REPORTS OF AUXILIARY SOCIETIES. 355 



a bed or two of flowers. If large trees are allowed here, they should be well 

 trimmed up so as to break the continuity of the lawn as little as possible. At 

 the sides of the lot the limbs of the trees may reach the ground to give an ap- 

 pearance of partial seclusion to the place. As a rule, avoid excessive pruning. 

 An evergreen or two in front may be trimmed low and compact, but rather 

 as a necessity from the restricted space, than as improving its appearance. 

 The use of the dwarf varieties or replacing by a younger tree when too large 

 would often be better. 



An occasional evergreen hedge is admired by many and looks well if the soil 

 be strong to keep it thrifty and it be kept trimmed very low and be not shaded 

 by trees to cause an uneven growth. The beauty of a hedge is in its perfect 

 uniformity. The trees in the yard on the other hand should have as little uni- 

 formitv as possibly. They should never be in rows, nor all of the same size or 

 kind. No one likes to have his house just like that of his neighbor. Equal 

 originality may be shown in the planting of the grounds, however small. A 

 single tree different from any other on the street or in the city will afford a good 

 deal of satisfaction. With roadside planting it is different ; here uniformity 

 of appearance is desirable — straight rows; trees of uniform size and of the same 

 kind. A whole street lined on both sides with large, well-grown trees of the 

 same kind is something to be enjoyed and remembered. The irregularity in 

 size, kind and vigor of the trees on some of our streets is very unsightly. In 

 the country I think it would often be best not to attempt to have trees in rows 

 but leave them in groups at the corners of the field and singly at long distances. 

 But in the city this is not practical. A few of our native forest trees seem best 

 adapted of any for planting along the street. The two most popular kinds, 

 sugar maple and American elm, are as good as any. The red maple often used 

 grows rapidly and looks well when young, but often becomes feeble, diseased 

 and unsightly when older. It makes a beautiful appearance when in flower in 

 early spring and in autumn when the leaves turn in color, but during summer 

 its foliage is dull and less pleasing than that of the sugar maple, making it less 

 desirable for the roadside. One or two trees should however, if possible, find a 

 place at one side of the grounds for its beauty in spring and autumn. The 

 cities of Adrian and Ann Arbor afford opportunity for comparing these two 

 species of maples. Both cities are well supplied with trees. In Adrian the red 

 maple is so extensively planted that it has been called the soft maple city. In 

 Ann Arbor the trees are mostly hard maple and they are certainly more uni- 

 formly healthy and satisfactory in appearance. 



By the fine exhibitions at the monthly meetings it is evident that the society 

 has developed much interest in flowering plants. 



At the April meeting Rev. Chas. Fluhrer read a paper on the destruction of 

 birds for decorative purposes, which has caused some attention in that direc- 

 tion. Following is his*paper: 



RUTHLESS DESTRUCTION OF BIRDS. 



To the close observer it has been obvious that within the past few years 

 there has been a marked decrease in the number of our native birds. Conceded 

 to be a fact, the presence of the English sparrow has been cited as an explana- 

 tion. But, although this pugnacious intruder may be in part responsible, yet 

 a careful gathering of evidence leads to the irresistible conclusion that man's 

 share in this state of things is vastly greater. The American Ornithologists' 

 Union published in Science for February, and has since re-issued in pamphlet 



