50 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



The American Hornbeam, Carpinns Americana, is a small tree 

 with foliage resenililing that of the black birch ; having, in the 

 st^le of its branching and the smoothness of its bark, the aspect 

 of the beech. Its singularity is in its ridged or fluted trunk, and 

 in the odd appearance of its fruit-sacs, which are composed of 

 several transformed leaves united at their bases. In open ground 

 this tree makes a broad, low, leafy head, of much beauty. It 

 colors finely in autumn, presenting a mingling of rich purples with 

 scarlet and crimson. It is nowhere common, but, in small num- 

 bers, grows by streams and the borders of damp woods.- It seems 

 to have largel}' escaped the notice of tree culturists, but is 

 decidedly worthy of attention. It is a pretty tree, having too 

 the merit of rarity. 



The Hop -Hornbeam, Ostrya Virginica, also known among wood- 

 men as "Lever-wood" and "Iron-wood," belongs to another 

 genus ; represented in this country by one species onl}-, and in 

 Europe by one. It is a small tree, with a round S3'mmetrical head, 

 having in its fine spray, its leaves, and the color of its bark a notice- 

 able resemblance to an elm. It is striking in late summer from its 

 numerous capsular heads, resembling hops, containing the seeds. 

 This tree would be attractive in a collection. 



The Tulip tree, Liriodendron tulipifera, exhibits the nearest 

 approach among our natives to the great magnolias of the South. 

 It is a tall, stately, quick, growing tree, with a strong but informal 

 style of branching. Its leaves are beautiful at all times, and its 

 blossoms are its special charm in June. The tree is an ornament 

 to any grounds, and it is suflficiently hardy for sheltered localities 

 in Massachusetts. It is quite " local" in its native growth. 



The American Nettle-tree, Celtis occidentalism is so rare in this 

 region that many who are quite familiar with forest trees have 

 never seen it; or have confounded it with the elm, to which it 

 bears strong points of resemblance. It is, however, a much 

 smaller tree, and has only slightly its drooping habit. It is a 

 hard3' tree, persistent in its growth, whether upon the sandy sea- 

 side or in the crevic6 of a dry ledge. Well treated, it is a cornel}' 

 tree. It is readily distinguished late in the season by its stone 

 fruit, with a thin sweetish pulp, blue-l)lack in the autumn, remain- 

 ing upon the tree through the winter. 



The Hackberry, Celtis crassifolia, is with us a still rarer tree 

 than C. occidentalis but strongly resembles it. A careless 



