Miscellaneous Papers. 339 



"Canst thou prophesy, little tree, 

 What the glory of thy boughs shall be?' 



SET OUT TREES. 



Set out trees! adorn the homestead. 



Make it pleasant all around, 

 Let the elms, and oaks and map'.es. 



With the evergreens abound ; 

 Let the home be so attractive 



That the boy that is to-day. 

 When he shall arrive at manhood 



And in foreign lands will stray. 

 May turn with longing heart and loving 



To his home these hills among. 

 Thinking how the trees are thriving 



Which he helped to plant when young. 



Set out trees! yes, plant an orchard, 



Dear, good farmer do you know 

 Of the wealth there is in fruit trees. 



For the labor you bestow? 



Set out trees! upon the common, 



Ashes, linden, poplars, birch: 

 Set them out around the schoolhouse. 



Plant them thick about the church. 

 Have the children's play-ground shaded. 



And the public walks as well. 

 And the joys from thescarising 



Coming ages glad will tell. 

 These shall live, and grow, and gladden. 



While we moulder 'neath their leaves, — 

 Let us then improve the present. 



Leave behind us priceless trees. 



— Mrs. Annie G. Marshall. 



I call your attention to one more topic which shoAvs how many 

 friends w^e have who gladly reciprocate for the protection given them. 



Our Birds. If there is any topic which the horticulturist should 

 discuss at every meeting, on hill top or in valley, from every nook and 

 corner of our land, from our school houses, our homes, yea, even our 

 churches, it is the one great call, protect our birds. The almost universal 

 destruction of bird life about our towns, the continual shooting of our 

 feathered friends, the robbing of the nests, the collection of eggs, have 

 so lessened them in number that we are being over-run ^vith insect life. 

 I only wish to read to you what our greatest American poet says to us all. 



