156 



THE PUBLIC NUESEUIES EOB, 



by;,and tlie treesbeing injured by the water being frozen above 

 the base of their stems. But the necessity of taking this 

 precaution resulted in an advantage^ as the trees being 

 planted on the apex of these ridges, and with the collar of 

 each, say, a foot above the level, make their roots much 

 nearer home, so to speak, and thus their transplanting is 

 rendered much more easy. When the time comes for re- 

 moving them the workmen begin at one end and turn them 

 out quite rapidly, all with close bundles of roots. The whole 

 surface of the nursery is thus treated. The trees are a little 

 more than a yard apart in the lines, which are, as may be 

 inferred from what was before said, within a few inches of 

 six feet from each other. 



The kinds mostly used are the Western Plane, the Horse- 

 chestnut, the large-leaved Elm, the Ailantus glandulosa, 

 Planeras, and Lombardy poplars — the last, however, are not 

 used for avenue or street planting. Other kinds used 

 on a smaller scale than these — the Paulownia, for example, 

 are grown at Longchamps. These trees, the names of 

 which are put down in the order of their importance, are 

 all trained straight, and sent from hence to the boulevards 

 for planting as far as possible of an equal size. The rule is 

 to send them out with a clean stem nearly ten feet high, 

 and about eight inches in circumference. The portion above 

 the ten feet of clear stem is not of so much consequence 

 and may vary, but if the trees when taken up for planting 

 do not present the length of clean stem considered neces- 

 sary, the lower branches are cut away till it is attained. 

 Of course the trees are so pruned when young that straight- 

 ness of stem is obtained. To arrive at the necessary size 

 and fitness the Plane requires five years, the Horse-chestnut 

 ten, the Ailantus four, the Elm and Pianera about five 

 years each. The Elm and Pianera are the only trees that 

 require support in training them into the necessary form, 

 for which purpose stakes from fifteen to eighteen feet high 

 are used. The whole place is surrounded by a hedge of 

 Tamarix tetrandra, which is cut down occasionally, and the 

 shoots sent to the Jardin Eleuriste for stakes for house 

 plants and the like. This nursery is well kept and managed, 

 and has a large stock of street trees. 



