532 The Fall of the Leaf. 



of summer. But it ought not to be overlooked, that if the 

 American trees do not continue in leaf so long as those of 

 Europe, they greatly exceed them in the brilliancy and va- 

 riety of their autumnal hues. Should we, therefore, substi- 

 tute foreign trees with their prolonged verdure, for our indig- 

 enous trees, with their early fading leaf, we should have 

 autumn without its present charms. Nature, in the fall, 

 would then resemble an old man without those silvery hairs, 

 which are the crowning ornament of his years. 



Among our trees the maples exhibit the greatest variety in 

 their tints. Of different individuals of the same species, even 

 when growing, side by side, in the same situation, not unfre- 

 quently some will have foliage of a bright yellow, others of 

 vermilion, some of scarlet and crimson, while others still 

 retain their summer verdure. In this respect the maples dif- 

 fer from other trees, of which individuals of the same species 

 seldom greatly differ in their tints. Notwithstanding, there- 

 fore, the rapidity with which they lose their foliage, these 

 trees are the principal charm of our woods, during the first 

 autumnal period. The elm succeeds the maple in the ripe- 

 ness of its hues and the fall of its leaves. The American 

 poplars lose their leaves about the same time : but their tints, 

 though more brilliant than those of the elm, are confined to 

 the lighter shades of yellow. The birch, the beech, the 

 chestnut and the hickory, all of which are clad, with more or 

 less brilliancy, in yellows, succeed the poplar. Similar hues 

 predominate in the lime, the larch, the cherry, and the wych- 

 hazel. 



But there are several species in which the different shades 

 of red and purple prevail. Among these may be named the 

 swamp hornbeam, which is one of the most brilliantly illu- 

 minated trees in our woods. In the shade its leaves are of a 

 bright orange : but when exposed to the direct rays of the 

 sun, they vary from vermilion to scarlet, seldom, I believe, 

 approaching to purple. Like other brightly tinted foliage, 

 that of the hornbeam falls early in the season, seldom remain- 

 ing above a week in its full splendor. While the yellow tints 

 predominate in the trees, the reds and crimsons predominate 



