Trees Worth While

TREES WORTH WHILE By George M. Cannon In our Pioneer settlements the Latter-day Saints have become famous for their interest in planting trees along the borders of their towns. Not always are these trees of the best varieties. Those in charge of such work may well give care to the choice of the trees selected. Around every farm and even around the little home of the city dweller, thought and good judgment should be used in selecting trees that will give the maximum enjoyment to those who enter there. Shade Trees and Fruit Trees Wherever trees are protected from marauders, whether human or animal, it may well be found profitable to plant trees that, in addi- tion to their grateful shade, yield also a crop of either nuts or fruit. Fruit trees that may be recommended for this dual purpose include apples, pears, and cherries. Though in planting these for fruit alone, it is customary to "head" them low for convenience in gathering the fruit, they may well be pruned up and without disturbing the terminal buds of the main branches, where the added purpose of shade is in the mind of the owner. Nut trees frequently make delightful shade and add to this a fine yield of nuts. In some parts of our country many varieties are thus planted. But from practical observation in our mountain climate, I only know of two that I am prepared to recommend; and these are walnuts: both the Black walnut, the wood of which is of such great value, and the English walnut. The latter is the more desirable for shade as the leaves of the former exude a sticky substance that coats unpleasantly anything beneath its branches. The leaves of the English variety are free from this objection, have a delightful odor when squeezed between the fingers, and yield a fine nut very much more easily extracted from the shell than the black walnut. Shade trees are valuable for only three purposes: the added attractiveness they give, the shade they afford, and the uses to which the wood can be applied. For this reason it is, generally speaking, well worth while to plant. Hardwood Trees Some make objection that hardwoods are too slow of growth. But the added value when well matured is full compensation for the patience required in waiting for the hardwood growth. Among these are the maples: Sugar maple, Norway maple, Purple Leaved maple, and Native maples; stated in order of their desirability. Of these the Norway maple makes the most rapid growth and the Native maples the slow- est growth. Two varieties of these natives are found in our hills and

TREES WORTH WHILE 527 Left: Winter view of a street lined with 3 3 -year-old ash, pnbably the finest row in Utah. Center: Tree in the left center shows a linden taken in the autumn when about three-fourths of the leaves were fallen. Right: A sycamore planted more than fifty years ago by the late W. C. Staines, for many years Church emigration agent, Salt Lake City. canyons — one turning to a golden yellow, the other to a most brilliant crimson. Both will grow where care is taken to get good roots and to water well until well rooted in their new location. Another most desirable shade tree is the Linden. Not only is it a beautiful tree, in symmetry and in shape of leaf, but its delicate lace-like blossom sends forth an abundant and delightful fragrance that perfumes the entire neighborhood. A tree that is among the best is the Horse Chestnut. If planted, protected and watered, no other tree requires so little pruning to produce so perfect a shape. Its showy blossoms (white in one variety and pink in another) m the Spring, and the attractive "buck- eye" nuts in the Fall prove almost irresistible to the small boy. They should either be planted where inaccessible to the public or in a neighborhood where boy-scout ideals have prevailed for a gen- eration and are likely to prevail in the future. Another tree furnishing splendid wood is the Ash; both of the white and of the green varieties. A long lane of Ash makes a mag- nificent avenue. Those surrounding the front of Chepultepec near the official residence of the president, near the City of Mexico, are prob- ably the finest in any city in America. Nearly fifty feet to the first branches they tower high above the neighboring trees and are reputed to be older than the Spanish Invasion. The Black Locust, planted in many of our settlements in the days of President Brigham Young, is one of the most rapid growers

528 IMPROVEMENT ERA of the hardwoods. On well drained land for which abundant water is available, the black locust makes really wonderful growth; and yet the wood is very heavy and when seasoned becomes so hard as to be difficult to work except with tools cooled in oil. Every community should have at some convenient point its grove of black locusts. The Honey Locust becomes a most stately tree with delicate rather sparse foliage and the trunk covered with gigantic thorns. Elms Are among the most graceful of trees. The Elm scale is quite prevalent in Utah, and only two varieties here seem to thrive so as to be safe to plant. These are the Huntington Elm, and the English Elm. The finest specimens of the former are on the City and County grounds Salt Lake City: while many fine English Elms are to be found in Ogden. Soft Wood Varieties Of these the most valuable is the native "Box Elder" (a soft maple sometimes called the "Ash Leaved Maple"). This tree was a great favorite with the pioneer farmers who frequently planted one Native Boxelder, located diagonally across the street from the birthplace of Maude Adams, America's famous actress, Salt Lake City. to mark the corner of their five acre lot in the "Big Field." And under its grateful shade many a pioneer lunch was eaten by the farmer and his boys with a relish engendered by good health and lusty toil. For wide streets and for a stately avenue, perhaps no tree here makes a better showing than the Sycamore Its leaves are the largest of any tree named; and in the Fall turn to almost all the hues of the forest. The town of Farmington has

TREES WORTH WHILE 529 Pioneer Boxelder tree in "Big Field," between 9th and 10th East streets in Richards ward, Salt Lake City, removed a few years ago. recently planted both sides of the state highway, for a distance of more than half a mile, with this tree. If kept growing, and if any vacancies are quickly replaced, these trees will give to the county seat of Davis county the most stately half mile in Utah. A Word as to Planting: Do not be in a hurry. Make holes large enough and deep enough Place two or three shovelsful of soft earth in the center of the hole. In this soft dirt spread out the fibrous roots carefully; fill the whole two-thirds with soil, then fill up balance with water; let the water soak into the soil; fill in balance of dirt to top of hole and trample it carefully but well. The tree should be small as possible with a good root. The smaller the tree, if not broken down by careless vandals, the more likely to grow. The Lord's Day The Lord's Day comes just once each week, men say, But is he not the Lord of everyday? Man knows the day as one when he should rest, And give his thought to God, should do his best In all things whatsoe'er those things may be; The day when human hearts all malice free Draw near and with the Worthy Master sup, By means of His thrice blessed communion cup. These are all needful to ascend above. But to be one with him, the Lord of Love, Should not each life be lived to thus conform Unto his law as each- new day is born? Yes, man must live thus to be his alway, Must count as God's each hour of every day. Provo, Utah. GRACE INGLES FROST.