332 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



weeks since, of a remarkable calf belonging to Mr. 

 B. F. Dudley, of Milton, we would state for the 

 benefit of all the curious, that the calf weighs 310 

 pounds on completing its tenth week, having 

 gained nearly 3 pounds a day for four weeks ; 

 that it has been sold to a gentleman who will 

 raise it for breeding purposes ; and that any of 

 our readers who want to see a handsome and 

 well-selected stock of cattle, will do well to visit 

 the farm of Mr. Dudley. 



For the New England Farmer. 



ON THE CULTIVATION OF NATIVE 

 TREES AND SHRUBS. 



BY S. P. FOWLER. 

 [Continued from Page 132, Vol. Ill ] 

 The long-leaved Willow, or the Salix Speciosa, 

 is represented as being a most beautiful tree, and 

 a native of the northwestern part of America. It 

 will undoubtedly prove hardy in the most north- 

 ern States of the Union, as it was seen around the 

 Great Bear Lake, and on the banks of the Macken- 

 zie river, within the Arctic Circle, by Sir John 

 Rich; rdson, and noticed in his journal of a boat 

 voya 1 e to the Arctic Sea, in search of the discov- 

 ery ships under command of Sir John Franklin, 

 lately published. Richardson says the Banksian 

 pine was not traced to the north of Great Bear 

 Lake River ; and that there the southern Salix 

 Candida is replaced by the more luxuriant and 

 much handsomer Salix Speciosa, which is the 

 prince of the willow family. 



It likewise inhabits the Arctic Sea coasts, from 

 Coronation Gulf to Kotzebue Sound, and ranges 

 southward on the Mackenzie to about the GOth or 

 Cist parallel. It is perhaps the handsomest of 

 the genus, having an agreeable growth, and very 

 laro-e leaves, which are oi a silvery whiteness be- 

 neath, and when bruised has rather a pleasant 

 odor. On the Mackenzie it grows to the height 

 of 15 feet, in form of a bush, with very stout and 

 lono- yearly shoots, which distinguish it from all 

 the other willows of the same localities. On the 

 coasts of the Arctic Sea, wherever the rivers af- 

 ford a suitable point of alluvial soil, a thicket of 

 this willow may be expected, as tall as a man. 

 Mr. Seeman observed it in the tree form, on the 

 northwest coast, where it is from 18 to 20 feet 

 in height, and having a stem, five inches in diam- 

 eter. Such is Sir John Richardson's account of 

 this fine Polar tree. 



It is likewise noticed in Mr. Nuttall's North 

 American Sylca, vol. 1st, page 58, and accompa- 

 nied with a figure ; where he says, "no willow 

 on the American continent presents so remarka- 

 ble and splendid an appearance as the Salix Speci- 

 osa or Long-leaved Willow, the effect of which is 

 produced no less by its magnitude, than the size 

 and beauty of its foliage. Its aspect is that of a 

 laro-e peach tree, with the leaves and their stocks 

 from five to eight inches long, by an inch to an 

 inch and a half wide ; beneath, when adults, they 

 are glaucous, like those of the River Maple. The 

 summit is tufted and spreading, and the tree at- 

 tains the elevation of about 20 to 30 feet, with a 

 trunk of 12 to 18 inches in diameter. When in 

 full bloom, which is with the first expansion of the 

 leaves in May, the numerous and large bright yel- 



low catkins, loading the branches, emulate the fin- 

 est Acacia of New Holland ; they are also agreea- 

 bly fragrant, and attract swarms of wild bees, and 

 other insects in continual motion among their wav- 

 ing branches. We have seen this noble species 

 nowhere in such perfection as along the banks of 

 the deep Wahlamet and the wide Oregon, whose 

 numerous islands are almost exclusively decked 

 with this imposing willow. 



"As we sailed along the smooth bosom of these 

 extensive streams, for many miles we never lost 

 sight of the Long-leaved Willow, which seemed to 

 dispute the domain of the sweeping flood, fringing 

 the banks of the streams and concealing the 

 marshes entirely from view; at every instant, when 

 touched by the breeze, displaying the contrasted 

 surface of their leaves ; above of a deep and lucid 

 green, beneath the bluish-white of silver ; the 

 whole scene, reflected by the water and in con- 

 stant motion, presented a silent picture of exquis- 

 ite beauty." 



We are not aware that this fine willow has 

 been under cultivation in this country or in Eng- 

 land, as we do not find it in Loudon's Encyc/o- 

 pecdia of the trees and shrubs of Great Britain. 

 The Salix Candida being found in a high northern 

 latitude, would prove hardy in Massachusetts. It 

 has been introduced into Great Britain, and is said 

 by Loudon to be a very handsome species of wil- 

 low, well deserving a place in shrubberies, both 

 for its ornamental white leaves, and very early 

 flowers. The Cornus Nuttallii, or large flowered 

 Dogwood, is a most splendid tree, some of them 

 rising to the height of 50 or 70 feet. It resem- 

 bles somewhat the Cornus Florida, but the tree 

 and its flowers are much larger. It will probably 

 prove hardy in Massachusetts, like the other trees 

 and shrubs of this genus. The Cornus Mascula, 

 or the Cornelean Cherry, although a native of 

 Austria, is perfectly hardy in Massachusetts, and 

 we have noticed recently a plant in our grounds, 

 that has perfectly withstood our severe winter, 

 and its pretty flowers will soon appear. It bears 

 a handsome crimson fruit, of the size and appear- 

 ance of a cherry, which was formerly used for 

 tarts. 



The Cornus Nuttallii is figured in Mr. Nuttall's 

 North American Sylva, and thus described : "On 

 arriving, towards the close of September in 1834, 

 at fort Vancouver, I hastened again on shore, to 

 examine the productions of the forests of the far 

 West, and nothing so much surprised me, as the 

 magnificent appearance of some fine trees of this 

 beautiful Cornus. Some of them growing in the 

 rich lands near the fort, were not less than 50 or 

 70 feet in height, with large, oval, acute, lucid, 

 green leaves, which, taken with the smooth trunk, 

 and unusually large «lusters of crimson berries, led 

 me, at first glance, to believe that it was some new 

 magnolia I beheld, until the flower buds, already 

 advanced for the coming season, proved one plant 

 to be a Cornus, allied, in fact, to the Florida, but 

 with flowers or colored involucres, nearly G inches 

 in diameter ! 



"These appeared in all their splendor in May of 

 the following year, of a pure white, with a faint 

 tinge of blush ; the divisions, also, of this brilliant 

 pseudo-flower, are usually 5 or G in number, of an 

 obovate outline, with the points often acute. — 

 The leaves are about 4 inches long, and 2 1-2 

 wide, with a considerable quantity of pubescence 



