PARK AND CEMETERY, 
25 
RESIDENCE STREETS. — VIII. 
Planting. — Continued. 
THE PARKWAYS. 
If it is granted that a decided improvement 
might be made in the planting of our streets by the 
use of a greater variety of trees, and the planting 
of shrubs and herbaceous plants, all arranged in 
groups planned to produce the most picturesque ef- 
fects, the next question that arises is: how can the 
desired changes be brought about? A more gen- 
eral appreciation of natural beauty will be of great 
help, but the actual planting and carrying out of 
the planting must be done by a few persons who 
have had training and education that will fit them 
for the work, and who have, moreover, a love for 
"art out of doors.” That people often fail to rea- 
lize the attractiveness of a tree, or of a group of 
trees, is shown by sad mistakes that are continually 
being made. A new street was made some time 
ago not far from my home. The natural surface of 
the ground, where some good thrifty young oaks 
were growing, was not to be changed in grading. 
Some of these trees would have added more to the 
attractiveness of the street border than two hundred 
dollars worth of planting after the grading and other 
improvements were completed. One day I discov- 
ered a laborer cutting these trees down, and pro- 
tested against the destruction going on. He replied 
that: the owner had told him that he could have 
all the trees growing in the proposed highway. 
They were nothing but scrub oaks, anyway, and 
very likely they would have to be taken out in or- 
der to put down the sidewalk. The owner could 
not be reached before the trees were destroyed, and 
the wood-chopper obtained a cord of wood. In a 
neighboring suburb, an old street was to be im- 
proved^). Near the side- 
walk stood a beautiful 
burr oak, perhaps 18 
inches in diameter by the 
side of which grew a 
thorn apple tree, about 
six inches in diameter. 
Both trees were so per- 
fect, and the combination 
was so good, that it was a 
pleasure to stop and look 
at them. There were 
other native trees nearby 
that had been growing 
with vigor for at least 50 
years. ' They stood be- 
tween the sidewalk and 
roadway in just such po- 
sitions as would make 
them most attractive to 
a painter, but unfortun- 
ately they were at various 
distances from edge of 
the park-way, and so did 
FIG. 12. — LOMBARDY POPLARS, TO MAKE ROOM FOR WHICH 
SUCH TREES WERE CUT DOWN AS ARE SHOWN 
IN FIG. II. 
FIG. II.— SASSAFRAS AND BEECH TREES THAT DESERVE TO BE MORE FREQUENTLY USED IN 
STREET PLANTING. 
