60 SHADE TREES EOR NORTH CAROLINA. 



with dark brown, cherry-like hark, which divides at a low height into many 

 rather wide-spreading branches which form a flattened crown. The beau- 

 tiful lustrous foliage is evergreen, and during early spring is rendered 

 more attractive by a profusion of pale pink and white flowers, which have 

 a delicate fragrance. The fruit is inconspicuous. 



The root system is shallow and rather compact, enabling trees to be 

 easily moved, but care must be taken to strip subjects of their foliage be- 

 fore removing. It stands pruning very well, producing numerous small 

 branches. While free from diseases, the wood of old trees decays rapidly 

 if exposed, and in the latitude of Raleigh and westward twigs are fre- 

 quently frost killed during severe winters. The evergreen cherry, in spite 

 of its small size, is one of the most desirable evergreen trees for street 

 planting on account of its attractive foliage and flowers. It is especially 

 suited for planting driveways and avenues in localities where it is desir- 

 able to use a smaller evergreen tree than the laurel oak. It can also be 

 advantageously used in alternation with standard shade trees to obtain 

 during the winter a bit of verdure on the streets. It is readily propagated 

 from seed. Trees should be spaced 25 feet when planted alone. 



China Tree (Melia azedarach) , an Asiatic tree extensively naturalized 

 in this State as far west as Salisbury, is a middle-sized tree of rapid 

 growth becoming 35 to 40 feet high and forming a broad, spreading 

 crown. The dark green, dense, finely divided foliage is scarcely less 

 attractive than the large panicles of extremely fragrant lilac flowers, 

 which appear in April and early May. While it is one of the latest trees 

 to put forth its foliage, its spring appearance as well as that during the 

 winter is rendered pleasing by the stout open twigging and large clusters 

 of lustrous yellow-brown berries. The wood is brittle and breaks badly 

 during storms and wounds must be promptly protected to preclude decay. 

 It endures heavy pruning and few trees are more easily transplanted. It 

 is readily propagated by seed . 



While undesirable for planting along walks on account of its berries, 

 it can be advantageously used along parking strips in which there are no 

 walks, as well as an ornamental tree in parks and on private grounds. 

 While it has fallen into disfavor on account of its former use in ill-chosen 

 situations, there is no more attractive tree of its kind which can be planted 

 in I he eastern two-thirds of this State. 



UMBRELLA TREE (Melia azedarach umbraculifcra) is a horticultural 

 variety of the China tree, and is propagated by grafting. A much 

 -iiuillcr tree than the China tree and with a shorter trunk, it forms a 

 broad, spreading umbrella-shaped crown with dense dark green foliage. 

 Tli'.' short trunk divides into a number of even-sized, ascending branches 



