116 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



A good beginning is being made in planting trees along public high- 

 ways, for which white elm, asli and silver maple are generally used. 

 It is to be regretted that some continue to plant the Lombardy poplar, 

 which is very short lived and timber of so little value. Centennial trees 

 were very generally set by our people who plant at all. 



Several cemeteries, a number of farms in this vicinity, and the 

 Blackstone Public School grounds, in Mendota, have been improved the 

 present year by planting extensive evergreen screens. 



How any one can reside on our bleak prairies during the passage of 

 one of our polar waves, like this of December 9th, with the mercury at 

 23 degrees below zero, and not decide to provide timber shelter for his 

 family and animals, is past my comprehension. Yet how many men, 

 with good sense in every other respect, and with ample means, continue 

 to live without this merciful provision. It really does seem certain that, 

 at no distant day, a general awakening to this work of necessity must 

 break out all over the prairies of the Northwest. 



Of ornamental deciduous trees, as yet have planted only to a limited 

 •extent. I would place first on the list our lovely sugar maple. If there 

 is a finer avenue of deciduous trees in our State than the one of sugar 

 maple planted by Arthur Bryant some forty years since, it has not been 

 my good fortune to see it. Norway maple is one of the best, valuable on 

 account of retaining its foliage late; cut-leafed weeping birch, very fine; 

 weeping mountain ash; horse chestnut, slow grower, desirable ; Japan 

 ginko, unique; American linden, if foreign, would be often called for; 

 magnolia acuminata, unsurpassed. The following do not endure severe 

 winters : European ash, and several weeping varieties of it ; European 

 weeping linden; weeping thorn, several varieties; rosemary-leafed 

 weeping willow ; Kilmarnock weeping willow, though hardier than the 

 foregoing, is frequently injured enough to render it undesirable. 



REPORT ON ARBORICULTURE BY J. T. STEWART, M. D., OF PEORIA, ILL. 

 Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen : 



In treating the subject of Arboriculture, we will first consider orna- 

 mental and secondly useful arboriculture, or the culture of trees for 

 timber and for modifying climate. I use these terms in their ordinary, 

 not in their proper sense. A thing that is useful may, or may not, be 

 ornamental, but a thing that is really ornamental is always useful. 

 Whatever cultivates and refines the taste of a people, elevates that 

 people. 



In the early settling of this and all other countries, the first consider- 

 ation was the necessities of life. These we have not only acquired, but 

 we have accumulated wealth. Now it is eminently proper to give the 

 ornamental a share of our attention. We as a Society cannot ignore it, 

 and fulfill our mission. We cannot wait for the people to urge us forward ; 

 we must urge, lead and direct them. 



The cultivation of our farms is brought to a good degree of perfec- 

 tion ; our barns are filled with plenty ; our orchards, vineyards and gardens 



