Foreign JVotices. 35 



errors have been committed by others, and they, not aware 

 of such, have unknowingly perpetuated them. But we hope 

 to see catalogues for the future, made up with more care and 

 labor, and the errors gradually eradicated. An experiuien- 

 tal garden, we have no doubt, would hasten this ; but it is 

 an expensive method, and, in the present state of our knowl- 

 edge, would be attended with some trouble. To the address 

 is appended an account of the society's exhibition, the 

 names of the subscription and honorary members, &c. 



MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE. 



Art. I, Foreign Notices. 



Useful qualities of the Chinese Ailantus. — M. Vilmorin has lately com- 

 municated to the Horticultural Society of Pans, a letter from M. Farel, 

 of Montpelier, accompanied with two specimens in the rough of the 

 wood of the Chinese ailaiUus. This wood, said he, is now in much 

 repute with wheelwrights, who employ ir, together with the ash, though 

 perhaps not so valuable as this latter tree ; it serves for the shafts of 

 carts and the tongues or poles of carriages ; the tree thrived with vigor 

 in the dry and poor soils of that warm country. It is also placed in the 

 first rank by the engineers of bridges and highway joowr la borduse des 

 grandes routes. I have already cut up into scantlings and planks some of 

 the ailantus which were planted at Fromont scarcely tweirty years ago, 

 and have found them to answer an excellent purpose. When this tree, 

 felled at maturity, is dried slowly in the shade, it assumes a fine color, 

 and is susceptible of a polish which will make it valuable for many kinds 

 of joinery work. The trees raised from seedhy no means produce suck- 

 ers in such quantities as when raised from suckers themselves, especial- 

 ly if sown upon the place where they are intended to remain. — Soulange 

 Bodin. — Jlnnales des Fromont. 



Note on the above. — The Ailantus glandulosa, or Celestial Tree (as it 

 is called in New York), has become a great favorite as an ornamental tree 

 in this country, particularly for the avenues and public squares of cities. 

 From its rapid growth, it will probably produce a large bulk of valuable 

 timber as soon, oriu a shorter time than any other tree. By the above 

 extract from the Annates des Fromont, we perceive this tree ripens seeds 

 in France. It is monoecious, and althonsh the trees have flowered abun- 

 dantly here and in other gardens in the United States, we believe as yet 

 none but staminate, or male flowers, have been produced. The tree has 

 long been known in Rhode Island, where it was introduced, and is prob- 

 ably still known there by some under the name of Tillon tree. These 

 trees must now be many feet in diameter, and persons who are in pos- 

 session of information on the subject, would solve an interesting ques- 

 tion to botanists and cultivators by making known whether or not they 

 have yet produced seed or even pistillate or female flowers. — A. J. 

 Downing, Botanic Garden and Nursery, Newburgh, N. Y., November^ 

 1S35. 



