Ornamental. 411 



lyn, is". Y. The work of this society is like that of the New York Tree 

 Planting Society to which reference was made in the December issue of 

 this journal. The report is a volume of one hundred and thirty-two pages 

 replete with information to tax-payers regarding the desirability of trees 

 in city streets together with details concerning varieties, the planting, 

 and general care of such trees. A. A. Low is president, Paul Leicester 

 Ford vice-president, and Lewis Colling secretary of the Brooklyn society. 

 The secretary states that as the result of the society's efforts the people 

 have given more attention to arboriculture, and nurserymen are preparing 

 better stock, not only in quality, but also in kinds, to meet the demand for 

 better trees. 



The report is of especial interest to nurserymen in that it outlines 

 subjects to be observed or avoided. It is suggested that trees for city 

 streets should possess endurance as to foliage, toughness to withstand high 

 winds, slender, upright habit of growth, elasticity, cleanliness, longevity, 

 a medium leafing period, a natural form suited to certain requirements, 

 moderate shade, recuperative power, small leaves. 



~^ Aside from the immense advantage of the work of such a society to 

 a community, it is of direct benefit to the nursery trade. Its high plane 

 creates a demand for the best the nurseryman can produce. The Brook- 

 lyn Tree Planting Society, organized in 1882 has attained a national 

 reputation. Its influence has been shown in the organization of similar 

 societies elsewhere.- — -National Nurseryman. 



The Curse of Treelessness. — Any one who has traveled through the 

 comparatively treeless countries around the Mediterranean, such as Spain, 

 Cicily, Greece, northern Africa, and large portions of Italy, must fer- 

 vently pray that our own country may be preserved from so dismal a fate. 

 It is not the loss of the forests only that is to be dreaded, but the loss of 

 agricultural regions now fertile and populous, which may be desolated by 

 the floods that rush down from bare hills and mountains, bringing with 

 them vast quantities of sand and gravel to be spread over the lowlands. 

 Traveling a few years ago through Tunisie, I came suddenly upon a fine 

 Koman bridge of stone over a wide, bare, dry river-bed. It stood some 

 thirt}^ feet above the bed of the river, and had once served the needs of a 



