160 LANDSCAPE GAEDENING. 



of trees ; but the European weeping birch is peculiarly 

 pleasing as it grows old, on that account. It is this variety 

 which Coleridge pronounces, 



" Moat beautiful 



Of forest trees — ^the Lady of the woods." 

 And Bernard Barton, speaking of our native species, says. 



-" See the beautiliil Birch tree fling 



Its shade on the grass beneath — 

 Its glossy leaf, and its silvery stem ; 

 Dost thou not love to look on them %" 



The American sorts, and particularly the Black birch, 

 start into leaf very early in the spring, and their tender 

 green is agreeable to the eye at that season; while the 

 swelling buds and young foliage in many kinds, give out a 

 delicious, though faint perfume. Even the blossoms, which 

 hang like little brown tassels from the drooping branches, 

 are interesting to the lover of nature. 



" The fragrant birch above him hung 

 Her tassels in the sky. 

 And many a vernal blossom sprung. 

 And nodded careless by." 



Bktant. 



Nothing can well be prettier, seen from the windows of 

 the drawing-room, than a large group of trees, whose depth 

 and distance is made up by the heavy and deep masses of 

 the ash, oak, and maple ; and the portions nearest the eye or 

 the lawn terminated by a few birches, with their sparkling 

 white stems, and delicate, airy, drooping foliage. Our White 

 birch, being a small tree, is very handsome in such situa- 

 tions, and offers the most pleasing variety to the eye, when 



