TREES AND THEIR PURPOSE 153 



erally carried by first-class nurseries now. And 

 finally, at the end of the list so that it may 

 never be overlooked or forgotten, our peerless 

 dogwood, the tree that is unrivaled by any other 

 flowering tree in the world — Cornus fiorida. 



With this array does it not truly seem that 

 there is very little reason or excuse for going 

 beyond our own boundaries for small trees with 

 which to furnish our most diminutive gardens? 

 It is only a matter of knowing and choosing 

 right — and of being a little less ardent in the 

 pursuit of novelty. 



Just why trees or shrubs which have foliage 

 which is abnormal in one way or another should 

 appeal so strongly to popular fancy has always 

 been a problem beyond explanation or solution. 

 I suppose it may be for the same reason that 

 human and animal freaks in the circus side- 

 show draw; just one of those twists in human 

 nature that cannot be accounted for. But even 

 those of us who love to shiver at the sight of 

 monstrosities would hardly be willing to keep 

 company with them day in and day out and 

 have them perpetually before us. Why, then, 

 are we willing to tolerate, and eager to acquire 

 for our own, similar variations from the type 

 in the vegetable world. ^^ Only because we do 

 not quite realize the truth about these varia- 



