FLORA OF THE MOUNTAIN. 219 



unsuitable for a tree of such majestic proportions. One other 

 less stately species of this genus grows on the mountain, 

 the FRAXINUS PUBESCENS. 



MAGNOLIA ACUMINATA. This is the mountain magnolia, 

 or cucumber-tree. Beck describes it as a "middle-sized 

 tree, sometimes, however, attaining the height of seventy 

 feet;" and Darlington represents it as a " majestic and sym- 

 metrical species, sixty to eighty feet high," which would 

 convey but a remote idea of the proportions assumed by this 

 splendid plant on the Alleghanies. It frequently exhibits a 

 diameter of four and a half feet, with a beautiful undivided 

 stem of ninety feet, as straight as a plumb-line, covered 

 by a laminated white bark, with narrow but not deep 

 grooves, the whole tree attaining the height of 120 feet. 

 The leaves of this tree are of exceeding beauty, dark-green 

 and glossy above, and beneatn bluish and pubescent, often 

 twelve inches long by six inches in width. The flowers are 

 large and handsome, but not gayly colored, and are followed 

 by a reddish fruit, like a small cucumber, possessing a highly 

 aromatic taste and smell. It is found inconsiderable abund- 

 ance in the depths of the forests on the western sides and 

 table-lands of the mountain, and grows mixed with other 

 trees. Its style of foliage and growth gives the tree a 

 peculiar and distinguished cast, its large dark-green leaves 

 attracting the eye, as if some majestic stranger had wan- 

 dered into the forest ; so exotic and foreign in its aspect 

 that the beholder is reminded of tropical palms and man- 

 groves. The lumber of this tree classes in value with that 

 of the poplar or tulip-tree. Gray suggests that, "possibly the 

 Magnolia Fraseri (the long-leaved cucumber-tree) grows in 

 the mountains of Pennsylvania." He also quotes the Mag- 

 nolia umbrella as being found on the mountains of Pennsyl- 

 vania. On the Alleghanies they have not yet been seen. 



ACER. This is the family of maples, several of which 

 are found on the mountain. 



ACER SACCHARINUM, or the sugar maple, grows here 

 into a large tree. Both varieties (the saccharinum and 



