DECIDUOUS ORNAMENTAL TREES. 179 



growth, and have a pleasing light green foliage. The Golden 

 willow is remarkable for its bright yellow bark, which ren- 

 ders it quite ornamental, even in winter. It is a middle sized 

 tree, and is often seen growing along the road-sides in the 

 eastern and middle states. tSalix-caprea is deserving a place 

 in collections, for the beauty of its abundant blossoms, at an 

 early and cheerless period in the spring. There are a num- 

 ber of other species found growing in different parts of the 

 Union, which may perhaps possess sufficient interest to re- 

 commend themselves to the planter. 



The chief, and indeed almost the only value of these wil- 

 lows in Landscape Gardening, is to embellish low grounds, 

 streams of water, or margfins of lakes. When mingrled with 

 other trees, they often harmonize so badly from their ex- 

 tremely different habits, foliage, and colour, that unless very 

 sparingly introduced, they cannot fail to have a bad effect. 

 On the banks of streams, however, they are extremely appro- 

 priate, hanging their slender branches over the liquid ele- 

 ment, and drawing genial nourishment from the moistened 

 soil. 



"Le saule incline sur la rive penchante, 

 Balan9antmollement sa tete blanchissante." 



In the middle distance of a scene, also, where a stream winds 

 partially hidden, or which might otherwise wholly escape 

 the eye, these trees, if planted along its course, connected as 

 they are in our minds with watery soils, will not fail to di- 

 rect the attention, and convey forcibly the impression of a 

 brook or river, winding its way beneath their shade. 



The Weeping willow, however, is at once one of the most 

 elegant, picturesque, and beautiful of trees ; elegant in its 



