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some which I only supposed to be suitable have been frequently required to make retribu- 
tion or be branded as a rogue. It requires an ordinary lifetime for a man to learn by 
experience the suitability of trees which are not indigenous to this country ; hence the 
necessity of being guided by the experience of others. If buyers would take the trouble 
to inform themselves as to what trees are suitable for their locality and order direct from 
experienced and reliable nurserymen they would obviate disappointment and the provoca- 
tion of being swindled. 
Mr. Morris.—I agree with what has been read in the paper. Regarding the pruning 
of evergreens, I think they can be sometimes benefited by the use of the knife, not dis- 
torting or trimming them into fancy shapes, but shortening a limb here and there where 
it is required. Ironwood can be made into one of the prettiest of ornamental trees that 
grows, and it will grow so thick a bird can hardly go through it. 
The PresiDENT.—One or two nurserymen in Rochester make a specialty of ironwood, 
I think, and even advocate it as a hardy plant. 
The Secretary.—lI think it would be well to hear from Mr. Gilchrist, of Toronto, 
who is somewhat interested in the varieties of trees adapted for planting in southern 
Ontario for small ornamental grounds. 
Mr. Gitcurist.—The question has been somewhat sprung upon me, as 1 did not 
know what was to be the programme until I saw it this morning. [ think I can endorse 
all that Mr. Nichol has said as to pruning ; it is time we had learned to stop it. It may 
be all right for a2 man to gotoa barber to get shaved, but I do not think the use of 
the knife improves the appearance of our ornamental trees. Almost everywhere in 
Toronto it is the same, the natural beauty of the tree is destroyed by pruning. I think 
we in this society should advocate the leaving of trees in their natural shape and beauty. 
What is the use of planting a great variety of trees and pruning them all into one shape ? 
There are two kinds of beauty, the symmetrical and the irregular, and we find the trees 
having the second character, such as birch or elm, the most admired by refined people. I 
think the blue spruce is the best spruce. It has proved quite hardy at Guelph ; and 
when spruces are selected they have the most beautiful colors. Some are as green as the 
Norway spruce, while others are almost white. It will not stand the knife, which destroys 
its symmetrical form. There are four or five varieties of the cornus which are very beau- 
tiful, both in the fruit and the flower, and the foliage is always beautiful. I think all the 
cornuses might be utilised, and also the witch-hazel (Hamamelis), which has fine large 
leaves ; it is not a large shrub, but one of the finest we have. But I prefer the American 
elm to any other tree except the cut-leaved birch. The latter is spoiled by being planted 
among other trees; it should be planted alone, where it has room to develop, and so that 
it can be seen from every aspect. The cut-leaved maple is also a very nice tree, but not 
superior to the cut-leaved birch. Some European trees have better forms than the 
American ; for instance, the birch and some others that might be used to advantage, but 
I quite agree as to the lindens. Our American linden is another very fine tree, as is also- 
the soft maple where it has room to develop. I think it is very much finer than the hard 
maple. The horse-chestnut has been planted too closely in Toronto. It is a tree which 
has seen its best days. In the northern part of the country it has never succeeded, and 
the money spent on it might better have been spent on native trees. It is very disap- 
pointing to pay out $1 per tree for chestnut trees and never have them grow twenty feet 
high. I know that thousands of dollars have been spent on that tree in the northern 
part of Ontario. Nurserymen should try to send out trees suitable for the localities they 
are going to, and should not employ ignorant agents. The time is coming when they will 
have to be enlightened on these points ; there is no use in planting peaches in Muskoka, 
and it is just the same with planting horse-chestnut trees. 
The SeoreTary.—Are there any other trees planted around Toronto that you think 
are worthless # 
Mr. Gitcurist.—The catalpa does pretty well. It kills back when young, but when 
it gets older it is a straggling, irregulac tree. There are one or two in Guelph about. 
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