88 WORCESTER COUNTY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. [1893. 



advantages that lie at their very door but which may otherwise never 

 be realized. 



The study and practice of decorative planting has a value beyond 

 its immediate results, since by cultivating thoughts about trees it 

 stimulates people to read of and study their habits, and thus to 

 acquire a knowledge of their effects upon climate and vegetation, on 

 water sources, and in mitigating the action of dangerous winds and 

 storms. And if, as there is reason for believing, our forests are be- 

 ing sacrified so that the welfare of certain parts of this country is 

 endangered — either as regards the main water-courses on account of 

 the scarcity of water for a large part of the year, and freshets or 

 floods for a short time in spring, or as to the increasing lack of tim- 

 ber, or the consequent unfavorable effect on the climate — what action 

 can be taken to prevent it ? 



In France and other foreign countries, the great injury caused by 

 the too extensive cutting of forest trees has been publicly recognized ; 

 so that, as I understand, it has been deemed necessary for the good 

 of the country that government permission shall be obtained before 

 any woodland can be reclaimed for tillage ; and that such permission 

 shall be granted only upon condition that an equal acreage shall be 

 planted with trees as an equivalent. 



The subject of forestry is of course entirely distinct from that of 

 ornamental planting of trees, although one who undertakes the latter, 

 is most likely also to acquire some knowledge of the former. 



There is evident need for promoting knowledge of this subject 

 among our citizens ; for we cannot avoid the consequences of our 

 mistakes. As a means of instruction our Commons are treasures to 

 our citizens, which cannot be too highly appreciated ; and have often 

 been made such more especially by those who have caused many of 

 the trees to be labelled with both their botanical and popular names ; 

 which has undoubtedly greatly increased the interest in the subject of 

 which they have become so fine illustrations. The number of species 

 and varieties of trees which they are likely to contain is considerable. 



It will not be desirable to take up your time with a detailed descrip- 

 tion of the many kinds of trees and shrubs which are suitable for use 

 in embellishing grounds. What is chiefly needed where home grounds 

 remain unembellished, or partially so, is to endeavor to make the owners 

 or occupants of such grounds realize the advantages of forming a 

 systematic plan — serving to show clearly how they might embellish, 

 or might be advised and persuaded to embellish their grounds and 

 roadsides — and then to inspire them to accomplish it as early as possi- 



