SUMMER MEETING. 63 



The " Thaddeus Stevens tree," a magnificent example of the per- 

 fection to which the oriental sycamore, or plane tree, can be brought, 

 forms the central arboreal attraction of Lincoln park on Capitol hill. 

 It stands just east of the brocze statue of Lincoln unshackling the 

 slave. The tree was planted by Stevens in 18G2 down in the Botanic 

 garden, but its roots being threatened with decay by the continued 

 overflow of the "Tiber," in 1870, before that tributary of the Potomac 

 was filled up as at present, it was removed bodily to Lincoln park, 15 

 blocks distant, where it now thrives with wonderful vitality. Its top- 

 most branch is full 90 feet in the air, while its lower branches sweep 

 the ground. Without doubt it is the grandest of all the grand syca- 

 mores at the national capital. 



On the south side of the White house grounds, on the lawn close 

 to the executive green-houses, are two beautiful little fir trees, planted 

 by Benjamin Harrison in the spring of 1892, while President. One of 

 them is only four feet high as yet, but it is growing famously, and the 

 other, six feet high, is doing well and giving promise of the handsome 

 appearance it will present when fully matured. 



But in the National Botanic garden, that famous wonderland of 

 beautiful trees and shrubs, is to be seen the greatest collection of his- 

 toric memorial trees extant in this country. At the east end of the 

 garden, near the young Washington elm, planted by Senator Beck of 

 Kentucky, is a great overcup oak, set out in 1861 by Senator John J. 

 Crittenden, the famous peace orator of Kentucky during the rebellion, 

 Not far from it are two little cedars of Lebanon, planted from the 

 seed — one in 1881), by Senator Hoar of Massachusetts, and the other 

 in 1890 by his friend, ex-Senator Evarts of New York. Hard by is a 

 good-sized Kentucky oak, planted some 10 or 12 years ago by Con- 

 gressman and Governor Proctor Knott of the Blue Grass State. 



Near the center of the garden, and just south of the conservatory, 

 tower two rare cypresses transplanted from Broad street, Philadelphia, 

 in 1866, by Edwin Forrest, the acior, and John W. Forney, the influen- 

 tial Washington and Philadelphia journalist. A few paces to the west 

 of these is the "Albert Pike tree," an odd&haped growth known as 

 the Masonic Cassia, planted in 1882 by the late General Albert Pike 

 while occupying the position of chief of the Scottish order, the high- 

 est rank of Masons. Between this and the main walk is a shapely 

 linden, planted by the late Senator Zebulon Vance, of North Carolina, 

 just about a year ago ; and close by this are two cedars planted re- 

 spectively by the late Senator Lot Morrill, of Maine, and Senator 

 Justin S. Morrill, of Vermont. 



