ACACIA. 101 



rable ; it stands amid the saplings of the forest, like 

 an aged and hoary tree over which long centuries 

 have passed. The wood is strong, and rather brittle ; 

 and being of a yellow colour, varied with rich brown 

 veins, and susceptible of a fine polish, it is well 

 adapted for articles of furniture. But its most 

 valuable property is that of resisting the effects of 

 weather, and hence it is much prized. Gilpin re- 

 lates, that a farmer in Long Island planted a field 

 of fourteen acres with Acacia suckers, at the period 

 of his marriage, as a portion for his children. The 

 eldest son married at twenty-two years of age, on 

 which occasion his father cut down acacias to the 

 value of three hundred pounds, and gave them to 

 the young man to purchase a settlement in Lancaster 

 county. He likewise presented the same sum to his 

 daughter, about three years after, and thus provided 

 for his family without impoverishing his Acacia wood, 

 which speedily repaired the loss it had sustained. 



The rapid growth of this valuable tree induced 

 many others to follow the example of the farmer; 

 and about the beginning of the present century, 

 large plantations were seen in almost every part of 

 the United States. But these did not generally 

 succeed, for the trunks were speedily attacked by a 

 little insect; simultaneously, too, for in one and the 

 same year the mischief commenced, and large trees 

 were soon destroyed. The insect ate its way into 

 the wood, and pierced it in all directions. Hence 

 the farmers of America relinquished the practice of 

 planting Acacias, and relied on those of native 

 growth; for the ravages of the insect did not extend 

 to such as grew naturally in the woods. 



