FIELD AND FOREST. 1 9 



gressive wherever it gets foothold, and if we should ever lack for paper 

 material we could procure any quantity by cultivating this tree. 



A few large trees of the English Walnut, {Juglans regid) a truly roy- 

 al tree, are found in the city, and there seems to be no reason why it 

 should not be more extensively cultivated both for ornament and profit. 

 Of foreign Oaks we have the European or English ( Quercus Robur) in 

 its two varieties pedunculata and sessiliflora, and the Turkey Oak 

 {Quercus cerris). The Oaks are of so slow growth that it requires 

 many years to obtain characteristic specimens. Of the European Chest- 

 nut {Casfanea vescd) there are a few examples. It is not notably dif- 

 ferent from our American variety, which is said to have sweeter though 

 smaller nuts. Specimens of the European Beech {Fagus sylvaticd) oc- 

 cur in a few places; a large and beautiful tree may be seen in Oak Hill 

 Cemetary. 



In the Congressional Garden is a fine example of the European 

 Hornbeam {Carpinus Betulus) standing not far from one of the Amer- 

 ican species of the same age, which it has much outgrown in size, and 

 which it excels in form and foliage. In the same garden is a specimen 

 of the European Bay Willow {Salix pentandrd) which is "a thing of 

 beauty. ' ' It forms a short trunk about eighteen inches in diameter 

 for five or six feet, when it splits up into a large number of mostly up- 

 right branches", which, although they have been headed back, reach a 

 height of about 25 feet. Its large, dark green, glossy leaves are very 

 pleasing. Except in its more tree-like habit and greater vigor, it seems 

 hardly distinguishable from our native Salix lucida. 



Of Conifers in cultivation here it will not be necessary to speak, as 

 there is not an unusual variety. There are, however, some fine speci- 

 mens of the Ginkgo Tree of Japan (Salisburia adiantifolid) in the 

 Congressional Garden, of the height of 20 feet or more. 



George Vasey. 



The Latimer Collection at the Smithsonian Institution. 



An extensive and valuable series of Stone relics illustrative of the 

 ancient ethnology of the Antilles has been received recently at the 

 National Museum. It was bequeathed by Mr. George Latimer, a mer- 



