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TREES GROWING IN DRY SOIL. 



Chinese in whose country it is a native, it is regarded with 

 much affection. A Jesuit missionary is credited with having, 

 in 1761, first sent its seeds to England. A little over thirty 

 years later it was brought to America and took root near 

 Philadelphia. Since then it has been considerably planted. 



In parts of Long Island, New York 

 and New Jersey it is abundant. 

 The tree is of striking, majestic 

 presence, and its long, wand-like 

 stems of leaflets form a responsive 

 playing-ground for the breezes. 

 When in full bloom the flowers have 

 a feathery, fine appearance, but 

 they are not handsome. Their 

 odour also, and it is that of the 

 staminate ones, is generally thought 

 to be very disagreeable. They ex- 

 hale one of the heavy, oppressive 

 scents which close upon the atmos- 

 phere and prevent many from 

 breathing it without feeling some physical distress. After the 

 bloom has passed, however, the tree is without objectionable 

 features. 



When the great bunches of samaras begin to ripen, the pis- 

 tillate trees are most conspicuous. From a summer green they 

 vary in colour to red, and in drying they turn to a soft shade of 

 tan. Often trees hung with red samaras and others hung with 

 green ones stand side by side. The ailanthus seeds itself readily 

 and is also reproduced by abundant suckers which arise from 

 its base. In cultivation, where a fine, waving effect of shrub- 

 bery is desired, it can be gained by keeping the main stems of 

 the trees cut down and allowing these shoots to grow to their 

 utmost height. 



