62 SYLVA FLORIFERA. 



perishable nature of the wood when kept in 

 the water, were doubtlessly their recom- 

 mendations to the early navigators. As men 

 dispersed themselves over Europe, so did 

 they convey the nautical use of this tree ; and 

 it is singular, how little the pronunciation of 

 its name has changed with the migrations of 

 man. The oldest English writer we have 

 consulted calls it Alder, from which it was 

 changed to Aller, and again to Alder; the 

 Scots call it Eller ; the French Aulne ; the 

 Germans Eller , Erie, or Erlenbaum; the 

 Dutch Els, Elzeboom; the Danes Ell, Elle, 

 Elletrcee', the Swedes Al, Ahl; the Italians 

 Alno, Ontario ; the Spaniards Aliso, Alamo ; 

 the Portugueze Alemo; the Russians Olcha; 

 the Polanders Olsza; and the Latins Alnus 

 and Alnos,, which is thought to be abridged 

 from alor amne: " I am nourished by the 

 stream." 



The alder does not possess those striking 

 beauties, which attract our admiration to 

 many other trees or shrubs ; nor is it calcu- 

 lated to fill a space in those shrubberies 

 whose narrow bounds are limited to the 

 width of the dwelling, and whose length is 

 terminated by the useful abode of the horse 

 and chaise. The alder must terminate the 

 largest shrubbery and most lengthened walk ; 



