DECIDUOUS ORNAMENTAL TREES. 
173 
grance of the latter. There is, however, a peculiar ele- 
gance about its light green and beautiful foliage, which 
wafts so gracefully in the summer breeze, and folds up on 
the slightest shower, that it stands far above that tree in 
our estimation, for the embellishment of scenery. The 
branches spread out rather horizontally, in a fine, broad, 
and lofty head ; there are none of the dead and unsightly 
branches so common on the locust ; and the light feathery 
foliage, lit up in the sunshine, has an airy and transparent 
look, rarely seen in so large a tree, which sometimes pro- 
duces very happy effects in composition with other trees. 
The bark is of a pleasing brown, smooth in surface the 
branches are studded over with curious, long, triply-pointed 
thorns, which also often jut out in clusters, in every direc- 
tion from the trunk of the tree, to the length of four or five 
inches, giving it a most singular and forbidding look. In 
winter, these and the long seed-pods, five or six inches in 
length, which hang upon the boughs at that season, give the 
whole tree a very distinct character. These pods contain 
a sweetish substance, somewhat resembling honey ; 
whence the tree has in some places obtained the name of 
Honey locust, which properly belongs to Robinia viscosa. 
Another recommendation of this tree, is the variety of 
picturesque shapes which it assumes in growing up ; some- 
times forming a tall pyramidal head of 50 or 60 feet, some- 
times a low horizontally branched tree, and at others it 
expands into a wide irregular head, quite flattened at the 
summit. It does not produce suckers like the locust, and 
may therefore be introduced into any part of the grounds. 
When but a limited extent is devoted to a lawn or garden, 
this tree should be among the first to obtain a place ; as 
one or two Three-thorned Acacias, mingled with other 
