THE FLOWER GARDEN. 



813 



these, the P. clanhrassiliana ; P. lanceolata ; P. pinastsr ; 

 P. longifolia^ although a native of the East Indies; P. csmhra^ 

 P. pichta, and P. adunca, are highly interesting. 



Nearly allied to this family are the magnificent family of 

 Araucaria, the Chili pine ; A. imbricaia, is found to be suf- 

 ficiently hardy to stand out in favorable situations. It is, 

 however, still rare. Should it become more common, no tree 

 with which we are acquainted would be a greater ornament to 

 our arboratums. 



The Chestnut family afford us trees very ornamental to 

 our parks and lawns ; and the firuit of the common chestnut, 

 Castanea vesca, is used in our deserts. It attains a great 

 size, and is a valuable timber-tree. 



The Beech is also an ornament to our parks and pleasure- 

 grounds. The variety with dark purple leaves, produces a 

 good effect in garden scenery ; it was originally discovered in 

 one of the German forests, and is now generally met with in 

 our pleasure-gi'ounds. It is botanically considered only a va- 

 riety of the common beech, Fagiis S7jlvatica, It may be 

 mentioned, as an additional illustration of the importance of 

 this family, that the seeds of the F. sylvatica, when freed 

 from the husk or outer envelope, aflford by pressure one-sixth 

 part of a fixed oil of excellent quality ; and considered, 

 when properly managed, to be equal to that of olives. This 

 oil is prepared in great quantities in Germany and the north 

 of France, from seeds obtained from the forests of Crecy and 

 Compeigne. 



The Poplar family afford us a greater variety of beautiful 

 foliage than that of almost any other tribe ; that of Populus 

 trepida and P. tremula possess a singular motion of their leaves, 

 which has not been satisfactorily accounted for. The fragrance 

 of P. balsamifera is very agreeable, and consequently it often 

 finds a place in our shrubberies. It seems a neglected genus 

 that merits more general cultivation. It is of very rapid 

 growth, and flourishes in situations where few other timber- 

 trees would thrive. Several of the species also promise to 

 become useful for building purposes. 



The Birch family are peculiarly interesting ; the white - 

 birch, Bctula alba, and its varieties, assuming very graceful 



