12 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



of land occupied, one, however, that may find a recompense in a surplus 

 growth, which may ultimately be cut away and devoted to economical purposes. 



The balsam fir, or Canada balsam, is a common native tree, which, while 

 young, is exceedingly beautiful, and on some accounts would upon short 

 acquaintance seem well adapted to use for screens ; but unfortunately its beauty 

 is very short lived. As it acquires age and size it soon loses its lower branches, 

 and leaves only a few vigorous healthy ones near the top, while its general 

 appearance becomes scraggy and unsightly, rendering it quite unsuitable for 

 this purpose. 



The hemlock of our Michigan forests needs no introduction to the people of 

 the Peninsular State. Indeed the fact that it is so common a tree among us 

 would seem to be the chief obstacle to its general adoption for the purpose 

 under consideration. Josiah Hoopes, the author of a valuable book on ever- 

 greens, characterizes it as the most beautiful of all evergreens, whether native 

 or foreign, an estimate iu which we most fully and heartily concur. Indeed, 

 witb the single exception of its lack of value as a timber tree, I see little reason 

 why it should rank lower than any other, whether for ornamental or utilitarian 

 purposes. 



The hemlock has acquired the reputation of being impatient of removal, and 

 this is doubtless true when taken directly from the forest to the open ground; 

 but when gradually hardened to exposure, and repeatedly transplanted, as is 

 the case when nursery grown, this difficulty to a great extent disappears and 

 the tree becomes supplied with an abundance of fibrous roots near the trunk, 

 rendering the process of removal comparatively easy and safe. Under favora- 

 ble circumstances the hemlock grows to the largest size. In open exposures 

 it will rarely lose its lower branches, but will prove as effective as can be 

 desired when planted as a single tree, while it is perfectly at home under the 

 shears when planted in the screen, and equally so in open rows as a wind-break, 

 where, if the sides are open to the sun and air, it will remain clothed to the 

 very base. In no place, however, so far as I have observed, does it develop a 

 higher type of beauty than in a compact screen. For this purpose it may be 

 planted quite close (if immediate effect is sought) and sheared to a regular 

 conical or half oval form of the desired height ; if to shut out a view, eight or 

 ten feet in height will generally suffice, and when the young twigs commence 

 their growth the entire screen will put on the appearance, to the casual 

 observer, of an immense bouquet of yellow, white and green, with the several 

 sprays drooping the one over the other in the most graceful manner imagina- 

 ble. As the sprays lengthen with the advancing season they of course lose 

 this variety of color, and put on the plain lively green peculiar to this tree ; 

 but the sprays retain their graceful drooping habit throughout the year. I 

 can in no way more effectively convey my idea of the beauty and desirableness 

 of this tree than by saying, if unfortunately I were for any reason compelled 

 to content myself with a single evergreen, and to shut my eyes forever upon all 

 others, I would with little hesitation say give us the hemlock. 



The Norway spruce, although not "to the manor born," has been long 

 enough a denizen of our soil and climate to have fully established a reputation 

 as an American tree. Perfectly hardy under all circumstances in which har- 

 diness may reasonably be expected, its great vigor and longevity, as well as the 

 persistence with which it holds its foliage and remains clothed with branches 

 to its base, together with the great size it will aoquire under favorable circum- 

 stances have long since constituted it the evergreen for the million. When of 

 the needful size and age, the younger side shoots usually assume a half droop- 



