262 Trees for Shade and Ornament 



foreign species, each entirely different from the other, lend themselves 

 to ornamental use on account of flower and fruit as well as of foliage, 

 which is especially beautiful in autumn coloring. Most adaptive to 

 sterile soils, and free from troubles, they are among the most satisfac- 

 tory ornaments, as small trees, or shrubs in masses. 



R. hirta (L.) Ludw. (125) (typhina), Staghoni Sumach, so called from 

 its stiff, prong-like, rather open and coarse branch system, the young 

 shoots being velvety, is a small tree, with a compound leaf resembling but 

 more graceful than the Ailanthus, turning brilliant scarlet and crimson 

 in the autumn; with an early, striking, erect fruit stand of scarlet ber- 

 ries holding on through the winter and becoming velvety purple. It 

 suckers badly. It is rustic in its aspect with its open unsymmetrical 

 branch system. It is adapted to grouping in small shrubbery and for 

 neglected, rough, stony comers, for which it and its congeners are spe- 

 cially fitted. It is best used in groups with other shrubs to hide its 

 poor form, and set off its elegant foliage. 



R. copallina, Linn. (126), Dwarf Sumach, native from New Eng- 

 land south, is also a small tree, but often shrub-like, with more compact 

 form and with glossier dark green foliage than the preceding, pale to 

 white beneath, turning rich maroon, although otherwise similar to the 

 former. It is adaptive to most sterile soils. It often remains not over 

 a foot high, spreads freely by root suckers, and hence is useful for quickly 

 covering rocky and barren spots and sand banks. 



R. Cotinus, Linn. (127), Smoke Tree {Venetian Sumach), Mist Tree, 

 Purple Fringe, so called from its peculiar misty-looking inflorescence, 

 a dwarf tree (up to eight feet), from the Caucasus, but hardy to Ottawa. 

 It is a peculiarly pleasing object in a small lawn, with its formal round 

 head, bluish-green, almost circular leaves, turning rosy crimson, with 

 very long leaf period and unusual, flesh-colored, feathery or wig-like 

 flower heads. Hardy and adaptive to all soils. To be used both singly 

 and in groups. 



R. glabra Linn. (128), Smooth Sumach. A small tree or shrub (three 

 to ten feet high) with smooth branches, of similar habit and adaptation 

 as the preceding, and the hardiest of all, with showy foliage and crim- 

 son fruit, retaining the latter long after the foliage has fallen. A vari- 

 ety, laciniata (128a), smaller in stature, with fern-like, cut foliage, is 

 still more elegant in its crimson autumn colors. 



R. semialata Murr. (129), {Osbekii), Osbeck Sumach, is a variety 

 of an Asiatic species, semi-hardy, of larger size (twenty to thirty feet) 



