116 SUBURBAN GARDENS 
be no good reason for this except the fact that 
the trees of Japan are remarkably free from 
annoying blights; and that our insects do not 
seem to relfsh them as well as they do home 
grown provender — two advantages that make 
them highly desirable for the suburban gar- 
den, without doubt. 
Still I do not feel that we should neglect the 
material which is at hand when much of it is 
of such fine quality and rare beauty — and no 
more susceptible to blights and bugs than the 
Japanese stock. And I have made it a rule 
not to use exotics when native growth that 
would serve as well was obtainable. Many 
times it is not to be had, however, for few 
nurserymen will work with native trees as they 
will with foreign — or as the nurserymen of 
Japan have worked to attain the superlative 
merit with their native material which there 
is no denying it possesses. We do not know, 
as a consequence, what possibilities we may 
have here. 
There is, however, the hop tree or wafer 
ash — Ptelea trifoliata — less than twenty-five 
feet in height often, never more, neat and 
clean cut; the mountain ash — Sorbus Ameri- 
cana, decora — round headed and trim, reach- 
ing thirty feet and having great clusters of 
