198 TRAN8ACTI0]S'S OF THE ILLINOIS 



since they fell a prey to the borer, and have been replaced with silver maple and elms. 

 The public square is planted with them and evergreens. The latter are used freely in 

 private grounds— succeed admirably. At Adnah Williams' residence, and one or two 

 other places, hedges of the Norway spruce have recently been i^lanted. 



My visit to Waukegan, the place of most interest to me, was deferred until the 6th 

 inst. Of course, the special object to call us to this corner of the State was the well 

 known evergreen propagating nursery of Robert Douglas & Sou . The senior partner 

 was promptly at the depot, with a carriage to convey us to their diflereut plantations. 

 In their frost-proof greenery, well lighted, we found over a million evergreens, nicely 

 packed in double tiers, roots together in damp moss, tops ventilated. This mode of 

 Avinteriug has been thoroughly tested by them, and is a perfect success. The recent 

 mild weather has probably permitted them to put in another million or two, which 

 the unprecedented early closing up of the ground prevented. Specimens of a large 

 number of varieties on the lawn are faultless in form, if we except a large balsam fir 

 with a singular contortion in the growth of the limbs of one side — very unique, its 

 fault a beauty. There are several well grown screens of Norway spruce, American 

 arbor vitte, hemlock, and the red cedar — last is least desirable. European silver fir 

 and Lawson's cypress, in the shelter of larger evergreens, are enduring the winters. 

 Three-year old plants of Ihe latter are being wintered with only partial protection, to 

 test their hardiness. The beauty of foliage and rapid growth of this a ariety make it 

 "very desirable where climate is not too severe. In their six or eight acres of trans- 

 planted American arbor vita; are several choice sub-varieties of striking and marked 

 form and foliage — silver-striped, gold-striped, or tipped, and dark bronze-tipped; 

 several with fan-like foliage of pyramidal form, some of the Tom Thumb or Hovarge 

 type. A number of them are much finer than any of the old varieties of Uke character, 

 and it is hoped they will be propagated and disseminated . The fifteen acres of ever- 

 green seedlings and European larches, in beds, with the cost of seeds, by tons, at near 

 two dollars to as high as sixty dollars per pound, labor requisite for planting, shading, 

 watching from birds, weeding, pulling, assorting, counting, packing, shipping and 

 correspondence, give evidence of the perseverance of the Messrs Douglas, and their 

 faith that these prairies are to be supplied with screens and hedges of evergreens, 

 groves of larch and pine for the rising and future generations. A free admixture of 

 sand with the soil is essential, unless it is already of that nature. The seeds are sown 

 early in the spring as land can be worked, in beds four feet wide, i?lightly raised above 

 the alleys, at the rate of about two pounds of the size of Norway spruce, Scotch pine, 

 white pine, or larch seed to the square rod; cover to a depth of twice the diameter of 

 the seed. Screens made of lath with spaces of half an inch between them, are used, 

 where only a small quantity are sown; but since their business has become so exten- 

 sive, brush screens are made, supported by posts high enough to admit of walking 

 erect under the brush. The " damping oft"'' of the plants has always been a great 

 source of loss to the uninitiated; in ftict, has very generally destroyed the entire crop. 

 Many times early sowing prevents this, as the young plants attain the woody fibrous 

 state of growth before heat is excessive enough to cause damping oft". When they 

 fail to do this, the injury by " damping oft"" is held in check by sowing liberally of dry 

 sand over the beds. On the approach of winter the beds are slightly covered with 

 leaves or prairie grass. Transplanting is generally done when two years old; if longer 

 deterred, unless standing very thinly, they are root pnmed by two men running sharp 



