184 



BROWNF/S TREES OF AMERICA, 



merous Oaks, Beeches, Chestnuts, Birches, 

 or Piiics, that constitute the great feature 

 of the American sylva, is described in it. 

 This would seem an extraordinary omission 

 in a volume which gives full length descrip- 

 tions of such trees as the Mahogany, the 

 Pistacia, the Orange, &c. ; but in the pre- 

 face, we find the following explanatory para- 

 graph: " Should the public demand an ex- 

 tension of the work, conformably to the plan 

 he has adopted, a supplementary volume will 

 follow, embracing an account of most of the 

 other trees growing in Europe and Ame- 

 rica," &c. So that this work is, as yet, only 

 in part completed. 



The only complete work on the trees — 

 of all descriptions — that will flourish in 

 temperate climates, is the celebrated Arbo- 

 retum EniTTANicuM of Loudon, It is, in- 

 deed, not saying too much to affirm that it is 

 the most complete work extant upon any 

 branch of horticulture and natural history. 

 I was the great idea — the magmim opus — 

 of its distinguished author, upon which he 

 spent most of his fortune, and the greater 

 part of the last ten years of his life. Nu- 

 merous artists and engravers were employed 

 for six years upon its illustrations — the lat- 

 ter being no less than two thousand five 

 hundred in number — and many of the most 

 distinguished men of rank and science in 

 Europe and America assisted its author in 

 the collection of the necessary information. 

 The result is a perfect library of informa- 

 tion on the subject of all the trees and shrubs 

 that will grow in temperate climates. Eight 

 octavo volumes, published in 1838, (two of 

 which are portraits of remarkable trees,) 

 comprise this great literary work — a work 

 invaluable to the man of country tastes, and 

 a monument to the name of Loudon far 

 more enduring than obelisks or columns of 

 brass or stone.* 



♦ We regret that the necessarily high price of the work — 



Mr. Bkoavne, in the preface of the work 

 before us, informs us that he " personally 

 extended his researches into South America, 

 the West Indies, Europe, and Western 

 Africa, where he availed himself of the 

 advantage of not only verifying or correct- 

 ing the observations which had been made 

 by others on the trees of these countries, 

 but examined them under various conditions 

 in a state of nature, as well as in nurseries 

 and collections of the curious." Our read- 

 ers who may not possess Mr, Loudon's 

 work (published in 1838) would probably 

 be glad to know how much the researches 

 of Mr, Browne have added to our previous 

 stock of original information. In order to 

 gratify them, we give, one after the other, 

 some extracts from both works on the same 

 trees. 



The following relates to the Red Flower- 

 ing Maple, Acer rubrum, a tree about which 

 Mr, Browne, as an American and an author, 

 who has devoted himself specially to this 

 subject, ought to be more thoroughly in- 

 formed than any European. 



From Loudon'' s Arboretum. 

 Properties and Uses. In America the wood of 

 the Red-flowering- Maple is applicable to several 

 uses. It is harder than that of the White Maple, 

 and of a finer and closer grain; hence it is easily- 

 wrought in the lathe, and acfiuires by polishing, a 

 glossy and silken surface. It is solid, antl, for many 

 purposes, is preferred by workmen to other kinds 

 of wood. It is principally employed for the seats 

 of Windsor chairs; the pieces are prepared in the 

 country; anil so considerable is the demand, that 

 boats laden with them frequently arrive at New- 

 York and Philadelphia, where an extensive manu- 

 factory is carried on for the consumption of the 

 neighboring towns, and for exportation to the sou- 

 thern states and to the West India Islands. The 

 whole frame of japanned chairs is made of this 

 wood, except the back, for which hickory (Carya) 

 is chosen, on account of its superior strength and 

 elaslicitj'. The frame, the nave, and the spokes of 

 spinning wheels are made of the Red Maple. At 

 Philadelphia, it is exclusively used for saddle-trees; 

 and, in the countr}', it is preferred for yokes, sho- 



about $50 — prevents its very general dissemination. But. be- 

 fore his death, the author prepared a condensed edition, called 

 the Encyclopedia of Trees and Shrubs, in one thick octavo 

 volume, at about one-fourth that price, which contains almost 

 every thing of llie greatest value. 



