TWO TREES WORTH PLANTING. 



269 



The numberless instances, where even a 

 slight knowledge of vegetable physiology 

 •-laay be brought to bear advantageously on 

 agriculture and horticulture, prove that an 

 agricultural college would be most impor- 

 tant to all cultivators, by improving them 

 in the useful knowledge of this and other 

 sciences, which, when understood, would be 

 of great importance and profit to them and 

 the whole community. It is much to be 

 hoped that our Legislature will pass a law 

 to establish such a college. Most respect- 

 fully, David Tomlinson. 



Scheneetady, Oct. 17, 18-17. 



Our correspondent's views of the im- 

 portance of the leaves of plants to their 

 growth and the proper maturation of their 

 fruits and seeds, are correct and forcible. 



That an Agricultural School, endowed 

 on a basis liberal and broad enough to com- 

 mand the best practical and theoretical talent 



to be found, would be of incalculable bene- 

 fit to this great state, so large a part of 

 whose population live by the culture of the 

 soil, no reasonable man, who gives the sub- 

 ject careful consideration, can for a mo- 

 ment doubt. But, unless this high cha- 

 racter be stamped upon such an institution, 

 it were better not to attempt it ; for that 

 kind of college which we hear some legis- 

 lators advocating, and which would be filled 

 with third-rate soi-disant men of science 

 and third-rate practical farmers, as teachers 

 would only disgust clever sons of farmers 

 with what would be termed a scientific edu 

 cation. An agricultural school, like a bank 

 should be tested by its working well, theo 

 retically and practically,and therefore, none 

 but sound scientific teachers, who under- 

 stand and are capable of carrying out what 

 they teach, ought to find a place in such an 

 institution in the present state of our wants. 

 —Ed. 



TWO TREES WORTH PLANTING. 



There are two trees, great favorites of 

 ours, natives of this country, and easily 

 obtained in most of the nurseries, which are 

 not half so generally known, admired and 

 planted as they deserve to be. We mean 

 the OvERCUP Oak {Quercus macrocarpa,) and 

 the Ash-leaved Negundo {Negundofraxi- 

 nifolium.*) 



The Overcup Oak, though sometimes 

 seen growing wild in the Atlantic States, 

 and even as far north as Stockbridge, Mass., 

 abounds most plentifully in Tennessee and 

 Kentucky. Its great recommendations are, 

 1st. Its rapid growth, being, in ornamental 

 plantations, one of the most luxuriant of 

 hard-wooded trees ; 2d. The fine size of its 

 foliage, which is two or three times as large 



* Ash-Ieaved Maple {Acer negundo) of the old botanists. 



as that of most other Oaks — often, indeed, 

 fifteen or sixteen inches long, and of a fine 

 dark green, forming on full grown trees 

 very rich heads of foliage ; and 3d, its very 

 large and handsome acorns, curiously tufted 

 or fringed at the edges of the cup. 



This oak is also remarkable, when young, 

 for the corky appearance of its bark, in 

 which it differs from other oaks, and resem- 

 bles the Gum tree and the Cork-bark Elm. 



As the Overcup Oak grows rapidly while 

 young, and as it is beautiful with its fine 

 long leaves, in every stage of its growth, 

 we trust it will command the attention of 

 all our readers who are planting forest 

 trees remarkable for beauty or rarity. 

 When full grown, it makes a noble tree of 

 sixty feet in height, with a well shaped 



