THE INJURIOUS EFFECTS OF SMOKE ON TREES. 127 



Summary. — In appearance the natural beauty of the trees is 

 marred. The freshness of Spring disappears sooner, through the 

 blackening effect of the smoke, which is a great loss and dis- 

 advantage to many who are prevented from seeing nature unless 

 in the public parks and woods in the immediate neighbourhood 

 of the city, and throughout the whole year there is a lack of 

 brightness, but of all the seasons, it is in Autumn that the greatest 

 contrast is seen. Where are all the varying tints and shades of 

 colour of the fading leaves of the woodlands in our glens and 

 vales away out in the country ? There is no comparison between 

 trees in such places and those in the parks and suburbs of our 

 city, No doubt there is a certain degree of this natural beauty 

 left, but it is like a dim and imperfect copy of some fine picture. 

 And what about the evergreen shrubs? At this season of the 

 year, instead of being objects of beauty, they are frequently very 

 depressing to the eye, being black, and in many cases tufted and 

 open, rather than a dense mass of foliage, owing to the leaves 

 falling off months or sometimes a year or more too early. 

 Common Hollies are possibly the worst victims in this class of 

 plants, good specimens of which are scarcely to be found in this 

 neighbourhood. I have ah-eady said that coniferous plants, and 

 particularly Scots Firs, are the worst sufferers of all. But, before 

 adding a little about their appearance, I would remark that, at 

 no very remote time, the residents in this city who like to see a 

 good Scots Fir tree will have to travel some distance to gratify 

 their desire. Those near at hand, old and young alike, are 

 without exception more or less seriously affected, their state of 

 health being far from satisfactory. Their leaves fall off a year 

 or more too soon, it being quite common to see them, at the 

 beginning of the growing season, with nothing but the previous 

 year's leaves adorning them, instead of two years complete and 

 the greater portion of a third, thus detracting very much from 

 their appearance, giving them a thin, tufted, stunted and 

 unhealthy look. 



On approaching the city from any side, particularly from the 

 east or north-east, the general effect of smoke is in evidence, I 

 think I may say, on all trees, some certainly being affected more 

 than others; and any one of an observant nature, who travels to 

 and from the city for a number of years, cannot fail to recognise 

 the fact that the effect of smoke is of a cumulative nature as 

 regards the health of the trees. If once a tree is noticed to be 

 decidedly suffering from that cause it is doomed, its death being 



