296 
healthy, symmetrical tree is a beautiful object, and rarely requires interference. The 
knife and saw of the prnner are usually to counteract defects, the result of debility at 
the time of planting, overcrowding, accidents during growth, or uncongenial soil and 
surroundings. Pruning is a requirement of civilisation amongst tree growths, and is 
a regrettable necessity. If trees grew naturally they would require no pruning. In 
the same way, if a man has a healthy constitution and is so fortunate as to escape 
accidents, he does not require the knife of a surgeon. 
Trees, particularly in streets, live an existence almost as artificial as the 
remainder of the dwellers in towns. To begin with a clean stem is necessary, so as not 
to interfere with foot and wheeled traffic. To secure this a certain amount of pruning 
is required. 
Some trees, such as figs and many deciduous trees, may be very freely cut 
without endangering their life, but others, such as the Myrtacese, including our gums 
and Tristania and many other evergreen trees, must be pruned with care, and always 
when the tree is at rest, i.e., with no flush of new growth at the top. 
Noble Approaches to our City Parks. 
Every main park entrance should, if possible, be indicated by a plaza as 
spacious as can be contrived. A plaza is an index to the breadth of view of the 
citizens. 
Let us contemplate the approaches of some of our parks. Some of them remind 
us of a precious jewel in an unworthy setting. The Centennial Park, for example, 
is a glorious natural depression with high land all round it and within its area, 
enabling one in one coup d'oeil to view a landscape which is a dream of beauty, a balm 
to jaded nerves, and inspiration to the aesthete, be he poet or artist. 
But the approaches, with one exception, are petty. 
We are improving the approaches to the Outer Domain and Inner Domain 
(Government House Grounds) by plazas, and the above areas and also the Garden 
Palace Grounds, by an encircling belt of palm-bordered parterres. With these improve- 
ments Macquaiie-street will, in a few years, be the finest street in Australia. 
Let us not further neglect the very important matter of better .settings to our 
parks. 
The Policy of Connecting Avenues between our various Parks. 
We should have a shady walk or drive from the Circular Quay to Centennial 
Park and beyond, and back to the starting point by a different route. At the present 
time we have some dusty road, then some park, then a bit of tree -lined road, then very 
much more dusty road. When we have the necessary leisure to enjoy it we ought 
to be able to make long journeys under aesthetic conditions. It is too much to expect 
that all business premises and residences shall have park-like surroundings, but the 
continuity of our pleasaunccs can be more attended to if we set about it. 
