r TETtWT«5 ■ J® 3 - 00 PER YEAR. 
.1 JJit JLiz . i n mi j| e ,\e., Eijjlit Ceil 
NEW YORK CITY AND ROCHESTER, N. Y. 
. i 11 York, 
IvBb.j Uuftulo fet., Kochemer. 
VOL. XXIII. NO. 17. 
I’’0K THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, APRIL 29, 1871. 
WHOLE NO. 1109, 
[Entered according to Aot of Congress, in the year 1871, by D. D. T. Moore, in the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.] 
^rtarrcnlhtrc. 
w _ 
WILLOW-LEAVED OAK.—(Quercus 
Phellos.) 
We hope, by continually referring to the 
merits'of our native forest trees, to awaken 
in the minds of our readers, an admiration 
ot; as well as a desire to obtain them. As 
a people, we are prone to be covetous of 
tilings “ afar off," even if of far less value 
than those near at hand and readily obtain¬ 
ed. With trees, rarity lins considerable in¬ 
fluence in establishing a moneyed value, but 
not, intrinsically, any more than among 
minerals. The diamond is comparatively 
worthless to mankind when placed by the 
side of iron, copper or lead ; still, commer¬ 
cially, it. is rated a thousand limes higher 
than either. 
The Willow-leaved Oak will not com¬ 
pare very favorably with the white, red, 
and many other species of this genus, in 
the value of its timber, but it is a very 
unique ornamental tree, and worthy of a 
place by the side of the most costly exotic. 
Its leaves resemble some of our common 
species of willow more than the general 
form of the oak, being scarcely more than 
a half inch broad and three or four inches 
long. This species of oak is found growing 
wild in low, moist lands from near New 
York city southward to Florida; but it will 
thrive at least three degrees farther north. 
Our illustration represents a handsome speci¬ 
men planted about twenty years ago at 
Flushing, N. Y. It is between thirty and 
forty feet high, and of the form shown. 
The innumerable small sprays and very dis¬ 
tinct form of leaved of Ibis oak, give to the 
tree a most elegant appearance, and one 
that will attract attention,particularly when 
planted among the larger-leaved species. 
A oung trees can be obtained at our large 
nurseries,or the acorns of the dealers in for¬ 
est tree seeds. For the latter, it is necessary 
to send orders in autumn. 
ABOUT THE LARGE 
Ditrino the past year I have read several 
articles in the Rural New-Yorker, and 
other papers, on the subject of Larch—one 
by Suel Foster of Muscatine, Iowa, on the 
relative value of the Chestnut, as compared 
with European Larch, in which he says the 
Larch is several times more valuable than 
the Chestnut; as Chestnut posts Mill rot off 
in from ten to twenty years, while Larch 
stakes have been used in Switzerland lasting 
from two to three generations, and as' pile 
posts in the London docks for more than a 
thousand years, and recommending the 
Larch very highly for post timber, railroad 
ties, stakes, sills to buildings, and many 
other uses, to which it may he applied. 
But he says, “ mind, I am talking of Euro¬ 
pean, not American Larch.’’ In other pub¬ 
lications, the European Larch is highly 
spoken of as a timber tree, and by some it is 
called a species, and by others a variety. 
Now I agree with the writers as to the dura- 
bility, great value and usefulness of several 
species oi the Larch; but what do they mean 
by European Larch ? Surely, all the differ¬ 
ent species and varieties cannot he dis¬ 
tinguished under the name of European 
Larch. It is well known that there are 
several species of Larch in Europe, as well 
as different varieties of each, and so in 
America and in most other countries, and I 
think we have nearly all the species in 
America that they have in Europe. If I 
remember right, Michaux & Nuttal, also 
Loudon, (both extensive writers on the 
forest trees of Europe and America,) men¬ 
tion three or more species, and different 
varieties of each; hut it is many years since 
I lead these works, and 1 may he somewhat 
mistaken. Again, it is said the European 
Larch has been well tried, and pronounced a 
superior timber tree, and that now they 
would like Lo hear of experiments with the 
American Larch. 
I have read an account in some work, (I 
believe AIichaux & Nuttal,) that the Eng- 
accidental causes, soil, climate, situation, 
exposure, or some freak of nature. 
I have also seen it slated that Air. Grioor, 
in his late work, says, " These are two quite 
distinct varieties, one with seed and the 
other with white or female catkins.” Are 
The Pendulus Larch is often one hundred 
feet high and sixty foot before reaching a 
limb ; the land is near the summit, between 
the Gulf of Rt. Lawrence and the Gulf of 
Aiwxico, yet the surface being nearly level, is 
wet part of the year and dry the remainder. 
rt**-*** ‘ 
n 
WILLOW-LEAVED OAK. - (Quereus 
lisli many years ago, shipped large quantities they not separate and distinct species ? I liav< 
of Larch from the coast of Maine to Europe, not noticed the catkins myself, hut will trj 
for ship timber, and the roots for ship knees, and do so the coming season ; as to the coloi 
and that it was found to he in all respects 
equal to that grown in Europe. Again, 
some writers say the American Larch is not 
so durable as the European, owing to its 
growing on low and wet lands. I cannot 
see that this would make any difference so 
long as it does not grow standing in the 
water; Dir ship builders say that timber 
grown within sixty miles of a large body of 
salt water, or within about forty miles of a 
large body of fresh water, is more durable 
and preferable to that grown farther into the 
interior. The cedar swamps of New Jersey 
have produced large quantities of both red 
and white cedar, and what kind of wood 
will outlast the red cedar? 
While some writers say the European 
Larch is much better than the American, 
others say the American Larch is everyway 
superior to the European. But in my opinion, 
the same species are the same in all countries; 
the varieties may and do differ, owing to 
they not separate and distinct species? I have 
not noticed the catkins myself, but will try 
and do so the coming season ; as to the color 
of the wood, the Laris pendula (Pendulus 
Larch) is a reddish-yellow; some more red 
than others, and the heart-wood always quite 
red, while that of the Laiix microcarpa is a 
dirty white all through. I believe these to 
he separate species. The first is a tall, 
straight, fair-sized tree, of long life, free from 
limbs two-lhirda of the way up, a durable 
and valuable timber tree, while the latter is 
much smaller, scrubby, shorter lived and of 
hut little use for timber. 
Here in St. Joseph county, Indiana, near 
South Bend, are several fine groves in their 
natural state and native soil, and both kinds 
are old enough to bear good seed, if they 
ever will. About forty years ago, when the 
county was being surveyed by the Govern¬ 
ment, the surveyors made points of the 
tamarack, frequently from twelve to eighteen 
inches in diameter, and even now there are 
not many over two feet, but an abundance 
from eight to twenty inches in diameter. 
T^hellos.) 
I think the white wooded prefers the low or 
wet land; yet I have seen them growing 
mixed in with each other, and supposed 
them to be distinct species; possibly they 
may only be varieties of the same species. 
But how shall we distinguish the species 
from each other, and how the varieties? 
An acquaintance of mine has about a mile 
of post and hoard fence, built neat ly forty 
years ago, the posts of Pendulus Larch, round, 
from five to nine inches in diameter, and to 
all appearances as sound as when first set, 
having outlasted two sets of hoards, and now 
ready to receive the third. From what I 
have seen and know, I believe this tree to be 
quite desirable and valuable for many uses, 
holding a nail superior to most other kinds 
of wood. When grown in the forest it is 
free from limbs two-thirds of the way up; in 
the open field it spreads more, and the limbs 
grow down much nearer the ground. 
If I were going to set out a grove of the 
young trees I would put them about three 
feet apart each way; afterwards, as they re¬ 
quire more room, thin them out. The Duke 
of Athol must have set them much closer, 
for, after thinning them from lime to lime, 
until those left were large trees, he yet had 
(according to the accounts) about 24,000,000 
on about 6,000 acres of land, which would 
be only about three feet aparL each way; 
they were then cut down and disposed of, 
realizing for the work of two generations, 
over $80,000,000, if the accounts he correct. 
—Isaac Esmay, St. Joseph Co., Indiana. 
-♦ ** - 
BARBERRY HEDGES. 
I wish to Inquire of any of the Rural 
New-Yorker readers who have had ex¬ 
perience in the cultivation of the Barberry 
as a hedge plant, of their success. The par¬ 
ticular points of inquiry are:—What soils 
are best adapted to its cultivation ? In 
what length of time, under favorable cir¬ 
cumstances, will the Burberry make u good 
fence? VVluit time should the seed he plant¬ 
ed ? Where can good seed he obtained, and 
at what cost? Is there more than one va¬ 
riety of the Barberry?—J. II. IT., Portland, 
lY. Y. 
The common Barberry (Bcrbrns wlgaris,) 
will grow in almost any soil or situation. 
We have seen it. growing vigorously in the 
sandy soils of New Jersey, as well as in the 
-tiff, clayey lands of Northern New York 
and Canada. It is not us rapid-growing a 
plant as the Osage Orange, hut will produce 
shoots one to throe feet long In a single sea¬ 
son. The form of the bush is compact; 
many shoots springing from the base of the 
main stem, therefore requiring very little 
pruning to make it. sufficiently dense to turn 
pigs or cattle. From four to six years will 
be required to produce a good serviceable 
hedge. Til© seed can he obtained of any 
dealer in seeds, if ordered early in fall, and 
they should Vie sown before winter, or at 
least mixed with sand and pul where they 
will freeze during cold weather. There are 
several varieties of the Barberry, also a na¬ 
tive species found in the Alleghany Moun¬ 
tains ; hut none of them are equal to the 
common sort (the one named above) for a 
hedge. 
-♦♦♦- 
ARBORICULTURAL NOTES. 
llicUoi’V NiiCk Received. 
We have received a package of Hickory 
nuts from N. W. Bodee, Nashville, N. 0. 
They are a fair sample of the common 
Mocker nut, {Carya tormentora,) hut. are in¬ 
ferior to the well known Sln ll-bark Hicko¬ 
ry {C. alba ) Our North Carolina friends 
should plant the Pecan nut, (C olearform 
as it would succeed admirably, and in time, 
become a source of considerable profit to 
the cultivator. 
Ditieattod Pencil Trees. 
. I send you in a small accompanying pack¬ 
age, a couple of peach twigs, upon which 
you will find numerous little deposits, evi¬ 
dently the eggs of some depredator. Not 
being very well versed in horticulture, I am 
in ignorance as to what they are; hut pre¬ 
suming that they are from the enemy, 1 shall 
take care to destroy all that I can find. Will 
you please, through the columns of your no¬ 
ble paper, give some light upon the subject ? 
What should he the treatment of an old 
pcacli orchard in sod, many of the trees be¬ 
coming decayed and gummy? Can such 
trees be of any further use?—L. H. Dur- 
ling, Pittsburg, Pa. 
The egg-like excrescences upon the peach 
twigs are evidently the shell of some species 
of hark louse, hut they were so dry u hen re¬ 
ceived that we could make nothing out of 
them. Please send more specimens, packed 
in damp moss or cotton. 
An old peach orchard that has been neg- 
iectcd a few years, is scarcely worth trying 
to preserve, and we would advise cutting 
down and planting trees instead. Occasion¬ 
ally, hoM'ever, peach trees may be resuscita¬ 
ted by severe pruning and a liberal applca- 
tion of manure. 
