186 LANDSCAPE GARDENING. 



of trees ; but the European weeping birch is peculiarly 

 pleasing as it grows old, on that account. It is this variety 

 which Coleridge pronounces, 



" Most beautiful 



Of forest trees — the Lady of the woods." 



And Bernard Barton, speaking of our native species, says. 



" See the beautiful Birch tree fling 



Its shade on the grass beneath — 

 Its glossy leaf, and its silvery stem ; 

 Dost thou not love to look on them 1" 



The American sorts, and particularly the Black birch, 

 start into leaf very early in the spring, and their tender 

 green is agreeable to the eye at that season ; while the 

 swelling buds and young foliage in many kinds, give out a 

 delicious, though faint perfume. Even the blossoms, which 

 hang like little brown tassels from the drooping branches, 

 are interesting to the lover of nature. 



" The fragrant birch above him hung 

 Her tassels in the sky. 

 And many a vernal blossom sprung, 

 And nodded careless by." 



Bryant. 



Nothing can well be prettier, seen from the windows of 

 the drawing-room, than a large group of trees, whose depth 

 and distance is made up by the heavy and deep masses of 

 the ash, oak, and maple ; and the portions nearest the eye or 

 the lawn terminated by a few birches, with their sparkling 

 white stems, and delicate, airy, drooping foliage. Our Wiiite 

 birch, being a small tree, is very handsome in such situa- 

 tions, and offers the most pleasing variety to the eye, when 



