STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 253 



needs organization, the protection and fostering care of the general government, ami 

 the energetic action of the great railroad corporations which own, or will own, half the 

 land to he benefited. 



To show tin- profit of trees, as renovators of poor or thin soils, we call attention to 

 the result of Bome English experiments in that direction. The European Larch of SO 

 veins' growth had increased the producing value of the land planted, one thousand per 

 cent., an average of 33% per cent, per annum. Oak in 30 years increased the value of 

 the soil 600 per cent., or 30 per cent, per annum. Ash in the same time 303 per cent., or 

 l"i per cent, per annum. Scotch Fir, 50 per cent., or 2% per cent, per annum. 



These experiments took place upon soil worth a rental of but about 9d per acre, and 

 therefore a greater proportionate increase in value took place than could upon compara- 

 tively good soils. But tree growth is nature's own method of renovating worn down 

 soils, and whenever the known mammal and cropping expedients fail or are too expen- 

 sive, the barren may be improved in a series of years of tree growing. 



We present herewith a list of deciduous trees and shrubs, with their respective growths 

 and other characteristics, classified so that a ready reference may be made to the promi- 

 nent characteristics of any tree. Only such growths as are believed to be hardy enough 

 lor our region are admitted. 



This list gives the average girth in inches at 5, 10 and 15 years of age, of good healthy 

 trees, also the height in feet at the same age, and the relative value for fuel, manufactur- 

 ing woods, hedging, shelter belt, decoration and productions. 



The standards of comparison in the six columns of values, are the best and the poor- 

 est trees for each, with intervening variations of value, graduated to a scale of 10 points. 

 For instance, the best fuel wood is Shagbark Hickory graded 10, and the poorest Crack 

 Willow graded 1. The best, manufacturing wood is White Oak graded 10, and the poor- 

 est White Birch graded 1. The best hedges, so far, Buckthorn and Madura, graded 7, 

 because they are not yet good enough, and the poorest, here mentioned, Grey Willow 

 graded 2. The best shelter is Honey Maple and Lonibardy Poplar graded 10, and the poor- 

 est Coffee nut graded 1. The best decorative tree Norway Maple, Larch Azalea, &c, 

 marked 10, and the shabbiest Crack Willow marked 1. The most useful trees on account 

 of productiveness are Tennessee Plum, Honey Maple and Chestnut, marked 10, while 

 man; others are of no use in this respect whatever. 



During the la.-t autumn one of the members of your committee made a partial botani- 

 cal survey of Stephenson county, and finding about a hundred species of woody plants, 

 where it was generally supposed not half the number existed ; this survey shows that we 

 have among us the elements out of which a profitable arboriculture may be built up. 



The list of species of woody trees and shrubs of Stephenson county is at the service of 

 the Society if they desire it. 



In conclusion we would recommend to the Society the incorporation of Arboriculture 

 as a science, to be fostered and encouraged by this Society, and the employment of a 

 Committee on Arboriculture as a standing committee of the Society to report annually. 



