448 DECIDUOUS TREES. 



THE AMERICAN HORNBEAM. Carpinus americana. 



A small tree with wiry branches and dark-colored bark, resem- 

 bling the beech somewhat in its mode of growth, but thinner in 

 foliage and more irregular in form. Height fifteen to twenty-five 

 feet. It has been recommended to plant for screens, but we 

 have perceived no peculiar beauty or advantage it has for that 

 purpose ; but it occasionally develops into a pretty isolated tree, of 

 airy outline. 



THE ENGLISH HORNBEAM, C. betula, is a larger tree than ours, 

 with the same general character. 



THE IRON-WOOD OR HOP HORNBEAM, Ostrya virginica, is a 

 small native tree, remarkable for the extreme hardness and weight 

 of its wood, but of no peculiar beauty. It grows slowly, and forms 

 a compact little tree, with small dark leaves. Its bark is known at 

 a glance by the extreme fineness of its furrows. Height fifteen to 

 twenty-five feet. 



THE LABURNUM. Cytissus. 



In England and Scotland few small trees are more planted in 

 ornamental grounds than the laburnum ; but our climate does not 

 seem to suit them, so that although long cultivated in the older 

 parts of the country, a fine specimen is rarely seen. 



THE COMMON LABURNUM OR GOLDEN CHAIN, C. laburnum, is 

 a low tree or big bush from twenty to thirty feet high, of irregular 

 outline. The flowers are in pendant racemes six inches long, of a 

 bright yellow color, and appear in May. The leaves are alternate, 

 and composed of three oval-acute leaflets two to three inches in 

 length. Young wood green. Decaying leaves yellow. The seeds 

 are contained in pendulous pods. 



THE WEEPING LABURNUM, C. I. pendula, of this species, is not 

 sufficiently hardy and vigorous to be desirable. 



