ORNAMENTAL TREES. 



215 



rich, and especially if dressed with wood aslies 

 occasionally, it gets on pretty rapidly, and 

 soon makes a figure, so that it is sure to be 

 inquired about by the dullest observer. 



Weeping Ash. — A striking ornament to 

 the lawn or pleasure grounds, especially if 

 grafted high ; the foliage a good colour, and 

 the tree very picturesque. 



The European Ash is a decidedly hand- 

 some and valuable tree, — perhaps more orna- 

 mental in pleasure grounds, while under 30 

 feet high, than any of our American ashes. 

 The Mountain Ash is a distinct tree, very 

 oi'namental in its coral berries during sum- 

 mer. It is not quite reliable, however, in its 

 foliage, as it is apt, in light soils, to cast its 

 leaves rather early in the autumn. 



The European Larch may, I think, be 

 safely put down as an ornamental tree of 

 standard value in this climate. Its buds ex- 

 pand early, and only late frosts cause the 

 leaves to fall. It suits light and poor soils 

 better than almost any other tree. 



II. Fine Ornamental Trees with cer- 

 tain DRAWBACKS. — Among these, I should 

 say the Linden and the Horse Chestnut are 

 the most conspicuous. Both these make very 

 superb single trees in the park or pleasure 

 grounds ; and upon deep rich soils — strong 

 loams — they hold their foliage well all the 

 season. In thin or light soils, especially if 

 dry, they frequently become yellow early in 

 the autumn ; but he whose planting is con- 

 fined to such soils, will therefore not wholly 

 deny himself the pleasure of planting such 

 trees as these, only he will not plant them in 

 the nearer and more highly kept parts of the 

 scenery about the house. The Catalpa, the 

 Locust, the Acacia, the Kentucky Coffee, and 

 the Paulownia — all which expand their leaves 

 quite late in the season, should also be con- 

 fined to the walks of the pleasure grounds or 

 the seco7idary groups of the plantations ; I 

 mean secondary, as regards the scenery about 



the house, so that the foreground, in spring, 

 may not be made to look wintry still, by the 

 presence of dead looking trees, while all 

 around are in full verdure. 



I have said nothing as yet about ]Magno- 

 lias, though they are the pride of our pleasure 

 grounds. They must, however, be looked 

 upon as specialities, requiring a little more at- 

 tention, as to soil and site, at first, than other 

 trees, though no more care after they are 

 once established. They need a deep, rich, 

 dry soil, ivell drained,, and with about a fourth 

 of well decomposed black earth, peat, or 

 rather leaves intermixed. The most easily 

 cultivated and showy sort in its foliage and 

 flowers, is the Umbrella magnolia, {M. 

 tripetala ;) the handsomest in its flowers, the 

 Chinese AYhite, [M. conspiaia ;) and the 

 sweetest, the Swamp Magnolia, or M. 

 glanca. These are all hardy wherever the 

 Isabella grape will ripen, and are certainly 

 well worthy of a place in every garden. 



Among really interesting ornament-.il trees, 

 I must not forget the Ginko, or Salisburia — 

 the curious tree from Japan, which grows 

 almost as freely as a poplar in the middle 

 states, and is quite as hardy. Nothing can 

 be more unique than its foliage, or more in- 

 teresting than the fact, that it stands midway 

 in structure between deciduous and evergreen 

 trees. 



I ought to say something about Oaks ; and 

 I would do so, if I thought I could persuade 

 your readers to plant them. But American 

 forests are richer in species of this king of 

 trees than all the rest of the world ; and I 

 suppose, for that very reason, Americans 

 will not plant oaks — as yet. Perhaps when 

 the forests have become sparse, we shall more 

 rightly value the different beautiful kinds, 

 which not one in ten knows even by name 

 yet! 



There are, however, two species of oak, so 

 distinct and so ornamental in plantations that 



