79 



the northern form (sessiliflora) should be cultivated 

 here, it might, possibly, prove a better tree for our 

 climate. 



The swamp white oak (Quercus bioolor) grows in 

 the meadows by the bridges over the Ipswich river 

 at Topsfield, and at the North Beverly end of Brimble 

 avenue. There is a tree, one of the finest in Essex 

 County before its lower limbs were cut to make 

 room for a small dwelling house, in the yard of No. 

 31 Cabot street. It is to be regretted that so fine 

 a tree, so far as known the only one in the city proper, 

 and so near the street, could not have been carefully 

 preserved. It had for years been a conspicuous object 

 as seen from the trains passing over the mill pond 

 tracks. The Pickering mansion, on Broad street, is 

 said to have been framed from swamp white oaks grow- 

 ing upon the estate in 1651. 



These are all of the species of the white oak class 

 found here except the chinquapin oak (Quercus prin- 

 oides) which grows naturally at Topsfield and Boxford 

 and other towns in that part of the county. This oak, 

 however, is a shrub rarely more than six or eight feet 

 in height. 



The red oak (Quercus rubra) is one of our commonest 

 forest trees. There is a fine young tree at No. 26 

 Norman street, and larger ones on the hill by Clifton 

 avenue. There are several large trees at Harmony 

 Grove cemetery, in the open space where spare stones 

 are usually thrown in the older part of the grounds, and 

 there are others near the receiving tomb. The largest 

 red oak in Salem is at Kern wood, a little to the west 

 of the residence of Mr. J. E. Peabody. It is more than 

 twelve feet in circumference. 



