HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 125 



of man. But in this busy age few would stop to read a leugtliy 

 article, and the utility of evergreens for health, ornament and 

 protection, none will dispute. The most important question in 

 connection with the subject is how to induce people to plant and 

 care for them. One trouble is the almost universal desire to get 

 hold of the almighty dollar sometime between the first of April 

 and December of each year. 



In growing evergreens the money value does not begin to be 

 realized quick enough to satisfy the great multitude who from 

 choice or otherwise are obliged to occupy and till the soil, as it 

 is not possible to obtain much protection until six or eight years 

 after planting, where small trees are used, and large trees are not 

 possible to the most of the few whom a kind providence has 

 blessed with a disposition to become public benefactors in this 

 direction. Life is short. The pwnership of land is surrounded 

 with so many uncertainties which, together with the quick-com- 

 ing-dollar objection occasions the planting of evergreens to be 

 left to the very few — whose aesthetic taste for the beautiful as 

 well as the useful in nature exceed their avarice. 



How can we get the trees planted and cared for ? "VVe are sat- 

 isfied that for the reasons mentioned individual effort will never 

 accomplish much in this field. The severity of our winters and 

 increasing dryness of our summers admonish us that some sys- 

 tematic move for the growing of evergreens should be under- 

 taken by our state and general government without delay. 



A recent investigation which I have made in our "Big 

 Woods" region of our state leads nle to the conclusion that there 

 is not more than fifteen per cent of our original deciduous tim- 

 ber now standing in that region; and to a great extent the best 

 timber has been culled from that which remains. Through all 

 that once beautiful forest there is scarcely more than enough left 

 for a fair farm supply. 



There is one part of this subject that appeals directly to the 

 individual, and that is the increased value that is given to farm 

 lands by a liberal use of evergreens in the decoration of the 

 grounds around the home and in forming shelter belts for the 

 protection of stock, buildings, garden, and orchard. For this 

 purpose there is nothing so valuable as evergreens. They should 

 be planted mostly to the northwest and south of the residence. 

 A belt all around a yard for cattle should be found on every farm. 

 They increase the temperature of the surrounding atmosphere. 

 Their millions of pointed needles check and repell the bleak 



