Trees, Shrubs and Vines 



which seems unaccountable. This is a smaller tree than 

 either of the others, often found in blossom as a shrub, and 

 less familiar than the other two, being found wild only 

 in the southern part of our territory, but considerably 

 cultivated at the North. Its foliage effect is almost pre- 

 cisely that of the common locust, though sharp eyes will 

 detect the mucronate or finely pointed apex of each 

 leaflet. The two important distinctive features are the 

 stickiness of leaf-stem and branchlets, more marked than 

 in the butternut, and its dense and abundant masses of 

 pink-white or rose-colored flowers — pea-shaped, as in 

 the allied species — with a most delicate aroma, and far 

 handsomer than those of the acacia. Another advan- 

 tage is its later and more prolonged flowering ; for its 

 first bloom is not until about the first of July, and this 

 is followed a month later by another, more restricted, 

 yet quite showy. This beautiful growth, shapely and 

 perfectly hardy, deserves much wider popularity. Its 

 late flowering particularly commends it, and it is un- 

 equalled by any other native tree — scarcely by any 

 foreign — in the size, prodigality, and rich tint of its 

 flower-clusters. This, too, is often thorny, like its 

 kindred. 



Hickories. — It is a transition that has the merit of 

 strongest contrast to speak next of the hickory — tough, 

 strong, and coarse-grained, without a particle of poetry 

 in its nature, forgive me, ye that think the contrary — 

 and may the writer pardon me who calls it "one of 

 our most picturesque trees ' ' ! Next to the chestnut, 

 it is our most rugged type of forest - growth, and its 



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