The Florida agriculturist., 1885-02-11
Shade Trees in Streets.

Editor of The Florida Agriculturist:
In our American cities shade trees are
not so common that their absence would
be even noticed. All the business streets
are especially oblivious of nature, and
when we seek the more pretentious pri-
vate residence there is often no hint of
trees to grace the winding drives of a
well-kept lawn, or add another attraction
to the "brown stone 'front.'" For orna-
ment alone, there is no need of an argu-
ment to prove that shade trees should be
planted in the streets of every city and
village, but for use they are still more
needed, and the essential service they
render to pressing human wants is sell
dom considered. Even in this age of en-
ightment, ideas are very slow in, their
progress, and people are slow to adopt
them, just in proportion as they promote
the public welfare. The knowledge that
concerns most the mental and physical
and well being of every Individual is the
knowledge that receives the least atten-
ton. All know the intimate relations
that exists between animal and vegeta-
bic life; and the salutaTy influence exer-
cised upon all breathing organisms, and
especially upon the human being, is so
well understood that we need not multi
ply words to explain it. MOtwithstand-
ing all this, it is an anon4oly to see trees
planted in the streets of cities. Men
cannot take the trouble to plant trees,
nor care to preserve them from the un-
restrained whiting propensities of
the rising generation, and the injurious
use of them as hitching posts by thought
less horsemen. A king of SaMony hear
ing an eminent naturalist discourse upon
this subject, became student of botany
himself and soon every street in his cap
ital city was planted with shade trees,
and not only one city, but all the cities
of SaXony ale to-day distinguished by
shaded streets, most grateful to the trav-
eler. Before the king laid down his
sceptre he saw the result and thanked
God for the benign influence OF the shade
trees upon his people. 1t was better to
instill a love OF nature into their hearts
than to build prison walls; it was more
1ingly to spend thought and labor upon
human progress than devote his energies
to those arts that destroy life to increase
the imperial rule. Trees are beautiful
and attractive. Why not lhave them in
the busy mart, exerting their silent influ-
ence upon the jostling crowd? They are
directly conductive to health and comfort,
and at the same time create such a love
OF nature LIldG GIlOS6 WHO DSSlH 10y IONlIlS
the trees end by loving that amazing
power of God that expresses a beautiful
thought in beautiful tree. Itwasa wise
thought to include in the plan of our
young city (DeLand) the planting of its
streets with shade trees. As the years
30 on the wisdom of this provision will
be more and more apparent, and better
appreciated. Like the old artist who
painted for Immortality the tree planter,
plants for the generations to come If
DeLand had nothing more to recommend
it, its Boulevard would give it royal fame
and as the thought is carried out in all
the avenues, by each inhabitant within
the city limits, it will be only short
time until every citizen, will feel, as the
old Roman expresses it, that he has "a
country house in the midst of city,
R,ss ia urbe est. When that great jurist,
Rupus Choate, was about leaving for an
extended tour in Europe to recruit his
shattered health, his friend bidding him
goodby upon shipboards "You will
be with us year hence?" "Sir," re-
piled the great man, 81 shall be with
YOU thousand years hence So shall
it be with the influence of those who
plant shade trees in our streets. We
should honor the beginning of the great
work by taking royal care OF the trees.
NJ M. J..