184 



HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY OF TREES. 



PABT IV 



.when this tree exceeds 6 ft. in diameter, it seldom has a clear bole of above 

 10 ft., after which it branches much. Almost the whole of the large trunks 

 are hollow. Along the banks of the lake, extending both ways from Groderich, 

 we observed white American spruces (^'bies alba) ; but none of them ex- 

 ceeded 60 ft. in height, and 3 ft. in circumference. 



" Just before entering the St. Clair river from Lake Huron, lofty white pines 

 .are seen towering on both sides ,• but, on entering the river, they entirely dis- 

 appear on the Canada side, although, on the UnitedStatcs side, they continue 

 for many miles; and a river, which runs into the St. Clair on that side, has, 

 from the quantity of pines found upon its banks, been named the White Pine 

 River. No very large trees are seen on the banks of the St. Clair, but, on 

 getting back into the country, oaks, elms, limes, and walnuts abound. On 

 the banks of the river, all the way down, many dwarf kinds of shrubby plants 

 adorn its edges. Of these, the different kinds of plums and chej'ries, with the 

 sweet-scented crab apple, and a variety of thorns, form the chief objects ; but 

 what was most gratifying to us, was the great abundance of stag's-horn 

 sumach (^hus typhina var. elegans), now loaded with large heads of scarlet 

 fruit. 



" Crossing Lake Erie to Cleveland, United States, we have, in addition to 

 the ordinary forest scenery, some fine specimens of tulip trees, I/aurus Sas- 

 safras, and cucumber trees (Magndh'a acuminata). The stems of the latter 

 did not exceed 2 ft. in circun)ference. Passing through the interior of the 

 country to Pittsburg, the surface was very irregular. The principal native 

 tree on this line of road was the beech, which was seen spread over an ex- 

 tended plain, containing many fine trees. There M'as also an extensive forest 

 of the larch; and, in similar situations to those before mentioned, bordering all 

 the mixed woods as we proceeded along, was the dogwood tree (Cornus 

 florida). These trees, having taken on their autumnal hue (5th September, 

 1834), were rendered beautiful in consequence. Of this fine tree, none had 

 been seen since leaving New York till now; and from this place it continued 

 to be more or less plentiful, in the different routes whicli we took, till we 

 reached New York again. It was much talked of by the inhabitants, and 

 praised, on account of its profusion of large white blossoms early in spring, 

 and its dark red leaves and scarlet fruit in the fall, or autumn. Before enter- 

 ing Pittsburg, the sloping wooded banks by the river side presented a rich 

 appearance, from the quantities of rhododendrons, kalmias, azaleas, and an- 

 dromedas, which covered them as underwood. The large trees were much 

 the same as those before mentioned, with the addition of the chestnut-leaved 

 oak and red maple (^A'cer rubrura), of which last some few trees on the banks 

 of the Ohio river, near Pittsburg, measured 12 ft. in circumference. There 

 were likewise some large natural trees of the honey locust. 



" We left Pittsburg for Philadelphia by way of the Alleghany Mountains. 

 On these the natural grouping of the trees and shrubs was most remarkable. 

 On our first approach to these mountains, we observed the hemlock spruce, 

 of various sizes, covering the banks, having the /?hododendron catawbiense, 

 and KalmM latifolia as underwood. Proceeding up the mountain, large tracts 

 of sweet chestnuts are passed through. Above this, extensive forests of oak ; 

 and on the highest summits, all over the mountains, were scraggy trees of the 

 Pinus rigida, or pitch pine, with dwarf shrub oaks as underwood. On cross- 

 ing the different summits, it was cinious to see the same arrangement throughout 

 on either side. Having remained for several days on these niountains, our 

 attention was very much taken up with the great natural forests situated on 

 the extended plains between the highest summits. When any one species of 

 a tree is met with, acres of the same are generally seen together. In this way 

 we continued to pass through successive masses of a series of trees, of the 

 various pines, magnolias, walnuts, poplars, and sour gums, or tupelo trees 

 (Njssfl villosa and sylvatica), &c. All of these grow in deep rich soil, with 

 the exception of the pitch pine, which was seen on the mountain tops ; and, on 

 poor rocky ground, at different elevations, throughout the mountains, the 



