ORNAMENTAL TREES. 27 



The red or Norway pine {Pinus resinosa)^ — very seldom 

 seen in cultivation, although common in the wild state far- 

 ther north, — while resembling somewhat the Austrian pine 

 in appearance, is its superior here in beauty, usefulness, and 

 duration of life; and even our pitch-pine (^Plnus rif/ida) is 

 in some localities a very attractive and useful tree, which 

 can be j)lantcd with considerable profit on sandy and exposed 

 barrens, like some portions of Cape Cod. The Norway 

 spruce (JPicea excelsa}, perhaps more extensively planted 

 than any other tree as an ornamental evergreen, does not 

 fulfil in this country the promise of its earlier growth. At 

 first the trees make rapid headway, and are of a dense habit, 

 which, in favorable localities, is retained for a good many 

 years; but, long before they reach maturity, they more gen- 

 erally become bare in appearance, and in no way equal to 

 the white spruce (^Picea alba') of Northern New England, 

 which for ornamental planting, for wind-breaks, or hedges, 

 should always be preferred. The native white ash (^Fraxinus 

 Americana') cannot be equalled here, either in beauty or 

 utility, by any other of the family, and must not become 

 superseded by the European ash (^Fraxinus excel sa). Of the 

 lindens, the American {Tilia Americana) is for us a finer tree 

 than the European '(^Tilia Eurojxjea)^ the fragrant blossoms 

 of which are its recommendation to special favor ; and the 

 Southern linden {Tllia lietero'pliylla^^ not yet introduced into 

 cultivation, may prove a valuable accession in this vicinity. 

 For New-England plantations no foreign maple can compare 

 with the sugar-maple (^Acet saccharinum) or even the scarlet 

 maple (^Acer rubrum). If the beautiful autumnal tints of 

 the American maples were the only points in their favor, 

 this would be sufficient reason for their retention in place of 

 the foreign species ; for they are in their greatest beauty at a 

 season when all else is dull and sombre. 



The European maples most frequently planted in Eastern 

 New England are the sycamore-maple (^Acer Pseudo-Platanus) 

 and the Norway maple (^Acer platanoides). The former 

 proves of little value for ornamental or economic purposes ; 

 but the latter, when planted in vicinity of the ocean, makes a 

 fine tree, and flourishes as well, perhaps, as any native species. 

 In the interior the foliage of this tree often becomes brown 

 as the season advances; and the trees are subject during 



