DECIDUOUS TREES USEFUL IN LANDSCAPE FORESTRY. 95 



Nearly all of them, however, are excellent timber-producing trees. 

 As such, many of them are of great value, and bring a high price 

 in the market. 



I will now mention, in more detail, some of the most useful 

 genera of this interesting class of trees ; giving a few hints and 

 remarks which may lead others to make further inquiry into this 

 attractive subject. 



The Maple (Acer). 



The Acers — which are represented by the Maples and Syca- 

 more — are, it need scarcely be remarked, not only uniformly 

 handsome as ornamental trees, but, without exception, exceed- 

 ingly valuable for their timber. They are natives of Britain, 

 various parts of the Continent of Europe; Asia, on the Himalayas, 

 Japan, and North America. 



The Asiatic types, while bearing foliage of exquisite beauty of 

 form and colour, are not at all likely, from their rather tender 

 nature and weak growth, to take the position of forest trees in 

 this country ; and it is to Europe and America that we are in- 

 debted for the glorious species and varieties which so richly adorn 

 our woodland scenery. There are a great many very distinct 

 and beautiful varieties, all of which are worthy of consideration 

 in the arrangement of trees for effect. 



The Horse Chestnut {jEscuIus). 



The Horse Chestnuts are a small but very interesting group of 

 deciduous trees, remarkable for their symmetrical habits of growth, 

 handsome foliage, and showy flowers, which in large specimens 

 are produced in great abundance. They are indigenous to many 

 parts of Asia and North America, and are perfectly hardy in this 

 country. Than the common horse chestnut, there is no more 

 beavitiful tree in our parks and ornamental plantations. It forms 

 a noble characteristic object in the landscape, and superlatively so 

 in early summer. Speaking of this tree, Mr Shirley Hibberd, in 

 an interesting article in the Gardener'' s Magazine for June 1871, 

 remarks : " During the last few weeks it has been like a new 

 revelation to man of the power and goodness that inhabit the 

 heavenly places. Its vast breadth of cheerful grass-green foliage ; 

 its wonderful array of pink-tinted white flowers, render it, at 

 least for the present time, the grandest tree in all the land." Of 

 the tree in its normal state, we need add nothing more ; but 



