THE FALL OF THE LEAF. 279 



low, orange, red, crimson, and purple are conspicuous, 

 while the leaves of most other species are still green. 

 No sooner have other trees universally assumed 

 their autumnal hues, than the maples have mostly 

 become leafless. While the latter are still wearing their 

 gayest robes we may observe the hues of yellow, 

 orange, and brown of the common American elms. 

 The tints of the elm are neither so brilliant nor so vari 

 ous as those of the maple. They consist only of a few 

 shades of brown and yellow, which partake of the want 

 of brilliancy that characterizes the verdure of the same 

 tree. It is worthy of notice, that while these trees are 

 thus gleaming with gold, the English elm still retains 

 the greenness of its foliage almost as pure as in sum 

 mer. The same difference may be observed between 

 the greater part of the indigenous trees of America, 

 and those of England and the continent of Europe. 



This habit of European trees has led many persons 

 to prefer them for ornamental purposes, to their kindred 

 American species. A few additional weeks of verdure 

 in the foliage of our trees, though it would not retard 

 the approaching cold, would be a prolongation of one 

 of the -pleasant advantages of summer. But it ought 

 not to be overlooked, that if the American trees do not 

 continue in leaf so long as those of Europe, they 

 greatly exceed them in brilliancy and variety of their 

 autumnal hues. Should we, therefore, substitute foreign 

 trees with their prolonged verdure, for our indigenous 

 trees, with their early fading leaf, we should have 

 autumn without its present charms. Nature, in the fall, 

 would then resemble an old man without those silvery 

 hairs, which are the crowning ornament of his years. 



Among our trees the maples exhibit the greatest 

 variety in their tints. Of different individuals of the 



