The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1878-06-28
Trees for the DOOryard.


If farmers would only plant trees near
their houses they would add great deal to
the market value of their places. The un-
inviting sight of a farmhouse without tree
near it-oiten without garden-is yerv
common one. Our woods furnish many
trees Of beautiful and varied foliage that
may be transplanted when quite large, with
due care. Samuel Parsons, in the Rural
New Yorker recommends, among others, the
following trees for lawn planting "Tbe
naples rank especially high, not only on
account of their vigorous and rapid growth
and general health, but also from the varied
forms and color their leaves assume in the
different varieties. These massed together
or planted singly present rich and delicate
hues quite unsurpassed in their way. The
sugar maple is, perhaps, the best known and
appreciated even in its most purely orna-
mental character for its autumnal garb of
| crimson and gold Theu there is the Nor
way, with broad, shadowing foliage, well
suited for single positions on the lawns, or
for skirting the edges of other groups in
clusters of two or three. The scarlet is hon.
orably known for the unrivalled coloring of
| its robes in the fall. Both good in their
| way, the silver-leaved and ash-leaved, with
their light or fresh looking foliage, have
minor degree of value for lawn planting, al
though still very useful in their way. By
grouping these naples with the scarlet or
pin oak and liquidambar most effective COM
bnatious may be formed for the exhibition
of the autumnal coloring and / only won
der that more attention is not given to this
branch of lawn planting. l would like to
dwell at length, did space but permit, on
exquisite beauties of the Japenese naples, the
with their lacelike leaves, golden, purple
and tri-colored. This much must be said
for them, that no lawn can dispense with
their hardy beauty any more than it can
spare the peculiar fitness their dwarf nature
gives them for certain portions near the
path or house. The cut leaved and purple
forms of the white birch have great value
for the lawn planter, in the true sense of
the word elegant, their white bark stands
out among other trees with great prominence
aud the dropping, graceful foliage relieve
the shores of lakes or edges of woodland
with great effectiveness. For sturdiness, for
richness and msssiveness nothing can much
surpass the different varieties of beech,
purple and glowing, cut-leaved,.' symmetri-
cal aud weeping with great regular sweeps
of the branches, all habits seem to afford it
new capacity for astonishing us by its noble
and varied forms Nor must we forget that
the shade cast by the beech has been esteem
ed specially delightful from early classical
days.
The sturdy qualities of the oaks also re-
commend them highly for lawn planting.
Their outlines aud curiously formed branch
es and leaves render them always pictur-
e,que, aud their longevity is almost unsur-
passed, Maturity with them does not come
early, but their grand and even elegant
forms remain with us so comparatively un'
; changed that they seem at last part of our
selves, something that We have always with
US, like the everlasting hills" Quite as
much as other trees, they take on purple
, and golden, cut leayed or weeping forms
Indeed quercus concordia is one of the most
permanent and best golden trees We have
There are two purple forms of oaks; one
nigricans grows well and is hardy, but does
not retain the purple strongly marked
!, throughout the summer; the other, afro
t purpurea, is rare, richly and permanent,
: colored, of very slow growth, though no
!, very hardy while young, in many sections
of America. The scarlet oak is well knowI
s for its fine autumnal coloring.