THE AMERICAN ELDER, 



151 



THE AMERICAN ELDER [Sambucus canadensis acutilobd). 



This is a common shrub throughout the State species is, perhaps, S.pubens, occurring in the 

 of New York. Were it less familiar it might Alleghany mountains — with its large, loose 

 well take rank among ornamental shrubs on panicles of bright scarlet berries. Other well- 

 account of its showy white cymes, as well as known forms in cultivation are the variegated- 

 leaved (S. variegatd), the golden-leaved (S. 

 aurea), the black-berried or medium-sized 

 European species (S. nigra), the fern-leaved (S. 

 heterophylld), the cut-leaved (S. laciniatd), the 

 round-leaved [S.rotundij olid), the pyramidal (S. 

 pyramidalis), the cut-leaved golden (S. plumosa 

 foliis aureis) . To these should be added a new 

 native variety, the cut-leaved American Elder 

 (S. canadensis acutilobd) just introduced, a deci- 

 dedly novel and highly ornamental shrub, sur- 

 passing the cut- and fern-leaved sorts. Per- 

 fectly hardy, graceful in habit, easy of trans- 

 planting, a rapid and vigorous grower, and of 

 marked beautyin its delicately-cleft dark green 

 foliage, it will form a fine companion for the 

 cut-leaved Sumach, and add a new grace-note 

 to the park and garden. 



The Tree Leaf. — We, who live for ourselves, 

 and neither know how to use nor keep the work 

 of past time, may humbly learn — as from the ant, 

 foresight — from the leaf, reverence. The power of 

 every great people, as of every living tree, depends 

 on its not effacing, but confirming and concluding, 

 the labours of its ancestors. Looking back to the 

 history of nations, we may date the beginning of 

 their decline from the moment when they ceased to 

 be reverent in heart, and accumulative in hand and 

 brain ; from the moment when the redundant fruit 

 of age hid in them the hollowness of heart, whence 

 the simplicities of custom and sinews of tradition 

 had withered away. This lesson we have to take 

 from the leaf's life. One more we may receive 

 from its death. If ever in autumn a pensiveness 

 falls upon us as the leaves drift by in their fading, 

 may we not wisely look up in hope to their mighty 

 monuments ? Behold how fair, how far prolonged, 

 in arch and aisle, the avenues of the valleys ; the 

 fringes of the hill ! So stately — so eternal ; the joy 

 of man, the comfort of all living creatures, the 

 glory of the earth — they are but the monuments 

 of those poor leaves that flit faintly past us to die. 

 Let them not pass, without our understanding their 

 last counsel and example ; that we also, careless or 

 monument by the grave, may build it in the world 

 — monument by which men may be taught to re- 

 member, not where we died, but where we lived.— 

 John Ruskin. 



AMERICAN CUTLEAVED ELDER. 



its brilliant ruddy fruit, from which a domestic 

 wine is still made by the country housewife. 

 The most ornamental of the common native 



