ARBORETUMS AND BOTANIC GARDENS 285 



full-sized trees as well as younger ones and a varied 

 growth of small trees and shrubs. Such a forest 

 with plenty of adjacent open space will make 

 a good background for various plantations and will 

 help out in the landscape effects mentioned in the 

 preceding paragraph. It will also illustrate the 

 variety, gracefulness, and picturesqueness of nature 

 and this will tend to improve the character of the 

 artificial plantations. It cannot too frequently be 

 realized that nature is the best teacher and that even 

 in the museum-like arboretum she can give points 

 on arrangement. 



The arboretums thus far discussed have been of 

 large areas intended for giving pleasure and instruc- 

 tion to the residents of many states, but there is no 

 reason why cities, villages, townships, even indi- 

 vidual estates, should not have smaller arboretums 

 for local study. Every park commission, cemetery 

 association, or body having charge of public grounds 

 of any kind should continually make collections 

 and try experiments. A farmer's family could ob- 

 tain great pleasure by experimenting with different 

 ornamental trees, shrubs, and flowers as well as those 

 planted primarily for fruit. Such collections and 

 experiments wherever land is devoted to tree growth, 



