PARK AND CEMETERY, 
65 
Fig. 19. Showing effect of such trimming as is illustrated in 
Figures 17 and 18. After seven years of additional growth 
note how decay has set in so that branches are easily 
broken. 
grown naturally. Not only is the appearance in- 
jured, but usually the health of the tree is destroyed, 
the scars left by sawing off the branches giving ac- 
cess to fungi which eventually cause the decay of 
the trunk. All dead branches should, of course, 
beremoved. These may, from time to time, be 
found even in healthy, vigorous trees, being either 
broken by the wind or smothered by the stronger 
growth of neighboring branches. It is true that 
the vigor of a tree may sometimes be renewed by 
shortening the branches, but this should only be 
done with the greatest care. 
The shrubs, as well as the trees, will sometime 
send out branches that interfere with the progress 
of travellers. These should usuallly be cut off near 
the ground, so that the shrub as a whole will pre- 
serve that even, gradual taper of the branches 
which helps to make them attractive in winter. 
Shrubs which are planted for the color of their 
branches, may be kept bright by cutting away from 
time to time the old growths that have become 
gray or brown. 
The raking or hoeing so necessary at first, will 
FlG. 21. Untrimmed Trees. Compare with Figures 17, 18, 19. 
become less and less necessary as the trees and 
shrubs acquire a firm hold on the soil, and cast a 
deeper shade on the space occupied by their roots. 
O. C. Simonds. 
On the Riviera, Italy, one occasionally sees 
small, stunted plants of prickly pears; but in the 
Barbary states, and more particularly in Tunis, the 
prickly pear grows to a tremendous size, and to 
such a thickness that hedges of it form an impassa- 
ble barrier to human beings and large animals. The 
reckless person who tries to force a way through 
will soon repent his temerity, as the long prickles 
on the leaves will speedily manage to insinuate them- 
selves into his skin, and the wounds they make are 
peculiarly painful. This plant, which people call 
sometimes the Barbary fig, and sometimes the cac- 
tus, is not of African origin, for the Spaniards 
brought it over from America and planted it in 
Morocco, whence it spread to Algeria and Tunis. 
It prefers a stony or rocky ground and will grow in 
the most barren places. The Arab finds in it food, 
drink and also fodder for his cattle and camels. 
FlG. 20. Untrimmed trees of the same species as shown 
figures 18 and 19. 
