Around the “ Pond ”—First Excursion 
HoRSE-CHESTNUT.—If the fabric of some foliage 
were not thick and heavy, we should not realize how 
light, airy, and translucent it sometimes is. The gar- 
ments of the horse-chestnut, like rich silk, almost 
‘<stand alone,’’ and if her figure were Venus-like— 
which it is far from being—she would be the envy of all 
her tree-neighbors. Throughout the summer what a 
refreshing coolness beneath those large, palmate, deep- 
green leaves; but the latter glory often exceeds the 
former, as in fall its mantle is sometimes dyed a golden 
bronze. Its whole form is too stiff, round-topped, and 
symmetrical to be strictly picturesque, yet a full-grown 
specimen is of commanding aspect, and it is so luxuriant 
and vigorous as to have become one of our most familiar 
trees, although not indigenous, but an importation from 
China. Its compact, numerous pyramids of white 
flowers are of a piece with its general stiffness, but like 
erect torches they illuminate the dark background in a 
striking fashion. 
Our native allied species, the Ohio buckeye, has but 
five leaflets and pale yellow flowers. Another sort, 
probably a hybrid of the Chinese and a native, with 
five to seven leaflets, has rose-red petals, and is quite 
pretty, and a still finer one (#sculus Pavia), of Amer- 
ican origin, whose entire flower is red, is found in 
cultivation in the Northeastern States. 
PopLars.—How unobtrusively yet forcibly trees im- 
,age human temperaments and conditions! Some are 
born to command, others are menial; and one of the 
lordly sort certainly is the cottonwood or river poplar, 
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