Morning journal and courier., 1889-08-13

of large estate near by. We know a mile
of country road which grows more attractive
every year because little care is taken to
introduce the flowers and shrubs and vines
which flourish naturally in that region.
Marsh marigolds and cardinal flowers have
been made at home by the outlet of a way
side spring. Houstonia and bloodroot
bloomed this year where they were unknown
before. The thickets are fringed with an in.
creasing variety of ferns, and club MOSES
are now creeping among them. Even in
winter the heps of wild roses and the ber-
ries on the red alder show how a roadside
can be frightened by few hours Of atten-
ton in year.
1t is hardly to be hoped, however, that
every landowner will be persuaded to take
such an active and intelligent interest in the
master would think 1t beneath his dignity to
plant shrubs or SOW flower seeds to help COW
or over the seams and scars left by man In
the track of all his improvements" But,
fortunately, he need put himself to little
trouble in all the hill country east Of the Al
lsghanies at least, for nature, if left to hel
own kind Offices, will at once begin to olothe
the desert made by man. No artificial plant
ing can be more attractive than the natural
thiokets which would fringe almost avery
road in New England and the Middle States
il they were only allowed to grow. In
many places, 1t is true, such growth would
be out of place. Smooth turf running from
the wheelway to or under the fences enclo
sing fertile fields is always attractive. In
the rougher country, however, the natural
border Of shrubs and trees and festooning
vines is generally worth preserving. The
thorns and dogwoods and viburnums, the
and olematis and moonseed climbing over
a11--fha flown of {hn mpr11 has M nara hAa
tiful plants than these and q hundred more
which spring up themselves and flourish un-
til some. one with zeal for "trinmin9 up
attacks them with grubbing hoe and brush
hook. And when the vines are stripped
from the fences, and the brush all cut, gath
cred and burned, the roadsides are thorough
ly cleared, Ii is true, but desolation oi
rocks and ashes is all that Ia left in exchange
for the fragrance Of aowers, the beauty and
GOODNESS Of green leaves, and the melody ol
the birds among them.
It Ia o comfort to note that road borders o
native shrubs are being used more and more
| in the best park work. Nothing can bt
more effective than the shrubbery on eithel
side Of the drive through the Arnold Arbo.
return, not only an an appropriate cover fol-
hillsides whore myrica, sweet fern and Other
low growing shrubs take the place Of turf
but for the distinct purpose of fringing the
road. These shrubs are proving themselves
no less useful or appropriate along th'
smooth, broad and well kept wheelway thar
| they are in remote byways among the hills
| Indeed 1t is difficult to imagine how the
hard, stony gutter line beside the roadbet
could be more agreeably broken than 1t i
/ by the wild roses or redroot that occasional
| ly stray across it, or how any other shrul
| would take the place of the sumaehs banked
about one portion of the drive. Every on
| of these shrubs would grace palace garden
and yet when they modestly appear along I
| rural highway they are moved down to ''im
prove the appearance" of the country. I
| there is no reason to look for any genera
! and organized effort to beautify our eountr.
| roadsides, let US hope at least that overseer
of the highway may in time be induced +
| refrain from expending labor and money t.
| destroy the native shrubs and vines and tree
which clothe 80 many waysides with beaut.
| as with q garment.