256 ON RURAL EMBELLISHMENT. 



out of rock maples, elms, white ash, white maple, bass- 

 wood, beech, and red, white, and other oaks. " [We will 

 add to the list of native trees, the buttonwood, the tulip- 

 tree or whitewood, and cucumber-tree, (Magnolia acu- 

 minata^) for the city and village, and the black walnut, 

 butternut, and honey locust for the country.] " The 

 rock maple is certainly one of our most superb trees, and 

 in my own estimation superior to the elm. Its form and 

 foHage, with the splendid changes of its autumnal aspect, 

 are of surpassing beauty. The basswood ( Tilia Jlmer- 

 icana) is the American linden, or hme, and much 

 superior, for its size, graceful form, and large leaves, to 

 the much celebrated and favorite European species. It 

 is easy to transplant, and of rapid growth. The oaks are 

 of rapid growth, and were once as renowned as the name of 

 England. They have been the choice trees of all the cel- 

 ebrated nations of antiquity. The occidental plane, or 

 American buttonwood, is also a finer tree than the orien- 

 tal variety, which was so much admired and cultivated by 

 the Asiatics and Romans." 



For pubhc grounds and squares, the General recom- 

 mends, also, the white pine, cedar, hemlock, spruce, and 

 we would add the fir, the larch, and a sprinkling of for- 

 eign trees, as the Enghsh and Scotch elms, larch, abeel, 

 horse chestnut, mountain ash, &c., which may be obtained 

 at the nurseries. He recommends the spring as the best 

 season for transplanting in New England ; that the roots 

 be taken up as entire as possible ; that the trees be not 

 more than two inches in diameter ; that the tops be not 

 cut or mutilated ; — " Do not," says he, " cut off a sin- 

 gle twig, save such as may be within four or five feet of 

 the ground." He also directs that large and deep holes 

 be made for the reception of the trees, and that these 

 holes be filled with the best mould, to be well trodden down 

 and watered after the tree is planted. In regard to conif- 

 erous and other evergreens, General Dearborn recom- 

 mends, that they be taken from open grounds — (nurseries 

 are the best) — all the limbs carefully preserved, and as 

 much of the dirt about the roots retained as possible. 

 ^' The best time," he continues, "to transplant all the 



