OUR HOMES. 93 



AFTERNOON SESSION. 



The Board met at the hour appointed, and the discussion was 

 resumed. 



Mr. NicKERSOX of Readfield. I noticed that in the remarks this 

 forenoon in favor of planting- shade trees, some three or four trees 

 only were mentioned as desirable for the purpose of ornamenting 

 a home. I think there may be many more added, which would 

 not only be as handsome shade trees as those spoken of, but be 

 profitable to cultivate. It was said this forenoon that there were 

 many families who had not a barrel of apples or other fruit in their 

 cellars. If they would plant apples and pears by the side of the 

 highway, instead of maples and elms as suggested, all those fami- 

 lies might be supplied with those useful fruits. I think a good 

 apple or pear tree is as handsome a shade tree as a poplar, a wil- 

 low or an elm, which produce no fruit. The forest trees grow 

 large and strike root widely and deep, and destroy fertility to a 

 considerable extent around them, or injure it more or less. It 

 does not make so much difference" if a man has a great deal of 

 land. But if he has only an acre, twenty maple or elm trees, 

 when fully grown, would destroy his garden, which might other- 

 wise support his family during the summer. I do not know any 

 greater luxury than to be under a tree with ripened fruit upon it 

 in the fall of the year, and certainly, in the spring, the sight of 

 any fruit tree in blossom is very beautiful. I would put large 

 trees away from my house, and not have them so near that their 

 branches will chafe against it, nor keep the sunlight out. Sun- 

 light and air are of the utmost importance to health. 



Mr. Wilder of Pembroke. There has been much said and writ- 

 ten upon the subject of setting out ornamental trees by the 

 v/ayside, and many towns have gone to a good deal of expense in 

 planting trees, and have succeeded, while other towns have taken 

 as much pains and have failed. The trouble is, that cattle run at 

 large, and they have spoiled the trees. It is not in this section of 

 the State as it is in the eastern part, where I reside. A tornado 

 passed over that section last fall, and laid it waste. More than 

 three-quarters of the lumber in Washington county, lies as flat as 

 a field of grain after the reaper has gone over it. 



It S9ems to me there ought to be a law enacted to protect these 

 trees after the towns have been at the expense of setting them 

 out. It has become a matter of necessity for us to plant trees. 



