The =Vine= (_Vitis vinifera_) must not be omitted from our list, it being an excellent plant for withstanding soot, smoke, dust and heat. CONIFEROUS TREES Few of these, if any, succeed in a satisfactory way, when constantly subjected to the impurities of a town atmosphere. Where the conditions are at all favourable the =Austrian Pine= (_Pinus austriaca_), =Thyiopsis Dolabrata=, =Toxodium distichum=, and =Cupressus Lawsoniana= do fairly well, but they are not to be recommended for general town planting. =Retinospora plumosa aurea= has stood for many years in one of the most smoky districts of Glasgow, and at present looks almost as well as it did when brought from the country, while the =Savin= (_Juniperus Sabina_) may generally be relied upon. CHAPTER X TREES SUITABLE FOR HEDGEROW AND FIELD PLANTING The well-founded complaint that hedgerow and field trees harbour birds to the serious destruction of the grain crops is largely counterbalanced by their ornamental appearance and the shelter they afford both to man and beast. In proceeding to consider the trees that are most suitable for hedgerow and field planting four important points must be kept in view. (1) That the spread of branches is, comparatively speaking, small in proportion to the tree’s height; (2) that the roots have a downward tendency, or do not ramify to too great an extent; (3) that the tree is well adapted for exposed situations and standing singly; and (4) that the timber value is such as to compensate in some degree for the cost of planting and after-management in the matter of pruning and fencing. Although we rarely find all these qualities concentrated in one tree, still, with careful choice and good after-management, much may be done to produce the desired effect, even in trees of a partially opposite character. That the wrong class of timber is often planted in our hedgerows and fields is painfully apparent to every one who has paid attention to the subject—trees of wide-spreading habit both in root and branch occupying positions and doing irreparable damage, where others of less obtrusive nature could with advantage have been selected to take their place. Timely and judicious pruning is of the utmost importance in the production of hedgerow timber: but to be productive of the best results, the work must be attended to early, and prosecuted at intervals, as by skilfully shortening the branches from time to time, the spread of root is also checked, thereby securing a double benefit to the farmer and the land.