| Choosing good street and yard trees for our | | | | Dutch elm disease destroyed many elms in the |
| region can be quite a problem. With extremes of | | | | East and mareh westwarded. One should be |
| climate, we are often limited. | | | | cautious about making extensive plantings of |
| Too often people want a fast-growing tree that | | | | American elm. The Siberian elm (frequently called' |
| will give quick shade. Unfortunately, fast-growing | | | | Chinese elm) was widely planted in shelterbelts |
| species have the most wrong with them. Many | | | | and yards. Strains of this species vary in hardiness |
| have soft wood that breaks readily. Many develop | | | | and desirability. It is fast growing, brittle and has a |
| into large trees and overwhelm the yard. | | | | tendency to shed small branches. |
| If they are soft-wooded, there is danger of large | | | | In dry areas, Russian olive has proven successful |
| limbs falling, possibly d am aging property. Some | | | | when handled as a shade tree. Green ash is |
| trees shed undesirable flower parts, seed pods or | | | | another hardy species, but is subject to borers in |
| fruits. Some send up undesirable suckers. Many | | | | some areas. It is rather slow growing. Many rate |
| are shallow rooted, endangering house foundation, | | | | it poorly from the standpoint of beauty. It is slow |
| sewer lines and sidewalks. | | | | to leaf out, has little appeal in form, and seed |
| When selecting choose a tree hardy for the area. | | | | pods tend to litter lawns. |
| With extra care in fertilizing and watering, so-called | | | | The cut leaf weeping birch is favored in many |
| slow growing kinds will grow fast enough. By | | | | yards. A beautiful tree, it needs plenty of room to |
| virtue of their "slow" growth. they will be with you | | | | grow and plenty of water. It is quite hardy. In |
| for a long time, and will stay within bounds. The | | | | some areas it is troubled with the bronze birch |
| little extra money invested is small compared to | | | | borer. Paper birch is another desirable small tree, |
| the enjoyment you will receive. | | | | frequently grown in clump form. |
| One big mistake is to plant trees too closely. | | | | Oaks are good trees. They are slow growing, |
| Many larger shade trees favor spacings of 50 to | | | | have strong wood, and many have appealing |
| 75 feet apart. That means two are all the | | | | form. Bur oak is hardiest and will grow practically |
| average yard needs. The trend today is towards | | | | anywhere in the West. Its main drawback is that |
| smaller trees that require spacings from 25 to 40 | | | | it does not have appealing fall color. Pin oak has |
| feet apart. Certainly these fit ranch style | | | | conical form, but desires acid soils, and may show |
| architecture better. Large shrubs or small trees | | | | up chlorotic on alkaline soils. White and English oaks |
| also have an important place in landscaping the | | | | are also popular in some areas. Oaks are hard to |
| one-story houses. | | | | establish and should be grown either from acorns |
| Important Shade Trees | | | | or from small seedling trees. |
| The American elm has been a favorite tree. | | | | |