The herald., 1897-10-08
The RANCH AND
ITS PRODUCTS
edited by Prof. A. j. Cook.)
Street Decoration
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES

Hardly less important than good roads
is the matter of street tree planting. A
gentleman of Pomona sold a ten-acre
orchard for $1S,0 900 short time ago. The
house, was not specially excellent, and
the orchard not exceptionally fine or
valuable. The sale was considered
very good one. I asked the gentleman
how he came to be so fortunate as to
make. such a sale. He said 1t was the
street ornamentation that made the sale.
The buyer was captivated by the trees
and shrubbery along the roadside. Be
tween Cucumonga and Etiwanda is
row Of vigorous fan palms along the
wayside. Not one is missing. No one
can pass the place without exclamations
of delight. Near Azusa is a similar
planting Of umbrella trees, and these
are always noticed and commented upon
by the passers-by. Long rows Of pep
pers and eucalypti on both sides of
streets near Claremont are favorite
streets where all visitors are taken. The
beauty and the value, for beauty has
money value, of Southern California
orchards would be immensely increased
if all would study this matter of road
side decoration, and act wisely in the
matter.
In the past, cyprus, peppers and euca-
lyptus-usually blue gum-have been
largely planted. This was obviously un
wise, as in very many places these trees
are being dug out. The peppers are GER
tainly very beautiful, and it is to be
regretted that they are not satisfactory
Their delicate, graceful, light green foli-
age and beautiful berries make them
peculiarly attractive and lovely fea-
ture of our Southern California land
scape. But all these trees are rapid
growers and draw heavily from the
moisture and fertility Of the soil, so
| that the orchard trees next to them are
sure to larguish. One row of trees, and
often two, will show the lack Of plant
food in diminished size, enfee bled vigor
and decreased fruitfulness. The most
of our orchardists are too eager for
maximum results and too enamored Of
orchards with every tree in fullest vigor
to endure this filching from their fruit
trees even by the beautiful peppers,
and 80 the peppers become victims Of the
axe. These peppers have another OBJ
lection, they do not root very deeply
and in some of the heavy windstorms
are likely to blow over. We have had
! TWO OF THESE HedNy WlHUS III tue Adst
seven years.
| It is not agreeable to have rows of
stunted trees They disfigure an orchard
| Thus if the fruitgrower cannot give a
| generous space on the wayside margin
of his orchard. but must plant fruit
trees close to the highway he had bet
ter not plant any of the above trees. In
case the orchardist has such a sense of
thrift that his orchard must come close
to the highway, he may still adorn his
! roadside enhance the value, of his orch
ard and even add to his revenue. The
olive is a most beautiful roadside tree,
as is also the lemon. Both will not only
charm by their beauty, but will add not
little to the income. They each pos
sess third virtue, they are not likely
to be pilfered by the passerby. Each
of these trees is exceedingly graceful
and beautiful and will serve admirabl
to adorn the wayside of any orchard
other than of their own kind of fruit
To all who will not be content without
the fullest gain, l urge the setting of
| the lemon and the olive as Wayside
trees-the olive for any orchard but
olive, the lemon for any orchard but
lemon.
The camphor is peculiarly beautiful
tree, does exceedingly well with us and
may also be made to pay a revenue The
tinted young growth in the early season
makes it exceedingly attractive. The
palms are also very beautiful for street