INTRODUCTORY. 
inexpensive sources of healthy pleasure. Honor to those clear old souls who, many 
years ago, planted or spared what constitute now our old, majestic trees! Let every 
one who finds pleasure in these old trees do something toward assuring an abundance 
of them for future generations. 
But one need not think that all the benefit is for the generations that are to come. 
Emerson, in his “ Trees and Shrubs of Massachusetts,” says: “I once heard an old 
man, standing in the shade of a tree nearly two feet in diameter, which towered above 
all around it, say, k This tree, after I had been many years successful in business, and, 
in a change of fortune, had retired to this farm with a little that remained, I stuck in the 
ground, after I had used it as a stick in a ride of eight miles home from P-” Mrs. 
Elizabeth Sheldon, mother of Asa Sheldon, u The Wilmington Farmer,” at the age 
of eighty-eight years, had four apple trees planted under her supervision, she assisting in 
the work. She lived to eat fruit from two of them. 
Little do we in Reading appreciate our bountiful supply of trees, consisting of over 
thirty different native species, while on the western prairies trees can be had only by 
careful planting and constant care. Thousands of young trees spring up every year by 
our road sides, which, if judiciously spared, would in time make our roads as beautiful 
as is Summer Avenue, near the Prescott Place, where, nearly one hundred and fifty 
years ago, Mrs. Elizabeth Eaton, assisted by her son and a negro slave, set out what are 
now those grand old trees. To take a mercenary view.—a wealth of wood and lumber 
would be added to the town where now the land is repeatedly laid waste * by the bush 
scythe at the expense of the tax payers. If we do not plant trees, let us, at least, leave 
unmolested those which come up in suitable locations, especially deciduous trees whose 
bare branches in early spring obstruct little of the drying sunlight, and whose foliage 
later shades the road, making it moist and cool, rather than hot and dusty. 
Many shortcomings in this work are evident; but indulgence is asked on the ground 
that a variety of occupations is not conducive to excellence in any one — the author, 
photographer, printer, and publisher happening to be the same person in this case. 
I am indebted to many good people of Reading who have, without exception, 
courteously aided me in collecting facts concerning individual trees; and also to those 
valuable works, “ Trees and Shrubs of Massachusetts,” by Geo. B. Emerson, and 
“ Forest Trees of North America,” by Chas. S. Sargent, for many facts of a general 
nature. 
No doubt, many interesting known facts concerning the trees in Part I. have escaped 
my search. Any information concerning them, or that will aid in the preparation of 
following parts, will be gratefully received. 
F. H. Gilson. 
November , 1887 . 
*In justice to some of our men who work on the roadsides, it should be stated that much of the 
destruction is done thoughtlessly. A few years ago, on being asked by one of them for a criticism, I 
requested that several young trees be left standing. My request was complied with, and the trees now bid 
fair to become valuable additions. 
