112 



The old Hubbard elm, at North Andover, has for years 

 supported a currant bush, whose fruit I have gathered, 

 and there is another growing under similar conditions 

 in a tree on Hathornp street. Mr. Browne has no- 

 ticed a fern growing in an elm on Broad street, and in 

 many of our street trees may be found clumps of grass 

 and occasionally some of our common garden weeds. 

 But one of the oddest of these false epiphytes is to be 

 seen in the fork of one of the elms on Essex street, by 

 the upper gate of the North Church, where two tall 

 stems of a common golden rod have blossomed for a 

 week past, fifteen feet from the ground. Of course 

 these plants simply derive their sustenance from earth 

 and moisture lodged in the tree, precisely as if growing 

 in the gutter or angle on the roof of a house, as "Alice's 

 posies" grew on "The House of the Seven Gables." 



Additions might be made to the number of references 

 for many species in the list of trees noticed, but, as it 

 was only intended to cite a few good examples of each 

 tree, it would not be possible to name half of the fine 

 specimens which may be found in our streets and gar- 

 dens. 



It is of course pleasant to find evidence that these 

 sketches have proved of interest to the public generally, 

 and this assurance has been repeatedly given. If they 

 have contributed to the pleasure of the readers of the 

 Gazette, and at the same time awakened interest in the 

 trees themselves, and thus indirectly cause them to be 

 more respected and better cared for, the object of the 

 sketches will have been fully accomplished. 



September eighth. 



