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THE NATIVE TREES OF RHODE ISLAND* 
By Leyi W . Bussell, 
Of Providence, 
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Bhode Island is a natural forest region. Its conditions of cli- 
mate and soil are highly favorable to a varied arboreal growth. 
Few continuous tracts of no greater extent in this country produce 
so many species of native trees as are found within the limits of 
Bhode Island. The effect of the south shore currents and the 
Narragansett Bay is to moderate the climate for quite a distance 
inland. This condition gives certain trees, whose range is gener- 
ally farther south, a congenial habitat here. Thus we have, in the 
southern line of towns, the “ pin ” oak, rarely, if ever, found else- 
^ where so far north. There is one locality of the “ post ” oak, near 
the north shore of Wickford harbor, the farthest point north for 
which the tree has been reported. So, that fine ornamental tree, 
^ the “ tulip, ” thrives vigorously here, not only as planted from 
'N nursery stock, but is growing as a stately, native tree in a few 
^ localities. Its general range is from Pennsylvania south to the 
Gulf States. 
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£ Of the trees which reach their full development farther north, in 
§ a colder - climate than ours, there are very few which are not native 
here, and probably none not easily naturalized. Thus we have 
noted as “ local,” that is, found in a few places, the “ canoe,” or 
“paper,” birch, that tree so useful to the aborigines of the north 
for boats and shelter. The “rock,” or “sugar,” maple, while not 
found in great numbers here, as in the “orchards” of Yermont 
- ^ and cool regions elsewhere, grows native, sparingly, in various 
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