DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 85 



A BRIEF AND POPULAR ACCOUNT OF THE TREES AND SOME OF 



THE SHRUBS ON THE GROUNDS OF THE MICHIGAN STATE 



AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE,* SEPTEMBER, 1878. 



BY PKOF. \V. J. BEAL, 

 AI'LX'ST'H.'US—AilantJius glandulosus. 



This tree comes from China. It is scarcely hardy at Lansing. The wood is 

 coarse grained and handsome. The tree suckers badly in mellow ground. 

 There is one specimen in the nortli-western part of the arboretum. 



ALDER, SMOOTH— Alnus scrralala. 



This large shrub is occasionally found about Lansing. A specimen can be 

 seen near the drive southeast of the house of Prof. Cook, also others in the 

 arboretum. 



ALDER, IMPERIAL CUT-LE AV^JJD— -4//iiM f/hUinosa, vur. lac'uiiata linperialis. 



This is a charming variety of the European alder. A good specimen can be 

 seen near the drive between the greenhouse and the chemical laboratory. 



ARBOR VITiE, AMERICAN— 2'Ai/Ja occidentalis. 



This is generally known in Michigan as white cedar. It is too common to 

 need description. The leaves are very small, round pointed, and in four rows 

 on flattened branches, which grow in flattened clusters. In time they all fall 

 off, some of the older ones each autumn. On the main thrifty branches the 

 leaves are prickly awl-shaped. The cones are small, and in autumn when they 

 assume a yellow color are very beautiful. In winter the cones become brown 

 and dingy. It grows fifty feet high, and sometimes four feet or more in diam- 

 eter. It is a worthy tree, a general favorite for ornamental grounds. It bears 

 the shears well, and is the most often recommended of any tree for ornamental 

 screens. One of its faults is that of becoming dingy in winter. On light, dry 

 soil it grows slowly and thin, and, when left to itself, becomes a dingy, poor- 

 shaped tree. Some thrifty young specimens are very hard to equal by any 

 other tree. Fine specimens on the College grounds are found north of the 

 greenhouse on the bank ; larger specimens north and not far from the big 

 stone. From this species numerous dwarf varieties have originated which are 

 quite popular. 



ARBOR VIT^, SIBERIAN- r/iiya occidentalis, var. Sibirica. 



This is a variety of the preceding species. The name Siberian must not 

 mislead anyone to think it ever originated in Siberia. It is a compact, sturdy, 

 dark green shrub, with many peculiarities of the arbor vita?. It is A'cry suit- 

 able for planting in small places, in country lots, and for screens. At the Col- 

 lege a specimen grows west of and near the drive by college hall, also south- 

 west of the chemical laboratory and south of the drive. 



*This does not incUiile nearly aU the kinds of trees growing in tlie arboretum. 



