34 FIELD AND FOREST. 



smaller parks and on some of the streets. A fine specimen of the Red 

 Buckeye {Aesculus Pavid) adorns Pennsylvania Avenue between 12th 

 and 13th streets. They all seem to be hardy and well adapted to 

 private gardens and parks. 



The prevailing tree in the city is the Maple ; of the red and the 

 sugar maple there are some fine examples in the Smithsonian grounds 

 and in various places in the city. In the Botanic garden is a thrifty 

 young tree of the Oregon Maple {Acer macrophyllum.') It is con- 

 spicuous by its very large leaves, and its long pendant racemes of fruit. 

 It is thought to be poorly suited with our hot and dry summers, but 

 if it proves hardy will be a useful addition to our variety of shade 

 trees. The Kentucky Coffee tree {Gymnocladus Canadensis) has 

 been little planted here, but there are a few very fine specimens, par- 

 ticularly in the grounds of the Georgetown College, one in the Smith- 

 sonian grounds, and a few in private gardens. 



The Washington Thorn {Crategus cordata) is by no means as 

 abundant as its name would seem to signify ; the largest and oldest 

 specimen is in the Botanic garden, where it makes a spreading tree 

 some 20 feet high ; the ground has been filled in 4 feet or more where 

 the tree stands so that the original trunk is buried that depth below 

 the present surface. 



The American Holly {Ilex Opaca) is in cultivation in several of 

 the public and private grounds, and in winter its peculiar spiny and 

 glossy leaves furnish a pleasing relief to the dreariness of the bare trees 

 around it. In the Smithsonian grounds is a large specimen of the Sil- 

 ver-bell tree {Halesia tetraptera) and in the Botanic garden several 

 smaller trees of {Halesia diptera.) In the spring these trees covered 

 with their abundant modest pure white flowers are objects of beauty, 

 and in the fall when loaded with their peculiar winged fruit are also 

 very attractive. They seem to be well adapted to general cultivation 

 and should be more extensively planted. 



The Fringe-tree {Chionanthics Virginiana) is poorly represented. 

 It seems to miss its native rocky banks. In spring its large drooping 

 panicles of pure white fringe like flowers are very showy. 



Numerous large trees of the White and Red Ash {Fraxinus Ameri- 

 cana and F. pubescens) are in the public grounds and on the streets. 

 The green and black species are also in the Botanic garden and in the 

 Agricultural grounds. The Sassafras tree although common in the 



