222 



NATURE STUDY 



AiLANTHus (Ailanthus glandulosus) : 



The only objection to this tree is the fact that the 

 staminate flowers which appear in June are offensive in 

 their odor. There is, unfortunately, no way of telling 

 whether a tree will bear stamens or pistils until it has 

 grown up. It is said that of a large lot of trees from 



Ailanthus, branch, under side of leaf showing 

 the glands of the leaflets. 



the same stock, planted at the same time, those in Kew 

 York turned to be pistillate, while in Philadelphia all of 

 the trees bore the ill-smelling sterile flowers. It is a 

 rapidly growing, easily' propagated, graceful tree with 

 pinkish or pale-green winged seeds. In China it is called 

 the Tree of Heaven. The handsome ailanthus still stand- 

 ing in Bartram's Gardens, Philadelphia, was planted in 

 1809 from a sucker of the first tree brought into this 

 countrj^. 



