202 



yet be distinguishable. Throughout the animal and 

 vegetable kingdom we notice unceasing changes, — 

 giving individuality to every department in a sur- 

 prising degree. As an important rule, we notice 

 advances have been made and favorable circum- 

 stances can be maintained, that Nature will cherish 

 and assist in perpetuating and improving upon her 

 every effort. 



Doubtless we shall find many individual instances 

 of return to a lower type ; but it is equally true that 

 superior excellencies may also be developed. By 

 sowing the seed of the Bartlett pear we may not be 

 ablo to mark and sell the seedlings as Bartletts ; 

 but, if the seed were well-selected, we may count 

 upon a surprising number of really good pears. Mr. 

 Dana, of Boxbury, Mass., for example, has sown a 

 small quantity of good pear seed, and he has pro- 

 duced, as a.rule, seedlings of superior excellence, — 

 several of which are better than any one of the 

 thousands of Van Mons, obtained by taking Nature 

 at her lowest stage. Clearly, the analog us law, so 

 palpable in the animal kingdom as to be recognized 

 and practiced upon by all good breeders, should also 

 be applied to the vegetable world. Experiment with 

 Nature's best products and never doubt you will be 

 prospered in your efforts. 



A noble specimen of this lusus naturae, the pur- 

 ple Beech, is now standing on the grounds of Mr. 

 John A. Kendrick, in Newton, Mass. The tree 

 was planted by Mr. Kendrick, in 1834, and is, con- 

 sequently, 33 years planted, or probably 37 years 

 old, being about 4 years old when imported. ' It has 

 now attained a height of 40 feet, with ahead of fine 

 symmetry — the wide spreading branches measuring 

 a diameter of 23 feet. At 6 feet from the ground 

 the trunk measures a circumference of 4 ft., 11 in., 

 at which point the branches begin to diverge. Sur- 

 rounded as it is by every shade of green, the tree is 

 a magnificent contrast — filling the eye with delight. 

 In the early summer the young growth has all the 

 richness of young trees. But the inner foliage and 

 the extremities also, later in the season, lose the 

 rich depth of color. For this reason, Mr. Kendrick 

 is inclined to call it the Copper Beech. Yet this is 

 a peculiarity which we notice even in young trees, 

 and should expect to find increasing with age. It 

 is an invariable rule that vigor of growth increases 

 the depth of coloro 



Doubtless, there are many shades of color in the 

 seedlings ot this variety ; but the true purpurea 

 may often pass for cuprea for want of a few shovels- 

 ful of manure. While enjoying the rare beauty of 

 several of these purple specimens, mingling with 



the foliage of other trees and glistening in all the 

 freshness of a June morning, it was easy to notice 

 that the limit for these trees might easily be over- 

 stepped. Grive them a preponderating effect, and 

 how quickly would tbe tone become heavy and 

 gloomy. 



In spite of the length of this paper, T cannot for- 

 bear to notice a remarkable specimen of this Beech 

 family, standi g about 75 feet from the tree above- 

 described, — a Fagns pendula^ — also planted in the 

 year 1834. Though its habit is remarkably pendu- 

 lous, yet it has preserved a single, upright leader 

 until within the last two years. The circumference 

 of the trunk, 3 feet from the ground, is now 3 feet, 

 1 inch, and the height is about 40 feet. From the 

 ground to the extreme top of this strai rht trunk 

 branches are regularly thrown off, which incline 

 downwards with perfect symmetry. The longest 

 branches are about 26 feet long, starting from the 

 trunk about mid way up and reaching to the ground. 

 The base of this lower is 20 feet on the ground, 

 the longest branches being 10 ft. from the trunk as 

 they reach the ground. 



It seems almost incredible that the sap could have 

 ascended the upright stem, according to common 

 law, and then taken a reverse direction down the 

 branches with such uniform regularity and grace. 

 Yet the growth and form of this tree is all natural 

 and perfectly healthy, not in the least caused by the 

 weight of the branches, but simply because the na- 

 ture of the branches is directly downwards. Who, 

 by searching, can find out the hidden springs of 

 life? 



UNFERTILE BLOSSOMS ON DWARF PEAR 

 TRBBS. 



BY DR. J. S. HOUGHTON, PHILA. 



About one year ago I called the attention of the rea- 

 ders of the Monthly to the unfertile character of the 

 blossoms on certain pear trees, which annually exhibit 

 a great profusion of flowers, and yet produce but little, 

 if any, frui . I inquired what was the cause of the 

 barrenness of the blossoms, and suggested that the 

 botanical structure of the flowers ought to be ex- 

 amined by competent persons, in order to ascertain 

 wherein they were defective. The particular vari- 

 ety of the pear to which attention was cnWed as un- 

 fruitful, even after being covered with blossoms, was 

 tbe DucJiesse d' Angouleme^ on Quince stock. 



I am happy to say that the proposed investiga- 

 tion into the botanical condition of the blossoms, 

 was made, about the first of May last, by several skil- 

 ful botanists, on my grounds, and part of the report 

 will now be presented to the public. 



