The Fort Worth gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-189?, 1891-05-14
4 SHADE TREE SUGGESTION.

\ SHADE TREE.
Texas needs shade trees. and now, just rs
we are about entering upon what we call
the cheated term" when little shade will
be refreshing, Is q good time TO talk about
them. y few suggestions on the subject a.
this time may set the people ''a-thinking."
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 10 be of much benefit 70
the grower. Something else is needed. /
have tried them all and have decided TO
change my trees. Since investigation !
Eou know what it is. 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 ! find in
Texas. In fact, it is a perfect tree i'll all par
ticuars. Body neat and trim. foliage dense,
and il 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 a model
tree that is full of as pretty plums as l
have ever seen.
But aside from their fruiting qualities, as
claim for them.
Nursarymen might help their trees by
using the Mariana for budding and graft
ing. IL is safe.
In these suggestions I have but one OBJ
iect in view-the benefit OF 4 sun-scorched
people. / have no interest in any nursery
or stock of trees, except those l grow for
my own amusement and comfort.
j. C. MARTIN.
Fort Worth, Tex.
While the reader who honored Us with
msnths ago, has us 10 record as favoring for
shade and ornamental trees in Texas such
broad-leaf evergreens as could be made to
succeed in our climate, and on our lines Of
latitude and isothermal, we are still en-
tirely ready TO admit that We much like
II we must have deciduous trees, and can
make fruit-bcaring trees fully answer our
purpose, why not adopt the fruit trees2
The trees suggested by Mr. Martin, while
bearers OF excellent fruit, are probably SUI
perior 10 most other dcciduous tree glowths
within our reach for purposes OF shade and
ornament. We are familiar with both of
them. The mulberry named, understood 10
be descendent from Downing's celebrated
everbearing multicaulis seeding, grows
readily from cuttings under correct man
agement, while the Mariana plum is an
off-shoot from the common Chickasaw,
species said to have originated in Arkan-
SIS. (Wood.) The new variety (AIarianna),
was discovered in an uncultivated state
near Marianne, 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 in the
prevailing impression to the effect that the
Mariana plum fails as fruiter in Texas.
Managed as in Florida, it might be fail
ure, but Texas is not Florida. A few tests
intelligently made for Texas might bring it
to the surface as our very best plum. If
the Chickasaw is really native of Arkan-
sas we can see no good reason for why the
Marianne, its direct descendant, might not
be an entire success in Texas. As u rule
most of the methods in horticulture well
suited to other regions are not all right for
Texas, and vice versa. Until thorough ex-
Fermentation at the hands OF the horticult-
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.