FOREST TREE PLANTmG. 51 



clnsion was drawn that the}' suffered as much as we do from that 

 cause, and that the climate has not been affected by cutting off 

 the primeval forest. 



The first settlers did not cultivate as deeply as is done now, 

 and so had not the protection from drought which deep cultivation 

 affords ; and it does not follow that the climate has not been modi- 

 fied. The rainfall and thermometer might not show much change, 

 but the speaker thought the more delicate test of the hygrometer 

 would. Streams flow more rapidly and are of briefer duration 

 than formerly. In Maine lichens flourish on trees more generally 

 than they do here, showing a moister atmosphere ; here they are 

 found onh'^ in swampy locations. Mr. Strong hoped that the 

 lecture would be of practical benefit. On some farms it would be 

 better to devote half the ground to trees and spend more time on 

 the other half than to attempt to cultivate the whole. 



Joseph Clark said, in answer to an inquir}^ how much shelter is 

 necessar}' for white pines on the sea-coast, that it is more difficult 

 to cultivate them on the side of a hill next the sea than on the 

 sheltered side ; but he thought they could be established, espe- 

 ciall}' when planted thickly. The Austrian Pine is the best 

 for planting on the sea-coast, though the Scotch Pine is hardy 

 there. The "White Pine will flourish six hundred feet from the 

 ocean. 



Edmund Hersey thought that the paper read covered the ground 

 very well, but there was one tree not mentioned — the Red Cedar, — 

 which, in his judgment, might take the place of the Pitch Pine on 

 the sea-coast. It will grow on the poorest land, where grass will 

 not grow, and will stand the ocean spray and even the wind on 

 the ocean bluffs. He did not believe the Pitch Pine ought to be 

 encouraged, and would cut it down as soon as he could find any- 

 thing to take its place. It will cover poor land, but the Red Cedar 

 will do so nearl}' as soon. The Salix purpurea (Purple Willow) 

 will grow on high, sand}' land, and in four years will make excel- 

 lent hoop-poles ; and the speaker thought it would be more profit- 

 able than pine. He did not approve the recommendation of the 

 essayist to plant white birclies among white pines, but would 

 plant the pines thickly enough to shelter each other. The birches 

 would crowd out the pines. 



Mr. Hersey did not think we are suffering greatly from cutting 

 ofi" forests, but did think we ought to attend to tree planting. "We 

 do not train our forests so that they will be most profitable ; we 



