The Forest Trees of Aiiierica. 147 



If such impartial testimony as this is not sufficient to 

 show that our trees and shrubs comprise the most beautiful 

 and valuable, so far discovered, in the known world, we need 

 not offer any opinions of our own. Since Mr. Loudon wrote 

 the above, many new trees, especially evergreens, have been 

 introduced to Britain ; they have been principally, as he ex- 

 pected, from the hitherto unpenetrated regions of Asia and 

 North America. 



The glory of the complete English country residence is its 

 " American garden," so called, because almost exclusively 

 composed of our native species, or hybrids from them ; they 

 comprise kalmias, rhododendrons, andromedas, gualtherias, 

 prinos, azaleas, clethras, rhodora, epigaea, vacciniums, ma- 

 honias, &c., &c. These are all planted out in beds of pre- 

 pared soil, more or less peaty and sandy ; they have a luxu- 

 riant and rich appearance the year through, and in June, 

 when in full bloom, produce such a magnificent display of 

 blossoms, of almost every hue, that they bewilder the spec- 

 tator with their profuseness and variety. No description can 

 at all convey an idea of the splendor and brilliant coloring of 

 the '-American garden." 



Our evergreens are no less prominent objects in every 

 English landscape. The white pine, the hemlock, the arbor- 

 vitas, the spruces, especially those from the Northwest coast, 

 &c., are among the finest coniferas ; the hemlock, in our 

 opinion, unsurpassed by any evergreen tree yet known, and 

 as far superior in real beauty, gracefulness, and all the char- 

 acteristics of a perfect tree, to the deodar cedar, araucaria, 

 or any Eastern pine or fir, as the Norway to our balsam fir. 

 And the Magnolm grandiflora, ah ! what lover of trees can 

 stand before it and not feel a glow of pride that this, too, is 

 a native of om- own soil. So with the oaks, the tulip tree, 

 the virgilia, the sugar maple, the elm, beech, celtis, hawthorn, 

 laurus, ash, &c., &c. 



We might go on enumerating a large list of beautiful trees 

 and shrubs, which every garden should possess, and some of 

 which, growing almost within sight of our doors, are yet 

 scarcely known to exist here ; but for the present our only 

 wish is to direct the attention of planters to our native trees, 



