REPORT OF THE BOTANIST. 163 



dioecious and objectionable for planting in the immediate vicinity of 

 dwellings on account of the abundant cottony down of the seeds, which 

 fills the air after their maturity. This inconvenience can be avoided, 

 however, by propagating from cuttings of the male tree only. Mr. 

 Samuel Preston, of Mount Carroll, Illinois, writes to the Department 

 that for a Avind-break he would substitute Lombardy poplar for cotton- 

 wood, as being more easily raised from cuttings, bears closer setting, 

 has a more sightly appearance, has no cottony down to fill the air, holds 

 its foliage much longer, and, therefore, is a much better wind-break to 

 an orchard. At the time of his writing, (October 14,) the cottouwopds 

 were bare of leaves, while the Lombardies were full of foliage, and 

 looked as fresh and green as in midsummer. 



The maples. — For ornamental culture, for usefulness of wood, and for 

 vigor of growth, there are few trees so worthy of attention as the silver- 

 leaved, or white, and the red, or swamp maple. In the Western States the 

 red maple is comparatively rare. The white helps diversify the forest 

 growth on the bottom-lands of most of the western rivers, and is largely 

 planted as a shade-tree in the cities. A serious objection to its cultiva- 

 tion is, that its long, slim branches arc liable to be broken by storms of 

 sleet and snow. This difficulty could be obviated by a judicious short- 

 ening in of the branches. In some parts of the West it has suffered 

 severely from the ravages of a borer, which penetrates the trunk. The 

 red maple is more compact and somewhat less rapid in its growth, but 

 is deserving of large planting. 



Hard maple or sugar maple. — ^Tor beauty of form, for its close and 

 dense foliage, for the value of its wood, and of its saccharine juice, no 

 cultivator should neglect the sugar maple. In the whole family of 

 maples, whether native or foreign, this species is without a peer. It is 

 a little shy of transplanting, and for the first few years is of slow 

 growth, but when it is established it is worth many times its cost. 

 Several foreign species of maple are cultivated for ornament and shade 

 in the eastern cities, but they present no advantage over our native ones. 



Box-elder, (Neyundo aceroidcs.) — This tree rivals the cottoiiwood in 

 rapidity of grov/th, and is deserving of particular attention, combining 

 not only the qualities of rapid growth, of hardiness, of handsome foliage, 

 and a good quality of wood, but having also great [>romise as a sugar- 

 producing tree. Some investigations made in Ulincis, with reference to 

 its value for sugar, are reported to decide : 1st. That it produces more 

 sap than the sugar maple of equal size, half a gallon per day being ob- 

 tained from a small tree of o^- inches in diameter, and five years old. 

 2d. That the sap is richer in sugar, the yield of dry sugar averaging 3.S 

 ])er cent, of the v.eight of the sap. 3d. That the sugar produced is in 

 general v;hiter than that from sugar maple treated in the same way. 

 These facts should recommend this tree to the early attention of all tree- 

 planters, especially in prairie regions. 



Ailanthus. — The ailauthus appears to bo one of the most promisiug 

 trees for cultivation in the West. It thrives well even on hard and 

 stony soils. It is a native of China, but has for many years been culti- 

 vated in Eurojie and in this country. It approaches in botanical affin- 

 ities nearer to the wafer-ash or hop-tree {Ptclca trifoliata) than to any 

 other tree of this country. It produces flowers of tv.o kinds, generally 

 on difierent trees. The male flowers are produced in large panicles, and 

 are of a greenish-yellow color, and very disagreeable odor, which circum- 

 stance has made it quite unpopular as a shade-tree in cities. This, how- 

 ever, would not be a serious objection to its cultivation as a forest-tree. 

 The wood is hard and tine-grained, and well adapted to cabinet-work. 



