318 S&e ffifartJen's Storn. 



ange and umber. The shad-blow colors a rich 

 garnet, not unlike some of the tones of the 

 pepperidge-tree ; while the dogwood's is unques- 

 tionably the most vivid, deep lake-red of all 

 trees. The American mountain -ash passes 

 from yellow to rich clarets and purples ; the 

 European mountain-ash seldom develops much 

 autumnal coloring, confining its display to its 

 brilliant fruit. The sweet-gum and sour-gum, 

 fine trees at all seasons, are exceptionally at- 

 tractive during autumn in the deep purplish-red 

 and orange shades of the leaves. 



For simple variety of colors, the various oaks 

 are almost equal to the maples. The oak has 

 its own scale of russets and maroons ; and no 

 one can pass it without admiration, when the 

 November sunlight strikes through the glisten- 

 ing foliage of the native scarlet oak, the last 

 bright-red of fall. 



If we take yellow alone for the color-stand- 

 ard, the beech is without an equal. A beech, 

 indeed, is always beautiful. In late November 

 its colors still remain attractive, varying from 

 rich Roman ochre to deep-brown bronze, and 

 from pale rose-buff to lustrous, satiny gray. 

 Assuredly Downing is mistaken in considering 

 its beauty diminished during winter, owing to 

 the retention of much of its foliage. Its har- 



