WINTER MEETING, 1SS2. 33 



with the honiy-handed yeomanry, particularly on the eve of an important 

 election. These the farmer accepts for all they are worth, but will not allow 

 much longer railroads to trample upon his individual rights, but demand 

 justice from the politicians, and with reason he expects soon to see rings and 

 monopolies forever swept away. Then in our rural homes and at our rural 

 pursuits we shall feel we are serenely blessed, and with patience and persever- 

 ance wc may remove the obstacles that lie in our path, remembering that we 

 not only plant and cultivate for our own benefit, but for coming generations. 



Mr. B. W. Steere was next called upon and responded as follows, by giving 

 a short paper upon 



HORTICULTURE ON THE HIGHWAY. 



If we should judge people by the reckless destruction of fine old trees that 

 have sprung up, or that have been saved from the original forest to adorn our 

 highways, we might almost conclude that they are destitute of taste or love for 

 the beautiful in nature. Such a conclusion would undoubtedly be incorrect. 

 The Allwise Creator has not so inseparably united the useful and the beautiful 

 in His works without a purpose. The trees, like the Sabbath, "were made 

 for man," and undoubtedly the germ of a capacity to love and appreciate all 

 of nature's beauties is implanted in every heart, though in many cases it may 

 be buried out of siglit, under the greed for wealth, the so-called pleasures, and 

 the cares and petty ambitions of life. If the above view be correct, what bet- 

 ter work can engage our horticultural and kindred societies than to cherish, 

 cultivate, and stimulate by every available means this dormant quality into 

 active growth and life, that all may enjoy the pure and elevating pleasures 

 that result from refined and highly cultivated tastes. 



As men never cut the transplanted trees on the highway, but confine the 

 work of destruction entirely to the spontaneous growth, it is but natural to 

 suppose that a little more fire wood, and the possibility of half a bushel or so 

 more corn inside the fence, are among the temptations. With this in view in our 

 efforts to save such trees, we can show up their useful qualities, especially 

 those that put cash in the pocket, as the increase of the wheat crop, owing to 

 shelter from cold winds, etc., can also explain that a row or group of trees, 

 and sometimes even a single grand old specimen, is the very making of a 

 place, and tliat to cut them away would give it such a bare and forbidding 

 aspect that no man of culture would care to buy, though it may become ever 

 so much of an object to sell. By such and similar arguments I have some- 

 times succeeded, where the very word beauty was like Greek. 



An illustration. A man in this county cut some trees on the highway ; also 

 a few on the top and sides of a bluff. An eastern man, who desired a home 

 in that neighborhood, liked the place, but cutting those trees spoiled the sale, 

 and he told me he would have given $500 more for it with, than without the 

 trees. Another had a fine, large oak in the road, between the house and 

 barn. In an evil hour he was tempted to cut it. That place is spoiled, as 

 that single tree was all that gave it any special character. Similar instances 

 could be multiplied if there were time. 



From the foregoing it may be inferred that I admire the thickets so often 



seen on our highways, and would do no thinning whatever. So far from true 



is this, that I should probably cut out more than most, as it is impossible for a 



crowded tree to arrive at anything like perfection; its life also will be short- 



5 



