THE CANADUN HORTICULTURIST. 75 



get rid of our forests. We have looked upou them as an impediment 

 to the thorough cultivation of our farms, as an enemy to our progress, 

 and we have waged against them a relentless war of extermination. 

 To plant anew is to us like strengthening an enemy; nay, like bringing 

 into life an enemy we have but just put under our feet, at the cost of 

 many a weary blow and many a toilsome day. We are slow to believe 

 that the destruction of our forests has been a mistake, and more slow 

 to believe, even if it has been a mistake, that we shall reap any benefit 

 from any planting that we can do to remedy that mistake. Yes, we 

 do ask, of what benefit can such planting possibly be to me ? Oh! for 

 shame. Is there nothing better than to live for self ? Has every noble 

 sentiment so died within us that we can feel the constraining power 

 of no otlier motive than self-interest ? Do unselfish actions waken 

 within us no response ? Is there no pleasure to us in doing that 

 which will be a blessing to those who shall come after ? 



"And, departing, leave behind us 



Footprints on the sands of time ; 

 Footprints, that perhaps another, 



Sailing o'er life's solemn main, 

 A forlorn and shipwrecked brother 



Seeing, shall take heart again." 



But put this matter on the ground of self-interest alone, and it 

 may be shown that the judicious planting and care of suitable forest 

 trees in a proper manner is as surely remunerative here now, in this 

 wooded Canada of ours, as any other investment. Professor Brown 

 states that "it is no over-calculation to say that wliere the influence 

 of trees is needed, the gain, after fifteen years, will amount annually to 

 two hundred dollars on a hundred acre farm." Of the value of the 

 trees after they have been growing for fifteen years, or of such of them 

 as may be profitably spared from the plantation, we have not now 

 space to speak. 



We conclude this most imperfect notice of this Report by expressing 

 the hope that our agriculturists throughout the Province will give it 

 a careful perusal, and avail themselves of the opportunity, which the 

 instruction and experiments of this farm afford, of improving and 

 perfecting their own practice. These laborious and expensive experi- 

 ments are undertaken and conducted for our benefit, that we may 

 spade and plow, plant and sow, and gather into cellar and barn, more 

 intelligently and skillfully, and consequently the more profitii^ly. 



