220 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTUUAL SOCIETY. 



most graceful of all trees. lie has a Cut-leaved Birch now 

 twenty feet high. The Ginkgo is of slow growth but has very 

 curious leaves. He has planted English and American oaks in 

 variety ; these are trees which we never tire of, and some of the 

 species have leaves as glowsy as if varnished. lie has some of 

 Nature's planting nearly' four feet in diameter. Last winter there 

 were two most severe ice-storms in the centre of the State, and liis 

 trees were badly broken ; some a foot in diameter were broken off. 

 The oaks retain their leaves in the winter, and these were covered 

 with ice, adding greatly to the weight. There is a greater leverage 

 on the limbs of the elms than in most trees ; and consequently 

 these suffered most ; the White, Silver, and Sugar maples suffered 

 somewhat, but not a limb of a Norwa}- maple was broken. This 

 species seems to adapt itself to all soils and situations ; on the 

 margins of streets where the soil has been taken off and the Sugar 

 maple fails the Norway will find support. The trees form round 

 symmetrical heads. 



Mr. Appleton said he had the pleasure a short time before to 

 pass a week in Hingham, where there are many fine trees, and 

 called on Mr. Edmund Hersey of that town to tell about them. 



Mr. Hersey said that the Holly, which is indigenous in Cobasset» 

 near Hingham, is very beautiful, but difficult to transplant. It 

 can be done, however, but the plants must be small. The Hem- 

 lock is most beautiful and stands the severest winters, retain- 

 ing its green ; he had been successful in transplanting it. The 

 Red Cedar grows so close to the ocean as to be covered with spra}' ; 

 there are two varieties ; that with a bluish cast should be chosen 

 for planting. For evergreen trees, two feet high or less is large 

 enough to transplant, and they will be sure to live. The people 

 of Hingham have done a good deal in ornamental tree planting, 

 with the result that they have some very beautiful trees there ; 

 this was owing to earlj- and organized effort. He has perceived 

 the benefit of the discussion of tree planting here, but when riding 

 out he often sees much lack of appreciation of the beaut}' of trees. 

 He once saw a beautiful pine tree, seventy-five feet high, in front 

 of a cottage, only sixty feet from it, and standing by it was a man 

 with an axe in his hand ; he had ,cut the tree three-quarters down, 

 and it was the only tree be had ! This man needed to be educated. 

 If he had been a member of this Society and attended these meet- 

 injis he would not have cut the tree down. 



