ORNAMENTAL TREES. 45 



of my mother's life, and up to the time of her death. You 

 can, no doubt, call to mind similar changes that have taken 

 place. It was the object of our forefathers to " clear up " 

 the land, and they did clear it up with a vengeance. If you 

 will drive through New England, or up toward Canada, you 

 will see acres and acres of land that to-day is not worth 

 tilling, — such land as a goat would starve upon, — from 

 which have been stripped magnificent pine-forests. Along 

 the Connecticut River, and in the country through which it 

 flows, you can see great pme-trees decaying where the land 

 has been burned over, and that is called " clearing the land." 

 The same is true of other localities. 



The forests have been cut off of Cape Cod. Sometimes 

 I have seen, where the wind has blown the sand out, the 

 stumps from which trees were cut, I do not know but in the 

 days of the Pilgrim fathers. Out towards Springfield, also, 

 you will see where the forests have been stripped off; and 

 to-day, in many instances, the land is almost barren. Some 

 of you will remember that INIajor Phinney of Barnstable, and 

 others, have covered some of these barren spots with pitch- 

 pine seeds (although I prefer white pine for that purpose) ; 

 and to-day there is a soil formed there, as there will be always 

 where the trees grow, and the leaves fall and decay. There 

 are thousands and thousands of acres in New Enofland wliich 

 had better be put to forest growth than to any thing else. 



What can you do with this land now you have got it 

 cleared, and which is almost worthless? It can be again 

 clothed with forests. It is easy to do it, and for this purpose 

 I would use the white pine. I believe it to be one of the 

 most valuable trees. It is a rapid grower. It is a beautiful 

 tree, and makes excellent timber and excellent wood. I 

 have sold a growth of standing pine-wood forty years old 

 (for I am something of an auctioneer) for a hundred dollars 

 an acre. Now that would pay well upon some of these 

 barren lands. 



Question. How are these pines to be planted ? 



Mr. Hyde. It may be done quite readily. Plough and 

 cultivate your land, and sow the pine-seed. It grows vigor- 

 ously. I could tell you, if I had time, of magnificent wliite- 

 pine growths that have been raised from seeds, that are 

 a delight to look upon. They must be thinned out and 



