204 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICDLTURAL SOCIETY. 



winds and storms. And If, as there is reason for believing, our 

 forests are being sacrificed so tliut tlic welfare of parts of this 

 country is endangered — either as regards tlie main watercourses on 

 account of the scarcity of water for a large part of tiie year, and 

 freshets or floods for a short time in spring, or as to tlie increasing 

 lack of timber, or the consequent unfavorable effect on the climate — 

 what action can he laiien to i)revent 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 own Common is a 

 treasure to our citizens, which cannot be too highly appreciated ; 

 and has been made such more especially b}' those who 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 it is so line an illustration. The 

 number of species and varieties of trees which it contains is con- 

 siderable. 



It will not be desirable to take up 3'our time with a detailed de- 

 scription of the many kinds of trees and shrubs which are suitable 

 for use in emljellishing grounds. What is chiefly needed where 

 home grounds remain tinembellished, or partially so, is to endeavor 

 to make the owners or occupants of such grounds realize the ad- 

 vantages of forming a systematic plan — serving to show clearly 

 how they might oml)L'llish, or might be advised and persuaded 

 to embellish their grounds and roadsides — and then to inspire 

 them to accomplish it as early as possible. There are unfortu- 

 nately many people who have the op[)ortunity but lack the neces- 

 sary incentive to ornament their grounds ; in whom a genuine love 

 of the natural beauties of the world does not exist, or is not devel- 



