The Names of Trees 



The tree habit is described by dwarf juniper and weeping 

 spruce. The habitat by swamp maple, desert willow and sea- 

 side alder. The range by California white oak and Georgia pine. 

 Sap is characterised in sugar maple, sweet gum, balsam fir and 

 sweet birch. Twigs are indicated in clammy locust, cotton gum, 

 winged elm. Leaf linings are referred to in silver maple, white 

 poplar and white basswood. Colour of foliage, in grey pine> 

 blue oak and golden fir. Shape of leaves, in heart-leaved cu^ 

 cumber tree and ear-leaved umbrella. Resemblance of leaves to 

 other species, in willow oak and parsley haw. The flowers o[ 

 trees give names to tulip tree, silver-bell tree and fringe tree. 

 The fruit is described in big-cone pine, butternut, mossy-cup 

 oak and mock orange. 



Many trees retain their classical names, which have become 

 the generic botanical ones, as acacia, ailanthus and viburnum. 

 Others modify these slightly, as pine from Pinus, and poplar from 

 Populus. The number of local names a species has depends 

 upon the notice it attracts and the range it has. The loblolly 

 pine, important as a lumber tree, extends along the coast from 

 New Jersey to Texas. It has twenty-two nicknames. 



The scientific name is for use when accurate designation of 

 a species is required ; the comm.on name for ordinary speech. 

 " What a beautiful Qiiercus alba !" sounds very silly and pedan- 

 tic, even if it falls on scientific ears. Only persons of very shal- 

 low scientific learning use it on such informal occasions. 



Let us keep the most beautiful and fitting among common 

 names, and work for their general adoption. There are no hard 

 names once they become familiar ones. Nobody hesitates or 

 stumbles over chrysanthemum and rhododendron, though these 

 sonorous Greek derivatives have four syllables. Nobody asks 

 what these names are "in plain English." 



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