Nothing will give such an air of stability to a country home as a proper setting of trees, but' successful planting is a difficult art 
Planting Trees for Air, Light and Shade 
TREES AROUND MANY HOMES ARE EITHER CLOSE ENOUGH TO MAKE THE 
HOUSE DAMP OR TOO FAR AWAY TO MAKE THE SHADE OF ANY VALUE 
by Grace Tabor 
Photographs by Thomas W. Sears, Nathan R. Graves and others 
[The sixth of a series of articles by Miss 'Tabor on the subject of landscape gardening as appl 
titles being “ Utilizing Natural Features,” “ Getting Into a Place,” “ Formal or Informal Gardensf 
Vlews,” and “Boundary Lines and Boundary PlantingsAny questions relating to further details 
led to the American home of moderate size, preceding 
” “ Screening, Revealing and Emphasizing Objects or 
and planting information will be gladly answered .] 
/ | A HERE are two distinct aspects under which the question of 
■L tree planting and the shade and shadow resulting from 
tree planting must be considered. One is shade in its relation to 
buildings, the other is shade and shadow in their relation to 
landscape composition—in other words one is a purely practical, 
the other an esthetic, aspect. The small place is limited usually 
to the former; the practical aspect being therefore of more general 
application, we will give it first attention. 
It is very difficult not to go to extremes in the use of trees. 
The tendency is invariably to plant either too many or not 
enough, according as the planter loves “cool shade” or abominates 
“sombre shadow”; and in this connection, as in many others, 
personal prejudice is very strong and does not take kindly to 
being reasoned with. There is a standard, however, set by 
hygienic demands as well as by those of beauty—the two are in 
absolute harmony, by the way—which will regulate this unruly 
tendency to extremes, if it is permitted to do so. 
In the triangle of air, light and shade that this subject of tree 
planting resolves itself into there is one member which we cannot 
live without. We need all three of course, to live happily and 
comfortably—and healthily—yet light and shade are not vital. 
Life does not depart if these are withdrawn from us; but it does 
if air is. We can live longer deprived of anything than we can 
deprived of air—indeed we cannot live at all if it is taken away 
from us. 
This little abstract analysis may seem to have nothing lo do 
with tree planting, but it has. Anything that emphasizes the 
importance of an element which can be excluded from our houses 
( 87 ) 
