24f) State Horticultural Society. 



Tlic farmers and fniit growers realize more and more each day 

 the need of birds as assistants in keeping the insects in check. 



This tree pkinting in all of onr cities will tluis be of untold value 

 to the agriculturist. Birds are one of the plans of nature to give us sweet 

 songs and also protect us from our enemies. 



I plead, therefore, in this matter for protection to our birds. They 

 are beautiful in our trees, but not on hats. They are valuable in our 

 forests, but not on our tables. They are happy when on their nests, 

 but not when the nests are in the boys hats. 



Think of your woods and orchards without birds! 



Of empty nests that cling to boughs and beams, 

 As in an idiots brain remembered words 



Hang empty mid the cobwebs of his dreams! 

 What bleat of flocks or bellowing of herds 



Make up for the lost music, when your teams 



Drag home the stingy harvest, and no more 



The feathered gleaners follow to your door? 



What would you rather see the incessant stir 



Of insects in the windrows of the hay. 

 And hear the locust and the grasshopper 



Their melancholy hurdy-gurdies play? 

 Is this more pleasant to you than the whir 

 Of meadow lark, and her sweet roundelay. 



Of twitter of little field-fares, as you take 

 Your nooning in the shade of bush and brake? 



'They are industrious after insects if we give them the trees for 

 homes, but they flee far away when there are no forests or city trees 

 to protect them. They are our best friends in the woods and fields 

 but not when murdered by the ruthless hand of the man with the 

 gun. Let us plant trees for the birds. 



Nature sutdy has no more delightful phase of pleasure or profit 

 or investigation than has this same tree planting or "City forestry." 



First. It creates a love for the trees so that we can talk or com- 

 mune v/ith them to our hearts content. You know how much more 

 you enjoy society when you are well acquainted with every person 

 present, do you not? Well just so do I plead for a knowledge of our 

 trees. Know them, get acquainted with them, see their characteristics 

 in summer, in winter, know the leaves, the twigs, the bark, the roots, 

 know them by name just as you know your friends by name and call 

 them such. "Our friends the trees." 



"The book for every one to read is the open book of nature. There 

 was none ever written that contains one-half of the information, none 

 other half so fascinating, none so perfect and so pure. 



"Nature teaches us to dwell as much as possible upon the beautiful 

 and good, and to ignore at all times the evil and the false. Let us 

 take a single tree for an object lesson, and see what it will teach us. 



