

DECIDUOUS ORNAMENTAL TREES. 173 



grance of the latter. There is, however, a peculiar ele- 

 gance about its light green and beautiful foliage, which 

 wafts so gracefully in the summer breeze, and folds up on 

 the slightest shower, that it stands far above that tree in 

 our estimation, for the embellishment of scenery. The 

 branches spread out rather horizontally, in a fine, broad, 

 and lofty head ; there are none of the dead and unsightly 

 branches so common on the locust ; and the light feathery 

 foliage, lit up in the sunshine, has an airy and transparent 

 look, rarely seen in so large a tree, which sometimes pro- 

 duces very happy effects in composition with other trees. 

 The bark is of a pleasing brown, smooth in surface the 

 branches are studded over with curious, long, triply-pointed 

 thorns, which also often jut out in clusters, in every direc- 

 tion from the trunk of the tree, to the length of four or five 

 inches, giving it a most singular and forbidding look. In 

 winter, these and the long seed-pods, five or six inches in 

 length, which hang upon the boughs at that season, give the 

 whole tree a very distinct character. These pods contain 

 a sweetish substance, somewhat resembling honey ; 

 whence the tree has in some places obtained the name of 

 Honey locust, which properly belongs to Robinia viscosa. 

 Another recommendation of this tree, is the variety of 

 picturesque shapes which it assumes in growing up ; some- 

 times forming a tall pyramidal head of 50 or 60 feet, some- 

 times a low horizontally branched tree, and at others it 

 expands into a wide irregular head, quite flattened at the 

 summit. It does not produce suckers like the locust, and 

 may therefore be introduced into any part of the grounds. 

 When but a limited extent is devoted to a lawn or garden, 

 this tree should be among the first to obtain a place ; as 

 one or two Three-thorned Acacias, mingled with other 



