15 
graceful in its foliage ; the Scotch angular, spreading, irregular, hut fine colored ; 
and the Austrian erect, regular in growth, and bearing upright cones ; are well 
known and desirable. The Balsam Fir is handsome, but loses its low er foliage, 
a fatal defect in an evergreen. The Siberian, Borealis, Reed’s and llovey’s 
Arbor Vita; are improvements on the common American ; the first two for 
their strong, thick-leaved foliage, and the others for their fine color and regular 
form. The Golden Arbor Vitae may also be added. The Irish and Swedish 
Junipers are compact cones of foliage (the latter lighter in color) and contrast 
finely with the round-topped trees. 
It has become a common subject of remark and stiuty — the influence of 
trees on climate and crops, as evinced by the destruction of our native forests 
by the woodman’s axe. On the western prairies we now see forest and groves 
springing up, and carefully cultivated to protect farms and houses from the 
efl’ect'" of° storms and blighting hot winds, and to furnish timber and fuel, 
AVho can tell of the great increase of value to accrue from these young groves, 
and from the vast lines of beautiful hedges now growing up in the tVest, to 
take place of unsightly fences? 
Let every man, woman and child plant out oniamental trees and shrubs^ 
and let such plants be not neglected. Careful culture of beautiful plants 
of every sort must bring careful culture of character ; must elevate the tastes 
and morals of the community, and will surely enhance materially the value of 
its property. 
HEDGES. 
Tiie idea of planting Hedges for use and ornament, and screens for the pro. 
tection of orchards, farms, and gardens, is a practical one and rapidly becom- 
ing appreciated. In a recent trip among some very intelligent farmers and 
fruit-growere of Genesee county, N. Y., we noticed that many of them had 
planted belts of Norway Spruce trees along tlieir entire north and west lines. 
They were at once beautiful and perfect as wind breaks. Tlie owners told us 
that they considered their farms worth ten dollars more per acre in conse- 
quence. They serve not only as a protection against the fierce winter winds, 
but there is much le.ss trouble from the blowing off of fruit, borne writers 
tell us that the temperature is warmer in the vicinity of Evergreens. How- 
ever this may be, we know that our gardens are earlier, and that our fruits 
ripen better when protected by such screens. Nothing can be more beautiful 
than ornamental hedges of Evergreens, or shrubs well kept and pruned to 
ser^'C as boundary lines between neighbors, or as divisions between the lawn 
and garden, or to hide unsightly places. By using medium-sized plants, a 
hedge can be made as cheaply as a good board fence can be built, and then 
with a very little care it is becoming every year more and more “ a thing of 
beauty.” AVe all know that such hedges constitute a great feature of attraction 
in our best kept places. 
In the present and constantly increasing scarcity of timber for fences, we 
must have some plant of universal adaptation for hedges. Slany plants have 
been tried, and although some of them have proved partially successful in 
certain localities, nothing has been found until recently that seemed to be 
adapted to general planting. AFc believe that the Ilonej’ Locust combines ali 
the required qualities. It is perfectly hardy, will grow in almost any soil, of 
