176 LANDSCAPE GARDENING. 



growing under our inspection, it will scarcely fall short of 

 that altitude in good cultivated situations, anywhere in the 

 middle states. 



When in full foliage, this is a very beautiful tree. The 

 whole leaf, doubly compound, and composed of a great num- 

 ber of bluish-2:reen leaflets, is generally three feet long, and 

 two-thirds as wide, on thrifty trees ; and the whole foliage 

 hansfs in a well-rounded mass, that would look almost too 

 heavy, were it not lightened in effect by the loose tufted ap- 

 pearance of each individual leaf. The flowers, which are 

 white, are borne in loose spikes, in the beginning of summer ; 

 •and are succeeded by ample brown pods, flat and somewhat 

 curved, which contain six or seven large gray seeds, imbedded 

 in a sweet pulpy substance. As the genus is dicscious, it is 

 necessary that both sexes of this tree should be growing near 

 each other, in order to produce seed. 



When Kentucky was first settled by the adventurous pio- 

 neers from the Atlantic States, who commenced their ca- 

 reer in the primeval wilderness, almost without the neces- 

 saries of life, except as produced by them from the fertile 

 soil ; they fancied that they had discovered a substitute 

 for coflee in the seeds of this tree, and accordingly the 

 name of Coffee tree was bestowed upon it : but when a 

 communication was established with the seaports, they glad- 

 ly relinquished their Kentucky beverage, for the more grate- 

 ful flavour of the Indian plant ; and no use is at present 

 made of it in that manner. It has however a fine compact 

 wood, highly useful in building or cabinet-work. 



The Kentucky Coffee tree is well entitled to a place in 

 every collection. In summer, its charming foliage and agree- 

 able flowers render it a highly beautiful lawn tree ; and in 

 winter, it is certainly one of the strangest trees in appearance, 



