THE TREES OF AMERICA. 



by living specimens of the leaves and fruits. The result has been the republication in Phi 

 ladelphia, of this superb work, in three large, handsome octavo volumes; a most valuable 

 gift to the American student it is, and we are happy to be able to say, confidently, that 

 the plates and coloring are in no way inferior to the original, while the text is much im- 

 proved. The editor, too, has added notes taken from his own extensive experience, and 

 from other Avriters, and given directions for soil and the cultivation of each species. His 

 notes add value to the work, which has been reduced one-half in price, and thus made 

 accessible to every gentleman's library. 



This reduction could never have been made, but for the fact that no charge whatever 

 ■was made for the use of the plates; had this been the case, Michaux would have still 

 been an inaccessible work to the gardener and cultivator; it is now within their reach. 

 The labor necessary to color well so many plates, makes the production of copies a slow 

 process, since few colorists are to be found who will do them justice. Thus far, the sales 

 have been confined to private demand almost entirely; lately, however, a few copies in ad- 

 vance of that demand have been got ready, and are to be procured of Mr. Robert P. 

 Smith, the publisher, Philadelphia, and of Mr. G. P. Putnam, New-York. 



If praise is to be awarded in no stinted terms to this effort at diffusing accurate infor- 

 mation regarding our own trees, we should give further credit for the completion, by the 

 same publisher, of the invaluable continuation of Michaux's great work, by Nuttall, who 

 has taken up the subject where his predecessor left off, and completed our list of Ameri- 

 can trees in a very handsome and correct manner, with colored lithographic plates, Mi- 

 chaux being on copper by the celebrated Redoutb. Nuttall's continuation forms also 

 three superb volumes, embracing the newly discovered trees of California, New Mexico, 

 and Oregon, productions much valued in Europe, and which are now finding their way 

 to our own ornamental plantations. We cannot do better than to transcribe that portion 

 of Mr. Smith's preface which alludes to these additional volumes; he says: — 



" It was a singular circumstance, and a happy one it has proved for advancing science, 

 that Mr. Nuttall arrived in this country the very year that the younger INIichaux left it. 

 From that time he devoted his talents to Botany, and after visiting a large portion of the 

 United States, with an aptitude of observation, a quickness of eye, tact in discrimination, 

 and tenacity of memory, rarely possessed by one man, he published his extended, and 

 most happily executed botanical work, the ' Genera of North American plants.' In 1834 

 he crossed the Rocky Mountains, and explored the territory of Oregon, and Upper Cali- 

 fornia. With his peculiar qualifications, he prepared the supplement to Michaux's Sylva, 

 in three handsome volumes, corresponding in size with the present, the publication of 

 which, after many delays, was completed in 1849, by my son, in Philadelphia. The two 

 works are now one and homogeneous, the former most highly valued by all lovers of trees, 

 and the latter destined to be equally so, when the fine products of our newly acquired 

 western regions make their way to our gardens and plantations. The frequent references 

 I have made to Mr. Nuttall's volumes, will show the reader that his additions to our 

 Sylva, are both extensive and important; inspection will convince him that both authors 

 stand on the highest pedestal of merit." 



The editions of both, are very small ones, and may never again appear to be sufiiciently 

 remunerative to warrant others; indeed no copies of Nuttall have yet been prepared for 

 the demand abroad, all that have been ready being required for the home supply; twenty 

 copies, at most, are all that are left. Persons forming their libraries, cannot, therefore 

 early in forwarding their orders. Nuttall's work furnishes information not found 

 other volumes; it is entirely new, and truly valuable. 



