358 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



staminate trees, known by their large red flower buds and reddish 

 tassels, the cotton nuisance may be avoided. 



The Brookl3'n societj' makes a suggestion in regard to artistic 

 street planting which is worthy of consideration; it is to plant at 

 each block corner two trees of the largest growth at the points 

 where the fence lines if extended across the walk intersect the tree 

 planting lines. This would give eight trees at each street intersec- 

 tion, which would finally grow into groups, over-arching and em- 

 phasizing these intersections, the blocks between these groups to 

 be planted with smaller and inore ornamental trees and forming, as 

 it were, a section of a parkway. The local arrangement of tire 

 hydrants, catch basins, etc., at the street corners might make some 

 modification of this plan necessary. 



As to village parks, the time is at hand when more consideration 

 will be given this subject. I have already spoken of the wise economy 

 of dedicating some waste and broken area to park purposes, but it 

 may be well to emphasize it a little. 



I have in mind a small city in this state having within its limits a 

 beautiful stream with much waste land along its banks, which if 

 secured for the public would be at once or with but little labor a 

 most beautiful park; but in the discussion of the park question 

 attention has been turned almost exclusivel)^ to the securing a few 

 acres of land on the outskirts of the city, in no wise to be disting- 

 uished from the thousands of acres of prairie which surround it^ 

 leaving the banks of the stream, almost in the heart of the city to be 

 the common dumping ground of the stables, houses and stores. 

 The flight of years could only bring deep regrets if such a course is 

 persisted in. 



Another point which is almost, if not entirely, neglected is that of 

 providing a village play-ground, an entirely different matter from a 

 park, although if circumstances permit they may sometimes be 

 combined, but it should be remembered that a park is intended to 

 be a place where in peace and c[uietness, under the shading trees 

 and in the communion with nature, one may gain rest for both 

 mind and body. 



Do you know of a village where the young people in their sports 

 do not have to trespass on private property or occupy the highways 

 to the danger of all concerned? Or else, eschewing all entertain- 

 ment of this kind, seek amusement by loitering around the street 

 corners and stores with their evil influences or in the all-welcoming 

 saloons. I think that right here is a field in which temperance and 

 other organizations might do a good work. 



Turning now to a larger field, I might, if time would permit, speak 

 of the preserving for future generations, as near intact as circum- 

 stances will permit, of those places of particular interest which 

 from their natural beauty or from historical associations are worthy 

 of such action. Something has already been done in this state in 

 that direction by the marking of battle-fields, the setting apart of 

 35 square miles of land at the source of the Mississippi, and the 

 securing of a tract of land at the Dalles of the St. Croix River to 

 preserve the picturesque scenery there found. This latter pro- 



