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LANDSCAPE GARDENING. 
The Peperidge Tree. Nyssa. 
Nat . Old. Santalaceae. Lin. Syst. Polygamia, Dioeeia. 
The Peperidge, Tupelo, or sour gum tree, as it is called 
in various parts of the Union, grows to a moderate size, 
and is generally found in moist situations, though we have 
seen it in New York State, thriving very well in dry upland 
soils. The diameter of the trunk is seldom more than 
eighteen inches, and the general height is about forty or 
fifty feet. The flowers are scarcely perceptible, but the 
fruit borne in pairs, is about the size of a pea, deep blue, 
and ripens in October. 
The leaves are oval, smooth, and have a beautiful gloss 
on their upper surface. The branches diverge from the 
main trunk almost horizontally, and sometimes even bend 
downwards like those of some of the Pine family, which 
gives the tree a very marked and picturesque character. 
The Peperidge when of moderate size is not difficult to 
transplant, and we consider it a very fine tree, both on 
account of its beautiful, dark green, and lustrous foliage in 
summer, and the brilliant fiery color which it takes when 
the frost touches it in autumn. In this respect it is fully 
equal in point of beauty to that of the Liquidambar or Sweet 
gum, and the maples which we have already described ; 
and so fine a feature do we consider this autumnal beauty 
of foliage that we would by all means advise the introduc- 
tion of such trees as the Peperidge into the landscape for 
that reason alone, were it not also valuable for its peculiar 
form and polished leaves in summer. 
Besides the Peperidge there are three other Nyssas, 
natives of this continent, viz. the Black gum ( N . Sylvatica ), 
