Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-04-15
agricultural.



In no other way can we, with so little
expense of time and labor, add 80 mucl
to the pleasantness and comfort of ON
homes, as by the judIcious use of shade
trees. Once set, nature will keep them
in repair; adding some new beauty OF
form. and repainting them every yeal
with her choicest cOlOrs.
On the north side of buildings. to break
the wind, evergreens are to be preferred
and of the e the hemlOck is the best. Fol
ordinary shading, the rock maple and the
elm are generally preferred. When Their
i ample room for them to grow to theil
full size, the, are undoubtedly entitled tt
the rank they hold, but otherwise Their,
are serious objections to them Growing
freely in the open land, the branches star
low, and run so nearly horizontally, thai
they soon interfere with buildings whtl
set near them; then, to preserve the build
ings, the limbs are cut of, leaving a wOun,
that never heals, the wood dies and decays
and in few years the tree is destroyed
Illustrations of this are found almost every
where, where these trees were set a few
years ago. Almost universally in shadin.
streets and parks. the trees are set so neal
together that it becomes necessary to Il in
them up, till their symmetry and beauty ar
entirely destroyed. If they had been Sc
at proper distances apart, they woul'
have been objects of increasing beauty fo
ages, to gladden. the heart of every be
holder.
The limbs of these trees grow so larg'
that they constantly endanger building
when they stand near enough TO fall upoI
them.
Another objection to them, and espe
cially to the maple, is, they are so mucl
affected by borprs; often being destroyed
or made unsightly by tn il ravages. TIN
maple when growing in the open land
is frequently injured by the starting of th,
barkSn the sunny side.
1t is no bad plan to combine profit will
beauty and comfort and shade ur ground.
with fruit trees. The apple is well adapt
ed to THIS, being Il rapid grower, hardy
and always beautiful in its rugged irregu
larity of trunk and limb, its soft geel
leaves, its exquisitely delicate and fragran
flowers, and its abundant and luscious
fruit
But of all our trees. no other combine
so many of the requisites for ornaments
purposes as the white birch-especialh
to st nd near buildings 1t grows ver1
rapidly, is hardy, seldom affected b.
borers and flourishes on almost every SOL
The TT nix is picturesque in it irregular
ity, throwing off numerous small branches
which divide and subdiyide into minut,
flexible rays, that sway in the bree
with infinite grace. The pe;trlv white O
the bark on the trunk and larger branches
passing, by insensiblc gradations, through
various shades of brown, in o the teep
livinE purple of the remotest twigs, is :
beauty peculi to this tree. 1t is one O
the earliest trees t, put forth its leaves
and one of the latest to drop them; the,
are handsome in form, and exquisite il
color; and, when touched by the autumn
nal frosts, their dying hues of burnishe,
gold are no less beautiful than the rova
crimson of the imperial maple It's swell
ing buds herald the approach of spring
long before the maple and elm have scent
ed its coming. In the vigorous depth
of winter it commences to hang out it
pendulous flower buds, ready to unfol,
their modest blossoms in the first warn
breath of spring. The minute subdvis
ion of its branches secures Il dense shade
even from Il small top, and YES sucl
hrXil'ility that they are rarely broken b.
wind. SNOW or ice, and make them so Itch
that they will do no damage if they do fl
on buildings or fences When Il maple O
elm is cut down, all that remains is al
unsightly stump, but VIII q birch is Gu
down it will send up II cluster of spr ut
that, in Il few years. will form clump o
trees more beautiful, if possible, than tn
original trunk.
All that has been said of the whit
birch will apply to the vel ow as well, b
substituting amber for white in the colo
of the bark. An intermixture of these
with an occasional evergreen interspersed
would make one of the most charming
combinations of which our forest tree.
are capable.
Whatever trees are chosen, avoid sue
as divide into two nearly equal branches
for they will be very likely to split down
Choose trees whose branches are numer
Gus and small. Set them so fur apar
that they NAV attain large growth withou
interfering with each other. Do not crow
them around Il house SO IS to hut ont tn
sunlight. for every ray of light that enter
4 room is burdened with priceless freigh
of health and appiness. When trees ar
set, pro ect them; the breaking of the bar
may infiict lifelong injury.
Watch their growth, and remove o
urn every limb that is taking a wrOn
direction, Just us soon as the ,rrOr become
obvious. while it can be done without in
Jury 10 the tree. little labor and ex
pense wisely employed in this way, wi
yield large returns in the increased pleas
antness and comfort of Il hOme.-BCiL0U
EGlLs Time.