THE CANADIAN HORTTCULTURIST. 



65 



to the nurseiy, and planted a foot apart 

 each way, and still shaded by a scr^n 

 of boughs laid upon laths or light poles, 

 elevated a foot or two above the sur- 

 face. When of proper size the young 

 trees may be removed to the permanent 

 plantation, and the frequent removal 

 will ciuise them to throw out a m.'iSvS of 

 fine fibrous roots which very much 

 tends to secure their safe transplanting. 

 For these trees close planting is advis- 

 able. This causes a straight, upright 

 growth without lower limbs, and pro- 

 duces the most valuable kind of timber 

 for use when it is small. For bean 

 poles, hop poles, vineyard stakes, lad- 

 der poles, and many other such uses, 

 straight, smooth spruce or cedar is 

 worth much more than short, crooked 

 branchy treas ; indeed, it is difficult to 

 say what use such trees as these are 

 fit for, excepting firewood, and for this 

 they are worth very little indeed. 



There are some newly introduced 

 timber trees which are considered very 

 valuable. One of these is a species of 

 cataljm {C. Speciosa), or the showy 

 catalpa. This tree has a large leaf, 

 and produces remarkably large, showy 

 blossoms. It ia hardy in the Northern 

 States, Western Canada, Wisconsin, 

 and Michigan. It is a rapid grower, 

 and the timber is remarkably durable, 

 of fine grain, and takes a handsome 

 polish. The ailanthus is another valu- 

 able timber tree which is easily grown. 

 This tim>>er is very durable, and is 

 especially valuable for railroad ties, as 

 it holds (A spike with great tenacity and 

 bears a great strain without crushing. 



The popular impression is that one 

 who plants timber will never live to 

 reap the benefit. Tliis is a grand mis- 

 take. Profit, benefit and advantage 

 are not always the personal securing of 

 pecuniary results. One owes something 

 to his children, to his neighbours, and 

 to his countrymen. If there were no 

 other advantages secured than the 

 2 



benefiting of these, it would be one's 

 positive duty to plant timber wherever 

 he could do it with advantage or suc- 

 cess. But a comparatively old man 

 may plant and live to reaj) the profits 

 of his enterprise. Ten or twelve yeai-s 

 will return the full outlay made with 

 a larger interest than could be secured 

 as safely in any other manner of invest- 

 ment. Five years may begin to return 

 the beginning of the harvest, and once 

 begun the harvest is continuous for 

 many years. We have seen fine saw- 

 logs cut on the western prairies, where 

 sixteen yeais before not a bush broke 

 the view of the whole horizon ; and in 

 the Eastern States we have seen pine 

 logs cut on ground that still shewed 

 the traces of former corn-hills when the 

 ground was abandoned to a natural 

 growth of timber. Canada is too new 

 a country yet to shew many such ex- 

 ♦amplos, but we have seen there trees of 

 various kinds, fit for marketable uses, 

 which had grown up during the occu- 

 pation of the present owners of the 

 land. So that for every reason the 

 planting of timber should be made a 

 business by those who have conveni- 

 ences for it. — Weekly Sta/r. 



CLIMBING PLANTS. 



There is a charm about these plants 

 that alwiiys conunends itself to the lover 

 of the beautiful, and wherever wo see 

 a lover of flowers we are sure to see 

 climbing plants, from those gems that 

 greet us in the morning (morning 

 glories), to the stately cobeas, bignonias, 

 passion vines, or climbing ro.ses. The 

 number of sorts that cjin be grown is 

 legion, and many good things have 

 scarcely yet got into cultivation that 

 are worthy of it, amongst which ntay 

 be mentioned the Apios tuberosa or 

 ground nut. This is a little gem ; in 

 July and August it is one mass of 

 chocolate-colored, pea-shaped flowers, 



