61 



The red cedar {Juniperus virginiana) has a wide range, both north and south, east 

 and west ; though less extended than the other native evergreens, this juniper is found in 

 your part of Ontario, and would be hardy enough, which is not the case with the Irish 

 iuniper and some other garden forms. 



The red cedar has been called the poor man's evergreen in our western states, be- 

 cause of its abundance, its consequent cheapness, and the ease with which it may be 

 brought into cultivation. Its growth is sufficiently rapid. Trees set out twenty feet 

 apart have formed a close wall of sheltering green, while their tops have grown twenty 

 feet high, with branches from the ground, and all within twenty-tive years from the seed. 

 This tree needs age to make its lumber valuable ; while young there is too large a propor- 

 tion of alburnum or sap-wood. When the red heart-wood is developed the timber is per- 

 durable, and highly valued for posts, sills, and other uses where durability is required. 



One of your most beautiful and most abundant native evergreens is yet to be men- 

 tioned — the American arbor- vitaj {Thuya occidentalis). This is erroreously called white 

 cedar, which is quite a different tree (Cupressus thijoides), also found in parts of the 

 Province, and reported in Mr. Dawson's catalogue, on the faith of Mr. Brown, on the 

 great lakes. 



The arbor-vitaj abounds everywhere on low lands, and Mr. Drummond reports it on 

 his map as reaching to James Bay, in latitude 52° north. This plant is very abundant 

 along the line of the Grand Trunk Railway, and in favourable situations immense num- 

 bers of young plants might be obtained from the mucky lowlands, but it may also be 

 procured from the nurserymen, of any desired size and at low prices, in much better con- 

 dition for planting out than those taken from the swamps. 



The arbor-vit£e and the hemlock spruce, though admirably adapted for the construc- 

 tion of wind-breaks, are also the two very best species for planting as sheltei'-hedges upon 

 the lawn around the gardens, and about the dwelling, and out-houses, wherever it is pos- 

 sible to introduce these screens. You are strongly urged to set them abundantly in all 

 such places for the comfort they will afford to your families. 



Plant hemlocks and white spruces on the lawn near your houses. The shelter-groves, 

 to which allusion has already been made, should not be overlooked nor forgotten. These 

 should be placed rather near to, and on the windward sides of your buildings. Select the 

 site and prepare the soil thoroughly before planting out the trees you may have selected ; 

 set them closely to produce an immediate effect. Three rows in every four may be of 

 inferior or cheap kinds, to act as nurses to the more desirable plants that are to remain 

 permanently ; the former must be removed as soon as these last need the space for their 

 healthy development. Of course the whole lot should be well cultivated for a year, or 

 until the ground is well shaded. Exclude all cattle from the grove — this is absolute ! 



Finally, my friends, lest you become aweary with too long an article, let us draw 

 this to a conclusion, though you may rest assured the half has not been told had the dis- 

 cussion been intended to embrace all the trees that are worthy of your care in general 

 planting. A few only have been introduced that were supposed to be especially adapted 

 for the object in view — that of providing shelter-groves and wind-breaks in the open 

 country to compensate, in some degree, for the excessive removal of the natural forests, 

 which has already occurred in portions of your country, just as it has happened in our 

 own States. In your north-western Provinces there are open prairies which must be 

 planted, and doubtless will be, by hardy settlers, who will imitate the examples set them 

 by our fellow-citizens on the broad trans-Mississippi plains. But it is especially you, my 

 good people of the Province of Ontario, and you, dwellers in this fertile, interlacustrine 

 plateau, who are now most earnestly entreated to begin at once the work of providing the 

 needed shelter for yourselves, your cattle, and your crops, by planting homestead groves, 

 shelter-hedges, wind-breaks, and shelter-belts. Do it, my friends, also, for the sake of 

 your friend and well-wisher from over the border. 



Mr. Saunders. — I desire to move a vote of thanks to our esteemed friend, Dr. 

 Warder, for this very valuable contribution on the subject of forestry. The matter is 



