124 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



the experience of the out-going year, we hope to benefit each other; let 

 the past be forgotten in the kindly feelings of the present and the hopes 

 of the future. Let us, in Tennyson's beautiful language, 



'' Ring out the old, 

 Ring in the new. 

 Ring out the false, 

 Ring in the true." 



Mr. Daggy had found the Apple Curculio at work on the fruit of 

 'he Pear, and exhibited a specimen of the fruit that had been attacked 

 ! )y this insect. 



Mr. Bliss said that the extent of the ravages of the Curculio is so 

 q-reat that we should use every means at our command to learn their 

 habits and eftect their destruction. He hoped more would be said and 

 ;nuch more done in this direction by the members of this Society. 



The paper on the Moral Influence of Horticulture which was due at 

 this time was presented by the Secretary — but on account of the absence 

 of the author it was on motion refen^ed to the Executive Committee to 

 be published at their discretion. 



The paper of Mr, Bryant having been omitted from the morning 

 session, for want of time for its reading — he was requested, by vote 

 of the Society, to present it at this time; which he did — reading as 

 follows : 



NOTES ON THE CULTIVATION OF SOME OF THE MOST VALUABLE 



DECIDUOUS FOREST TREES. 



The forests of Illinois may be said to be made up entirely of 

 deciduous trees; the few scattered specimens of pines and cedars not 

 being wortia taking into account. Twenty years ago there was more 

 wood in the neighborhood of the praii^es than at the first settlement of 

 the country; but since the advent of railroads, the destruction of timber 

 has been very rapid. The mission of civilized man in the United States 

 has hitherto been the destruction, rather than the propagation of trees. 

 Many people have no notion of worth in a forest tree aside from its cash 

 value, and would ridicule tlie idea of preserving a forest longer than till 

 it could be felled and taken to market. Such sentiments appear to have 

 prevailed in very ancient times. Mention is made in the 74th Psalm, of 

 the high i-egard in which skillful wood-choppers were held. As the old 

 Scotch paraphrase has it, — 



A man was famous, and was had 



In estima-ti-on, 

 According as he lifted up 



His axe thick trees upon. 



The evils resulting from a total destruction of "thick trees" are seen in 

 the utter desolation of large portions of Western Asia, and are al)l\' set 

 forth in the work of G. P. Marsh, entitled "Man and Nature," a book 

 well worth the perusal of every intelligent person. 



