446 On the EmploymciU of Ornamental 



from the individual beauty of its leaves, to its grand effect as 

 a whole. Who has not witnessed in some favorite landscape, 

 the indescribable charm thrown over the whole scene by a 

 single tree ? Perhaps a iiuge giant, whose massy trunk and 

 wide out-stretched arms have been the production of ages ; 

 or the more graceful form of another whose delicate foliage 

 reflects the sunbeam, and trembles with the slightest breeze 

 that passes over it. There is no monotony in nature — even 

 in trees, every season has its own charms. Spring, the season 

 of renewed life, witnesses the rush of the newly imbibed sap 

 — the buds swell — the tender leaves unfold, and the adinirer 

 of nature is delighted by the freshness and vividness of the 

 young foliage. Summer comes — he is refreshed by the fra- 

 grance of their blossoms — their shade is a welcome luxury in 

 the noontide sun — perchance their fruit may be an acceptable 

 offering to the palate — and who in this country has not wit- 

 nessed the autumnal glories of an American forest ? 



There is no country of the globe which produces a greater 

 variety of fine forest trees, whether considered for the pur- 

 poses of ornamenting or timber, than North America. Yet it 

 is a fact that for both these purposes, more particularly the 

 first, they are horticulturally better known in many parts of 

 Europe, than they are now at home. Those governments 

 have imported the seeds of all our most valuable forest trees, 

 annually, for more than a century. Instead of planting, our 

 agriculturists have hitherto been engaged in destroying. In 

 the Atlantic States, this period is now past ; and we would, 

 therefore, first direct the attention of the arboriculturist to our 

 own trees. 



There is not in the whole catalogue, scarcely a more inter- 

 esting object than an immense oak tree, when placed so as 

 to be considered in relation to the large mansion of a wealthy 

 proprietor. Its broad ample limbs and aged form, give a very 

 impressive air of dignity to the whole scene. It is a very 

 conmion inhabitant of our woods, there being 44 species of 

 indigenous growth between the 20th and 4Sih degrees of north 

 latitude.* The pendulous branches of the American elm — 

 the light foliage of the biich' — the cheerful verrial appearance 

 of some of the species of maple — the delicate leaf of the lo- 

 cust, and the heavy masses of verdure produced by tlie beech, 

 are sufilcient to render them all ornamental in park scenery, 

 and they should even find a proper situation in an extensive 

 lawn. Our American poplars should be recollected, when a 

 rapid giowth and immediate eflect is required. Gleditsch/a 

 triacanthos, or the sweet locust, is interesting from its long 

 masses of thorns. One of our most ornamental trees, both 



*Micl)aux, 



