The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1885-08-25
ROADSIDE SHADE.
1dow Country Rosds Can Be Made Attract
i've and Inviting.

1dow Country Rosds Can Be Made Attract
i've and Inviting.
A country road without shade, upon
o hot, summer day, has charms for
neither the pedestrian nor other
traveller. Were it not for the utter
neglect of our highways, except as 8
means of inter-communication. the
country would lose much of its pictur
sequences. The land once given up ia
the district as a highway, is neglected.
as rule, by its owners-as much so as
if il did not belong to them. Briars
and thistles, mulleins and rushes, forest
trees, rocks, wild flowers, and grass,
dispute possession of the roadside. But
for the presence of evil weeds and
tangles, which harbor vermin of all
kind, it might be the best use to be
made Of the roadside, for this confu-
sion of wild nature is very charming.
If let alone in most parts of the coun-
try east of the Alleghanies, the roads
would soon be comfortably shaded
.sith great variety of native forest
beneath them would be a nursery Of
wild flowers.
The anti-weed laws which the Leg.
islatures of several States have passed,
have tendency to change this. The
result is, that where the laws are en-
forced, shade trees as well as brambles
and other useless growths disappear to-
gether, unless, indeed, the trees were
already large. These laws require the
moving off of the brush and wild
growths by the roadside, several times
during the season. This practice
quickly brings in grass in the place of
shrubs and weeds. On new roads, the
Young shade trees disappear. and on
most highways, no trees less that three
or four inches in diameter escape.
while the farmer, through whose land
the road goes, comes to the aid of the
--highway-man," and makes a clean
sweep, telling every tree, small and
great.
The ideal road through cultivated
farming land, or fenced ground any
where, is, pre-suppOsing a good road
way, one with broad, grassy areas on
each side of the way, a foot-path on
one or both sides, and shade trees,
Of possible, natural forest trees). at
convenient distances and of various
kinds, casting their shadows upon the
footh-path at least most of the way.
The whole road should not be at any
shine should reach every part of the
surface at some time in the day, and
remain, several hours.
Where a road is laid out through
wooded piece of ground, where the
natural forest growth is cut away for
the road, and so young trees may be
selected and left TO grow by the road
side, it is often more difficult to secure
4 growth of proper shade trees, than
where the road goes through land free
from trees. The country boys seeing
& -1ice young tree starting straight,
smooth, and cOmely, are attracted by
it. and are almost sure to want it for a
riding whip or cane, or for some
other purpose, and so off goes its top.
They are not malicious about it, but il
never occurs to them that such tree
IS worth more to them as it stands
than as a whip or walking stick; and,
leas. of all, do they think of it as hav-
ing been especially designated as one
of the future shade trees of the road.
This is one class of passers, by whom
the trees are endangered. Another
class are real vandals, and will cut
down a tree because decent people are
pleased by having it grow. For such
Sye need stringent laws, protecting
roadside shade trees. The So-called
stump laws" which some States
have, hardly cover it. Local organ
stations for free planting are doing a
useful work in many parts of the
country, by fostering these roadside
shade trees.-Anserica-t AgriculturtSt.