JUNE MEETING, 1877. 85 



will applo liore induced to regular and constant bearing by judicious tliinning 

 of the fruit immediately after setting. The JJaldwin has a marked tendency 

 to alternate bearin;j^, produced, of course, by the production of excessive crops 

 which impairs the vitality of the tree, and hence nature asserts her right to a 

 period for recuperation. The same process can be made to succeed with any 

 variety, the object being to maintain a proportionate amount of growth in 

 twig and fruit, tiius keeping up the vigor of the tree. 



Mr. Adams. — I would like to ask Prof. Beal when to thin apples. 



Prof. Beal. — Take the apples off as small as possible, it would be better even 

 to remove a proportion of the blossoms or even fruit buds if practicable ; but tak- 

 ing into consideration the matter of economy, I should remove the fruit as 

 soon as it sets. 



W. H. Hurlbut, South Haven. — I wish to state a fact in this connection. 

 Nine years ago I had a Baldwin apple tree so injured by winter that at the base 

 the bark separated from tiie wood and between them it was ])lack and appar- 

 ently dead for sixteen inches. I built a mound of sand about the place so as to 

 entirely cover it. The tree recovered, and from that day to this, although the 

 growth has been slow, it has been healthy and vigorous and furtlier without 

 manure or tillage for the past six years it has borne a regular crop of fine 

 apples. 



Mr, Engle, Paw Paw. — I have no reason to believe from my own experience 

 that it is i^ossible to regulate the bearing of a tree in any measure, as to its 

 regularity by cultivation. 



SECOND TOPIC— AVHAT NATIVE TREES AND SHRUBS ARE BEST 

 ADAPTED TO PLANTATIONS ABOUT A HOME ? 



Prof. Beal. — Had I given some thought previous to coming here, to this 

 topic, I should have been delighted to present my views upon what I deem a 

 very important question for our consideration. I have at different times in con- 

 nection with teaching landscape gardening to my classes, given a good deal of 

 attention to tests of our indigenous plants for planting on home grounds and 

 gardens, and while I enumerate from memory I may leave out some of the very 

 best. [Those marked with a star are the ones which the Professor ranks the 

 highest. — Sec'y.] There are many good trees, and very few jioor ones, if 

 properly treated, in our forests, that may be taken to our homes. I begin by 

 naming the *yellow oak, the one with the deeply cleft leaves; if given opportu- 

 nity it will make a magniiicent tree for large grounds. The black oak is not 

 so good, but worthy of a place. The ^American elm, with its drooping 

 branches; the *basswood or linden, with its rich foliage, and the grand * tulip 

 tree or whiteu'ood are all suited to the lawn or park. We should not forget the 

 service or juneberry, which I rank quite as high as an ornamental tree. There 

 is a ti'ee having no enviable reputation in connection with the school-room that 

 to me, in its proper place, has few equals for ornamental purposes ; I refer to 

 the *blue beech. As 1 have seen it bending over streams and ponds of water in 

 its native haunts, and more recently at Central Park, New York, I am vnlling 

 to give it a place among the very best of our native trees. It requires a rich, 

 damp soil to bring out all its beauty, and proximity to a sheet or stream of 

 Avater enhances its appropriateness. All tlie maples are good. The * sugar 

 maple is more commonly employed, but the red and silver species, when we 



