1863.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
273 
ing ground. Here it grows tall like the White 
Pine, aud seldom exceeds 30 inches in diameter, 
6) to tiO feet clear of knots, aud not hollow, as 
generally is the larger short-trunkcd tree of the 
tame name." 
■ i m9^ ' » 
Half Hardy Trees and Shrubs. 
Were we to speak our whole mind on the 
subject, we should confess that we grow more 
and more inclined to discard the tender things, 
and to plant only such as are as tough as oaks 
or burdocks. Yet, on the whole, we must say, 
not so ; for if we did, we should exclude many 
very fine trees and plants, aud lose much of 
the variety which now gives our grounds a great 
charm. How, then, to manage them well ? 
The notion prevails with many, that such 
vegetation should be planted in sheltered spots, 
(say on the south side of buildings, high fences, 
etc.) and in rich soils. But this is a great mis- 
take. "When so planted, the wood is stimulated 
into a rapid and a late growth, which can not 
ripen up hard and dry before the Winter sets 
in. The consequence is that this soft, sappy 
wood is frozen to death. Rather, choose an open, 
bree/.y aspect, exposed to the North and West. 
The soil should not, indeed, be so barren that 
the tree or bush will be kept in a feeble, half- 
starved condition. If so, the Winter will destroy 
it, of course. Nor should it be deep aud rich, 
for this will induce too rampant a growth. Let 
it be of moderate fertility, and dry, rather than 
wet. And, as we would not choose the top of 
a bleak hill, so we would avoid a low, moist 
valley. By a little considerate management of 
this sort, we shall be likely to get a moderate 
and healthy growth of plump, short-jointed 
limbs, which will be quite sure to ripen off well 
before hard frost. 
If, on the setting in of December, we can give 
our half-hardies a little protection on every side, 
using, perhaps, a few evergreen boughs, it will 
be a good thing. Drive stakes on every side 
firmly into the ground, and then tie the boughs 
to these. This will make a nice little local 
climate, for which the pet will thank you. A 
friend of ours in central New-York succeeds 
well with the Rhododendron Catawbien-sis, by plant- 
ing a circle of white pines (any evergreen would 
do just as well) and setting his plants in groups 
in the centre. This screens them alike from sun 
and cold winds. Without some such screen, 
they are likely to suffer there. 
Our Neglected Native Forest Trees. 
An experienced and observing botanist once 
made the remark in our presence, that there 
was not a single American tree in any park or 
public square in the City of New- York. Since 
the creation of the Central Park, this remark 
does not hold true, but it expresses the fact as 
respects all the other parks in New- York, and 
may be extended to apply to most of the private 
grounds within our knowledge. In planting- 
trees we have run too much after those of for- 
eigu origin, to the neglect of American trees. 
AVhile we will not deny that many of our im- 
ported species are every way desirable, we at 
the same time maintain that we have those of 
American origin which are equally as good. 
Our people who plant trees, only know that they 
want rapidly growing ones, which will make a 
shade as soon as possible, hence they generally 
state the number of trees they require, and leave 
the selection to the nurseryman, who, naturally 
enough, supplies those which cost him the least 
trouble to produce, and of which he has an 
abundant stock. In this way only can we ac- 
count for tlie constant sameness in the kinds 
of trees, whether in our streets, public parks, 
or private grounds. Our American trees are 
highly prized in Europe: we have a friend who 
annually sends hundreds of pounds of the seeds 
of our common trees to the nurseries of France. 
The seeds of our native trees are generally much 
more difficult to find in commerce than are those 
of European trees, aud this may be another rea- 
son why our nurserymen raise so much more 
foreign stock. Some try our native forest trees 
by taking seedlings from the woods and trans- 
planting them to their grounds. This method 
is sometimes successful, but more frequently 
fails. The one making th" attempt is disgusted 
LEAF OP LIQUIDAJSIBAIt. 
at the failure, and sends to the nursery for for- 
eign trees, which grow well, and he comes to 
the conclusion that wild trees can not be culti- 
vated. Now if the American trees had been 
grown from the seed and treated in the same 
way as the exotic ones, i.e., transplanted sever- 
al times, he would have had no difticulty. 
Herein consists the main difference between 
trees taken from the woods, aud those from the 
nursery. In one case they have some large main 
roots aud few fibrous ones, while in the other 
case, the trees have been transplanted several 
times and have thrown out numerous small 
roots. In one case the removal is a great shock 
to the tree, and in the other, it is prepared for, 
and is but little affected by it. Most persons 
would be astonished to see how few years it 
takes to raise a good sized forest tree from the 
seed. Those who have large places should al- 
ways have a small nursery of forest trees from 
which to draw as the occasion may demand. 
Seeds may either be planted as soon as they fall, 
or be kept through the winter in boxes of earth, 
aud then sown. The seedlings generally need 
a partial shading during the nrst year of then 
growth, and after they have grown two years in 
the seed-bed, they may be transferred to nur- 
sery rows, and when they begin to crowd one 
another, they should be again transplanted to 
other rows. Treated in this way, most of oUr 
forest trees will form fibrous roots and may be 
used for planting with probability of success. 
Among the less cultivated of our native trees, 
aud indeed but little known in the wild state, 
is the Sweet Gum, Liquidambar styracijiua. 
Downing, who had such a correct eye for the 
beautiful says : " We hardly know a more beau- 
tiful tree thau the Liquidambar in every stage 
of its growth, and during every season of the 
year. Its outline is not picturesque or graceful, 
but simply beautiful, more approaching that of 
the maple than any other ; it is, therefore, a 
highly pleasing, round-headed or tapering tree, 
which unites and harmonizes well with almost 
any others in composition ; but the chief beau- 
ty lies in the foliage. During the whole of the 
summer months it preserves, unsoiled, that dark 
glossy freshness which is so delightful to the 
eye; while the singular, regularly palmate form 
of the leaves, readily distinguishes it from the 
common trees of a plantation. But in Autumn 
it assumes its gayest livery, and is decked in 
colors almost too bright and vivid for foliage, 
forming one of the most brilliant objects of 
American scenery at that period of the year. 
The prevailing tint of the foliage is then a 
deep purplish red, unlike any symptom of de- 
cay, and quite as rich as is commonly seen in 
the darker blossoms of a Dutch parterre. This 
is sometimes varied by a shade deeper or lighter, 
and occasionally an orange tint is assumed. 
When planted in the neighborhood of our fine 
maples, ashes, and other trees remarkable for 
their autumnal coloring, the effect, in a warm, 
dry autumn, is almost magical. Whoever has 
travelled through what are called the pine bar- 
rens of New-Jersey in such a season, must have 
beeu struck with the gay tints of the number- 
less forest trees, which line the roads through 
those sandy plains, and with the conspicuous 
beauty of the Sweet gum, or Liquidambar." 
The bark of this tree when full grown, or 
nearly so, is exceedingly rough and furrowed, 
like the oak. The wood is fine-grained, and 
takes a good polish in cabinet work, though it 
is not so durable, nor so much esteemed for 
such purposes, as that of the Black walnut and 
some other native trees. The average height of 
full grown trees is about 35 or 40 feet. The en- 
graving gives the peculiar form of the leaves. 
An abundance of seeds are produced, though 
but a small portion of them are perfect. It is 
readily raised from the seed, which may be had 
at the large seed stores, and trees suitable for 
planting may be procured at the nurseries. 
■•-« — ■ > ■ — i » 
Experience with Scale Lice. 
O. F. Meyer, Rock Co., Wis., writes as fol- 
lows : " In June Agriculturist you ask for infor- 
mation about the destruction of the bark-louse 
on apple trees, and here is my experiment and 
success. Two years ago I moved into my place, 
which I had formerly occupied and then let out. 
I had planted, when I first lived there, eight ap- 
ple trees, one 15 years old, and some wild crab 
apples were on the ground, also a few plum 
trees. During the time I let the place out, every- 
thing was neglected ; the weeds were almost as 
high as the young trees. My first work was to 
get rid of the weeds, and then I discovered that 
all the trees, wild and cultivated, were literally 
covered with the scale louse, and the same was 
the case with the currant bushes. My neighbors 
said, I could not do anything with the trees, but 
to cut them down, but I thought it worth try- 
ing to save them. In February I scraped the 
trunks and twigs of the trees as far as I could 
reach them ; in April, I washed them with soft 
soap, ashes, and a little salt, which I applied 
pretty thoroughly with a brush. This I repeat- 
ed in June, aud pruned the wild apple trees at 
the same time. This Spring the same process 
was gone through with, and now one must look 
pretty sharp to discover a louse. 
It is not strange that owners of orchards com- 
plain about this insect at the West. Most men 
