THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
TREES FOR CITY STR^:ETS. 
In response to letters of inquiry sent out by the Brook¬ 
lyn Tree Planting Society regarding the best trees for city 
streets, the following letters have been received : 
OLMSTED, OLMSTED & ELIOT. 
Brookline, Mass., September 1;5, 1893. 
Dear Sir :—I have received your letter of the 7th inst. Your 
society has undertaken an extremely difficult duty. I have fre¬ 
quently examined a long row of street side trees, not one of which 
failed to show the effect of serious above ground injuries, and it 
rarely occurs that such trees are planted under conditions below 
the surface of the ground that would justify an expectation of their 
long continued healthy growth. As a rule, they are practically 
set in little cups of soil, beyond the circumference of which their 
roots grow with difficulty and find but scanty nourishment. Con¬ 
sequently, they are of feeble constitution and fall a ready prey to 
insects and diseases. I must add that a considerable proportion of 
the trees planted in our cities are sooner or later killed outright 
by illuminating gas. 
If you wish to see an illustration of the difference between 
trees fairly well planted and those planted under the direction 
of men not much more than usually well informed on the subject, 
compare those which are to be seen in Fifth avenue. New York 
city, with those to be seen on Fifty-ninth street adjoining the 
Central park. More than half of all the trees originally planted 
on Fifty-ninth street have died and been replaced by others. 
Many of them have been twice or thrice replaced. Of some 
hundred trees planted about twenty years ago on One Hundred 
and Tenth street and other streets bordering on Morningside park, 
New York, every one has died or been removed because of its 
diseased or dilapidated condition, and been replaced by another. 
Not one tree in a hundred of all that may have been planted 
in the streets of our American cities in the last fifty years has had 
such treatment that its present condition can be supposed to indi¬ 
cate what a tree of the same species would come to be if properly 
planted and cared for. 
For this reason I am not prepared to answer your inquiries 
with absolute confidence, but I am inclined to think that if, in the 
streets of Brooklyn, a sufficient amount of suitable soil could be 
provided and judicious management secured, satisfactory results 
would be obtained by planting the broadest streets and places with 
the first class in the accompanying list; the narrower streets with 
the second class, and the more confined places with the third class. 
I have observed all these except the buckeye growing less badly 
in Brooklyn than street trees generally do, and have formed my 
opinion of the buckeye from an observation of its growth in other 
places. I am, dear sir, yours respectfully, 
Fred Law Olmsted. 
Large trees—1. Platanus orientalis (Oriental plane). 2. Li- 
quidambar styraciflua (sweet gum or bilstead. 3. Acer plata- 
noides (Norway maple). 
Medium trees—1. ^Bsculus glabra (Ohio buckeye). 2. Ulmus 
montana (Scotch elm). 3. Celtis occidentalis (nettle tree, hack- 
berry). 
Small trees—1. Acer campestre (English field or cork barked 
maple). 2. Koelreutera paniculata (koelreutera). 3. Cornus flor- 
ida (flowering dogwood). 
MT. HOPE NURSERIES. 
Rochester, N. Y., October 21, 1893. 
Dear Sir : In reply to yours of the 18th instant, we would 
state that according to our experience and observation the Amer¬ 
ican elm is the best Hee for street planting that we have; next 
comes the sugar majile, then the Norway maple. The elm is a very 
long-lived tree, always vigorous and healthy, generally free from 
insects, though in some places latterly the elm has been attacked by 
caterpillar. The maples are large growing, handsome, vigorous 
trees, with fine foliage, and can be specially recommended. The 
silver majffe is very largely used as a street tree, and in soils where 
it does not grow too rankly is quite desirable; in fact, its rapid 
growth makes it very valuable, but it sometimes gets injured in 
storms and hence it has not the same value as the Sugar or Nor¬ 
way ; still where one desii’es to have shade and rapid growth it is 
the tree. 
Another tree now being used quite largely and valued on ac¬ 
count of its rapid growth, is the Carolina poplar. It is a tall-grow¬ 
ing tree and has very large, clean leaves, and makes a most 
remarkable growth. There is no tree that we know of that grows 
so rapidly and luxuriantly, and it is therefore especially valuable 
for immediate effects. 
Regarding medium and small growing trees, we hardly think 
the lists can be arranged in the way you desire for street planting. 
In our opinion, for the street, large, tall-growing and spreading 
trees are needed. Now, if you insist upon a list of medium-sized 
trees, we would name as in the accompanying list; also for small¬ 
sized trees. 
The cut-leaved weeping birch is a most beautiful tree for ave¬ 
nues and produces a unique effect, distinct and different from most 
plantings that we see nowadays. We know of one avenue planted 
in this way and the result is most satisfactory. 
One of the most beautiful trees of I’ecent introduction is the 
Wier's cut-leaved maple. We introduced this tree several years 
ago and the more we see of it the more we are impressed with its 
beauty. It is a variety of the silver maple ; the branches droop 
gracefully to the ground ; the foliage is deeply cut. Planted either 
singly or in rows as a street tree, it produces a most admirable 
effect. There are now in different places large specimens of this 
tree and they invariably command the admiration of all observers. 
It is a tree that cannot be too strongly recommended for planting 
in dooryards, around the lawn, in pleasure grounds, parks, ceme¬ 
teries, in fact everywhere. Yours truly, 
Ellwanger & Barry. 
Large Trees—1. Ulmus Americana [American elm]. 2. Acer 
iffatanoides [Norway maple]. 3. Ulmus montana [Scotch elm]. 
Medium Trees—1. Tilia Europoea [Eui-opean linden]. 2. 
Betula alba var prendula laciniata [Cul-leaved weeping birch]. 3. 
Acer dasycarpum var. Wierii laciniatum [Wier's cut-leaf silver 
maple]. 
Small Trees—1. Catalpa speciosa [Hardy catalpa]. 2. Acer 
platanoides var. Reitenbachi [Reitenbach’s Norway m'aple]. 3. 
HIsculus hippocastanum var. rubicunda [Red flowered horse chest¬ 
nut]. 
COMMERCIAL NURSERIES. 
Rochester, N. Y., September 11, 1893. 
Dear Sir : We inclose herewith your list of questions an¬ 
swered to the best of our ability. 
The Lombardy and Bollcana poplars, though growing to a 
great height, are peculiarly adapted to narrow streets by their 
upright, spire-shaped habit of growth. 
Yours truly, 
W. S. Little & Co. 
Large Trees—1. Acer dasycarpum [Silver-leaved maple]. 2. 
Ulmus Americana alba [American white elm]. 3. Platanus orien¬ 
talis [Oriental palm tree]. 
Medium Trees—1. Populus fastigiata or dilatata [Lombardy 
poplar]. 2. Liriodendron tulipifera [Tulip tree, whitewood]. 3. 
Sorbus aucuparia [European mountain ash]. 
Small Trees—1. Sorbus aucuparia var. quercifolia (Oak-leaved 
mountain ash]. 2. Salisburia adiantifolia [Gingko. maiden-hair 
tree]. 3. Populus alba var. Bolleana [Bolleana poplar]. 
Greater interest should be taken by nurserymen in the 
meetings of the horticultural societies of the country. It is at 
those meetings that nurserymen may obtain valuable infor¬ 
mation concerning the wants of their patrons, the planters. 
There they may learn what varieties have proved during the 
season just closed best suited to a particular section ; results 
of tests of new varieties are discussed and the pro.spect for 
the demand for certain stock may be noted. 
