TREES AND SHRUBS FOR LARGE TOWNS. 



95 



in the same town (Metz), had green leaves in abundance, and 

 was evidently better suited for town conditions than the common 

 Limes — T. platyphylla and T. vulgaris. The Silver Lime (T. 

 argcntca) makes an excellent street tree, and retains its leaves 

 long after those of the two last-mentioned species have fallen. 

 The remarks on T. argcntca equally apply to T. pctiolaris 

 (figured in a recent volume of the Botanical Magazine), perhaps 

 much better known under the name of T. amcricana pendula. 

 The two white-leaved species of Lime and the common ones are 

 growing under the same conditions at Limoges. T. cuchlora — 

 with its smooth glossy leaves, of a bright dark green — also makes 

 an excellent street tree. 



Mr. George Wythe s said that having lived for some 

 few years in Manchester, he had had the means of studying 

 which trees and shrubs did best. As is well known, the fogs 

 in Manchester are most destructive to plant life, and the fumes 

 from the many chemical and other works are more injurious 

 than London fogs. Ehododendrons, which Dr. Masters did not 

 advise to be planted, are the best plants in that district, 

 making a good growth yearly. The ground in many cases is a 

 disused brickfield, and they like the clayey damp soil to a certain 

 extent. Before being planted, much of the ground had some of 

 the clay burnt and remixed with the soil, and the ground drained. 

 It must also be remembered in planting trees in towns that kinds 

 with a soft or woolly foliage cannot resist and throw off accumu- 

 lations of soot and dirt in the same way as the smoother-leaved 

 kinds, and many of the trees recommended by Dr. Masters had 

 smooth thick leaves. Many failures take place through neglect at 

 planting time, such as by placing the roots in badly prepared soil, 

 want of attention after planting, absence of moisture during dry 

 weather, &c. 



Mr. James Hudson wished particularly to emphasise the 

 advice given by Dr. Masters not to plant the Lime as an 

 avenue tree, and to avoid that frequent and foolish mistake of 

 overcrowding the trees. The greatest harm done to trees — and 

 especially to Conifers — in large towns was by fog ; but the ques- 

 tion of soil had also to be considered. Poor soil should be 

 renovated with fresh loam and manure, labour spent in the rough 

 preparation amply repaying itself. Trees and shrubs for towns 

 should be selected from well-exposed nursery grounds of high 

 altitudes in preference to those from sheltered and low-lying 



