The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1903-03-06

10 pest huNdhtdSe. In general, as ruin
fall is less we need better soil and bet
ter cultivation.
In the third place. in selecting trees
TO plant the planter must have respect
To his own ultimate purpose. III IA prai-
RE farmer desires 10 secure quick re-
suits, early protection. he will plant
cottonwoods, white naples, box elders,
almost surely these because OF their
hardness, ease OF cultivation and ra-
pidity OF growth. Among them he will
plant the larch, the Austrian pine. va
rious evergreens, and II sufficiently far
sighted be will intersperse seeds or
seedlings OF better varieties for the es-
adjustment of q permanent wood lot.
II our tree planter is an eastern land
holder desiring to restore a forest cover
to the denuded farm, he will consult
the species formerly occupants OF the
soil and be guided by the ordinary rules
of reforestation, too extended to be here
discussed.
But probably the greater number Of
those who read these columns are In
terested in tree planting chiefly as the
art contributes to the adornment or
street and park and lawn, to the dec
grafton OF the homestead, and precisely
along these lines there seems to be ev-
erywhere room for improvement. In
how many towns, not to say cities, In
the United States have the trees been
properly selected and regularly plant
ed? In how many towns Is the matter
considered and Systematically control
led? We have planted trees, but Is 1t
not true that each individual has obey
ed his own individual impulse and as
result we have individualism run wild?
In order to build home for himself
man has been known to grub out or
destroy a fine colony of young oaks or
hickories, grade the surface from his
lot and then in front Of his premises
plant row OF white naples or equally
unsuitable species, having no regard to
similar paintings on the part Of his
neighbors, but consulting some fancied
convenience OF his own, and that alone.
or course, the remedy for this Is mu-
, nicipal control. The man who succeeds
at last in surrounding his home with
vistas of beauty effects it by carefully
studying the situation as whole, TAX
ing advantage Of all that nature con-
tributes, allowing art to supplement
nature only where modification or addi-
ton is positively necessary. In the same
way, If the city is to be properly plant
ed and adorned, the entire property OF
the public must be treated as a unit,
managed and planted as single hold
ing. \ plan rapidly growing in popu-
larity is to put all the tree planting Of
the town under control Of competent
commission. When this is wisely done,
we get system and may reasonably
expect the very highest results.
In the city Of Minneapolis every
tree is under control of a committee
having almost absolute power. The city
plants and cares for all the trees with
In the municipality. a similar rule
holds In Boston, Passaic, y. j., and sew
eral other American cities, TO say moth
ing OF the capitals of the old world.
1t is said that such commission Is
impracticable in our thousand smaller
towns and villages. The reply is obvi-
Gus that in such situation the problem
Is OF proportionate simplicity, and it
can be brought about by the people
themselves if only they can be organ
! lied and in serious earnest. A village
Improvement society or simply viii
lage committee is all we need For in
stance. there is no better street tree
In all the world than our American
elm, fortunately the most common tree
| throughout the northern states. most
easily transplanted, most certain to af-
ford a symmetrical growth IL simply
let alone. Now, ii ought TO be possible
even in the small village TO plant the
| principal street with elms, row on
each side, all appropriately spaced and
all in one aight line. We admit that
IL we were TO judge by what is shown
today such Al thing would seem an i'm
possibility. but 1t is possible all the
same. In any village let such trees be
today so planted, and in thirty years
| they will be the pride OF the town, in
century its glory. The famous elms
Of Yale are the American elms, so near
~ universal as to be practically free to
the poorest corner from Connecticut TO
| the DakOtas. In all our towns the
white or soft maple has been too often
made 10 do duty in lieu Of the elm. 1t
grows perhaps more rapidly. but never
theless TO less advantage. Soft naples
have their use, but not along the streets.
the peculiar branching giving the tree
as il grows older a top more and more
open. The principal branches lengthen
rather stifiiy and become presently easy
victims Of the storm. The hard maple
Is also Objectionable along the streets,
not that ii is not an exceedingly beau
tiful tree, equally attractive by the
dense shade Of its summer green and
by the richness Of its autumn glory.
but it lacks endurance In isolated stu
ations.
But it Is said that the elms are
monotonous; we must have variety.
Let it be so. Ample variety is easily
within our reach. There are many
other natives of our forests waiting
our disposal The linden Is a beautiful
tree and will make where y operly
cared for. a most handsome row, its