282 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



says the largest gum trees grow in 

 . soil. He mentions one growing in a 

 six miles from Augusta, Georgia, which, at 

 feet from the ground, was 15 feet 7 inches in 

 .i-cumference, with a head broad and spreading in 

 proportion to the trunk. The wood is very com- 

 pact and fine-grained, but when exposed to the air 

 it soon decays. It makes very poor fire-wood. 



In regard to the toughness of the wood, the 

 present war has afforded a curious instance. "We 

 give it as it is related in an exchange : 



" Dr. J. W. Page, U. S. Sanitary Inspector, De- 

 partment of North Carolina, has brought home a 

 remarkable relic of the war: a section of a gum 

 tree, with a 32 lb. cannon ball embedded in it. It 

 is at present in the keeping of the New York His- 

 torical Society. The tree of which it is a section 

 stood within 300 or 400 yards of the 32 lb. gun in 

 Fort Thompson, from which the ball was dis- 

 charged, and directly in range of the field hospital 

 of Foster's Brigade. It was felled, and the section 

 containing the ball cut from it, on the 10th of May, 

 by an intelligent ' contraband.' The peculiar man- 

 ner .in which the ball is lodged in the tree is 

 another point of interest, indicating as it does the 

 resistance which this peculiar tree — the Hack 

 gum — offers to the shock of a heavy cannon ball. 

 The tree is proverbial in the South for its tenacious 

 qualities, being capable, in the opinion of the dark- 

 ies, of resisting even the force of lightning itself. 

 In this instance the tree is not at all shattered by 

 a force which would have shivered ordinary trees 

 to atoms. The ball is simply half embedded, and 

 the tough splinters, which it had forced in before 

 it, have rebounded, and now clasp it to its place, 

 as if the ball had entered from the opposite side 

 without sufficient force to pass completely through. 

 We should judge that this species of timber would 

 be useful in the construction of naval vessels !" 



As an ornamental tree, the liquidamber deserves 

 a place in every collection. Though a native of 

 the South, it is perfectly hardy in this vicinity. 

 In the spring, when 

 its leaves are unfold- 

 ing it fills the sur- 

 rounding air with 

 their delicious fra- 

 grance; during the 

 summer the elegant- 

 ly shaped leaves, 

 with their dark green 

 glossy surface, are re- 

 markably handsome; 

 and in the autumn, 

 when the leaves are LEAF AND fl <>wer. 



dying off, they turn to an intensely deep purple 

 red, more or less mixed with orange. Even in the 

 winter, the rough bark and scraggy branches give 

 the tree a striking appearance. 



RURAL TASTE. 



Eds. Genesee Faemek : — It will be no designee 

 flattery, if I say you exhibit, in your magazine, nc 

 small degree of taste on the subject of landscape 

 gardening, and ornamental culture generally. 



Rules of taste in laying out gardens and pleasure 

 grounds cannot be easily established, that will gov- 

 ern all and apply to all cases. Indeed, it is almost 

 universally admitted that 



"De gustibus non disputandum est." 



There are, however, some obvious principles that 

 will be recognized by mahy as essential, in the 

 elaboration of plans for beautiful pleasure grounds 

 The grand result to be attained, is to produce the 

 most pleasing effect upon a given plat or plantation 

 and the skill and taste is exhibited by making the 

 most of the material afforded, upon which to ope 

 rate — whether the situation be best adapted to tin 

 picturesque or graceful style of ornament. 



I elo not propose, at present, to write a complete 

 essay upon rural taste or ornamental gardening, bu 

 simply to make a few suggestions tor the consider 

 ation of yourself and readers; and I have been lee 

 to this by frequently observing violations of wha 

 seem to me the principles above mentioned. 



In ornamental pleasure grounds, in all situations 

 there are necessarily laid out numerous roads ane 

 walks, which, of course, vary according to the nat 

 ural surface of the ground. Utility in their con 

 struction, as in all improvements for ornament 

 should be regarded as an important element, ane 

 whatever may be elecided, as to their width o; 

 adaptation to the ground through which they an 

 constructed, they should have no termination — tha 

 is, they should lead iuto some other avenue, or ena 

 ble the traveler to reach the point from which h< 

 departs without being compelled to retrace hi 

 steps, or pass over the same ground to return, ane 

 they should be so constructed as to appear to be 

 the most feasible route to reach a given point, ane 

 give most pleasure in the attempt. 



Mathematical precision in their construction b 

 now almost universally considered as in bad taste, 

 and much grace may be added by such curves as 

 are rightly adapted to the surface of the ground — 

 pre>vided utility be not thereby materially sacri- 

 ficed. Where no pecuniary gain is expected, direct 

 lines in avenues and walks are not to be tolerated. 



Lawn trees and shrubbery constitute an impor- 

 tant feature in fashioning the landscape, and care 

 should be taken to place them in situations calcu- 

 lated to give most pleasure in viewing them. The 

 grosser and less delicate should stand more remote 

 from the frequented avenues, and the more rare 

 and attractive placed where closer inspection of 

 them can be made. In general, flowering shrubs 

 and trees should be near, so that the beauty of their 

 foliage and flowers can be readily examined, while 

 majestic forest trees, intended to adorn the planta- 

 tion by their size and figure, should stand where 

 the vision can take in the whole oontour, without 

 the effort necessary for minute, cle>se or critical 

 examination. 



This remark will apply, in a considerable meas- 

 ure, to the position of plants. And while I speak 

 of them, especially such as are calculated for show 

 in flowers or foliage, I must be excused if I cross 

 the taste of some good people who figure herea- 



