Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-05-10
4 SHADE TREE SUGGESTION.

Texas needs shade trees and now. Just as
we are about entering upon what we call
the heated term" when little shade will
be refreshing. is q good time 10 talk about
them. A few suggestions on the subject at
this time may set the people ''a-tEipking. -
The naples, poplars, box elder and other
Of our prettieSt shade and ornamental
trees suffer and die from many causes in
this climate, as hot, dry weather, borerS,
etc, and few live to be OF much benefit to
the grower. Something else is needed.
have tried them all and have decided to
change my trees. Since investigation !
find that Hicks mulberry is success.
You know what it il. Leaves full, heavy
and color attractive, healthy and stands
the heat and is troubled by no insects.
Next is the Mariana plum. This is one
OF the most compact growers | ind in
Texas. In fact, 1t is u perfect tree i'll ali par
ticulars. Body neat and trim. foliage dense,
and it can be cut and shaped to suit the
taste of man.
These trees are both fruit bearing This
mulberry is q safe fruit grower; never
fails.
The Mariana plum is said to be failure
as fruit bearer here, but have 4 mode
tree that is full of as pretty plums as ]
have ever seen.
But aside from their fruiting qualities, as
shade trees, / believe both will prove all l
claim for them.
Nurserynen might help their trees by
using the Mariana for budding and graft
ing. II Is sale.
In these suggestions 7 have but one OBJ
ject in view-the benefit Of subscribed
people. | have no interest in any nursery
or stock of trees, except those | grow for
my own amusement and comfort.
J. C. MARTIN.
Fort Worth, Tex.
While the reader who honored US with
following through these columns some
msnths ago, has us to record as favoring for
shade and ornamental trees in Texas such
broad-leaf eyergreens as could be made to
succeed in our climate, and on our lines OF
latitude and isothermsl, we are still en-
tirely ready to admit that we much like
the hint thrown out by our correspondent.
If we must have deciduous trees, and can
make rruit-oearing trees fully answer our
purpose, why not adopt the fruit trees2
The trees suggested by Mr.. Martin, while
bearers of excellent fruit, are probably su-
perior 10 most other deciduous tree growths
within our reach for purposes of shade and
ornament. We are familiar with both Of
them. The mulberry named, understood TO
be descendent from Downing's celebrated
everbearing multicaulis seeding, grows
readily from cuttings under correct man
agement, while the Marianne plum is an
of shoot from the common Chickasaw, d
species said to have originated IN Arkan-
sas. tWood.} The new variety (Marianna),
was discovered in an unCultiyatcd state
near Mariana, Fla, hence its popular
name. Both of these varieties mentioned
by Mr. Martin bear high order of fruit
in their species, and the low-growing and
compact habit of each well fits it for stand
ing the breezeS Of an open country
OF course there is nothing reliable N the
prevailing impression TO the effect that the
Mariana plum fails as a fruiter in Texas.
Managed as in Florida, it might be fail
ure, but Texas is not Florida. 4 few tests
intelIigently made for Texas might bring il
to the surface rs our very best plum #
the Chictiasaw is really a native Of Arkan-
sas we can see no good reason for why the
Mariana, its direct descendant, might not
be an entire success in Texas As 4 rule
most Of the methods in horticulture well
suited TO other regions are not all right for
Texas, and vice versa. Until thorough ex-
perimentation at the hands Of tne horticuIt-
urist has shown what can or cannot be done
it is decidedly unsafe to pass upon any tenn
perate zone fruit as failure in Texas.