RARE AND NOTABLE PLANTS 



Near the barn there is at present an 

 elm (ulmus campestris), a sole repre- 

 sentative of the trees indicated. The 

 street "trees were killed by wanton 

 boys when the family temporarily left 

 the place about 40 years ago," and by 

 the fathers I doubt not of the "Dog- 

 towners," who stoned every Ritten- 

 house School boy of my own 

 class reckless enough to venture 

 alone into the reserved pre- 

 cincts of "Beggarstown." Here is a 

 beautiful specimen of European larch 

 (larix Europaea), and to continue with 

 Mrs. Chew, "the tulip poplars on the 

 w^est side of the house were planted 

 by Blair McClanachan during the few 

 years after the battle that he owned 

 the property. The oak on the lawn in 

 front of the house was planted about 

 70 years ago by one of the family." 



The pine tree (pinus rigida) on 

 the front lawn "may be accounted for 

 in the following way, I think, although 

 I do not positively know. Mr. Chew, 

 the son of the Chief Justice, owned a 

 number of very fine farms in New Jer- 

 sey, and his tenants there were of the 

 same family for generations, and they 

 were on the most kind and friendly 

 terms with Mr. Chew. I imagine that 



88 



