September 8, 1897.] 



Garden and Forest. 



357 



anee of most of the valley lands and supply the much-needed 

 shade. It is also probable that its abundance at all the nurs- 

 eries may have had some influence with those who take what 

 is offered them in the way of trees, without much regard as to 

 its desirability. But whatever the causes, the fact remains that 

 all over the state, wherever trees will grow at all, rows of tall 

 Lombardy Poplars are seen marking the boundaries of farms 

 or the courses of irrigation ditches, a characteristic feature of 

 every Utah landscape. As might be expected from their 

 abundance, the cotton becomes a decided nuisance when it 

 falls, especially in the cities ; so much so that in most of the 

 larger cities ordinances have been passed requiring the 

 removal of all Poplars with pistillate flowers. The thrifty 

 nurseryman, taking advantage of this, soon placed upon the 

 market Poplar-trees which bore only staminate flowers, and 

 as a proof of this pointed out to the intending purchaser rows 

 of older Poplars from which the pistillate specimens had been 

 carefully removed. 



The Black Locust stands next to the Lombardy Poplar in 

 point of numbers, but does not seem so well adapted to the 

 climate. Borers invade it to some extent, and the older speci- 

 mens soon present a rather ragged appearance from the large 

 number of dead twigs upon them. Yet the trees will endure 

 many hardships, and are, perhaps, better able to withstand 

 drought than the Lombardy Poplar. I have seen some speci- 

 mens about old ranch buildings and in similar situations 

 which could at no time have received more moisture than is 

 afforded by the scant rainfall of that region, and yet, although 

 they were but little taller than the Sage Brush which sur- 

 rounded them, they appeared to be perfectly healthy and had 

 made a considerable growth in thickness. 



One accustomed to the Box Elder as it grows through cen- 

 tral United States would scarcely recognize the Utah speci- 

 mens, so tall and straight do they grow. Many of them closely 

 resemble the Soft Maple in general outline, and that is likely 

 to be one's thought on seeing them for the first time in their 

 winter condition. This change in appearance I should ascribe 

 to the fact that the climate of Utah is singularly free from 

 winds, with the exception of those from the canons, and that the 

 trees are usually planted along the streets of the towns, or if on 

 the farms along the irrigation ditches. As in all Utah cities 

 both sides of each street are provided with small streams of 

 water, it will be seen that in either case the conditions are 

 especially favorable for growth. 



The grounds of the Mormon Temple at Salt Lake City are 

 adorned by some very fine specimens of Ailanthus-trees, but 

 their beauty has been greatly diminished by the ruthless man- 

 ner in which the tops have been mutilated. Just what the 

 object was in cutting back the tops it would be hard to say, 

 for they are not unusually tall and do not obstruct the view of 

 the temple. But they have twice been cut back, the first time 

 evidently almost to straight poles, and the second time hardly 

 less severely. This treatment has materially injured the ap- 

 pearance of the heads, but the boles are very handsome. 



That most beautiful of all shade-trees, the American White 

 Elm, is now being planted in considerable numbers in the 

 cities, and is a great relief from the Locusts and Poplars so 

 monotonously prevalent in the older plantings. 



Tescot, Kansas. -**• ^- ^SCiTS. 



Recent Publications. 



Circular No. 12, issued by the Division of Botany of the 

 United States Department of Agriculture, describes the con- 

 ditions of successful cultivation of the Camphor-tree, Cin- 

 namomum camphora, and the uses of the tree and its 

 products, and contains other interesting particulars. This 

 broad-leaved evergreen is related to the Red Bay and to 

 the Sassafras in the United States, and in general habit 

 resembles the Basswood. In the coast countries of eastern 

 Asia it attains a height of from sixty to one hundred feet 

 and a trunk measurement of from twenty to forty inches 

 in diameter. In Japan the law requires that a new tree be 

 set out for every one cut. It is stated that the northern 

 limits in the United States where this tree has been grown 

 successfully out-of-doors are Charleston and Summerville, 

 in South Carolina ; Augusta, Georgia, and Oakland, Cali- 

 fornia. In the southern cities named the trees have with- 

 stood a temperature of fifteen degrees, Fahrenheit, but they 

 were protected by surrounding trees and buildings. At 

 Mobile, Alabama, they have grown and fruited in pro- 

 tected situations, while in exposed places they have been 

 repeatedly destroyed by frosts. They will grow in almost 



any soil that is not too wet, but do best on a well-drained 

 sandy or loamy soil, and respond to fertilizers. While of 

 comparatively slow growth on sterile soil, the trees grow 

 very rapidly under favorable conditions. An exceptional 

 instance is recorded of a Camphor-tree in Italy which in 

 eight years from the seed measured one foot in diameter 

 and ninety feet in height. Trunks six to eight inches in 

 diameter at the base and thirty feet in height may be ex- 

 pected in trees ten years from the seed under favorable 

 conditions. Besides the familiar use of camphor-gum to 

 protect furs and woolens against insects, this gum is used 

 extensively in medicine. Camphor-oil, which is somewhat 

 similar to turpentine, in Japan enters into lacquer-work, 

 and it is also used in the manufacture of toilet soaps. The 

 yellow wood is of close grain and is susceptible to polish, 

 taking a satin-like finish ; this is particularly valuable in 

 cabinet-work, especially for drawers, chests and cupboards, 

 being proof against insects. The tree produces an abun- 

 dance of berry-like fruits, which in China and Japan are 

 used to make a kind of tallow ; these are also a favorite 

 food of chickens and birds. Besides these commercial 

 uses, the tree has value for ornamental planting, and 

 has been extensively introduced into southern Europe 

 and South America for this purpose. For successful 

 cultivation the minimum temperature must not be lower 

 than twenty degrees, Fahrenheit, and this interesting 

 circular suggests that it is hoped by continued selec- 

 tion of seeds from the most hardy trees plants may 

 be bred up to endure more cold. Camphor of good 

 quality has been produced in Florida from the leaves and 

 twigs of trees less than twenty years old, one pound of 

 crude gum being obtained from seventy-seven pounds of 

 leaves and twigs. One-third of the leaves and young 

 shoots may be removed at one time without materially 

 checking the growth of the tree. The older and larger 

 roots yield the largest proportion of camphor ; the trunk, 

 limbs, twigs and leaves contain successively a decreasing 

 proportion. Present methods of distillation are here 

 described and improvements suggested. 



Within the past ten years there has been an increase in 

 importations of refined camphor in the United States and a 

 decrease in importations of the crude product, notwith- 

 standing the former is dutiable while the latter is admitted 

 free. Improved methods of refining and packing in Japan 

 and a reduced tariff rate account for this change. In 1887 

 there were imported 2,873,184 pounds of crude camphor, 

 valued at $352,861, and in 1896 but 943,205 pounds, valued 

 at $328,457. In 1887 only 307 pounds of refined camphor, 

 valued at $45, came into this country, while in 1896 

 153,912 pounds were admitted, worth $68,785. These fig- 

 ures show that the price of the refined and the unrefined 

 product has increased three-fold in this period, and that the 

 consumption of camphor in this country, as measured by 

 importations, has been decreasing. This decrease is 

 attributed to exhaustion of the supply of available Cam- 

 phor-trees near the shipping ports, governmental restric- 

 tions on the trade in camphor in Formosa and taxes on the 

 exportation, hostilities and wanton destruction of camphor 

 stills by the natives in Formosa, disturbances in the cam- 

 phor-producing district of China, the China-Japan war, and 

 attempts by speculators to corner the market. The increase 

 in the price of camphor has led to the introduction of sub- 

 stitutes, and camphor has been manufactured artificially at 

 a cost which leaves a margin of profit at present prices. 

 The conclusion is that if the production of camphor from 

 trees is to be carried on with profit in this country and the 

 industry increased to any considerable extent, the price of 

 camphor must be reduced to compete with the prices of 

 substitutes now taking its place. 



Notes. 



Mr. R. A. Rolfe notes in The Orchid Review the discovery 

 of a natural hybrid between Orchis maculata and Habenaria 

 bifolia. This interesting addition to the British flora was 



