22 The Rural Library . 



virens ) is a conspicuous and useful evergreen tree in the southern 

 United States. It is shown in the cut. Other northern oaks 

 of great merit are the burr oak ( C?. macrocarpa) and the swamp 

 white oak ( Q. bico/or). Two or three chestnut-Hke oaks, of which 

 the chief is Oiwrcus Prinus, are also desirable trees for shade. The 

 willow oak ( (2- Phelios) is prized in the middle states. The English 

 oak ( Q. Robur or Q. pedunculata ) is a very slow-growing tree in Amer- 

 ica, and is rarely planted for shade purposes. 



Pepperidge or gum tree ( Nyssa multiflora ) is useful as an oddity. 

 It reaches 30 to 50 feet in hight and is chiefly grown because of its 

 foliage, which turns to a bright crimson in autumn, and its picturesque 

 habit. The trees present a most curious, deflected habit of growth, 

 which makes them exceedingly striking in the landscape. Every lawn 

 should have a specimen. The pepperidge is used to best advantage, 

 however, when planted in small groups. A low, damp, moist situa- 

 tion, as a swamp, is best suited to it, although it often thrives upon 

 uplands. 



Poplars ( Populus ) are very useful as ornamental, quick-growing 

 trees. They are of upright growth, and thrive in a variety of soils, 

 but do best in a moist one. The white or silver poplar ( P. alba) is 

 a tree of wonderfully rapid growth and wide spreading habit, but 

 it sprouts so badly that it is in great disfavor. The thick leaves 

 are very white beneath and maple-like in shape, and for this reason 

 the tree is sometimes called silver maple. The Lombardy poplar 

 (P. fastigiata ov dilafata) is useful in landscape gardening to break 

 the somber effect of most other trees. It is a tall-growing species, 

 often growing as high as 150 feet. It is a tree that is commonly over- 

 planted, however. A row of Lombardies along a street is exceed- 

 ingly formal and the shade is not great. The tree sprouts badly 

 along highways, and is apt to be a nuisance. In the northern states 

 the old trees are often injured by the winters. A clump of Lombard- 

 ies here and there upon some conspicuous site makes a very bold and 

 picturesque object. The common Cottonwood or Canadian poplar 

 {P. monilifera) of our central and western states is a tall-growing 

 tree, and delights in moist soil, especially along streams. It is one of 

 the most useful of all the poplars. The common aspen ( P. tremu- 

 loidt'S ) is a neglected tree. The bright, dangling leaves make it a gay 



