FOEEST TREES. 103 



finish, and it also makes excellent fuel. In our more Northern 

 States, say above latitude forty degrees, the young trees are often 

 killed back in winter, owing to their vigorous and succulent 

 growth. The leaves of the Ailantus furnish food for the Bombyx 

 Cynthia, a species of silkworm. In Japan a cloth is made from 

 the silk produced by worms fed on the leaves of this tree, which 

 is not so fine in texture as that made by the common silk- 

 worm, but is much more durable. A few attempts have been 

 ma,de to introduce this culture in this country. No doubt it 

 could be made successful, but at the present price of labor its 

 profit wouldbe problematical. 



As an ornamental tree, the Ailantus is certainly worthy of a 

 place in a collection of ti'ees ; but I do not think it worthy of 

 much attention for other purposes, because we have many supe- 

 rior native species that do not possess the objectionable proper- 

 ties of the Ailantus. Wlien that tree once becomes established, 

 it is veiy difficult to dislodge in any other way than to clear the 

 land, and then cultivate it almost constantly for several years 

 in succession. 



It has been urged in favor of this tree, that it will grow in the 

 most barren soils, and where few other trees will thrive, and 

 while in a measure this may be true, I am inclined to think that 

 we can not only get along without the Ailantus, but it has been 

 more of a nuisance than an acquisition to our Ust of valuable 

 deciduous trees. 



ALNUS. — Alder. 



The Alders, natives of North America, are principally shrubs, 

 or trees of moderate size, although of some species, specimens 

 reaching a liight of seventy or eighty feet are occasionally met 

 'with in favorable locations. The flowers are very minute, 

 monoecious, produced in catkin?, the fertile ones oval, and 

 composed of thick, woody j)ersistent scales, enclosing small, 

 nut-like seeds, cither winged or wingless. The Alders thrive 

 best in damp soils along the borders of streams and ponds, and 

 some of them are valuable for planting in such situations. The 

 timber is almost inperishable in water, and when large enough, 

 may be employed for aU kinds of cabinet work, it is largly em- 

 ployed for making charcoal used in the manufacture of gun- 

 powder. The bark is employed in dyeing and tanning. 



AInns incana.— Speckled Alder, Hoary Alder, Black Alder. — 

 Leaves broadly-ovate, rounded at the base, serrate and sometimes 



