THE ROMANCE OF OUR.-TREES 



Birches, the leaves change to pure yellow of differ- 

 ent shades. In none of the above-mentioned groups 

 is purple or red of any shade developed. 



In favourable years the American or White Ash 

 {Fraxinus americana) is unique in its tints passing 

 through all shades from a dark chocolate to violet, 

 clear brown, and salmon but it has no reds. 



The Peach, Plum, Pear, Apple, Quince, Cherry, 

 Mountain-ash, Hawthorn, and the Silver Maple, have 

 a predominance of green with a slight or considerable 

 admixture of purple, red, and yellow, and individuals 

 are frequently strikingly brilliant. In another 

 group purple, crimson, and scarlet, with only a slight 

 admixture of yellow if any, obtain. Here are the 

 Tupelo, Scarlet Oak, White Oak, Sumach, Viburnum, 

 Sorrel-tree, Cornel, and many other trees. A final 

 group — to which belong the Red, Sugar, Striped, and 

 Mountain Maples, the Smoke-tree (Cotinus), Poison 

 Dogwood, Sassafras and the Shadbush or Snowy 

 Mespilus — has variegated tints comprising all shades 

 of purple, crimson, scarlet, orange, and yellow on the 

 same or different individuals of the same species. 

 Often the leaves are tinted and sometimes figured like 

 the wings of a butterfly. 



Careful observers will note that the gradations of 

 autumn tints in all cases are in order of those of sun- 

 rise: from darker to lighter hues, and never the re- 



40 



