In the fitting up of this planet as the home of mankind it would
appear that the Creator regarded the coniferae, or evergreen
family, as well worthy of attention; for almost from the first,
according to geologists, this family records on the rocky tablets
of the earth its appearance, large and varied development, and its
adaptation to each change in climate and condition of the globe's
surface during the countless ages of preparation. Surely,
therefore, he who is evolving a home on one acre of the earth's
area cannot neglect a genus of trees that has been so signally
honored. Evergreens will speedily banish the sense of newness from
his grounds; for by putting them about his door he has added the
link which connects his acre with the earliest geological record
of tree-planting. Then, like Diedrich Knickerbocker, who felt that
he must trace the province of New York back to the origin of the
universe, he can look upon his coniferae and feel that his latest
work is in accord with one of the earliest laws of creation. I
imagine, however, that my readers' choice of evergreens will be
determined chiefly by the fact that they are always beautiful, are
easily managed, and that by means of them beautiful effects can be
created within comparatively small space. On Mr. Fuller's grounds I
saw what might be fittingly termed a small parterre of dwarf
evergreens, some of which were twenty-five years old.
Pages:
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31