1876.] 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



35 



with the Chinese Arbor Vitses have proved only 

 a suffering of one or two inches of tlie ends of 

 twigs or branches, an item easily corrected by 

 shearing in the spring. The Oblong Weeping 

 Juniper, J. oblonga pendula, I have had for 

 years in full exposure, except of the sun in win- 

 ter, and it has only had to have here and there a 

 twig cut back. 



The Pinus excelsa, while not generally success- 

 ful, yet with a little protection from other ever- 

 greens, stands well. I have, as I write now, in 

 mind a tree at Newburgh, N. Y. It is a beauti- 

 ful tree, as all acknowledge who see it ; ten to 

 twenty feet high. 



[It is a pleasure to have the endorsement of 

 Mr. Elliott on this matter of shelter. The writer 

 has had a chance recently of examining the for- 

 ests of Mississippi, and is more than ever con- 

 vinced that all we need for many things is pro- 

 tection from winds. In Mississippi, in some 

 parts where the thermometer falls to ten above 

 zero, the writer found the Palmetto, Sabal Palm- 

 etto, flourishing ! But with the cane and other 

 thick masses of vegetation as wind breaks, it 

 laughed at the thermometer. Fancy a Palmetto 

 stuck ovit on a bleak Illinois prairie ! It would 

 die before the freezing point was reached, to say 

 nothing of 22 degrees below. — Ed.] 



CELASTRUS SCANDENS. 



BY J. F. M. FAEQUHAR, EAST PROVIDENCE, E. I. 



This native climber, better known, perhaps, by 

 its popular name, Stafftree, presents a grand ap- 

 pearance long after king frost has robbed our 

 fields of their summer beauty. It blossoms early 

 in June, and its greenish colored flowers are pro- 

 duced in clusters along the sides of \h.Q branches. 

 The leaves are of a rich green color, oblong in 

 shape, and slightly serrated. The berries are 

 roundish or three-cornered in form. When frost 

 appears, the outer covering of the berry opens, 

 showing the shining scarlet pulp surrounding 

 the seed. Here this climber has taken possession 

 of some dead cedar trees, and at this late season 

 their branches are wreathed in beauty by the 

 long lines of scarlet woven round them. The 

 nook is much admired by all who see it, and the 

 berries retain their color, and do not fall for 

 many weeks. This climber is worthy of cultiva- 

 tion, and might be used with good eff"ect in many 

 positions in gardens, cemeteries, &c. It is easily 

 propagated from seeds, cuttings, or suckers. 



TREES IN CITIES. 



BY J. C, CHELSEA, MASS. 



As you are well aware, much has been said and 

 written about shade trees, both for and against 

 them. 



I believe it is well understood that even the 

 most handsome and rare trees would be out of 

 place in a city or town where it is densely set- 

 tled, but still there is occasionally a small square 

 or triangle occurring where a tree or two would 

 be a great relief to the eye in the midst of so 

 much brick and mortar. And when nearing the 

 suburbs of a city, what is more enlivening and 

 attractive than to see the sides of the streets lined 

 with handsome trees, say about fifty or sixty feet 

 apart, or what can please the eye of the traveller 

 better than the different shades of green in the 

 family of maples, not saying anything of their 

 rich autumn tints, and, where a varietj' of sorts 

 is wanted, the elm of different kinds, tulip tree, 

 &c., and manj- others that might be named. 

 Many are averse to seeing trees anywhere but in 

 an orchard or a forest. All such have never 

 studied the beauties of nature. Still I would say 

 with the old Scotch laird : ''Aye keep plantin' a 

 tree, Jock, it ivill he groivin' ivhan ye're sleepin'." 



There is a good illiistration given of the value 

 of shade trees in cities, in the wdde-spread confla- 

 grations which have taken place frequently in 

 Virginia City, Nevada; they have often been 

 averted solely through the agency of shade trees, 

 in preventing the burning embers from flying 

 through the air, and thereby preventing distant 

 buildings fi'om taking fire. They also break the 

 force of the wind, so that, by taking advantage of 

 any open space as above stated, a community 

 which acts on these suggestions not only minis- 

 ters to the refinement of taste, but promotes a 

 love for the beautiful, and the blessing of the 

 traveller is sure to descend on hiift. 



EDITORIAL NOTES. 



Preparing Timber. — Mr. Saltonstall, of Massa- 

 chusetts, has known birch to be used for rail- 

 road sleepers, and to last ten yeai'S when kyan- 

 ized. 



Forest Planting in Massachusetts. — Hon. B. 

 Perly Poore some years ago made a forest of 

 oaks in Massachusetts. We understand it is 

 quite successful, but have no particulars. 



