28 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



of great importance. In many places the materials for building, 

 for fencing, and for fuel are already scarce and high-priced. Cut- 

 ting down the monarchs of the primeval forests is likely to be a 

 more serious matter than many of the owners of these forests ever 

 imagined. In some places even in New England one might as 

 well be on a western prairie, so far as any shelter or protection 

 from trees can be obtained, and the example of westorn farmers 

 and railroad corporations in planting trees for shelter and timber, 

 might be followed to the greatest advantage. This subject has 

 been deemed by the American Association for the Advancement 

 of Science of so much importance that they have asked the action 

 of the United States Government to prevent the needless destruc- 

 tion of forests, and to provide for their renewal. 



As instances of the utility of planting trees, it is stated that 

 some years ago Upper Egypt had only five or six rainj^ days in a 

 year ; but the Pasha planted millions of trees, and the annual 

 average is now forty-six days of rain. In a once fertile region 

 about Trieste the forests were swept away, and barrenness fol- 

 lowed ; but millions of olive trees were planted and carefully 

 reared, and now the former productiveness has returned. 



In rearing a forest, it is advisable to plant thickly, first planting 

 the trees which are intended to remain at a proper distance, that 

 they may attain a good size, without interfering with each other. 

 Among them should be planted others, which may be termed 

 nurses, such as Scotch fir, Scotch larch, etc. These, being rapid 

 growers, may remain until the plantation requires thinning, by 

 which time the firs and larches will be large enough for common 

 fencing and similar purposes. These groups and belts will afford 

 to our finer fruit trees that protection which was so forcibly advo- 

 cated by Col. Wilder in his address before the Pomological Society 

 at Richmond, Va., in 1871. 



Any one preparing for planting trees will succeed much better 

 if the soil is mellow and friable, for it is as necessary to have the 

 land well drained, for most species of trees, as for a kitchen garden 

 or a lawn. Great care should be taken in replanting to cut smooth 

 all the roots that may be rough and uneven, for some of the roots 

 will get damaged, although the greatest care is taken in lifting. 



Many, when planting either fruit or ornamental trees, jam them 

 into the ground as if setting fence posts, and then complain of 

 failure. My practice has been to dig the pit at least a third wider 



