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1916] The Ottawa Naturalist. 161 



THE USE OF ORNAMENTAL TREES AND SHRUBS.* 



By W. T. Macoun, Dominion Horticulturist. 



The extensive forests of Canada are rapidly disappearing 

 through the inroads made upon them by the axe and by fire, 

 but one may yet see some fine woodlands and some magnif- 

 icent specimens of the stately and attractive trees with which 

 the Dominion is blessed in great variety. These have their 

 economic valvie, but they have a sentimental and an orna- 

 mental value as well, a value which comes from the part they 

 play in a beatitiful landscape, either when growing together 

 as in a forest, or when, as individual specimens, their attractive 

 outlines are fully revealed. All who love trees should see to 

 it that our native species are preserved wherever possible, and 

 that areas of natural woodland near our cities and towns should 

 be guarded well. 



The value of the delightful and cooling shade of a tree 

 in a hot summer day is not to be measured in dollars and cents. 

 The contrast between a street having attractive shade trees 

 and one without any is very great. Well planted home grounds, 

 with trees and shrubs judiciously and pleasingly placed, how 

 attractive they are ! 



There is great satisfaction in a well kept hedge, giving a 

 trim but attractive boundary to the lawn or the garden, or 

 screening unattractive objects beyond; and again, the home- 

 like and softened effect of a vineclad house, how much we 

 admire it! 



In Canada the use of ornamental trees and shrubs is not 

 at all general, although the abuse of them has been very great. 

 In the country where the opportunities for beautifying the 

 home grounds are abundant, very little is done, and the far- 

 mers' homes, in the great majority of cases, are most unattrac- 

 tive places indeed. Our cities, towns and villages are, in many 

 cases, little better, except in limited areas, the unattractive 

 dwelling houses being unrelieved by shade trees on the streets, 

 or by ornamental trees and shrubs on the private grounds. 

 All the native trees and shrubs have, in many places, dis- 

 appeared, the natural beauty has gone, and instead there are 

 houses with hard and ugly outlines. 



In 1908, the Ottawa Horticultural Society offered to supply 

 ornamental shrubs and vines free to residents on some of the 



♦Synopsis of lecture befure O.F.N. Club, January 25, 1916. 



