SECRETARY'S REPORT. 151 



ing and gratifying evidence of an improving taste for sylvan 

 scenery. 



I have thus spoken of a very few of our native forest trees. 

 It might be gratifying to speak also of several of those of the 

 old world ; but to do so would extend this essay beyond the 

 proper limits. 



I have already observed that the list of European forest 

 trees is far more scanty than ours, and there are very few of 

 them which would be a valuable accession to our botanical 

 treasures. Many of the most important classes, or genera, of 

 forest trees are common to both continents, such as the oak, 

 ash, elm, &c. 



Those trees of the old world and the new which, bear the 

 same name generally resemble each other to a great degree ; 

 but, in almost every instance, the resemblance stops short of 

 complete exactness. Thus we find that the elms, willows, and 

 larches of Europe and America? though manifestly belonging 

 to the same class of vegetable productions, differ from each 

 other materially, either in their size, their beauty, or the value 

 of their timber. 



This seems merely an application of the general law of Na- 

 ture, which leads her to avoid, in all her productions, any 

 thing like mathematical resemblance — a rule of which we have 

 a familiar proof in the fact that no two leaves can be found on 

 any tree which do not manifestly differ in shape and size. 

 There is. however, one tree of the old world which has been 

 rendered so familiar to our imaginations by early associations, 

 both of a poetical and sacred character, that I cannot forbear 

 to speak of it more particularly ; I mean the cedar of Lebanon. 

 It is classed with the larches — a place to which it is entitled, 

 among other reasons, by the shape and size of its leaves, and 

 the manner in which they are disposed on its branches. These 

 branches extend themselves to an uncommonly wide distance, 

 arc arranged in stages one above another, and are horizontal, 

 or rather slightly inclining to the earth — and thus form an 

 irregular penthouse. 



In the opinion of the best judges, this tree owes its beauty 

 partly to this arrangement of its limbs, and partly to the den- 

 sity and the deep green of its foliage. But it is only in its 



