AILANTHUS 
the one that it retains its foliage bright and fresh and green 
throughout the late summer when so many trees become 
ragged and unsightly. This 
characteristic especially rec- 
ommends it as a city tree. 
Then, too, it grows rapidly, 
as do all trees whose roots 
run near the surface of the 
ground, and the growing 
stems of young plants will 
often make from four to six 
feet in a single summer. It 
sends forth suckers abun- 
dantly, its winged seeds are 
borne by the wind to many 
a crack and crevice, and its 
seedlings have a fashion of 
coming up close to the foun- 
dations of city houses and 
flourishing there. Apparent- 
ly it delights in meagre and 
barren soils, for it often 
prospers where few other 
trees will grow. No insect enemies have as yet appeared, 
if there are any in China they seem not to have mi- 
grated. 
The branches look clumsy in winter because of the entire 
absence of small spray ; this is a characteristic of all trees 
with large compound leaves. It will be readily seen that 
this must be so, otherwise the twig could not sustain the ac- 
cumulated weight of the leaves. All the twigs look upward, 
not one turns to the earth. 
The beauty of the unfolding leaves is one of the sights of 
spring time. The tufts of young leaves with their bronze 
greens and madder browns and pale green tips glow ina 
brilliant atmosphere like the wings of a golden pheasant. 
Bring one into the house, put it into a proper vase, set it in 
39 
Ailanthus ; Cluster of Samaras. 
