12 EEPOET OF ARCHITECT OF UNITED STATES CAPITOL. 



the head of which the White Oak (Q. alba) is, under favorable conditions, fully as 

 noble a monarch of the forest as its European brother, the Sacred Oak of the Druids 

 (Q. pedunculata). Yet, perhaps, for broad landscape values others are of more conse- 

 quence, and of these some, from their more feminine beauty, reward close observation 

 ajso. The best scenery about Washington depends for its character chiefly on oaks. 

 The Capitol ground has good examples of several (see list appended), of which the 

 best were grown from acorns upon it or in the adjoining Botanic Garden. The largest, 

 standing alone on the turf northeast of the Washington elm, was transplanted from 

 a distance when eighteen inches in diameter. 



A number of shrubs, known only as garden plants in the North, grow wild in profu- 

 sion about Washington, the most striking and beautiful, both in leaf and flower, being 

 the Virginia Fringe-tree (Chionanthus Virginica). This, with the Silver Bell (Halesia 

 tetraptera), and the Virgilia or Yellowwood (Cladastrls tlnctpria), may often be seen in 

 the form of small trees, the last two attaining a height occasionally of 30 feet or more, 

 with graceful forms, and light and delicate spray and leafage. The Chinquapin or 

 Dwarf Chestnut (Castanea pumlla), also grows naturally about Washington. 



Other small trees and bushes, all more or less planted now in Europe, but which 

 foreigners may like to see in their native wild state, and which are common, are the 

 Shad bush (Amelanchier Canadensis), a small tree of great refinement of aspect; the 

 American Witch Hazel (Hammomelis Canadensw) ; several Viburnums and Huckle- 

 berries and the Spice bush (Lindera benzoin). Wild grapes and Trumpefc-creeper 

 (Bignonia radicans) are also common, and both often lend a charm to situations that 

 would otherwise be the reverse of attractive. 



Such situations are unfortunately common near Washington, because mainly so 

 much of the land has been ravaged of its natural fertility by a reckless agriculture, 

 and because, when once cleared of its primeval vegetatiou, it does not, as it might 

 further north, become naturally clothed by any form of turf or other close-knitting, 

 surface-rooting growth, and is, in consequence, subject to be kept raw and gullied by 

 the action of frost and rains. 



Under these circuinstauces, whatever charm there might otherwise be in the land- 

 scapes is often wholly destroyed by foreground conditions of repulsive rawness and 

 shabbiness. Iu most parts of Europe, not naturally turfy, such land would be syste- 

 matically planted with trees. Here, with the relatively high market value of money 

 for various other forms <>i' commercial enterprise, such a use of it has not yet been 

 proved profitable. It may be observed, also, that no plants are here indigenous like 

 heather, gorse, or broom, such as in Europe often give a picturesque and at. times ex- 

 ceedingly lovely aspect to sterile situations, otherwise of forbidding character. It is 

 not certain that these plants might not be naturalized (a few plants of broom of 

 several years happy growth may be seen in the Capitol ground). It is highly proba- 

 ble that the native American ally of the broom, called Woad waxen (Genista tlnctorla), 

 found in a lew localities to the northward, it' introduced, would serve their purpose. 

 But at present woody \ ines of various sorts are chiefly of value in this respect, and 

 of this value an admirable illustration may be observed in Mr. Saul's nursery, where 

 a large extent of caving banks on the border of a small stream, occasionally becom- 

 ing a torrent, have been made within a few years the most agreeable feature of the 

 local scenery, the tew plants of Japanese (sub-evergreen) honeysuckle (Louicera bra- 

 chipoda), originally set, having spread with the greatest profusion, so that in June 

 there are acres of ground over which the air is loaded with the delicious perfume of 

 their bloom. A characteristic exhibition of the same plant may be seen south of the 

 summer-house on the Capitol ground, and near it a variety of plants adapted to dress 

 rough ground unlit for turf. Among the best of these is the Saint John's wort (Hy- 

 pericum), of which several species are uative to the region. 



The Red Cedar (Juniperua Virginiana), near Washington, generally assumes a form 

 so different from that common in many parts of the north that it may pass unrecog- 

 nized and an effect, distantly recalling one much beloved byTurner aud seen in most 

 of his landscapes of southern Europe, sometimes occurs (on the hills north of the re- 

 form school on the eastern mad to Bladensburg Spa, for example), the horizontal 

 strata of the Italian Stone Pine being represented by the Yellow Pine (Finns mitis), 

 and the fastigiate Cypress by the form referred to of the Red Cedar. 



Two short excursions may be recommended to the visitor wishing to cursorily oh- 

 i In general character of the natural forest. One through the romantic woods of 

 Rock Creek, best made on foot or in the saddle, taking by the way the government 

 property of the Soldiers' Home, which contains many introduced coniferous trees of 

 about thirty years' growth. The other by rowing on the Potomac, above West Wash- 

 ington, where boats for the purpose can be had. This offers a pleasing illustration of 

 closely-wooded A i erican river-side scenery, large in general outline and mass, with 

 considerable picturesqueness of detail under the shadow of moderately well-grown 

 forest trees. It is much resorted to and somewhat misused and damaged by boating 

 and picnic parties. It is hard that in the interest of posterity these two sylvan trea- 

 sures of the capital, the wooded declivities of the Upper Potomac and the wilds of 



