36 
LAWN AND SHADE TREES. 
tiful in themselves, and especially valuable in all places of large 
extent. 
The mountain ash will grow freely in any soil, but it will not 
bear much cutting away of limbs or branches. 
Oak — Quercus .— The oak is the tree of song and tradition; 
the poet, painter, historiographer, and tourist all lend their aid 
to depict its beauty in association, in light and shade of land- 
scape, together with its great value as a timber and food tree ; 
and were we writing an essay upon the beauty of light and 
shade in scenery, stateliness and grandeur of tree, etc., it should 
receive from us unqualified praise. But as it is, we are only out- 
lining brief descriptions of popular trees for planting on street 
sides, and in public and private parks of the United States, and 
the truth compels us to write, that however much grand old 
oaks may be admired, their use, for ornamenting lawns, or for 
producing cooling shades on roadsides or grandeur in parks, as 
yet has been very limited, and they can not claim to be classed 
as popular in comparison with the elm and maple. 
The difficulty of transplanting the oak after it has acquired a 
suitable size for position on the roadside, etc., has undoubtedly 
prevented its adoption in many places where the taste of the 
planter would have otherwise chosen it ; and this very difficulty 
has contributed to keep it out of most dealers’ catalogues. 
Those who desire to plant it, we advise to select the early 
autumn, just as soon as the foliage is ripe, even before it falls, 
as the best time for its removal. It has deep and strong tap- 
roots, and they must, as far as possible, be obtained in its 
removal ; and when transplanted, the ground should be at once 
thoroughly saturated with water. 
With all its stateliness and grandeur ; its boldness and freedom 
of outline ; its great variety and irreverence to the rules of 
symmetry and regularity, making plantations of it when of age 
so expressive and commanding, we have an impression that for 
