386 Beautiful Native Trees, Sh?-ubs, (^c. 



Berry, — Celtls crassifblia, and the Overcup White Oak, — 

 Qiuercus 9}iac?'ocdrpa. 



The former, Michaux describes as " one of the most beau- 

 tiful trees of its genus, and one of the most remarkable for 

 height and majesty of form." Mr. Emerson states that he 

 found it in only two places, — Springfield and West Spring- 

 field. The most remarkable specimen grew a few rods north 

 of the Hampden House, and at six feet from the ground was 

 thirteen feet in circumference, and was fifty or sixty feet in 

 height. 



The Overcup White Oak, or Bur Oak, is found in Stock- 

 bridge and other towns in Berkshire County, where it is 

 called Pin Oak, from its being preferred to any other material 

 for pins or treenails. Mr. Emerson truly remarks, that "the 

 beauty of this tree, the abundance and luxuriance of its 

 foliage, and the extraordinary size of its acorns, recommend 

 it to the landscape gardener, and the value of its wood to the 

 forester." 



The Magnblm glauca, — Beaver Tree, or Swamp Laurel, 

 is not found in this State, except in Gloucester and Essex. 

 All who have seen this superb tree must unite in this just 

 encomium of Emerson: — " No plant is, at every season, and 

 in every condition, more beautiful. The flower, two or three 

 inches broad, is as beautiful and almost as fragrant as the 

 water lily." 



There are only fifteen species of this magnificent genus of 

 trees, and nine of them are natives of the United States; 

 five of the others are indigenous to China and Japan, and 

 one to the West Indies. 



Several of the Magnolia, besides the glauca, can be reared 

 in our climate. The Magnolia grandiflora, or Big Laurel, 

 is one of the largest forest trees of this country, as it some- 

 times attains the height of ninety feet, with a diameter of 

 three feet. 



The Magnolia tripe tala is found as far north as Lake 

 Champlain, in the state of New York, and has been long 

 cultivated in the vicinity of Boston. 



This elegant family of trees received its name from Plu- 

 mier, in honor of Peter Magnol, the celebrated botanical pro- 

 fessor of Montpelier, in France, who died at the commence- 



