6io 



A CHAPTER ON TREES. 



of a species to which the name of A. c'cstila has been 

 given. In 1889 it was found growing on rocky ledges 

 near Guadalajara, Mexico, by that enterprising collector, 

 C. G. Pringle, who has already contributed to our gar- 

 dens much material of an ornamental character. 



Mr. Pringle kindly sent us a living specimen of A. 

 vestita, which was described as follows by the late Dr. 

 Sereno Watson ; " Leaves very numerous, stiff, straight, 

 ensiform, a foot long or less, by 6 or 8 lines broad, flat 

 above, convex beneath, attenuate to a very pungent 

 brown tip, covered throughout when young with a thin 

 white, continuous layer which is at length deciduous, 

 leaving a smooth green surface, variegated with scattered 

 round, lighter colored spots, the margin bordered by 

 long, grey, recurved threads ; flowers sessile in pairs ; 

 the narrow segments of the perianth 6 lines long, fila- 

 ments twice as long, ovary and narrowly turbinate tube 

 each 4 lines long ; capsule broadly oblong, 6 lines long. "* 



* Proc. Amer. Acad., Vol. XXIV., p. 163. 



The yellowish spots on the leaves, alluded to by Dr. 

 Watson, were once quite a decorative feature of the 

 plant, but they have disappeared in the case of our 

 specimen. Severe drought, and the barren character of 

 the plant's natural abode — circumstances pretty well re- 

 versed in the garden treatment — were probably respon- 

 sible for their formation. It will be observed from the 

 accompanying figure, however, that the plant is still ex- 

 ceedingly attractive without them. 



There can be no doubt that these low-growing agaves 

 will survive considerable hardship so far as soil and 

 moisture are concerned, but they are sensitive to cold. 

 Although they exist for a long time, even when neglected, 

 yet it pays to be generous with them, and, having this in 

 view, they should be potted in rich sandy soil, and given 

 a plentiful supply of water during the annual hot weather 

 period. 



Harvard Botanic Garden, Mass. M. Barker. 



A CHAPTER ON TREES. 



TREES Growing on Trees. — It is no uncommon 

 thing to meet some tree or shrub growing in 

 the fork of another. The writer recalls a moun- 

 tain ash some 6 feet high growing from an elm 

 tree some 20 feet above the ground. A con- 

 tributor to the Boston Transcript recently described a 

 currant-bush with ripe fruit which he had seen growing 

 from the fork made by the principal branches of the so- 

 called Washington elm at the village of Wellesley, n^ar 

 Boston. This currant-bush flourished about 25 feet 

 above the ground. Such planting is to be ascribed to 

 birds, who carry the seed into the trees, where it germi- 

 nates and develops. A rather more singular case of tree 

 growth on a tree was met by the writer some time ago in 

 the city of Buffalo. The subject was a Babylonian 

 weeping willow, which had lost one of its branches in 

 years past, causing a large scar and decayed center in 

 the tree, filled with moist, rotten wood. From the edge 

 of the scar, which was situated about 6 feet above the 

 ground, roots had struck into the moist substance in the 

 tree trunk, had made some growth, and were in a thriv- 

 ing condition, thus causing the tree in part to be feeding 

 on its own vitals. 



Who will Plant Columbus Trees ? — The beautiful 

 custom of planting trees to commemorate events and 

 persons is not as much in vogue in this country as in 

 some others. Perhaps Americans are too practical- 

 minded to readily adopt such ideas ; if so, it would be 

 well to cultivate sentiment in a direction so commend- 

 able. These thoughts are suggested by the recommend- 

 ation of the executive committee in charge of the Na- 



tional Columbian School Celebration that on October 12 

 — Columbus Day — the memory of the great discoverer be 

 regarded by the planting of Columbus trees. The editor 

 of this journal, for one, proposes to follow this recom- 

 mendation on his own home grounds, and he hopes to 

 have much company in all parts of America engaged in 

 the same act. He will most likely set out an American 

 elm as a Columbus tree, for it is one of our handsomest 

 and most long-lived natives, and in all probability it will, if 

 unmolested, be yet in existence when the five-hundredth 

 anniversary of our country's discovery shall have come. 

 There are numerous native trees, both deciduous and 

 evergreen, adapted to every part of our country, that 

 should, if planted now, still be growing a century hence. 

 Where trees are not abundant on one's grounds, it would 

 be a capital plan not to limit the planting on this occa- 

 sion to a single specimen, but to set out a mass, grove 

 or row of trees in memory of our country's discoverer. 

 Nearly all kinds of deciduous trees will be yet in leaf at 

 the Columbus day date ; then what is to be done ? Sim- 

 ply strip oft every leaf on the tree or trees to be trans- 

 planted ; then there will be no more risk in moving on 

 that date than to wait until after the time of natural leaf 

 fall. Let all join in a universal Columbus arbor-day on 

 the date named. Let school-children, of all others, be 

 encouraged and assisted in planting Columbus trees in 

 the school grounds. Let bodies of people, families and 

 individuals engage in such planting. By this means the 

 country would be made more beautiful and the memory 

 of its great discoverer be the more vividly kept in mind 

 by all its people. 



