The Walnut Tree. 



trees would form ai-oof over it, perfectly completed before 

 they were sixty feet high. 



565. Of all the trees that I know any thing of, nothing 

 equals the Black Walnut as a single tree. Its spread is 

 immense. If pruned up to about ten or fifteen feet high, 

 and then left to take its own course, its great spread, its 

 load of fine leaves, the shade that it gives, its erect and 

 bold attitude, and its defiance of the winds, make it one of 

 the noblest objects that the eyes of man can behokl. When 

 near to houses, it, in times of great heat, serves the family as 

 a place to sit under during the intolerable ardour of the sun. 

 The shade is so complete, and the lower branches, which 

 are rather pendulous, reach so near to the ground with 

 their points, that you are here sitting, not only completely 

 out of the sun, and without a hot roof over you, but you 

 have, at the same time, the advantage of every breath of 

 air that is stirring. 



566. I remember, with feelings of singular delight, that, 

 on the 11th of July, 1818, when the thermometer of Faren- 

 HEiT was standing at more than a hundred degrees, I, 

 sitting under the shade of a Black Walnut tree, wrote 

 that letter (addressed to Mr. Tierney), which ought to 

 have warned Mr. Peel and the Parliament of the great 

 dangers of passing that Bill (for restoring cash payments 

 without concomitants), which, however, they did, neverthe- 

 less pass, in a year and a few days after that time ; and 

 which Bill has caused, is now causing, and will still cause, 

 calamities to this country, the extent of which no tongue 

 nor pen can describe. 



56/. Thus I conclude niy observations, witli regai'd to 

 this magnificent and useful tree, which J cannot take my 



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