196 president's addeess. 



our most familiar trees were then altogether unknown to the 

 dwellers in Britain. "Very few, save those whose thoughts have 

 been given to Arboriculture, know how much the beauty of our 

 land has been enhanced by the introduction and naturalization 

 of trees from far distant climes. The Spruce Fir or dark Norway 

 Spruce, Abies excelm, was not known here some three hundred 

 years since. It was well known. in Norway, in Switzerland, 

 and is found in countries stretching from Cape Clear to Behring's 

 Straits. The Silver Fir, Abies pectinata, is even a more recent 

 introduction, though nearly contemporary with the Spruce. 



In the Park at Alnwick there are some noble specimens ; and 

 in the Duke of Argyle's place at Roseneath, on the Clyde, there 

 are, or were. Silver Firs about 170 years old and 140 feet high. 

 No other British tree rears its head heavenward so loftily as this. 



The Larch, with its exquisite green leaves put forth in early 

 spring, but so bare and desolate in winter, is but a modern friend. 

 Its introduction is memorable as being coupled with the rebellion 

 of 1745. It was James Duke of Athole who first planted it to 

 any extent. 



But not to weary you with more examples of trees of whose 

 introduction a certain record exists. For who knows not some 

 of those which have of late years been introduced into our gardens 

 and our shrubberies from far away lands ? Some of them here- 

 after may perhaps become as common and as- useful as the Larch, 

 the Silver Fir, or the Spruce. 



There are other trees about whose incoming we know nothing, 

 save that there was a period when their present home knew them 

 not. It is very hard to realise that they too owe their presence 

 among us to man's skill and energy. The Elm, so identified in 

 song and story with our village gatherings, was once unknown 

 in Britain. "We know not when it first rooted itself in English 

 soil (it is supposed the Eomans introduced it), but we know from 

 our fossil forests and in other ways when it was not amongst us. 



A reverse side to this picture might also be worked out. 



There are trees once very common, but are now comparatively 

 rare. They- have ceased to be cared for and esteemed because 

 there is no longer the use for their wood which was once the 



