i^ ) 28 THE GENESEE FABMEB. I fj, 



A year or two ago somebody who had had an Ailantus closer to their dwelling than 

 it ought to be — perhaps the branches intruding into the chamber window — and whose 

 olfactories were quite sensitive, discovered that the blossoms emitted a disagreeable and 

 sickening odor. The fact was instantly communicated to the neighbors ; every body 

 held up their heads and snuffed at the Ailantus, and sure enough they were found to 

 emit a most disagreeable odor. The newspapers took it up, (as they take up everything 

 calculated to produce excitement,) and so the Ailantus is written and talked into an 

 unendurably bad odor amongst the refined portions of the community, until latterly the 

 cry almost universal is " down with it." Our national authorities at Washington feeling 

 in duty bound, as the conservators and exemplars of taste, have pronounced and execu- 

 ted capital punishment on all the unfortunate Ailantus found in the capital grounds. 

 Brave men ! Long may you live ! 



Now this is a much more serious thing than it would at first sight appear to be. See 

 how many streets and public places are every where planted with this tree. To cut 

 them down or dig them up, what an inconvenience ! — what a loss ! And how disman- 

 tled those streets will look without them. We shall all be old, and perhaps dead and 

 forgotten, before other trees can be brought to yield such shade, and produce such an 

 effect as these do. We advise caution at any rate. In the streets they may be spared. 

 If the flowers are really offensive, have^ them cut off before they open. A pair of shears 

 attached to a pole will clear the largest tree of all its flowers in a few minutes. We 

 should say down with them in door yards ; they never had any business there. It is a 

 fine tree for streets, and grand in its proper place in a landscape. Among all our trees 

 we have none that resembles it. Our sumach is a mere shrub in comparison. Then its 

 rapid growth, cleanly habits, and total exemption from insects, are great recommend- 

 ations surelv. We have never yet said much in its favor, nor shall we now join in the 

 hue and cry against it. We regard it as a great acquisition to our hardy trees, one that 

 in the hands of those who know where to put and how to use trees, may be turned to 

 a great account. That people misuse a thing is no argument against it. 



These remarks have been suggested by the reading of some proceedings had in regard 

 to this tree, by the Cincinnati llorticultural Society, which we find in the September 

 number of the Western Horticultural Review. We give the following extracts from 

 the discussion, to show the various views, opinions, and tastes, on the subject. 



"'nio discussion on the alleged poisonous qualities of the Ailantus, was opened by Mr. Bucil^xan, 

 who held in his hand a fine branch of the female variety, with numerous panicles of seeds, cut o\\ the 

 crounds of Mr. Siiroeder. Mr. B. observed that he had been the first to introduce this tree to 

 Cincinnati ; he considered it a noble tree, and worthy of a place in ornamental groiuids. It was, in 

 the male variety, objectionable while in flower, on account of the smell of the pollen ; and it had 

 also the fault of throwinij up suckei"8 from the roots, which, in the country, would make it trouble- 

 some ; he had never found it poisonous. 



"Mr. Ernst imported this tree early, like Mr. B., and had still the two parent trees s:rowinn; 

 luxuriantly on his grounds. He always considered it a beautiful tree in any situation, and eminently 

 \iseful as a city shade tree, from its rapid, upright growth, exemption from insect.s, and entire hardi- 

 ness under every state of our climate and soil. During a long ex])erienee, he had never known any 

 poisonous effccta to proceed from it; and, without positive evidence that it was poisonous, he would 

 never consent to discard it, merely to gratify some few sensitive noses during the short period of ite 

 flowering. 



Mr. FooTE said that he had, on one oeea.sion, felt ill from having, during the evening, remained for 

 gome time under the Ailantus trees while in flower; and remarked that it occiu'red before the tree 

 was talked of as having any deleteriou.s properties. 



"The President, Dr. MosiucR, said he considered the Ailantus unrivaled as an ornamental or shade 

 tree. The rich green and luxuriant growth of its foliage, its erect stem and palm-like head, gave an 

 oriental character to our scenery. It belonged to a family of plant**, (Xanthoxylacie,) which wei'c 

 remarkable not for poisonous, but for tonic and other medicinal qualities. lie had never known the 

 least ill eft'ecte to proceed from the smell of \U f1i>wcrs, except the anjioyanee to the olfactoi-io^. Ho 

 supposed, from analogy, that habit might make tlie smell aijrecable to some noscvi. Its wood, sea.-'tined. 

 was said to be extremely liard, fine grainod, and susceptible of a iiigii polish. It may be found 

 valuable tree for cabinet-makers, etc., and may soon be profitably grown for fire-wood. 



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