162 LANDSCAPE GARDENING. 



of the year. Its outline is not picturesque or graceful, but 

 simply beautiful, more approaching that of the maple than 

 any other : it is therefore a highly pleasing, round-headed 

 or tapering tree, which unites and harmonizes well with 

 almost any others in composition ; but the chief beauty 

 lies in the foliagfe. During the whole of the summer months 

 it preserves unsoiled that dark glossy freshness which is so 

 delightful to the eye ; while the singular regularly palmate 

 form of the leaves readily distinguishes it from the common 

 trees of a plantation. But in autumn it assumes its gayest 

 livery, and is decked in colours almost too bright and vivid 

 for foliage ; forming one of the most brilliant objects in 

 American scenery, at that period of the year. The prevail- 

 ing tint of the foliage is then a deep purplish red, unlike 

 any symptom of decay, and quite as vivid as is common- 

 ly seen in the brightest blossoms of a Dutch parterre. This 

 is sometimes varied by a shade deeper or lighter, and occasion- 

 ally an orange tint is assumed. When planted in the neigh- 

 bourhood of our fine maples, ashes, and other trees remark- 

 able for their autumnal colouring, the effect is almost magi- 

 cal in a warm dry autumn. Whoever has travelled through 

 what are called the pine barrens of New- Jersey in such a sea- 

 son, cannot have failed to be struck with the gay tints of the 

 numberless forest trees which line the roads through those 



o 



sandy plains, and with the conspicuous beauty of the Sweet 

 gum or Liquidambar tree. 



The bark of this tree, when full grown or nearly so, is ex- 

 ceedingly rough and furrowed, like that of the oak. The 

 wood is fine-grained, and takes a good polish in cabinet- 

 work ; though it is not so durable, nor so much esteemed for 

 such purposes, as that of the Black walnut, and some other 



