The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1877-04-21
The Use Of Evergreens.

We extract the following from an ad-
dress recently delivered by the Hon. II
Lord, at Pontiac, Michigan:
Within the last twenty five years ever
greens have greatly multiplied, during
which time many new varieties have been
introduced; nurserymen have learned to
propagate them cheaply, and in such man.
ner that they may be trsnsplanted with
certainty, so that they are within the reach
of all who have grounds ON which to plant
them, and with taste and usefulness. Now
one cannot travel far through the country
without finding here and there fine dis
plays of them, adorning aud sheltering the
homesteads of tho farm as well as the urban
and suburban dwellings,.
Some ten years ago the writer purcha-
sed Of a nurseryman at Detroit l. 900 little
white cedars, the arbor Uitaj the plants
were one year old from the seed about
six inches high, and cost one aud half
cents each-Sl5 per thousand. Besides
planting many Of them in groups or singly
about the house and grounds, sufficient
number were used to make hedge OF
screen on the westerly and northerly sides
of large garden which had been very
much exposed to the sweep of blasting
winds, sometimes to the destruction OF
nearly all the early plants that it contain.
ed These cedars, set out some two OF
three feet apart, all grew luxuriantly, and
they now form living wall about twelve
feet high, as imperyious to the winds as il
built of brick or stone, aifording COM
pleto protection to the garden, and more
than doubling its value for the purposes Of
its use. Delicate plants, that one blast OF
cold wind in a May morning would chill
and destroy, now, no matter how bleak
the gusty day, seem to nestle in the warm
sunshine, unconscious Of harm.
This is a cheaply obtained refuge that
one may profit by, and an inexpensive or
namentation in which one may indulge.
When rough wintry tempests seem to
shake the earth, when you hear them howl
about your window panes, driving Decem.
Der rains almost through them, when your
fires burn briskly, but do not warm your
house then you may reflect that, had you
a fow years before planted your grounds
thickly with variety of evergreens, in the
direction whence come the prevailing
storms, the trees would overtop your dwell.
ling and afford you "hiding place from
| the wind"
If, in the place of our fences, all the
roadsides, and the dividing lines between
all fields or divisions of ownership, were
lined with rows Of eyergreens twenty to
fifty feet high, it is probable that we
should hear no more of winter killed wheat,
or very little. The expense would be
small in the first instance compared with
fencing. Ten eyergreens to the rod would
be sufficient, and would cost fifteen cents,
and the labor of planting about as much
more. But how about the cattle ? Well,
that is a question of considerable magni-
tude, 1t is our opinion that they should
never be allowed to leave the Enclosures
provided for them about the barns and
sheds.
1t is not likely that many in this hall
will live to see the day, yet We believe it
is not very far distant, when there will be
no fences In Michigan, except those pro-
vided to keep animals away from the fields,
rather than to confne them in them.
Farmers themselves, severely as they feel
the weight OF their expenses for fences, are
as rule unaware Of the enormous burden
OF them, and how much it costs to perpet-
uate the incumbrance. If to the westward
and northward OF each farmers farm aud
cattle yards a belt of evergreens were
planted, they would in ten years form as
feet hiph. and he better every wov 49,
ing a hiding place from the winds that
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