AUTUMN WOODS. 247 



red maple, and less frequently in the rock-maple when in 

 a protected situation, the leaves are often formally varie- 

 gated with figures of yellow, red, green, and purple. Those 

 of the poison-sumach, the cornel, and the snowy mespilus, 

 are sometimes beautifully striated with yellow or orange 

 upon a darker ground ; but I have searched the woods in 

 vain to find any other than a maple-leaf configurated like 

 a butterfly's wing. 



In the foliage of the tupelo deep shades of purple first 

 appear, brightening into crimson or scarlet before it falls. 

 This tree more invariably shows a mass of unmixed crim- 

 son than any other species. Even in the maple, if the gen- 

 eral presentation is red, you will find a considerable mix- 

 ture of yellow. The colors of the scarlet oak are seldom 

 pure or unmixed ; but those of the tupelo are invariable, 

 except as they pass through the gradations from purple to 

 scarlet. If, therefore, the tupelo were as common in the 

 woods as the maple, it would contribute more splendor to 

 the scenery of autumn. There are many trees that never 

 produce a red leaf. I have never found one in the foliage 

 of the poplar, the birch, the tulip, the hickory, or the 

 chestnut, which are all of some shade of yellow ; but there 

 are usually a few yellow leaves scattered among the 

 ruddy foliage of any tree that assumes this color. 



When all the circumstances attending the season have 

 been favorable to the tints of autumn, there is no tree of 

 the forest that would attract more admiration from the 

 beautiful sobriety of its colors than the American ash. 

 But this tree is so easily affected by drought, that after a 

 dry summer its leaves fall prematurely and its tints are 

 imperfect. The colors of the ash are quite unique, and 

 distinguish it from all other trees. Under favorable cir- 

 cumstances its coloring process is nearly uniform. It 

 begins with a general impurpling of the whole mass of 

 foliage nearly at the same time, and its gradual changes 



