DECIDUOUS TREES AND SHRtTBS. 41 



does not thrive well under them, unless it is kept well 

 watered. All the Beeches can be kept closely pruned, to 

 adapt them to small grounds, or for use as hedges. 



The American" Beech {F. ferruginea) is an elegant 

 tree of fine form, with rich leaves, and smooth, light- 

 colored bark, B. 



The European Beech {F. sylvatica) is very ornament- 

 al, with spreading branches, which in time often droop 

 gracefully almost to the ground; leaves thin, ovate, and 

 obscurely toothed. A, Among the fine varieties that 

 have sprung from the European Beech, those with purple 

 leaves stand very high, as being the most attractive 

 trees with purple foliage in cultivation. 



The Common Purple-leayed Beech (var. pniyurea) 

 has dark, reddish-purple foliage in the spring, changing to 

 crimson and then to purplish-green during the season, B. 

 Rivers' Purple-leaved Beech (var. purpurea Riversii) is 

 darker and more effective than the common purple-leaved 

 variety, B. Large-leaved Purple Beech (var. purpurea 

 major) is a variety with large, shining, dark-purple leaves, 

 which are exceedingly ricli and effective, C, The Copper- 

 colored Beech (var. cuprea) resembles the Common Purple 

 Beech somewhat, but has lighter-colored leaves, with 

 darker-colored young shoots. Another variegated Beech, 

 widely different in the color of its leaves from these de- 

 scribed, and one that contrasts markedly with them, is 

 the Golden Variegated Beech (var. aurea variegata), with 

 leaves deeply margined with yellow, rendering the tree 

 very distinct and handsome. Among other valuable sorts 

 belonging to the European, are the Weeping Beech (var. 

 pendula), a most picturesque tree, with long, tortuous 

 branches, upon which the foliage is apparently piled in 

 masses; the tree often seems to be deformed when young, 

 but in time becomes very ornamental, B; the Broad- 

 leaved Beech (var. macropUylla), of vigorous habit, with 



