1907] Sub-Excursion 103 



SUB-EXCURSION. 



On Saturday, May 25th, the 5th Sub-excursion of the Club 

 was held at the Experimental Farm. The weather being w^arm 

 and bright, w'ith a cool breeze blowing, which made walking 

 delightful, there w^as an attendance of about fifty members and 

 friends of the Club. 



The leaders present were: the President, Mr. Wilson, Dr. 

 Sinclair, Dr. Fletcher, Mr. Kingston, Rev. Mr. Eifrig, Mr. Halkett 

 and Mr. Gibson. On reaching the Arboretum, the different 

 parties separated under leaders, to visit the spots of most interest 

 to them. The beautiful lawns and beds of many colored tulips 

 about the Farm grounds w-ere the centre of much admiration. 

 Dr. Fletcher, with a party, studied the different trees, shrubs 

 and botanical plants; while Mr. Eifrig and his followers sought 

 for birds of many species. With the exception of a few^ hibernat- 

 ing kinds there were not many insects found, owing to the late- 

 ness of the season. 



At 5 o'clock the members reassembled in a grove of pines 

 and spruces near the centre of the Arboretum, and delightful 

 talks were given by Drs. Fletcher and Sinclair and Rev. Mr. 

 Eifrig. 



Dr. Fletcher, in his charmiing manner, spoke of the different 

 kinds of pines and firs found in Canada, also the imported species 

 used for garden decoration, showing the difference between the 

 pines by the number of their leaves and the nature of their cones . 

 He gave both their common and scientific names, stating how 

 in various provinces of Canada one comm.on name is sometimes 

 applied to diff'erent kinds of trees. He gave a piece of useful 

 information in the w^ay to make a camp bed of fir boughs. By 

 putting the flat side of the branches uppermost, and placing all 

 the butt ends of the twigs towards the head, sloping the leaves to 

 the foot, one can procure a comfortable, springy bed. The firs 

 are better for this purpose than the prickly spruces. 



He also spoke of the Japanese quince, which is used for 

 decorative purposes, and which grows luxuriantly in the Niagara 

 district; and told how the fruit, which is irregularly conical, 

 enclosing a nut-like kernel, is used as a table dessert in Japan, 

 but has never found favor in this country, although it sometimes 

 fruits well here. It has a strong aroma. 



Dr. Sinclair was next called upon and spoke briefly of the 

 artificiality of education, stating that all education was more or 

 less artificial. He pointed out that the members of the Club, bv 

 visiting the Experimental Farm, which he called a laboratorv, 

 for the study and experiments of different varieties of trees, etc., 

 were given a chance to study the artificial side of Nature in the 



