634 The Fall of the Leaf. 



which exhibits several tints varying from yellow to red, in- 

 termixed with a larger proportion of green leaves, loses its 

 foliage, during the first period of autumn, ten days or a fort- 

 night before the apple tree. The great majority of fruit trees 

 retain their leaves till near the middle of November, and 

 exhibit only a slight mixture of tints. In general, our 

 orchards continue in leaf to a later date than our forests. 

 This difference may be attributed to the foreign origin of our 

 common fruit trees. 



In the plains and lowlands, some of the most prominent 

 objects, during the second period, are the willows of different 

 species. These trees preserve their leaves and their verdure 

 very late in the season, fading only to a light yellowish green 

 before they fall. The weeping willow, which was originally 

 brought from the south of Europe, retains the greenness of 

 its foliage till the late frosts of November destroy it. There 

 is no tree in our climate except the evergreens, that preserves 

 its verdure so many weeks, putting out its leaves very early 

 in spring and retaining them until all other trees are denuded. 

 This habit of the tree makes a pleasant compensation for its 

 almost entire want of those fine tinges which are the glory 

 of other trees that have a more short-lived foliage. And when, 

 amidst the general nakedness of the groves, we behold the 

 drooping branches of the weeping Avillow, waving majesti- 

 cally in the wind, with its noble form and foliage still un- 

 changed by frost or by natural decay, it seems like something 

 protected by enchantment. 



The continued greenness of foreign trees, and their habit 

 of retaining their foliage to a later period than our indigenous 

 species, is also remarkable in the Italian poplar and the privet, 

 whose leaves seem to be hardly susceptible of injury from 

 the frost. This shrub which, for ornamental hedges, is great- 

 ly preferable to the American buckthorn, is still green late in 

 November without the loss of a leaf. It might be inferred 

 that trees and shrubs which were brought from climates 

 warmer than our own would be more susceptible of injury 

 from our autumnal frosts. So far is this from the fact, that 

 their foliage is evidently more hardy than that of our indig- 



