d5artien jftogaicg 



Among trees, my allegiance has never swerved 

 from Albizzia paludosa, which, on the whole, I think 

 is the most beautiful tree I have ever seen, if one 

 can say that one species is more attractive than 

 others of entirely diverse type and habit. It would 

 be like determining that one admired only fair 

 women; and so perhaps one does so long as one 

 of that divine type is reflected upon the retina 

 of the eye or mind. But let a dark beauty of 

 chiseled feature and flashing eye step on the 

 scene and one's allegiance begins to waver. One 

 says to himself, and perchance even would wish 

 to say to her: " Before, I thought I loved only fair 

 women, but now I am sure I love them dark ! " 

 Even as I record my undivided and supreme de- 

 votion to the Albizzia, radiant images of superb 

 cedars and firs present themselves before me and 

 remind me of the superlative admiration I gave 

 them when honored by their presence. There are 

 of course trees of different complexion, just as 

 there are women. The lime and the birch I re- 

 gard as specimens of the fair type, and the cedar, 

 cypress, and Scotch fir as specimens of the dark 

 type of beauty. Most trees, like most human be- 



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