STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 349 



rich verdure as to render the blizzard and tornado almost harmless. Said the la- 

 mented Hodges, "trees are the prime factors in the whole business." Will name 

 half a dozen varieties for shelter belts, and class them according to the best of my 

 knowlede;e as to their merits for screens or wind breaks. There are many more 

 fine sorts that might be named for this purpose, but we we do not feel at libetry to 

 trespass further upon the time and patience of the convention, than to just lay 

 some of the claims of these before you, and so open the subject for discussion. 



Viz: 1st, Norway Spruce, {Abies Excelsa-,) 2Qd, White Pine, {Pinus Strobus;) 3rd, 

 Red Pine, [Pinus Resinosa;) 4th, Hemlock Spruce, Tsuga Canadensis;) 5th, White 

 ^^rnce, (Abies Alba;) 6th, Scotch Vine, (Pinus Sylmstm;) We head the list with 

 the Norway Spruce, first, because it is capable of resisting a stronger wind than 

 either of the others, unless it is the white spruce, (and that is too small a tree to 

 stand at the head;) second, it has more fibrous roots, hence less loss in planting; 

 third, it is a fine looking tree; Josiah Hooper says, "of all the hardy evergreens this 

 appears to be the most suitable for shelter, dense and compact in its growth, hardy 

 to the utmost degree, and vigorous in almost every soil, it is certainly the perfection 

 of plants for a screen. We must confess to having nothing that will compare with 

 this in valuable tree ftr all purposes " 



State and national pride, when not carried to excess, is noble and commendable — 

 but truth and justice should be held in still higher reverence. And the truth com- 

 pels me to admit that the Norway spruce has done more to protect, and adorn 

 American houses, than any other tree. In Lapland, we are told, that it grows 

 within 3,100 feet of the line of perpetual snow, grows from 120 to 180 feet in height, 

 and from three to five feet in diameter, and said to be the largest conifer in Europe, 

 "Downing considers it by far the handsomest of the spruces." Next in order comes 

 those old boon companions white and red pine. The white pine is so well known all 

 over this country, that it is only necessary to say, that we have no native or foreign 

 pine, more hardy, larger or by nature so well adapted to shelter belts as this, and 

 as the noble red pine has stood proudly by its side in all past ages, in its native 

 habit. We should not deem it wise to part them when called on to assume their 

 rightful places in shelter belts to guard the lives and fortunes of the pioneer settlers 

 on our western prairies. 



4th — HEMLOCK SPRUCE. 



To know this tree — "is to love it" and I hope all objections to this sylvan beauty 

 will flee when it becomes generally known that it grows as far north as latitude 65 

 or 67 degrees, and that all it wants is partial shelter from the drying winds — hence 

 we place it between the pines and spruces in our shelter belts. We have a speci- 

 men about 20 feet high, that came through last winter in perfect condition. 



5th — WHITE SPRUCE. 



It is a fact, that I think is not generally known that the Abies Alba is indigenous to 

 southern Minnesota. In passing through Fillmore County twenty-six years ago this 

 winter I found a few of these native trees, some that had been transplanted into set- 

 tlers yards near by are now about fifty feet high, and beautiful trees. My nearest 

 neighbor, M. J. Hoag planted one of these native trees into his grounds in 1876, for 

 a centennial tree. It now stands eighteen feet high, and blue as the blue-tinted sky^ 

 very dense, and perfect in every particular. 



