Although not a very rapid grower the camphor tree (Cinna-momum camphora) is a most handsome tree eventually attaining to large size, and it should stand high winds well. The white elm, red maple and umbrella tree might be mentioned among trees for road purposes up the state; although deciduous, they are beautiful and worthy.

In Cuba they have a fashion of shading their roads with a large variety of trees planted as an irregular border along each side of the drive. In clearing up the country, royal palms, Ceibas, Ingas, Ficus, Spondias and other trees which naturally grow at the sides of the highways are allowed to stand. Where there happen to be open spaces young trees are planted, and in some cases vines and shrubs. As a result the roads are beautifully shaded and as one drives along them the eye is greeted with a constantly changing panorama of varying green. Shrubs fill up many of the openings and flowering vines scramble over the whole in places, often covered with gorgeous blossoms. Here there will be a spot so densely shaded that inside there is twilight at midday; farther on it is more open and one can have glimpses of a lovely country. No description can give any idea of the magnificence and beauty of some of these Cuban highways. I cannot too strongly recommend that this system be, at least, tried here in Florida. In the ordinary way of planting trees along roads or streets in straight rows, if one tree dies it makes a very bad break which can rarely be satisfactorily filled, whereas if the mixed system is adopted the loss of a tree makes little difference.

There are many other trees of which we know but little which would probably succeed along our roads and not only make good shade but would bear beautiful flowers. Instead of rows of dreary Australian pines which only add to the monotony of our pine woods we should have something to please the eye and remind us of the glory of the tropics.

A few words may be said on the planting and care of roadside trees. It is worse than useless to grub holes among the palmettos in the pine woods and plant trees therein. Every year or so forest fires rage through the pines and many of the trees which have cost good money and hard labor go up in flame and smoke. A space sufficiently wide should be grubbed and cleared of rubbish on each side of the road that the trees may grow in safety therein. This should be kept clear as long as there is the least danger of forest fires. Holes of good size should be dug and some kind of fertilizer mixed with the soil. The trees will need occasional hoeing and fertilizing, and it goes without saying that they do not need any cultivation by cattle, hogs or horses.

A time will come, I hope, when in each county we shall have a competent person as superintendent of trees and tree planting along our roads, not a politician but a devoted lover of them, not only for their utility but for their beauty. This superintendent should have intelligent laborers to help and a sufficient fund properly to carry on the work.

I can look ahead in imagination to a time when Florida will be netted with a magnificent system of roads; when these roads will be shaded everywhere with the most glorious trees that the warmer parts of the earth produce. What a feeling of pride every citizen will have in such a system of highways! What an inducement they will be to the northerner to spend his winters, - yes and his summers - among us; what an opportunity for autoing it will make!

The true lover of trees is not likely to figure on their cash value, but the business man can easily estimate without fear of exaggeration that such a road system as I have pictured would be the best possible advertisement we could make. It would bring more desirable tourists and settlers than tens of thousands of pages of advertising.