Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-10-01
The improvement OF Public Parks.

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When portion of land is set apart for the
recreation of the inhabitants of city, il ought
to be laid out to the best advantage, so that il
VIII become desirable place Of resort for open
air exercise and enjoyment.
Instead OF stocking park entirely with ma
pies, elms, and Norway spruce, a collection of
trees, shrubs and flowers calculated to make a
pleasing contrast with each other, and TO keep
up the beauty Of the scenery throughout the
summer, should be provided. Trees and shrubs
OF an upright growth should be contrasted with
those Of pendent habit. The color of the
fading foliage in autumn should also be taken
into account, and arrangements and DISPOSE
tons made for producing the variegated and
beautiful tnts for which the American forests
are so remarkable In October. Trees and
shrubs should be adapted to the extent of the
grounds in which they are set out. Very large
trees in small park are out of pace; they Oc-
eupy too much space and by their spre ading
roots or overhRnging branches damage every
plant OF weaker growth within their reach.
The oak is q slow growing tree, of Very beau
tiful foliage, which might with good effect re .
place the maple, a tree that is becoming too
common in streets and parks. In every Aneri-
can park of sufficient size, specimens OF the
native oak should be grown. Some OF them are
very valuable as timber trees. The white oak
quercus alba, has very wide range extending
from the Gulf OF Mexico to Lake Superior, AMI
IN many places forms large part of the forest.
The swamp white oak, qGercus bicolOr, has
also very wide range and is very hardy. The
red oak, quercus rGbra, is large tree of great
commercial impoT lance, inasmuch as it Yields
great part OF the red oak slaves exported from
the United States AID Canada to the West
Indies. Red oak slaves are also furnished By
the scarlet oak, quercus coccinea, the black
oak, quercus hnctOria, and by the willow oak
quercus phellas. The latter is a large tree with
lanceolate leaves somewhat resembling the
willow. There are several varieties of the
European and Asiatic oaks which are hardy in
this country and well worthy of place in every
arboreIum or park. There are also numerous
varieties Of the elm, ash, beech, birch, cypress,
etc, which are adapted to park ornsmentation.
Formerly, the whole of the Fir family was
known by the generic appellation Pinus, bat
it is now divided as follows: Pinus, or Pine,
Abies, or Fir, Lark, or Larch, and Cedrus or
Cedar. A collection of this valuable family OF
trees, with sufficient room for the growth of the
specimens would be an interesting feature in a
park. The Westinghouse gigantea Of Cali
fornis grows freely in the nurseries at ROches-
ter, n. Y. A specimen of this monarch of the
forest would be an object OF great interest in a
position in hundred years. Did space permit
L might name numerous trees and shrubs that
would be better adapted for Ornamenting a CITY
park and making il interesting to the public
than are the present occupants of such places
Park fountains which are generally arranged
10 throw water in jets or sprays, might be econ
omized ana made TO cast their invigorating
showers over rOckeries ornamented with Alpine
plants,
And flowers of different hue and cline and root,
In an exotic garden sometimes found.
Squares, trisngles, ETC., are unknown a natu-
raj scenery, and IN laying out park we should
initiate nature as closely as possible. The eX-
tent OF an artificial lake or pond should not be
seen at a glance; there should be something TO
interrupt the view and disguise the narrow limit
OF the water. Aquatic plants should be Guilt
waited IN suitable places. Collections of mineral
rocks, meteorolite, fossils, gypsum, etc., in the
form of rockeries, would be interesting Speci-
mems OF the mineral productions of every state
or country should be seen, in its capital, and be
always accessible to the public. A judicious
collection of trees, shrubs and Ito wers minerals
fossils, ETC., tastefully arranged and correctly
Labelled, would be interesting and Instructive
EDWARD MASON, Detroit, Mich.
- Western Rural