30 TRANSACTIONS OF TIIi: AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



" \Vr liave a ji^rcat variety of rxi'cllciit forest trees for this purpose, 

 ftinoii^' which ii\ay bo reeUoued the elm, (l»olli the erect ami the weepiiif^J 

 the maple, (siiicur ami white.) the limleii or basswuod, ash, hickory, cherry, 

 buttcrrmt, willow, ami other deciduous varieties, beside everji^reens; tho 

 silver fir, spruce, arbor vita», hendock and pines. By a j^ood taste in 

 arranging' these roadside linings, having reference to summer and winter 

 ornamentations, the effect may be greatly eidianced. Wliat, in tlie hot sea- 

 son, is more refreshing than a shaded iiighway, especially if to this is added 

 tlie ^[aiIle law luxury of cool water fountains every mile or two ? 



" A word or two with regard to the rock or sugar maple. Tliese are 

 indigenous to our State. The forests are full of them. Some of the largest 

 and handsomest trees I ever saw are in the native forests of Aroostook. 

 Our white oaks or pines are hardly more valuable than the rock maples. 

 For fuel they are about ecjual to hickory; for ship timber the}' are excel- 

 lent; for furniture, especially the bird's-eye species, they are valuable, and 

 for the saccharine quality of their sap everybody knows their sweetness. 

 As ornamental trees, too, they excel. The forms are symmetrically coni- 

 cal, the branches and foliage thick and dense; and then they are remarka- 

 bly clean, never being polluted by vermin as the elm is. True, tliey are 

 liable to borers, like apple, pear, linden and accacia trees, but these make 

 no external offences. 



"Many years ago the streets of our citj' (Augusta) were nearly all lined 

 witli shade trees, consisting mostly of sugar maples. This was done at the 

 instance of the late Judge Fuller. But he, and others after him, have com- 

 mitted one great error. Bef(jre setting out the young trees they decapita- 

 ted them, in order to make them send out lateral branches. This contra- 

 dicted tlie intentions of nature, which never intended to have the head of 

 anything cut off; and the consequence has been that a weakened, rotten 

 place was occasioned where the decapitation took place, and the uppermost 

 lateral branches, on becoming large, have split off from the main stem, and 

 thus ruined very many ftf our otherwise beautiful trees. 



The (.'liairman — Dr. Hubbard, who is mentioned in the letter, and with 

 whom I am intimately acquainted, is a gentleman that deserves well of his 

 C4juntry. 



Mr. John 0. Bergen said: I cannot too highly commend the whole of this 

 letter to public attention, and particularly that part of it that recommends 

 planting shade trees by tlie road-side. There are a great many places 

 where road-side watering places cannot be provided, but none where trees 

 cannot be planted — none whert; the value of farms would not b(; increased. 

 I must diller from the direction which seems to indicate that the tops of 

 trees never should be cut off. If it is c<nTect in regard to the maple, it is 

 not in most trees, for thcjy are apt to grf)W so tall in nurseries that the head 

 will nut assume a handsonx! shapes unless cut off when transplanted. 



How TO Plant Fiuit Trees. 



The Chairman inquired how he shouhl plant a lot of pear trees, ordered 

 from RochcKter six weeks ago, which he is now advised liave been shipped, 

 and will proljably be in a bad condition when tliey arrive. Will it be best 

 to water them freely ? 



