of Rural Art and Taste. 



165 



depredations of a persevering species of 

 " borer " (here our entomological knowledge 

 is at fault), the various varieties do not give 

 satisfaction excepting in certain localities. 



We have the ordinary common Weeping 

 Ash, as well as a form with yellow bark, 

 both varieties of the F. exceha: then there is 

 a variety of the F. lentiscifolia with slender 

 branches and smaller leaves, which to our 

 taste is the finest of all. Other kinds are in 

 cultivation, but they are of less importance. 



Among Willows, the old Babylonian species 

 must be considered the type of this class ; and 

 for certain situations, and for producing 

 marked effects in landscape art, it has probably 

 no superior. On the margin of a body of 

 water it seems peculiarly appropriate, and 

 succeeds admirably as well, being a location 

 too wet for many genera of trees. A new 

 form has been introduced into our collections 

 from France, called Solamon's Willow, which 

 is not so drooping in character. The Kil- 

 marnock Willow is now so well-known, that a 

 description is unnecessary in this place, but 

 it still increases in popularity as its merits 

 become better known. Upon a nicely shaven 

 lawn, a specimen of this tree standing alone, 

 produces a fine effect. 



We wish we could see as much beauty in 

 tlie so-called American or Fountain Willow, 

 but the truth is, we do not admire it, and we 

 never did. With all our care in training, in 

 a few years it becomes unsightly, and is at 

 best a poor "Weeper." 



The Poplars are receiving attention of 

 latter years, and already our list of weeping 

 varieties number four or five distinct kinds. 

 According to our idea of beauty, however, 

 there is but one really first class tree, and 

 that one is among the finest of all the droop- 

 ing plants ; we allude to the P. grmidichn- 

 tata pendiila. For a small sized specimen, it 

 forms a strong rival to the Kilmarnock Wil- 

 low, and will, we believe, in time supersede it. 

 There is an objection, however, to its culture, 

 which we must mention : all the Poplar 

 family will sucker more or less, consequently 

 this trouble will stand in the way of its 

 advancement. Budded upon the Lombardy 



Poplar, a species that is not very objection- 

 able, the long, slender branches, reminding 

 one of whip-cords, are full of grace and beauty ; 

 and even when worked seven or eight feet 

 high, the branches will extend frequently to 

 the ground in a single season. The other 

 "sports" are inferior to the above, and in 

 fact Ave do not believe they will ever become 

 popular : among them we might envmierate 

 the Parasol de St.Jidian, Tremula pendnla, 

 GrcBca pendula, etc., etc. 



The Weeping Mountain Ash is indeed an or- 

 namental tree of the highest merit, but unfortu- 

 nately another species of the dreaded "borer" 

 soon eats it off close to the ground, and so 

 voracious is this insect, that all our watchful- 

 ness is not sufiicient to prevent the mischief. 



In some districts, however, it succeeds 

 satisfactorily, and there it deserves universal 

 notice. When loaded with its crop of mature 

 fruit, it is difficult to conceive of anything 

 more charming. 



The Weeping Deciduous Cy])ress is not 

 strictly a member of this class of trees, as the 

 branches proper are not pendant, but merely 

 the small branchlets. It is, however, one of 

 the finest ornamental trees with which we are 

 acquainted. The foliage is small and very 

 handsome, the tree is hardy and grows rapidly, 

 and we know of no disease or injurious insects 

 that trouble it in any way. It forms a 

 superb avenue, and appears to great advan- 

 tage in a group of Conifers, to which natural 

 order it belongs. 



The Weeping Larch is not beautiful, and 

 yet it is decidedly picturesque, but almost 

 any of the Larches may be changed into 

 drooping trees with rounded heads by simply 

 cutting off the leading shoot. On the outer 

 edge of a group this tree certainly adds to the 

 interest of the mass of verdure. 



Reid's Weeping Peach is decidedly pretty 

 and attractive, for in addition to its graceful 

 drooping branches, the bloom adds another 

 interesting feature to the tree. It was a 

 chance seedling that originated in the grounds 

 of the late William Reid, of Elizabethtown, 

 N. J., and in its natural state was a sprawl- 

 ing shrub. Worked standard high, however. 



