TRANSACTIONS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OF NORTHERN ILL. 227 



and belts of timber may be grown, not only to adorn but to shield our 

 homes from the furious blasts that often sweep down so suddenly upon us. 

 Our children may enjoy their youthful sports, shielded from the burning 

 sun by the overhanging boughs of the pine, the fir and the spruce. The 

 brute creation will seek the shelter to protect them from the cold and 

 fury of the storm, as well as from the heat of the noonday sun. The 

 birds of the air will build their nests in the boughs, to rear their young, 

 and carol their summer songs around our habitations ; and should they 

 pick a few of our early cherries, and luxuriate for awhile upon other 

 choice fruits, the ripening of which we have watched with so much pleas- 

 ure, we may feel that we are well repaid in granting them this indulgence 

 by the war they wage upon the noxious insects so destructive to orchard 

 and garden. 



The birds are our friends — and for them we bespeak protection. 

 Nature's groves are their homes, and when the vandal hand shall have 

 hewn down their habitations, we may invite them to partake of our 

 hospitality, and dwell in our shady bowers, to which they only await our 

 invitation. 



We cannot too strongly urge protection to our native groves, which, 

 with a little careful attention, will well repay the labor bestowed, and add 

 a hundred-fold to the attractions and beauty of the scenery. 



It would appear to the casual observer that our people were limited 

 in the area of broad acres of land for the cultivation of farm products, 

 and hence the young groves that nature has planted, to beautify and adorn, 

 must be destroyed, to make room for an increased production of corn and 

 wheat. 



Our work should be to stay the ruthless hand, to encourage the 

 planting and protection of groves, and to educate the masses, who will 

 only be taught by example. 



It has been repeatedly urged by my predecessors, that this Society take 

 some action by which the growth of our native forests may be encouraged 

 and suitable protection afforded lo guard. against their destruction. Can 

 anything be accomplished in this direction before it be too late ? The 

 question is for your consideration, and I would recommend and urge your 

 earnest co-operation with the '■^National'''' and '■'■American''^ "Forestry 

 Associations," in their efforts in this direction. We cannot give the 

 subject too much attention. 



Congress is already aroused to its importance, and -has appointed a 

 commission to thoroughly investigate the subject, from whom we may 

 expect a valuable and elaborate report during the present year. 



We also recommend that the interest heretofore taken by this Society, 

 in urging the importance, and necessity, of planting and fostering artifi- 

 cial groves, be continued. As it is only by constantly keeping the 

 subject before the people that we may expect to impress upon their minds 

 the benefits to be derived therefrom, and eventually accomplish the object 

 for which we have so assiduously labored. 



It has been repeatedly urged that a more systematic method of dis- 

 tributing the Transactions of our Society would result in largely increased 



