CANADIAN FORESTRY ASSOCIATION 21 



The CHAIRMAN then named Messrs. Southworth, Mr. Joly de Lotbiniere, Rev. 

 Father Burke, ivLr. Campbell, and Mr. Macoun, as the committee to deal with the 

 publication question. 



Mr. STEWART. Mr. President, I beg to move that Mr. Aubrey White, the presi- 

 dent, Mr. John Bertram, Mr. Joly de Lotbiniere, Mr. R. H. Campbell, Rev. Father 

 Burke, and myself, be a committee on resolutions, to report at a later date. 



Mr. LITTLE. I second that motion. 

 Motion agreed to. 



OUR NATIVE FOREST TREES AND THEIR USE IN ORNAMENTAL 



PLANTING. 



Mr. F. G. Todd, landscape architect, Montreal, contributed the first paper to the 

 proceedings of the Association, on the above topic. 



When Mr. Campbell first asked me to say a few words regarding the use of our 

 native forest trees in connection with the planting of parks and private grounds, I 

 was a little undecided how to treat the subject, for the reason that the planting of 

 trees for ornamental effect is rather different from the planting of trees for com- 

 mercial purposes, or for wind breaks and that sort of planting, as is so largely carried 

 on in the west. However, I think we all realize the importance of planting trees in 

 our cities and in our towns, along the streets and in the parks, which so many of our 

 towns and cities have recently acquired. The use of native trees and shrubs has not 

 been given the prominence that it should have received in the past. There has been 

 a general impression that trees which come from foreign countries, and which possibly 

 cost a little more, are more suited to planting out. But I think as a rule this is not 

 the case, and the object of this paper is to urge the use of the native trees of Canada 

 in the ornamental planting of our large parks. 



The general effect and character of the park is too often lost sight of in a con- 

 tinual striving after striking details. Instead of considering broad effects and ex- 

 tended landscape views and dealing with broad masses of woods, with meadows and 

 groups of trees placed so that their form and shadow produce a pleasant landscape, 

 our parks are too often turned into a museum for different kinds of foreign trees and 

 shrubs. Parks generally have a character of their own, some special feature, which, 

 if properly treated, may be accentuated and give us a park which will express its 

 dignity and character in such a manner that we will feel at once that here is a park, 

 not simply a repetition, but which was designed to suit its peculiar location. Whether 

 the special character of the park is due to some magnificent wood or whether it is due 

 to extended views and broken topography, the future character of the park depends 

 very largely upon the treatment which the existing woods receive and upon the trees 

 which are planted from time to time to form new woods and replace the old and de- 

 caying ones. We are so accustomed to associating certain trees with particular scenes 

 that when we find them under different conditions, or with different surroundings 

 which do not seem appropriate, they do not give us the same degree of pleasure. The 

 American elm, one of the grandest of our native trees, is almost always associated 

 with pastoral scenes, standing singly or in stately groups in a meadow or overarch- 

 ing some farm house. To plant these elms as a forest, or on a steep and rocky hill- 

 side, Will be to destroy their beauty and mar the whole character of the park. 



The oak is one of the best trees for park planting: the red, the scarlet and the 

 pin oak being the best. The white oak is slow of growth and difficult to transplant. 



