The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1882-09-16
Ornamenting Roadsides.

tne STRIP Oh 1rOunu UnaJ ltcs pcJNceu
the outer fence and the Travelled road.
1t belongs TO the owner of the adjacent
land, and can be employed by him for
any useful purpose that does not inter-
fere with the privileges Of travellers.
The laws of nearly all Western States
encourage the planting of shade and
ornamental trees on this strip of land
and impose severe penalties on persons
who injure the trees and shrubbery
planted A farm is generally seen from
the public road and its appearance can
be improved to better advantage by
planting trees, vines and shrubs along
the side of it than by placing them
where they will occupy ground that can
be made available for producing crops
that can be harvested. A row of fine
trees may be made to add much to the
value OF a place, and the cost Of pro-
curing, planting and taking care of
them is very small Still, the majority
of farmers derive no benefit from the
strip of land that borders the public
road, and many of them allow it to be
source OF positive injury. 1t can al
ways be utilized for the production of
grass and clover, which can be har-
vested or fed off by stock The best
forage crops to produce on the SIDE of
roads are white clover and blue grass.
They are ornamental as well as. useful,
and the, popularity of the location is
very favorable to their growth. The
ground is well drained by the ditch on
one side and is kept fertilized by the
dust that rises from the travelled road
Neither of these two plants grows to
such height that it interlereS with foot
travel when it is desired to walk along
the side of the road. They may be
kept short by allowing sheep or cattle
to feed on them once a week.
A row of fine trees will do more TO.
ward identifying this strip of land than
anything else. Care and Judgment,
however, must be taken in their selec-
ton. Everything considered, the elm
the side of a road. 1t is adapted TO a
variety of soils, is hardy, does not throw
up sprouts or suckers, is clearly, long
lived, and of quite rapid growth. 1t is
at once stately, majestic and graceful.
1t is strong enough to resist the action
of the most violent winds common to
the prairies, and its branches are not
liable to be broken by the accumulation
of sleet and ice on them. The shade
they cast is not so dense as to prevent
the growth of vegetation beneath the
branches. They should be planted at
least thirty feetapart, and their branches
will then entwine by the time they have
been planted a comparatively few years
The hard or sugar maple is most de-
sirable street tree, and has everything
to commend it except its slow growth.
1t has no bad characteristics and is
rarely troubled by insect enemies. It's
foliage is fine at all seasons, and is es-
pecially beautiful when its color is
changed by the frost. The common
Eastwood or linden has many desirable
characteristics. The trunk and branches
are covered by smooth and glossy
| bark, the leaves are of large size, and
| the growth of the free is quite rapid.
| Its disposition to throw up suckers OF
| sprouts is almost the only objection to
| it. All the varieties of the ash are un-
Objectionable, and they have many
| points in their favor, The hickory is
beautiful at all stages of its growth, and
for those who can wait for trees to grow
from seed on the places where they are
wanted no better tree can be recon-.
mended. 1t is at once useful and orna.
mental. 1t will bear nuts and produce
shade, while it will serve the purpose Of
rnamentation.
The trees which are not deserving o.
cultivation, and whose presence
amounts to positive injury, are the
ones that are most commonly planted
They are willows, poplars, locusts ant
white naples. The first are nearly de
void of beauty, produce a poor shade
throw up suckers and sprouts, and SEND
ont roots near the surface of the grounC
to great distances. They are aimos
constantly dropping their leaves. while
they afford nesting places for all kind
of loathsome insects. Poplars have
nearly all of these Objectionable quail
ties. The LombaFtiy poplar may be ;
desirable tree for certain purposes wheI
produced from seed. but when propa'
gated by cuttings or sprouts, as 1t al
ways is in this country, it is an abomi
nation. The silver-leaf poplar has ev
cry bad quality tree can possess, ant
hardly one redeeming characteristic
The native poplar is not as bad as TIL
imported varieties, but it is bad enough
to discard. The buds of the balm o
Gilead tree may possess healing quail
ties, but everything else about the tire
is worthless or injurious. The locus
produces beautiful and fragrant bios
som and grows rapidly, but it suckers
harbors insects, and is generally kille'
by the borer before it attains size l.
be Of any value. Evergreens are de
sirable for ornamenting the sides O
roads, but the lack of success that nj
tends their planting prevents giving at
tention to them. The European larch
| horse chestnut and fhran-th nrned ncaci