FOREST TREES. 115 



tliem in full bearing*, and fifteen peach trees which were loaded 

 the present year with fruit of superior varieties, suited to this 

 climate. He has plum, pear, and cherry trees, in bearing, and 

 currents, gooseberries, and strawberries in abundance. The 

 Isabella grape in his garden, ripens well ; the clusters are large 

 and free from blight. He has a small nursery of peach, cherry, 

 pear, and quince trees. 



The committee take pleasure in furnishing these details — that 

 show what a man ma.y do if he have the taste and inclination — 

 show that there is no man who can sa}^ that he never had time 

 to set a tree by his house or the road side. Trees and shrub- 

 bery increase the comfort, convenience, and income of those 

 who plant them ; they make a village pleasant, and add to the 

 permanent wealth of the community. He that builds a ship, 

 adds nothing to the substantial wealth of society ; she may be 

 lost on her first voyage, or in a few years use and decay will 

 make her worthless ; but he that improves the soil, creates 

 wealth that will endure for generations. 



Amos Otis, Chairman. 



FOREST TREES. 



By a law of the Commonwealth, it is made a condition of 

 receiving the State bounty, that the societies " shall offer, 

 annually, such premiums and encouragement for the raising and 

 preserving of oaks and other forest trees, as to them shall 

 seem proper and best adapted to perpetuate within the State, 

 an adequate supply of ship timber." 



Most of the societies have complied with this law, as in duty 

 bound, yet but few applications for premiums have ever been 

 made. The attention of farmers in some sections of the State, 

 has, however, been turned to the subject, and it has been found 

 profitable to plant many of the light and worn out lands of 

 Barnstable, Bristol, and Plymouth, to the pitch pine. The fol- 

 lowing are the only reports made on this subject. 



