153 STATE HOETICULTUKAL SOCIETY. 



to accomplish such results the foolish idea of setting closely at first and thin- 

 ning out afterward must be abandoned. Give plenty of room from the start 

 that top and root may spread out and develop harmoniously on every side. 



Note the trees that stand alone in fields where they have been fully exposed 

 to sun and storm from little saplings. What objects of strength and beauty 

 they are. They seem rooted to the soil firm as a rock, and we feel that noth- 

 ing short of lightning or a whirlwind can injure them. I think the law in 

 New York requires elms to be 70 and maples, etc., 50 feet apart. What our 

 law is now, if we have any, I do not know, but years ago, if I remember 

 rightly, our law-makers in their wisdom, allowed us to plant trees on the mar- 

 gins of highways "provided tliey were not less than nine feet asunder." Pos- 

 sibly this liberal space was specified not from unbelief in the capacity of trees to 

 flourish even closer, but because in view of probable bad roads some of our 

 far-seeing statesmen found it necessary to explain to the advocates of six or 

 eight feet that that would scarcely allow the free passage of teams between 

 trees when sidewalk travel became necessary. Be this as it may we will sup- 

 pose a person about planting adopts somewhere from 40 to 60 feet — say he 

 settles upon 50 feet. This may appear like a wide space to any one not in the 

 habit of looking into the far off future, even to the time when he may be a 

 a citizen of that land where the trees and all else are perfection. As a partial 

 remedy for these wide openings we might set half way between very small 

 growing trees or large shrubs, such as redbud or Judas tree, burning bush, 

 dogwood, white and purple fringe, snowball, hawthorn, etc., also a few native 

 thorns and crab-apples, where the wood thrush, blue jay and cuckoo would be 

 at home. Farther from the dwelling, where the boys and girls are supposed to 

 have more freedom, some fruits and nuts could be set, such as chinquepin, 

 persimmon, sloe or blackhaw, and especially dwarf apples of hardy, early and 

 productive kinds, like red astrachan, maiden's blush and Oldenburg. 



If these ideas or suggestions or anything similar are ever carried out in 

 practice, of course stringent laws with severest penalties would be necessary, 

 and an ofi&cer or committee in each school district could see them enforced, 

 and should be qualified to direct and advise in planting, pruning and general 

 management, and also in seeing that the best of the natural growth is pre- 

 served. 



But I am using too much time and will close, hoping that these hints may 

 assist, if ever so little, in calling out such a thorough discussion of this 

 important subject as will finally lead to practical results. 



IMPKOVEMENT OF SCHOOL GKOUNDS. 



Upon the above topic Professor Eoss, of the South Haven schools, was called 

 upon, and addressed the assembly as follows : 



It is related of Mungo Park, the first great African explorer, that when he 

 was, on one occasion, hungry, thirsty, and weary, and ready to lie down in his 

 despair and die, the sight of a beautiful flower standing alone in the desert re- 

 vived his drooping spirits and gave him courage to pursue his journey till he 

 reached succor and shelter. The human mind is so constituted that every 

 thing which affects the senses has an effect upon the higher part of our being. 

 So subtle is the aflSnity between mind and matter that our surroundings are of 

 infinite consequence in retarding or developing our mental faculties. Upon 

 some nature has a keener effect than upon others, according as the individual 

 . is of coarser or finer mental fiber, but it does not need that a man be a poet that 



