Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1858-08-12
gelecteh Misceuany.
From the Baltimore American.
SHADE TREES.

An acquaintance with the theory Of arbo-
Elss9Age EHs r g s4H fhaH ws can
and, except SO far as an appreciation at the
present season Of the grateful shade afford
ed by the trees which foresight. good taste
or accident may have planted in our sum-
mer path, or admiration of their beautiful
forms as they stretch upwards to the sky as
if in aspiration to some nobler realm, we
have but little experience in regard to them.
It is no doubt the same with the majority of
persons Few are so stolid as not to ad-
mire them and none but willingly accept the
protection they offer from the suns ardent
rays at this period of the year, yet few con-
slider that they have any duty to perform in
the premises or that the subject of shade
trees concerns them any further. Now that
the trees are clothed in their richest verdure
and while they are attracting the attention
and admiration of every lover of nature, it
may Ut be amiss to urge their claims. It
has been justly said s'very few owners of
real estate even in country towns have any
dea of the commercial value of shade trees, %
and yet if they will open their eyes they
will see that one piece of ground, perhaps
very eligibly located, commands high
price, while another better situated is not
wanted, simply because it has no attractive
shade trees and is repulsive in its bare, de-
nuded appearance. In some cities streets,
which were neglected and unsought for as
building locations by persons of means have
become popular, and the lots on them have
increased in value twenty-five per cent by
the growth and attractions of shade trees ju-
diciously planted. Thus even in the crowd
ed cite, perhaps there more than anywhere
in respect to their beneficial influence upon
the public health, apart from their beauty
and convenience, shade trees have real
tangible, marketable value.
Among some farmers there exists, strange
to say, singular prejudice against trees,
unless indeed they produce fruit Of some
description which can be gathered and sold
and then they are rather permitted to exist
than planted and cared for. Upon one oc-
casion in our younger years we recollect
spending pleasant two weeks at a plain
and secluded farm house, which stood neal
the road; directly opposite on rocky knoll
was growth of trees and bushes, forming
an agreeable object to the eye, and within
the shade whereof we passed many an hour.
reading, musing, dreaming and drawing il
the delights Of mere animal existence in r
pose. At night we often watched the dak
shadows Of the trees bending their brances
across the meadows in the nj ght breeze, nd
almost thought them animated creature
In short that knoll with its green cenal
formed one of those scenes in our lind
which never die to memory. After aapse
of some two years we again visited thspot.
In place of the old brown house, easy spa
cious and comfortable. stood larg' two
story building, in glaring white, stang at
us out of its green blind windows The
sun poured down on it, but there wsnot
tree about it, We looked for our forite,
J the old accustomed knoll with its own of