194 



THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY 



[July, 



thought it might interest you. I <am disappointed 

 in the color, as according to descriptions and 

 colored plates, it should be a "deep glowing 

 crimson." It is, as you will see, very little 

 darker, and not so bright, as the good old, and 

 deservedly popular, Bon Silene. Location and 

 soil may make some difference ; but the plants 

 here have been fully exposed to the light, and 

 no plants could look more healthy. I think 

 this is one of its characteristics, for hot a 

 sign of mildew has been observed during the six 

 months I have had the plants in my possession, 

 but have worn a dark, luxuriant green, making 

 it very readily distinguished from any other 

 variety. 



ARBORETUM AMERICANUM. 



lAst of One Hundred and Seventy-five Specimens 



Ornamental Deciduous Trees, in the Grounds 



of Messrs. Hovey tt Co., Boston. 



BY C. M. HOVEY. 



Long ago, in the Magazine of Horticulture, I 

 urged upon all lovers of trees the importance of 

 employing a greater variety in the formation of 

 pleasure grounds and parks, and the very great 

 addition such variety would be to our landscape 

 scenery; abundant as the material was, and rich 

 also, giving not only variation of outline, but 

 diversity of foliage; not only the verdui*e of 

 summer, but the glorious autumn coloring which 

 no other country can claim ; not only the formal, 

 round-headed horse-chestnut, but the pj'ramidal 

 oak ; not only the maple, beautiful as it is, but 

 the massive grandeur of the magnolia; not only 

 the flowing grace of the elm, but the exuberant 

 richness of the weeping beech; not only the 

 stiffness of the Linden, but the fringj- exquisite- 

 ness of the Kentucky coflfee tree ; not only the 

 gaudy berries of the mountain ash, but the 

 golden panicles, set in feathery foliage, of the 

 Kolreuteria. 



Gilpin (whom Loudon so often quotes as his best 

 authority), in his classic volume on forest scenery, 

 remarks, " If a man was disposed to moralize, 

 the ramifications and spray of a thriving tree 

 afford a good theme." And he devotes several 

 pages to descriptions of the spray of the oak, 

 beech, ash and elm, illustrating his remarks 

 with engravings. In fact, to a real lover of trees, 

 a winter view is a study, and almost as gratify- 

 ing SIS that of the summer fullness of foliage. 

 An elm forming one of a long row, near our 



daily walk, is a never-failing source of pleasure 

 the year round. It is what I might justly call 

 the zig-zag, or, perhaps, serpent elm. The out- 

 line of the head, which is 60 feet high, appears 

 quite symmetrical ; but the branches which form 

 it run in every possible direction, like huge 

 boa constrictors curled beneath the leaves. Yet 

 these limbs contort and twist in a regular order 

 of their own, and only in winter, except by close 

 examination show their peculiar character. 



Besides the spray, which is so varied and 

 pleasing, we have the lightness or heaviness 

 of foliage ; the early or late leafing as well as the 

 early or late f^xll of the foliage ; the roughness or 

 smoothness of the bark ; the light or dark color 

 of the same ; the yellow, brown or scarlet 

 autumn tints of their leaves ; the beautiful flow- 

 ers of some, and the conspicuous fruits of 

 others ; each possessing some wonderful charac- 

 istics which make variety, and add to the ex- 

 pression of every landscape or ornamental plan- 

 tation. 



Long since impressed with the importance of 

 such variety, I have endeavored to procure every 

 tree which would be likely to prove hardy in 

 our climate, and in 1844, when abroad, I selected 

 from the leading nurseries of England, Scotland, 

 and France every tree of this character then to 

 be had. The quantity was very large, but quite 

 a number did not survive the voyage, and many 

 succumbed to the first very severe winter. Sev- 

 eral were cut down and burnt, not being 

 distinct, and others not specially noticeable 

 served in the same way for want of room ; yet 

 we find, to our very great surprise, on counting 

 them up, that we have nearly two hundred spe- 

 cies and varieties left. The oldest trees were set 

 out in 1844, and the others from year to year up 

 to 1865, since which time the trees are too small 

 to deserve the name of specimens, several of 

 which are thirty to sixty feet high, and a num- 

 ber twenty to thirty feet in breadth. 



For convenience, as well as for reference to 

 authentic descriptions and engravings, I have 

 arranged them according to Loudon's "Arbor- 

 etum," the most complete work ever yet written 

 upon trees, and perfectly astounding in regard to 

 the information he gathered together about 

 every tree. Descriptive, geogi-aphical, historical, 

 useful, poetical and legendary ; soil, situation^ 

 insects, diseases, propagation, &c. That Mr. 

 Loudon should have accomplished this great 

 work while editing the magazine, is simply 

 amazing. The late Dr. Lindley, we think, called 



