CAA^'ADIAiY aORriCULTURlST. 



277 



can be cousidercd roliablo is un- 

 certain. 



I am studying the probable state of 

 a plantation of such trees, or a \o\v^ 

 avenue set with them, and what condi- 

 tion will they be in at the end of 

 twenty, thirty or a hundred years. 



Very many of these trees in favora- 

 ble ground, and with the timely assist- 

 unco of man, are growing and doing 

 well in this country quite to the north 

 of the proper latitude and in a harshtir 

 climate, alid some of them I think 

 perfectly iiardy, but if a thousand of 

 each of them arc planted now in the 

 region where they grow wild and un- 

 aided, and another thousand of each 

 are set in the northern or central parts 

 of Ontario, how will they compare at 

 the respective periods suggested ? 



If not cut olf and sold to American 

 lumbermen, such a plantation would be 

 just getting grand in a hundred years, 

 and would be a line grove in twenty in 

 its native land, and would probably 

 renew itself indefinitely. 



In the more inhospitable north, even 

 of the trees we thought hardy, and 

 which so generally do well and yield 

 fruit in perfection, is it not likely that 

 we will find an increasing proportion 

 failing at each recount — giving evi- 

 dence that it is only a question of time 

 how long trees in exile will endure a 

 severe climate without artificial aid 1 



At the end of twenty years the 

 whole number of any of these varieties 

 of timber may be living and doing 

 well, and may be as valuable as any of 

 its kind, or one half or any other pirt 

 may be, and tiie rest may be missing; 

 and although when so well established 

 we generally think the ti'iil over, it 

 may be found that at thirty years the 



same trees are all, or nearly all, dead — 

 cut ofT by their hard life, or matured 

 before their time. At a longer interval 

 none may b(! loft to tell how they 

 su tiered. 



I do not infer that it is usele.ss to lay 

 out a plantation of any but native 

 trees — far from it. I think more valu- 

 able timbers may be introduced and so 

 many reach a size fitted for commercial 

 purposes that it may be a most desir- 

 able speculation. I can find no actual 

 cases in America to test the facts, and 

 it may well be that some of the most 

 doubtful will really and finally be 

 acclimatized, and that the forests of 

 the future will keep some of the 

 settlers we bring to it. 



Some scientific writers tell us that 

 the human race cannot be removed 

 from one climate to another and endure 

 forever — will gradually run out and 

 give place to other types more lately 

 removed ; that the Caucasians have 

 managed to drag out a miserable exist- 

 ence in America only by regular addi- 

 tions of new blood, and when no more 

 emigrants wish to cross the water the 

 time of those who have come will bo 

 short. 



I cannot get evidence to settle this 

 case any more than any other problem of 

 the trees, but every century adds to 

 our experience, and we are all interested 

 in the argument, even if posterity only 

 is in the result. 



Humorous. 



Editor visits a new plantation ; says 

 to his friend — "You are making a fine 

 place of this with all your timber." 



" Oh, yes, and I hopo the trees will 

 be grown to a good size before you 

 come again !" 



Editor looks a little curious. 



