122 AUTUMNAL COLOR ON THE LAWN. 



occasional naked stems and branches. These other colors are 

 subordinated, as well as softened, into due sympathy with 

 the autumnal characteristics of this particular part of the 

 season. After all, the background should be employed 

 mainly as a foil for the brighter beauties of autumn. It is 

 common to think of red tints as the noteworthy colors of 

 autumn foliage ; yet there are many others which are very 

 attractive, as even our brief consideration of a proper back- 

 ground has already shown us. 



We must come now to consider the higher notes or 

 chords of our symphony of color. The most brilliant ejlects 

 are reached in the red or crimson tints. Scarlet is a color 

 almost unknown to the normal foliage of hardy plants. 

 The most familiar example of this rich chord of color is 

 found in the autumn tints of the swamp, or falsely named 

 scarlet, maple, A.cer rubrtum, and in the common sugar maple. 

 Of all the forms of maples, except the shvnhhj polymorpTium 

 from Japan, these are the only species remarkable for their 

 red color in fall. How beautiful they are, thousands can 

 testify who have stood entranced before the sugar maples 

 of the hills of V-ermont or the scarlet maples on the banks 

 of the Delaware. Sugar maples sometimes color grandly, 

 especially on hillsides. 



On the lawn, these reddish tints often fail, or simply 

 serve to warm the rich golden-yellow which is apt to take 

 their place. For that matter, who has not often seen as 

 fine a yellow on the tulip poplar ! We should, therefore, 

 plant the tulip poplar in the background, where its colors 

 will blend agreeably with the greens and browns of the 

 other trees. The sugar maple, also, does not generally 



