CHAP. XXII. 



.^CERA^CE^. NEGU^NDO. 



461 



Geography, c^c. This tree is a native of the United States, and of Canada : 

 in the latter country, it is abundant about the Red River, in N. lat. 54°, 

 which is its most northern limit. It is seldom found in the northern states 

 of the Union, or in the maritime parts of the southern states. It com- 

 mences on the banks of the Delaware, in the neighbourhood of Philadelf)hia, 

 and increases towards the Alleghany Mountains, to the west of which it is 

 most abundant; and, instead of being confined, as in the upper parts of Vir- 

 ginia and of the Carolinas, to the river sides, it grows in the woods, with the 

 locust (Robinia), wild cherry (Cerasus virginiana), and coffee tree (Gymno- 

 cladus). But in the bottoms which skirt the rivers, where the soil is deep, 

 fertile, constantly moist, and often inundated, this tree is most abundant, and 

 attains the largest size. Even here, however, the tree seldom exceeds the 

 height of 50 ft., with a trunk 20 in. in diameter ; and trees of these dimen- 

 sions, Michaux adds, are found only in Tenessee, and in the back parts of 

 Georgia, M'hich lie far to the south. In Kentucky, it seldom attains above 

 half this height. 



History. This species was cultivated by Bishop Compton in 1(388; and it 

 was introduced into France by Admiral Gallisoniere, in the time of Du Hamel. 

 As already observed, only the female plant of the species is in British gardens, 

 though the male plant exists in the form of the variety iV./ crispum. Both 

 male and female plants appear to be in cultivation in France ; because, accord- 

 ing to Baudrillart, the Administration of Forests at Paris received a quantity 

 of seeds from the neighbourhood of Lyons, from which a number of young 

 plants were raised, and distributed through the national forests. The old tree 

 of this species, in the garden at Fulham, planted by Bishop Compton in 1688, 

 measured, in 1793, 6 ft. 4 in. in girt at 3 ft. from the ground, and was computed 

 to be 45 ft high. In 1809, it measured 7 ft. !§ in. in girt; and in 1835, as 

 appears in p. 43., the dimensions are scarcely varied. The tree, from the 

 rapidity of its growth, its showy tippearance, the fine green of its shoots, 

 its large pinnate leaves (which move with the shghtest breeze) and spreading 

 head, and its faculty of growing in almost any kind of soil, is a general fa- 

 vourite, and is to be found in most collections. 



Pi'oiJcrties, Uses, ^-c. The wood of this tree has a fine even grain, and is 

 saffron-coloured, slightly mixed with violet, but it is rather tender ; the pro- 

 portion of the soft wood to the heart-wood is so great, that it has never been 

 used for any purpose in America except for that of fuel: in Europe, it is 

 used for cabinet-making, particularly for inlaying; it works well, and is elastic 

 mid sonorous. According to some, sugar has been extracted from the sajj ; 

 but Michaux denies this to be the case. He suggests that, from its rapid 

 growth, after being cut down to the ground, it might form a valuable underwood, 

 to be cut every 3 or 4 years, for fuel, charcoal, or other purposes. It has been 

 tried in this way in France; but, unless the soil be kept constantly humid, the 

 stool is found to decay in a very few years. Baudillart considers it the least 

 useful of all the tree rnaples. In England, it is solely to be considered as an 

 ornamental tree ; and, as we have before observed, it is one of considerable 

 show ; and, being also one of rapid growth, it well merits the attention of 

 planters, in situations where immediate effect is an object. 



Soil, Situation, Sfc. The same soil and situation which suit the A'cer will 

 answer for the A^t-gzi/zf/o. The plant grows with amazing rapidit}', when the 

 soil is deep and somewhat moist ; but, as it is not a long-lived tree, it should 

 not be placed in situations where the permanent effect of wood is of import- 

 ance. When raised from seed, it should always, if_ possible, be sown in the 

 autumn, as soon as practicable after gathering, as it keeps with difficulty till 

 the spring, even when mixed with sand. 



statistics. In the environs of London, the oldest tree is that already mentioned at the Bishop of 

 London's ; and the largest one, at Kenwood, 35 years planted, and 47 ft. high. There are trees at Syon, 

 at Kew, and at Purser's Cross, above 40 ft. high ; in Buckinghamshire, at Temple House, 40 years 

 planted, and 40 ft high ; in Yorkshire, at Grimston, 10 years planted, and 30 ft. high. In Wales, in 

 Pembrokeshire, at Golden lirovc, 30 years planted, and 25 ft. high. In Scotland, in the Glasgow 

 Botanic Garden, 14 years planted, and 14 ft. high. In Ireland, in Galway, at C'oole, ft. high. In 

 France, Michaux informs us, a row of these trees was planted in the Jardin des Plantes, in the Rue 



