TREE PLANTING IN TOWNS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 2831, 19 October 1883, Page 3

TREE PLANTING IN TOWNS.

The following is extraoted from a work by J. E. Brown, F.LS., Conservator of Forests, South Australia : — There is perhaps nothing whioh gives so much pleasure to people residing m towns and cities as trees planted along the streets and other thoroughfares. The ehade received from them makes the walks cool, and the bright glare which is so trying to the eyes is mellowed down to such a degree that walking m the busy streets m the noonday heat becomes bearable, and even pleasant to all. Moreover, the effect of having the thoroughfares of our cities lined with arboreous growths would be to purify and regulate the condition of the air and thus make it suitable fur the healthy residence of the people. Trees are very searching and wonderful scavengers and their leaves so act upon and assimilate deleterious gases arising from the gregarious habits of men, that many epidemic diseases consequent upon atmospheric disturbances are frequently prevented by them. . That happy and beneficial results would flow to the city and towns of South Australia, if trees were planted regularly and systematically along both Bides of the streets and roads, there can be no question of doubt. Indeed, with the climate which we possess, the general good which would arise from this would be far greater than we are at present really alive to. It is most gratifying, therefore, to find that the spirit of the age m regard to tree-planting is upon us, and that the municipal bodies of several of our largest centres of population are making praiseworthy efforts to make them " a thing of beauty and a joy for ever." Prominent among these I have pleasure m naming, besides our fine city of Adelaide, the townships of Jamestown, Gladstone, Port Pirie, Port Augusta, Strathalbyn, Gawler and Kapunda. The rearing of trees of a character suitable for planting m streets and avenues generally, the manner m which they should be dealt with when planted into their sites, and their management afterwards, requiring very special treatment, I shall devote this chapter to giving some hints on the various matters connected with the subject as a whole, for the guidance of our municipal bodies and others. .. .... , Under another heading of this work will be found a list of the kinds of trees which I oonaider suitable for streetplanting generally. lam strongly of the opinion-which is derived from Pansun and American experience m New York, Philadelphia, Montreal, and Toronto, of such matters-that deciduous trees are. as a rule, better suited for planting m our streets than thoße of an evergreen habit. In the cities named, such trees as chestnuts, hickories, poplars, Maples, plane trees, and elms are planted m the streets. It is found that deciduos trees we capable of being better and easier trained to any required shape than evergreen ones. ; they can be grown m the nursery to a large and uniform size before they are transplanted into the streets, and from the fact of their being bare of leaves w the winter season, the sun and light keeps the walks dry, which would not be the oase were evergreen kinds planted. Then wain, the leaves of deciduous trees are of such a nature, that they, more quickly than the same organs of evergreens, perform the functions of the scavenger, and take into their system for purification the obnoxious gases hovering about our habitations. Another, and perhaps equally as important feature as any of the other points named is, that from the deciduous trees casting their leaves every year, the new ones come fresh and full of vigor each spring, and this add a degree of pleasurable variety and beauty to the scene whioh is not always secured from trees of an evergreen oharactox. Street planting should not be closer than 2f#t, and not wider than 30ft, plant from plant. The trees used should, generally speaking, be of one kind only m eaofc street or nf, and they ought to be of an uniform height when put out, and be well balanced, upright, straightstemmed plants. .When of deciduous kinds, they should be trained, pruned, and otherwise got into proper form before they leave the nursery. In France and America the trees are sometimes 12ft high before they are planted out. A very great mistake has been made where trees have been planted m our streets of Adelaide and elsewhere m the colony, m planting them on the footpaths. Where this has been done, they will always continue to be a source of great annoyance, as the roots will heave up the pavement, or whatever else the path may be made of, and much inconvenience will therefore be experienced from them until they are removed. All trees planted m towns, or on the side of footpaths, should be inserted about 4Hj from the edge of the path, and just OQtside of the water-table. This does not interfere with the pathway, and it gives the trees a much better chance of spreading out their branches on the top, and of securing moisture m their somewhat confined berth. ..... As the ground surrounding them is hard, and, therefore, incapable of conveying muob moisture to their roots, or of allowing these to spread out, it is necessary that the holes made for the reception of the trees should be of more than ordinary size. It is usual, therefore, to make them 6ft wide on the top, and from 4ft to sft m depth. Th« trees should be planted with the very best prepared soil and good strong loam, well mixed and nicely pulverised. After being planted, the trees should get a thorougl soaking of water, and attention be paid t< them m this way until they get establuhec m their sites. Insome places it is neoessarj to give them water every season m tbi summertime. In order to keep the soil frei and loose all round their roots, an iroi grating is placed on the surface of th ground round each tree. The trees re quire to be staked for some time unti * they establish themselves, and it is necee

3 sary to enclose them with guards. Trees I planted m this manner require constant pruning m ordor to keep them within proper bounds, and at the same time i make them of a nice regular shape. No r pruning should, however, be done by i anyone unless he is a man thoroughly up ) to this kind of work. > Incalculable good could be done to the general condition of the townships throughout the country were planting : carried out extensively and systematically 1 on their park lands. Every means should, therefore, be adopted by their inhabitants to have this done. Trees for ornamental planting of this kind should be strong and hardy, well- | balanced, well-rooted, and good m every other respect. They should be planted m an irregular manner, and at such distances apart from one another as will provide for the proper expansion and development of the characteristics of ' each. The plantations should consist of belts with sinuous boundaries ; avenues 1 along footpaths ; and clumps artistically interspersed throughout the parks ; and all so arranged that the most will be made of the site to produce shelter and pleasure to the inhabitants.