Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1857-08-29
From the New England Farmer.l
ON THE PLANTING OF TREES
By THE ROADSIDE, AND IN THE ENCLOSURES
OF OUR DWELLINGS
OF OUR DWELLINGS.
BY WILSON FLAGG.


Many objections have been made to the plant
ing of shade trees near our dwellings,, and in
some cases by the roadside, on account Of the
dampness generated by them when they occupy
our enclosures, and on account Of the injury they
do by shading the fields, when planted by the
roadside. Tree planting in these situations may
undoubtedly be carried to excess and it is we'll
to consider few of those rules by which we
should be governed in this matter. The road
side, the enclosures Of our dwelling houses and
public grounds are not the only places which
ought 10 be planted with trees / have seen
men diligently employed in setting out trees on
the highway, when have thought they would
be more wisely employed, if they neglected the
highway, and used their influence to prevent the
sacrifice of beautiful knoll of trees and shrub
berry, in close proximity 10 the road, which an
other party was telling for fuel. Our tree asso-
Citations should avoid giving their exclusive at
tention to the planting of trees by the roadside,
and look out for the saving of many picturesque
groups of wood and shrubbery that already exist,
or for securing new growth in those elevated
spots which are beautiful when covered with
trees, and unsightly when they are without them,
and which are unsuitable either for tage or
pasture.
With regard to roadside planting, | believe it
has been usual to plant indisc Intimately on both
sides Of the road, and in all situations, without
considering that both sides of road do not al
ways equally require the protection of trees, and
that certain kinds Of soils and situations are not
suitable for all trees One Of the objections to
roadside trees is that they shade the land which
is contiguous to them. But if the road runs east
and west, the trees on the south side of it would
no. shade the fields, and those on the north side
would not shade the road. In this case the trees
should be confined to the south side of the road,
since on this side only would they afford any ad.
vantage TO travellers, and on the other side only
would they occasion any injury to tillage by
their shade.
| If the road runs north and south, trees might
be planted indifferently on either side; but as
| the majority of our roads are not straight, and
are constantly changing their course, We might
follow this rule OF planting, and find in the end
az many trees on our left as on our right hand,
in journey Of a few miles. When the road
runs north and south, plant trees on each side
when il runs east and west, plant them only on
the south side. But these are not the only rules
which should govern our planting. There are
but few individuals who would refuse their con-
sent 10 allow any part of their lands adjoining
the street to be planted with trees at a society's
expense, provided the spots selected for this pur
pose were not valuable for tlage or PASTURE
As we are journeying through the country, a
regular and uniform row of trees by the road
sides would be exceedingly tiresope, not only on
| account OF their uniformity but from cutting off
the prospect. Our roadsdes, however, are in
no cases planted so extensively as to cause any
such annoyance We.are not liable TO go TO an
extreme in the general planting Of the trees
but we may go TO an extreme in planting them
in particular situations. IL may be q question
whether the public has alright to shade mans
grounds injuriously by roadside trees, and also
whether private individual has right to s.
troy noble tree on his own premises, which
has for many years bcautifed the landscape and
shaded the highway. These points are to be
considered when we are employed either in
planting or in cutting down trees near the public
road. ... .., .........f.. ... .'.. u
There are situations where plantations OF trees
might be made near the road, which would be
favorable to the beauty uf the landscape and val
liable for shade. Such are those points where
the road takes a turn round a swell of land COM
prising perhaps half an acre, and rising several
feet above the level of the road. This may be
rocky declvity, or a gravelly hill but if 1t be
destitute of trees it is spot that deserves plant
ing, and it would be better to neglect the road
side than such places as this There is no com
parison between the beauty of one such spot
which is well wooded and another that is desti-
tute of trees. A traveller may be annoyed by
trees on the highway, that conceal the prospect,
and tire him by their uniformity but whatever
might be his taste, he would not fail to be de-
lighted with wood on one of these conspicuous
elevations, and ALMOST painfully affected by the
want of it. All such places, If they are desti-
tute of trees should be Immediately planted, and
if wooded, they should be protected, A hun
dred trees grouped on such spot are more orn-