THE GLORY OF THE AUTUMN 109 



are ruddy, varying from reddish purple and crimson 

 to pale red; and when at their best, after the middle of 

 October, these trees are the most beautiful of the for- 

 ests or pastures. The Black and Swamp Oaks de- 

 velop imperfect shades of orange to leather-colored 

 tints. 



In the White Oak, the Beech, the Chestnut, and the 

 Red Oak when young the leaves as they die become 

 russet-brown and remain on the trees until the spring 

 and give a sensation of warmth to the woods and land- 

 scape in the coldest days of winter. The period of re- 

 tention varies greatly in different individuals; often 

 the leaves are retained on the lower branches when the 

 upper parts of the tree are bare. 



In England, trees with few exceptions, such as the wild 

 Cherries and the Beech, assume no autumn tints com- 

 parable with those of their North American relatives. 

 Indeed, in England the most varied and brightly col- 

 ored tints are found not on the native trees but on the 

 Brambles (Rubus). Long ago European trees were 

 planted in this section of America and some, like the 

 Elm, Linden, and English Oak, have grown to a large 

 or moderately large size. In autumn such trees stand 

 out very clearly with their mantle of green foliage 

 when the native trees present are all tints or have 

 shed their leaves. These colonists preserve their 



