crop of fruit. Some of this fruit will be 

 taken by travelers — rightfully; but experience proves that 

 the bulk of the crop will be left for the owners of the ad- 

 jacent lots. In some parts of Europe fruit trees constitute 

 nearly the whole of the street-plantings. Perhaps as a mat- 

 ter of public economy, this would be wise in the United 

 States. 



OTHER TREES. 



9. The list could be very wisely extended by including 

 the persimmon — a charming tree, both in its foliage and 

 fruit, and excellent for shade; the Kentucky coffee-tree, 

 unique in its limbs and foliage, and in the male tree spread- 

 ing and generous with its shade; the magnolia acuminata, 

 and the tulip tree — both of them erect-growing, sturdy, full 

 of fine shade, and very attractive with their blossoms. 



10. A list of trees peculiarly bad for the street, would in- 

 clude the black locust, which becomes very brittle and un- 

 sightly; the gleditschia or honey locust — a tree of enormous 

 and dangerous thorns, but beautiful foliage; the Lombard)' 

 poplar, and indeed all the poplars because of their roots ex- 

 tending far into our gardens and fields; soft maples, except 

 the swamp maple — because the limbs break easily, and those 

 of many sorts sprawl extensively; and the English oak with 

 the English elm — not liking to be trimmed up, but prefer- 

 ring to sit low down on the soil. 



American streets are becoming an important subject of 

 study. Now that the stock laws are enforced in nearly every 

 State, and highway improvement has become a passion, we 

 must be more careful what we plant, and what we do with 

 it after planting. Our roads should become a continuous 

 park, for the equal advantage of those who live along their 

 lines and for the travelers. 



