]8i HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY OF TREES. PART I. 



when tliis tree exceeds G ft. in diameter, it seldom lias a clear bole of above 

 lU ft., after which it brandies much. Almost tiie whole of the larj;e trunks 

 arc hollow. Aloni: the banks of the lake, exteiuliiii; iioth ways from (ioderich, 

 we oliservcd white American spruces (y/'i)ies tilba); but none of them ex- 

 cee<led 00 ft. in height, and ."J ft. in circumference. 



" Just bclore entering the St. Clair river from Lake Huron, lofty white pmca 

 are seen towering on both sides ; but, on entering the river, they entirely dis- 

 appear on the Canada side, although, on the UiiitedStatcs side, they continue 

 for manv miles; and a river, which runs into the 8t. Clair on that ^^ide, has, 

 from the (juantity of pines found upon its banks, been named the White Tine 

 lliver. No very large trees are seen on the banks of the St. Clair, but, on 

 getting back into the country, oaks, elms, limes, and walnuts abound. On 

 the banks of the river, all the way down, many dwarf kinds of slirubliy plants 

 adorn its edges. Of these, the different kinds of plums and cherries, with the 

 sweet-scented crab api)lc, and a variety of thorns, form the chief objects ; bu. 

 what was most gratifying to ns, was the great abundance of stag's-hon 

 sumach (A'hus typhinii var. elegans), now loaded w ith large heads of scarle; 

 fruit. 



" Crossing Lake Erie to Cleveland, United States, we have, in addition t) 

 the ordinary forest scenery, some fine specimens of tulip trees, Laurus Sd- 

 5rt/>Y/.v, and cucumber trees ( Magnolirt acuminata). The steins of the latfr 

 did not exceed 2 ft. in circumference. Passing through the interior of fie 

 country to Pittsburg, the surface was very irregular. The jirincipal natve 

 tree on this line of road was the beech, which was seen spread over an ex- 

 tended plain, containing many fine trees. There was also an extensive fcest 

 of the larch ; and, in similar situations to those before mentioned, borderiiT all 

 the mixed woods as we proceeded along, was the dogwooil tree (Crnus 

 florida). These trees, having taken on their autumnal hue (oth Septeibcr, 

 183+), were rendered beautiful in consequence. Of this fine tree, non had 

 been seen since leaving New York till now ; and from this [ilace it con'nued 

 to be more or less plentiful, in the different routes which we took, ill we 

 reached New York again. It was much talked of by the inhabitars, and 

 praiseil, on account of its profusion of large white blossoms early in spring, 

 and its dark red leaves and scarlet fruit in the fall, or autumn. Befo-' enter- 

 int^ Pittsburg, the sloping wooded banks by the river side presente a rich 

 ap'iiearance, from the quantities of rhododendrons, kalmias, azaleas and an- 

 dromedas, which covered them as underwood. The large trees vre much 

 the same as those before mentioned, with the addition of the chesuit-lcaved 

 oak and red maple (yl'cer rubrum), of which last .some few trees oithe banks 

 of the Ohio river, near Pittsburg, measured 12ft. in circumferere. There 

 were likewise some large natural trees of the honey locust. 



"We left Pittsburg Vor IMiihulelphia by way of the Alleghan^Mountains. 

 On these the natural grouping of the trees and .shrubs was mosremarkable. 

 On our first approach to these mountains, we observed the he'Oek s|)rucc, 

 of various sizes, covering the banks, having the /^iiododendrocatavvbiense, 

 and Kalm?// latilolia as underwood. IVoceeding up the mount'ii h»'"gc tracts 

 of sweet chestnuts are i)assed through. Above this, extensive ""csts of oak ; 

 and on the highest summits, all over the mountains, were sera,}' trees of the 

 /-•inus riirida, or pitch pine, with dwarf shrub oaks as nnilerwJ*'- On cross- 

 in" the different summits, it was curious to see the same aiTaiigc^'"^ throughout 

 on either side. Having remained for several days on thes mountains, our 

 attention was very much taken u|) with the great natural f-'sts situated on 

 the extended [ilains between the highest summits. When 'V o"c -.pedes of 

 a tree is met with, acres of the same are generally seen tor'*^'''' '" this way 

 we continued to pass through succe.s.sive masses of a ser' of trees, of the 

 various pines, nuignolias, walnuts, poplars, and sour g'^, or tupelo trees 

 (Nyssa villosa and sylviitica), &c. All of these grow i<'t>ep rich soil, with 

 the exception of the pitch pine, which was .seen on the rnntain tops; and, on 

 poor rocky ground, at different elevations, througlio' the mountains, the 



