Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1911-07-27
BEST SHADE TREE FOR OFF,
FEREAT SECTIONS or TEXAS

The following paper was read by
Prof. =, Ness before the Farmers
Congress- at Its session Wednesday:
My interest in forest and shade trees
dates Back to Hss, when was a
cadet at the coll{ Ee. Prof. Brunk, the
first professor in horticulture at A. &
Nj. college, being most active and
energetic man, conceived the idea Of
planting an arboretum for the study
OF arboriculture; and 1t became my
good luck to be appointed to do the
work. About five acres, part of which
Is now occupied by cottages, on the
right hand side of the driveway rum
ming In southeast direction from the
chapel, were set aside for this pur-
pose. This ground was planted with
q goodiy number OF species OF forest
trees, some nursery grown, some as
cuttings, and black walnut as seed. A
great number of the nursery grown
consisted OF naples, ash, beech, lin.
den and many others, mostly natives
OF more northern and moister eli
mates. All these trees made good
start and promised well for three or
four years, when they commenced to
die, one after the other. Owing to the
fact that the professorship OF .horticul-
ture was vacant In 1891, had the
pleasure Of acting as the head, and as
such had charge of the planting on
the campus. A great number OF trees
and shrubs were planted that year
including several species of handsome
ard fast growing Expresses and other
evergreens. A cedrus deodora and a
thrifty cupressus horizontalis, as well
as the larger live oaks and some Flu.
ropean oaks, are remnants OF that
planting In 1901a nd 1902 | again had
charge OF the campus, and having no
ticed the hardness OF the live oak and
the water oak, or, as some call 1t, the
pin oak, made up my mind to employ
oaks extensively. II became my ambi
ton to plant upon the campus speci
mems OF all OF our larger American
oaks, native OF any soil and any state
Avenues were In those two years
planted with overcup oak, water oak
swamp pin oak and European oak, and
some white oak. Though none o.
these trees have been under my care
since the winter Of 1902-03, | have
had the pleasure OF observing theil
behavior and meditating upon thu
causes OF their success or failure
From the observations made on thi:
incongenial soil have come to tht
conclusion that shade trees to be fairl,
successful must have as the first requi
site dense, dark green foliage, which
must be retained till late in the fall
irrespective of spells OF high tempera
ture and drouth during the midsum
mer. The only trees that possess this
quality on our ground are the oaks
Hackberries, elms and box elder, al
much used In planting for shade ant
ornament, fail in this respect excep
In especially favored places. Theil
foliage lacks density, turns pale, ant
is easily scorched during July or Au
gust drouths. Under these conditions
the leaves OF these trees mature an'
Wall off quickly, frequently leaving thu
youngest shoots to dry up and die
This Is more especially the case witt
larger and more mature trees OF thi'
kind than with the younger ones.
Trees in this condition offer poo
shade at season when shade is mos
needed. They are not ornamental
since they give TO the landscape, Will,
in this condition, distressed and SUI
fering appearance. Our landscape witt
its white binding light demands To-
restfulness dark foliage and dari
shade.
In other localities with better sol
than al the college, and where the sub
soil Is readily penetrated by the rootl
and Is .rententive OF moisture, suci
as in the forests of East Texas, otnel
trees may be found having the above
requisites besides the oaks. ! have
only to mention the sweetgum, tn,
blackgum or nyssa sylvatica, both will
brilliant crimson colored foliage II
fan and very dark green throughou
the summer To these | may add th'
black walnut, the white ash and tn
sycamore, where drouths are less IRE
ouent and prolonged. Especial!
worthy of a place on this list OF suit
able shade trees is that giant Deaut!
of the forests east OF the mississippi
the tulip poplar, or liriodendron tulip
fera. as II is known in botany. I'M
tree reaches occasionally a height o
nearly two hundred feet, with trunl
diameter of four to five feet. Hence
II is one Of the largest foliage bearing
trees in the world. The foliage is YER
dense and dark green, the large shin
ing. smooth and very firm leave
uuivering on their long stems to tn
slightest breeze. During the month o
Nav Il covers itself with brllllan
greenlsh yellow flowers, similar \
fsnn to those of the magnolia ana III
tie inferior to them In size. nav
seen this tree on sandy soils in Geol
gia rising like a dome-shaped thunde
cloud above the surrounding fores'
On sandy soil in East Texas l nav
seen young fast growing specimen
twenty to thirty feet high; and aDou
twenty years ago on similar SOIL q
William Watson's place near brei
ham. Here on the college grounds
planted about a dozen specimens l
1891. but they soon died, owing to IN
stiff impervious subsoil. The soil pes
adapted in the South seems to be IN
loans underlaid by clay made pei
yious by a mixture Of gravel and sane
In the Northern states this tree
frequently found in moist valley IAN
of glacial drift.
IA