THE TREES OF AMERIQA. "' 33 



PLATE V. 



ASH FOREST,' STATE OF MAINE. 



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"Leafless are the' trees ; - their purple branches 

 Spread; themselves abroad, like reefs of coral 



Rising silent 

 In theriRed Sesf oCth'e -ftinter., sunset." — ^: ATLANTIC MONTHLY. 



This view is from a photograph, .taken by. an .English artist, while .travelling. 

 in this country ; the; author is indebted for it to , Messrs. Whipple & Black, of 

 Boston, and also; for liberal offers of; aid during the progress of his work. 

 , Such forests are bepoining ,yery scarce in New England. We formerly knew 

 of an island of three hundred acres situated in_ a lake in the State of Maine, 

 which was covered; with a.growth of ashtiraber like that shpwn.in our plate. 

 The owner said that he could drive an ox team through any part of it -^ithout 

 being obstructed by shrjil)^ or, stones.- We are, fortunately able . to preserve, 

 by the art of the engraver, one of these old memorial forests before they have 

 all passed away, leaving behind them, for a short time only, a few crumbling relics 

 of their mighty columns, Ayhiph confirm the traditionary legends, of their former 

 grandeur. We are glad to present to our readers this woodland view, tajien at 

 a season of the year when the trees are divested of their leaves, in order that 

 their detail may be studied, and the arches and. angles formed by the crossing 

 branches may be seen in all their wondrous beauty. Our plate, we think, will 

 also be of interest to those who have never seen the trees when thus stripped 

 to do battle with the blasts of our northern winters. There is an individuality 

 in every part of any species of tree, whigh will enable the man who observes at 

 all to distinguish it from every other sipecies of. tree. Thus a small portion of 

 ..the bark, viewed only in, regard to its external configuration, would enable any 

 one of even moderate powers of observation to pronounce at once upon its species. 



