PARK AND CEMETERY. 
341 
PLANTING MATERIAL FOR THE SEMI-ARID WEST 
From Annual Report of Nicholas Byhower, Su- 
perintendent of Parks, Salt Lake City, Utah. 
One of the most expensive luxuries in- 
dulged in by municipal governments or pri- 
vate parties is the creation of parks or 
landscapes and the maintenance thereof. 
This is more truly the case of such work 
if attempted in arid climates and under cli- 
mate conditions as prevail here. The prep- 
aration of the soil, the provision of sprin- 
kling facilities, the requisite of growing 
trees and shrubs of sufficient size to be of 
any benefit, cost as much per acre as it 
takes to create a park at once in the more 
fortunate states where nature affords ad- 
vantages of better conditions. The cost of 
maintenance of our parks and grounds far 
exceeds the cost of such improvements in 
other cities and a month of neglect in their 
constant sprinkling, irrigation and cultiva- 
tion would mean the complete destruction 
of everything acquired by care and efforts. 
In addition, in our climate a large variety 
of shrubs and plants and trees native to 
other states could not be made to grow 
here, even with the utmost care. 
The magnolia, rhododendron, aucuba, lau- 
rus, holly, Hydrangea hortensia may be 
forced to grow in our greenhouses, but like 
the begonia, fuchsia, coleus, Gloxinia, etc., 
they are useless in our altitude. The same 
is true of our trees, of which only a lim- 
ited number are of any practical use. The 
box elder or ash leafed maple is our local 
tree and with the Lombardian poplar was 
the reigning variety for many years. The 
oriental and occidental sycamore do well, 
and while we can plant and grow elms and 
silver and Norway maple fairly well, they 
do not develop nearly so well as they do in 
more humid climates. Our climate is not 
conducive of the proper development of the 
foliage of our trees and this condition need 
not be a matter of surprise when we take 
into consideration the conditions as they 
were when the first settlers appeared in this 
valley. That time dire prediction was rife, 
and it is a matter of history that the first 
bushel of corn grown brought its weight in 
gold. Therefore it is all the more sur- 
prising when we see the results which have 
now been attained. Cereals and fruit of 
superior quality are produced and Salt Lake 
City has become the center of a most pros- 
perous horticultural and agricultural coun- 
try. However, the insistent demand on 
our climate and natural conditions have 
not been overcome to any marked degree 
and the maintenance of parks and gar- 
dens is still a matter of difficulty and hard 
work. In a comparison of our improve- 
ments of this nature with that of other 
localities consideration should be given to 
the handicap under which we constantly 
labor and the additional expense which is 
necessary to insure, in order to accom- 
plish such results. 
As already stated, only a limited number 
of the many varieties of shade treees can 
be successfully grown in our climate and 
at our altitude. In many localities the sil- 
ver maple, Norway maple and sycamore 
are well adapted. The ornamental syca- 
more is a good tree in medium high locali- 
ties and also the lindens, both European 
and American variety. Of the elms, the 
corky elm is a very good tree and the 
Huntington and Scotch elm are excellent 
varieties. Other varieties of elms are usu- 
ally poor and liable to scale. 
If you are possessed with enough pa- 
tience to wait for a horse chestnut to 
grow, they may be planted with good re- 
sults. Any variety of poplar does well 
here, but borers are a troublesome enemy 
of this tree. White and green ash do 
well, but are usually the first to be cov- 
ered with the bark lice. Locusts are in- 
ferior trees, much more so the black lo- 
custs; under this tree vegetation appears 
to wither, except fox-tail grass, which is 
undesirable. Box elder is our local shade 
tree and if well cared for as to shape is a 
good tree ; however, it is the permanent 
abode of the green aphis and therefore in 
disgrace. As an ornamental tree for lawns, 
narrow avenues and drives, the tulip tree 
(Liriodendron) is to be recommended. In 
more humid climates it grows to a large 
tree, but is a medium sized tree in our 
climate. 
The Ginkgo (Salisburia) does well and 
only attains a medium size, growing to a 
columnar shape. The white birch and cut 
leafed or so-called weeping birch are beau- 
tiful on any grounds. 
The sweet gum tree ( Liquidambar) is a 
very small but very picturesque tree. Of 
the flowering ornamental trees, the catalpa 
speciosa is a well-known and ornamental 
tree, but grows to an irregular shape if not 
properly trained when young. The red or 
Judas bud tree is fine, both for its bloom 
and foliage. The varnish tree (Koelreu- 
teria), a fern-like foliage tree with panicles 
of yellow flowers in June, is very fine. The 
Pagoda tree is a very ornamental tree with 
fine foliage, white flowers and bright green 
bark, very odd and elegant. The golden 
chain (Cytissus laburnum) is a fine flow- 
ering shrub-like tree with long chain-like 
flowers and green bark. Its bark is poison- 
ous, however. Of the locusts the rose 
acacia or (Robinia Viscosa) is very beau- 
tiful. 
The purple leafed plum (Prunus pis- 
sardi) and the double flowering peach 
and cherry are very ornamental in any 
landscape. Even the common cherry 
(sweet cherry) and crabapple are appro- 
priate as an ornament. The hawthorne 
and mountain ash are well known and 
valuable ornamental trees. A good tree 
with silvery foliage, fruit and flowers is 
the Russian olive (Eleagnus angustifolia) . 
The empress trees (Paulownia Imperialis) 
has the largest leaves of any tree and is 
ornamented with lilac colored flowers. The 
varieties mentioned have proven that they 
can grow here and are found in a very lim- 
ited number in our gardens. 
Aside from well-known shrubs like lilac, 
snowball, etc., a few kinds may be espe- 
cially recommended. They are the golden 
bells or forsythia, which blooms first of all 
shrubs, when not yet in leaf. The Althea 
is a very pleasing, ornamental looking 
shrub, with beautiful colored foliage and 
lilac flowers. Japanese snowballs and red 
flowering currants, Hydrangea Americana 
and paniculata and Halesia Tetratheca are 
very ornamental. Lilacs may be had in 
reddish purple, white and several shades of 
purple. The blue spirea, cariopteris, is a 
fine shrub in shady locations. The almond,, 
double flowering, and the double flowering 
plum, Prunus triloba, are beautiful shrubs. 
The early and late blooming varieties of 
spireas are very beautiful. Kerria, with 
yellow flowers and bright green bark, makes 
a good effect. 
So many different varieties of roses are 
cultivated that it is difficult to select any 
one from the hundreds of varieties. Suffice 
to say that our best known varieties be- 
long to the hybrid perpetual, hybrid tea, 
tea, bourbon, polyantha, noisette and rugosa 
roses. The best way is to plant roses in 
beds or groups instead of scattering them 
separately in the garden. Better care can 
be given them when they are planted to- 
gether on a well prepared rosebed. Fer- 
tilizing, effect will be more observed than 
otherwise, and cultivating and spraying can 
be better attended to. It is not well possi- 
ble to give one certain rule for pruning the 
rosebush. Hybrid tea roses demand very 
little and the tea a little more, while hy- 
brid perpetual and bourbon roses usually 
require a severe pruning. 
The best rule to follow for our roses is, 
to prune short those of weak growth, to 
prune long those of strong growth, and, 
above all, to cultivate and fertilize, as the 
rose is a gross feeder. Old wood should 
he constantly replaced by new vigorous 
shoots. This department takes pleasure if 
the opportunity presents itself, in advising 
and assisting towards good results in gar- 
dening, etc. We also appreciate any sug- 
gestions or information which might tend 
to aid us in our efforts to make Salt Lake 
City more beautiful. 
