136 THE PLANT WORLD. 



Up the opposite side to timber line was the dark green of spruce 

 and pine. Across the canyon rose a massive mountain, on 

 whose sides were larg'e banks of snow from which ran streams 

 to the river below. I could trace the creeks and see falls of 

 considerable height, but no sound came across the canyon. Who 

 was it said something- about frozen music ? 



As the sun declined toward the west, reluctantly I turned my 

 horse's head down the mountain side, taking my botanical speci- 

 mens, and the memories of a day on the mountain top — a day 

 to be remembered. 



" On alpine heights o'er many a fragrant heath, 

 The loveliest breezes breathe ; 

 So free and pure the air. 

 His Ijreath seems floating there." 



THE CHINESE SUMACH, OR TREE OF HEAVEN, 

 AILANTHUS GLANDULOSA. 



Bv Howard H. .M. Bowm.\n. 



Although quite common in the vacant lots and outskirts of 

 manv of the cities of eastern United States, this tree has not 

 of late received the attention it once did and which it still 

 deserves, for it has quite a few points of comeliness if not of 

 beautv. Formerly it was extensively planted as a shade tree and 

 the two gigantic trees standing at the entrance to many old c(itm- 

 try homes testify to its vanished popularity. 



It is now escaped from cultivation and has spread rapidly by 

 the suckers from its thick subterranean branches and by the seeds 

 which are borne prolifically. Some old, well-grown trees have 

 something of that pleasing contour seen in certain large. Hat- 

 topped trees of southern Italy and many troi)ical countries, giving 

 the landscape a very picturesque appearance. Hut really ]irettier 

 than the mature trees are the young saplings, with their slender 

 stems and spreading crowns of pinnately compound leaves, fully 

 a yard in length. A clump of these growing aiuong some native 

 trees gives an ordinary grove that luxuriant tropical appearance, 



