which might consequently be mistaken for
birch. Near the mouth of the Castle Frank
brook, as the little stream passing through the
Castle Frank property was called, there long
survived, on the opposite bank of the Don, a
grove of the wild Canadian willow, a tree
sometimes employed formerly for shade pur-
poses along our back streets. I remember the
first time I saw olive trees growing in the
south of France, £ was struck with their strong
resemblance in point of foliage and general
form to some of our wild Canadian willows.
At the present moment, far to the westward
on the north side of College street, a cluster of
gnarled and irregular willow trees is to be
seen, with stems of .i great diameter, remnants
evidently of a grove of Canadian wild willows
whic I differ considerably from the imported
Euro »ean willow. The jfroup referred to
occur! in a swale or patch of low land -»n the
<»ld Oik Hill property formerly Helungiag to
General ^ICneas Shaw. On the west side of
Dutfenn street, a short dJHtance co the north,
on the lidge of the lake,are some tine tall speci-
mens of the Canailian willow overshadowint;
the Gwynne property, l)ut these are trans-
planted trees of the second growth.
The soil around Toronto does not seem in
general to have been very favorable to the
development of the oak on any erand scale,
but in the Queen's Park, on the level ground
at the north-west of the Parliament Buildings,
specimens occur in considerable uambers of
thJH tree, with stems of goodly diameter and
branches affording an extended shade. Every
year, of course, insensibly adds to the girth and
general dimensions of these trees. It is to be
hoped that a century hence — nay. centuries
hence — they may still be found .standia:: here,
honoured and beloved, like so many renowned
congeners of theirs in the old country. Far-
ther north in the Park is a large patch of the
mixed original forest, w^hich it i.s hoped may
likewise long remain undisturbed.
East of the Queen's Park, just where
St. Albaus street begins, m the grounds
round the residence of Mr. Christie, are some
stately native oaks gracefully draped with Vir-
ginia creeper. In the Horticultural (!Jarden
are well-grown specimens of early oaks, several
near the gardener's lodge and .several near the
rosary. Near the Prince of Wales' maple tree
is a specimen of the English oak, pianted here
subsequently by his brother, Prince Arthur,
which shows the habit of the English oak in
regard to the lateral outspread of its branches,
when it has liberty to expand them. The Can-
adian oak seems to be inclined to branch out
at a greater height above the ground. A lai^e
oak occurs in the sidewalk on Gerrara Street,
8
oil the mirth .side, a little to the west of Sher-
l>uurno street. Not far from the luilgo lit the
front gate of the residence known as the
"Orange," a solitary oak tree is noticeable.
The other trees in these grounds are chietly
graceful elms of the second growth reserved
from the original forest. Some other example
of a primitive oak should not lo omitted,
namely that which stands a little to the west
of Col borne Lodge in High Park carefully pre-
served by ih) late Mr. J. G. Howard. Near
this house are other oaks less remarkable.
Within the memory of men still living some
well developed old oak trees were to be seen
at irregular intervals along the shore of the
bay between the foot of George street and
Berkeley street. One especially was long pre-
served, opposite the residence of Mr. George
Munro. some time Mayor, who did his best to
preserve what used to be known as the Fair
Green, now '^holly built over. That oaks
were to be founu in other localities round Tor-
onto may be crucluded from the name Oak
Hill, apjlied to the property of (general Shaw,
before referred to. In and just outside the
grounds of the new Upper Canada College
buildings, on the brow of the Davenport or
Spadina rise of land, on the northern side of
the city, are to be seen some fine old oaks
happily preserved. The old trees still re-
maining just below the front of Spadina
House, on this ridge of land, are also oaks.
Again, far to the north, we have the Oakridges,
so called probablv from ancient specimens
there seen. Oakvi^. 3 is also a reminiscence of
this tree, as an object noticeable along the
north shore of our lake.
Finally the pine must be noticed, a tree
which formed so marked a feature in the
scenery round Toronto formerly. The steep,
sandv banks of the Don, on both sides, were
within my own recollection lined with fine tall
specimens of the white pine, and a few re-
maining examples of these are to be seen along
the brow of the hill, on the eastern bound-
9
ary of wluit whs known aa the Castlo Frank
pro|.orty, a portion of which is now inchided
in th } St. James Cemetery. TroeH of the
yellow pine species wore to be seen in abun-
dance m the Humber Plains, but sparingly
along the Don. At the northern end of the
Moss L-*ark lot towards Bloor street, a
solitary relic of the flourishing white pine for-
est hereabout was long a conspicuous object
and gave rise to some graceful fugitive verses
which I have prcervj'd at p.p. 231-32 of
" Toronto of Old," not Knowing them then, as
I have since learned them to have been, the
handiwork of the late Senator Macdonald, long
before he was dignified with that title. The
last three stanzas, supposed to bo utterances
of this tree, including several hapiy forecasts,
are appended.
The pale face came, our raul « were thinned,
And the loftiest were br