454 



THE GARDENS OF NEWPORT— III. 



perhaps as many more varieties worthy of notice. The 

 common beech of Europe, Fagits sylvatica, is largely 

 planted in Newport, though it is doubtful if the species 

 is superior to our own. The American white beech, F. 

 ferruginea, has a larger leaf, sharper pointed and more 

 distinctly toothed, while in most other characteristics 

 the two are substantially alike ; and for planting, one 

 may be regarded as good as the other. No trees on the 

 lawn are more cleanly in their habits, and the smooth, 

 almost glossy trunks, that rise like solid columns, carry 

 well-formed and graceful heads almost without exception. 

 Each of the highly ornamental varieties here shown are 

 of foreign origin, the points giving them distinction be- 

 ing found almost wholly in the foliage, inasmuch as for 

 hardiness, form and general characteristics of growth, 

 little or no difference is observable. The record runs 

 that many years ago a beech was found in a German 

 forest with dark colored leaves. It was what the gar- 

 deners call " a sport," and from it have been propagated 

 all the purple beeches of the world. As is well known, 

 such a sport cannot be depended upon to reproduce it- 

 self from seed, and so budding and grafting have been 

 resorted to, a process now in more general use among 

 nurserymen than ever before. But, as according to the 

 well known law of heredity which applies to tree and 

 plant growth as well as to animals and men, new forms, 

 however produced, tend to transmit something of their 

 peculiarities to their offspring, and so by planting seed 

 from purple beeches, making selections always from the 

 darkest and best specimens, this feature has been culti- 

 vated and strengthened until seedlings of much value 

 are now offered in the market. But there are certain 

 "strains '.' or sub-varieties of deeper color than that of 

 most of the seedlings, and these are perpetuated in their 

 integrity by the old processes of budding and grafting 

 through which alone their peculiarities can be main- 

 tained. The various kinds known as Copper, Blood, 

 Bronze and Red beeches differ only in shades of color 

 on the part of the several specimens or groups to which 

 these titles are applied Many regret the failure of this 

 tree to maintain its rich color through the entire season. 

 It is glorious in early spring, but by midsummer the dark 

 shade fades away and the foliage becomes much the same 

 as that of the common beech. Some persons speak of 

 this as a serious defect, and in one sense it is so ; but I 

 am not quite sure that the transformation fails in its 

 compensations ana tna it is not an advantage rather 

 than a loss. It certainly changes the aspect so that a 

 landscape or border containing these beeches does not 

 tire the spectator, as it might otherwise do, by a sum- 

 mer of dead uniformity. 



The fern-leaved beech, of which the specimen par- 

 tially shown in the illustration is one of the largest and 

 best to be found in the private grounds of Newport, is 

 another sport that has been perpetuated in cultivation. 

 There are various forms of cut-leaved foliage among 

 the beeches that are sometimes included under this name, 

 and it would be difficult to describe the differences be- 

 tween them ; but what is here known as the fern leaf 



has long narrow leaves, deeply lobed, thin and pointed. 

 They are not all alike, even on the same tree, but are 

 always beautiful. The editor of Gardeners' Monthly 

 wrote a quarter of a century ago: "If we could have 

 but six ornamental trees, the fern-leaved beech would 

 be among the first we should choose," and nothing has 

 since appeared which would justify a reversal of this 

 estimate of its value. 



The weeping beech, F. pendula, is also highly prized 

 and given a prominent place in many of these Newport 

 gardens. It is a variety concerning which opinions may 

 well differ. In many cases its apparent contortions are 

 far from elegant, for it conforms to no recognized lines 

 of beauty. But even then it seldom fails to be an object 

 of interest wherever seen. But the weeping beech is 

 capable of becoming one of the grandest of trees. There 

 is a specimen standing on the estate of Mrs. Bruen, near 

 Bellevue avenue, though hidden from the street, about 

 sixty feet in height, every line of which is full of grace. 

 The pendulous branches fall on all sides of the trunk 

 and almost parallel with it, giving the tree much the form 

 of a tall, columnar shaft. The compact foliage conceals 

 the stem and branches so effectually that one thinks only 

 of a pillar of foliage as he stands in its presence. There 

 is another in the same grounds, less beautiful only be- 

 cause of its somewhat inferior dimensions. Another 

 remarkable specimen appears on the estate of Mrs. Ed- 

 ward King. This is of, perhaps, equal height with that 

 already described, but the branches are maintained at a 

 distance from the stem, so that in falling to the ground 

 they constitute an outer wall for a rustic circular apart- 

 ment of ample proportions. A meeting of the Newport 

 Nature Club was held under this tree some time since, 

 at which about thirty persons were provided with seat- 

 ing accommodations within the enclosure, leaving ample 

 room for as many more without crowding. The branches 

 of this tree are supported in the position which they are 

 desired to occupy by a light and inconspicuous frame- 

 work, which accounts in part for their outward extension 

 in this peculiar formation. These weepers appear in 

 nearly all the grounds, and in almost every conceivable 

 shape. 



There are other beautiful forms of the beech but lit- 

 tle known, though worthy the attention of all who are 

 especially interested in parks and gardens. There is 

 what is known as the broad-leaved beech, F. viacro- 

 phylla, which has much larger foliage than the type ; the 

 F. aurea variegatu, with leaves striped with yellow bands, 

 beautiful but rare ; the F. cristata, having leaves deeply 

 cut, curled and crisp ; the F. caslaiicpfolia , with foliage 

 somewhat resembling that of the chestnut, and the F. 

 argentea variegata, the leaves of which are touched with 

 silvery white. These less known forms need but to be 

 seen to be appreciated, but it is difficult at present to 

 obtain them, as the supply is not equal to the demand. 

 The F. antarctica is a native of Terra del Fuego, and de- 

 scribed as a species of medium size with stiff tortuous 

 branches, as if stunted by the severe cold and fierce 

 winds of its, to us, distant home. The evergreen beech 



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