i8o The Canadian Horticulturist. 



clearings, and roughly dug up a large quantity of young and tender seedlings of 

 Maple, Beech, Basswood, Ironwood, and various others, as fortune offered them 

 to his quick perception, being from four to six feet in height, and brought them 

 home by the wagon load. He now proceeded to plant them in his new half 

 cleared turfy field, and in spots where it happened to suit. And how did you 

 get them in we enquired ? " Oh," said he, " I just took an old axe and thrust 

 holes in the sod, and then stuck my small trees into these holes, and pressed 

 them down with my feet and all was done ! " About six months after the event, 

 the sight was transparently disappointing, and the prospect of forest trees for 

 the birds on that field was very far in the distance. 



But to return to our theme. I want here to say that I think there are better 

 methods of procedure, and many of them in this matter, than the one Mr. 

 Beall has outlined for us, notwithstanding the sagacity of its conception. 



If this principle was essential and of first importance, what is to become of 

 the immense world-wide experiences and practices of the world's nursery busi- 

 ness of to-day, not merely with regard to the Black Walnut, but to all other 

 classes and types of forest trees ? I do not feel here and now that it is in my 

 proper place to offer suggestions or to propose counter methods of procedure 

 in the case, but I am sure that it must appear to any intelligent man with the 

 least experience in these matters, that there are and must be of necessity some 

 other method to produce more satisfactory results than here indicated and 

 marked out. 



Allow me to say finally that I am deeply pleased that the Canadian 

 Horticulturist has opened up the " Department of Forestry" in its pages for 

 discussion. It is a department that should have even more attention given to 

 it for our benefit when we consider the fearful rate of denudation annually going 

 on of our Canadian forest growth and beauty. What the future is to do for 

 want of these things, unless speedy and liberal plantings are made, none of us 

 can now possibly tell. It is to be hoped, however, that this whole question of 

 tree planting, not only and merely of the Black Walnut, but also with regard to 

 many others of our most valuable, most varied and beautiful forest trees of home 

 growth, may sufficiently appeal to the good sense and keen Canadian judgment 

 of the whole of our people, and at once. 



Strathroy, Out. B. Gott. 



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