DECIDUOUS ORNAMENTAL TREES. 149 



and, on account of its density, it is also well suited to shut 

 out unsightly buildings, or other objects. 



The leaves of many beech trees hang on the tree, in a 

 dry and withered state, during the whole winter. This is 

 chiefly the case with young trees ; but we consider it as 

 greatly diminishing its beauty at that season, as the tree is 

 otherwise very pleasing to the eye, with its smooth, round, 

 grey stern, and small twisted spray. A deciduous tree, we 

 think, should as certainly drop its leaves at the approach 

 of cold weather, as an evergreen should retain them ; more 

 especially if its leaves have a dead and withered appearance, 

 as is the case with those of the beech in this climate. 



The White beech (Fagus Sylvatica) is the common 

 beech tree of the middle and western states. It is found in 

 the greatest perfection in a cool situation and a moist soil. 

 The bark is smooth and grey, even upon the oldest stocks. 

 The leaves oval, smooth, and shining, coarsely cut on the 

 edges, and margined with a soft down in the spring. 



The Red beech (F.ferruginea), so called on account of 

 the color of its wood, loves a still colder climate than the 

 other, and is found in the greatest perfection in British 

 America. The leaves are divided into coarser teeth on 

 the margin than the foregoing species. The nuts are much 

 smaller, and the whole tree forms a lower and more spread- 

 ing head. 



The European beech (F. sylvatica) is thought by many 

 botanists to be the same species as our white beech, or at 

 most only a variety. Its average height in Europe is 

 about fifty feet ; the buds are shorter, and the leaves not so 

 coarsely toothed as our native sorts. The Purple beech is 

 a very ornamental variety of the European beech, common 



