THE  BUBAL  MEW-YOBKEB. 
^OV. 
CROSS-FERTILIZATION  OF  PLANTS. 
It  HeomB  that  in  many  iimtancea  where  Lilies 
have  been  crossed  or  liybi-idized  (as  between  a«- 
ralum  and  »peoios^U7n'),  the  seedlings  have  shown 
no  roBemblanoc  whatever  to  the  ijollon  parent. 
Perbaps  if  sclf-fertihzed  seeds  of  those  hybrids 
were  sown,  the  influence  of  the  iwllcn  grand¬ 
parent  would  then  nmnifost  itself. 
'Fho  agency  of  Uie  insects  and  of  the  wind  in 
cross-fertilizing  plants  which  wo  had  previously 
supposed  wore  necessarily  self-fertilized,  shows 
something  of  the  extent  to  which  wo  may  have 
erroneouriy  ascribed  variatiouB  in  seedlings  to 
“sporting'' — i.  to  an  inherent  power  of  the 
seedling  to  assume  characters  slrildngly  dissim- 
lar  to  those  of  the  supposed  p.arcnt.  Had  we 
known  In  such  instances  that  the  seedling  was 
not  of  iiermaphrodito  parentage  but  the  result 
of  the  union  of  dio'dous  plants  -ipiite  dissimilar 
in  appearance,  j^orhaps,  however  closely  related 
—the  word  “  sport”  might  ijevcu'  have  found  its 
way  to  popular  usage.  Doubtless  those  ])lantB 
whieb  fertilize  themselves,  promote  the  best 
welfare  of  their  progeny  by  so  doing.  Wo  may 
trust  nature  tlius  far.  The  artificial  fertilization 
of  those  which  do  not  fertilize  thenrsolves,  is 
chisfly  useful  to  man  in  enabling  him  to  select 
parents  with  a  view  to  results  more  or  less  in 
accordance  with  his  wishes. 
- - 
NOVELTIES.  , 
POIXSETTU  PonolIKIUtlMA  PURNISSlMA,  figured 
p.  .S'll,  May  27,  tlie  stock  of  which  was  sold  by 
Mr.  BmuiANAN  to  the  Messrs.  Vkitoi  of  London, 
is  now  offered  by  linglisli  florists  at  from  five  to 
ten  shillings  per  plant,  according  to  size.  It  is 
time  that  American  florists  were  offering  it. 
COUNUS  MASOCnA  AUnr.A  EnEUASTISSlMA,  “  A 
broad  margin  of  pure  gold"  so  reads  tljc  En¬ 
glish  advertisement —  “  SJUTonuding  a  bright 
green  center,  is  of  itself  a  stiflicient  attraction  ; 
but  when  in  -Inly  the  tii)s  of  the  loaves  become 
suffused  with  the  biiglitest.  carmine,  it  is  impos¬ 
sible  to  give  an  idea  of  the  beauty  and  elegance 
of  the  plant,  which  will  bear  a  favorable  compari¬ 
son  with  the  best  v.'iriegatcd  stove  or  greenhouse 
exotics.  The  habit  is  scmi-pendulous  and  very 
graceful.”  Price,  15a2l8.  each. 
Divested  of  the  glow  that  generally  suffuses 
floral  ssivertisements,  we  do  not  see  that  this 
need  differ  strikingly  from  Oonuos  sanijumca 
varifigola,  which  oiu'  nurserymen  sell  at  5(1  cts. 
Tuiowpuk  hks  jjLANi  s  18  .odvci'tised 
as  the  host  double  white  Amka  in  cultivation. 
The  flowers  are  larger,  more  double  and  of  a 
purer  white  tlian  in  lit'hu  du  rorhujal.  The 
petals  are  large,  round  to  perfection  and  crisped. 
Received  first  prize  at  the  exhibition  of  the  R. 
li.  S.  of  Ghent  in  March,  1875,  as  the  best  seed¬ 
ling  Azalea. 
DAcrnas  c.tjsvitosa — Tussock  Grass.  Each 
plant  forms  a  dense  tuft  of  stems,  (i  to  8  feet 
high,  4  to  5  feet  iu  diameter.  The  loav<is  are  5 
to  C  inches  in  length  and  give  to  the  tufts  the 
appearance  of  thicliots  of  Palms.  According  to 
IIdokkk,  the  leaves  furnish  an  excellent  fodder 
for  horses  and  cattle,  whilst  the  agreeable  and 
sweet-tasting  stems  are  good  for  man  as  well. 
OuMPK. — Two  new  varieties  of  flowering  Ash 
are  described  in  ftewMt  llorlicuk,  viz.,  Oiiius 
sct'olbia  viol(lSc^•n^t  and  O,  s.  alhd.  They  came 
from  one  lot  of  seedlings  and  bloom  a  month 
later  than  the  ordinary  form.  Roth  are  dwarf 
and  lloriferons,  alhn  in  no  other  way  ilifforing 
from  the  tyi>c,  while  the  other  has  violet-gray 
flowers. 
Begonias.  —  Many  now  vai’ieties  of  striking 
beauty  of  the  tuberous-rooted  section  are  an- 
nomiced  or  offered  for  sale. 
— - - - 
MISCELLANEA. 
AoEBatum. — Countess  of  Stair  seems  to  bo 
acknowledged  on  all  sides  as  the  verj'  best  va¬ 
riety  known. 
Tue  Gardeners’  Chromclo  of  England  talks  of 
lYrnonin  iiviudioracensis  as  one  of  the  host  of 
tall  Composites.  This  is  onr  Iron  'Weed  that 
grows  in  all  low  grounds.  Prof.  Guay  calls  it  a 
“  tall,  coarse  weed.”  If  Prof.  Guay  had  seen  it 
only  in  the  gardens  of  Kew.  would  ho  still  have 
called  it' a  “tall,  coarse  weed?”  This  is  one  of 
the  most  trying  disagreements  among  “  Doctors" 
that  we  have  over  known.  We  respect  Di’.  Gkay 
as  one  of  onr  fii’st  botanists.  We  respect  the 
Gardeners'  Chronicle  as  one  of  the  first  horticul¬ 
tural  journals  iu  the  land.  We  suggest  that 
Jlr.  Chaiujcs  D.arwin,  Dr.  Tuuuxsee  and  the 
Rceal  New-Yoxikek  hold  a  convention  to  decide 
the  ijuostion.  Is  ViTnunia  nooehuraceritiis  a 
“  tall,  coarse  weed,"  or  is  it  “  one  of  the  best  of 
tall  Composites 
The  Editors  axid  Publisher  of  this  paper 
“  kindly  volunteer”  their  editorial  rooms  for  the 
use  of  the  convention.  Will  Mr.  Dauwin  or  X)r. 
THUKiiEU  fix  the  date  ?  Let’s  have  this  settled. 
If  Venionia  novehoracmnis  is  a  “tall,  coarse 
weed” — then  we  do  not  want  it  in  the  Ruhal 
Grounds.  If  it  is  “one  of  the  best  of  tall  Com¬ 
posites,”  then  we  must  liavo  it,  of  course.  And 
there  are  millions  of  floricTilturists,  wo  doubt 
not,  who  feel  just  in  the  same  way. 
Mb.  Repton,  in  his  book  of  “Tiaudscape  Gar¬ 
dening,”  published  in  1795,  considers  that  true 
taste  in  every  art  consists  more  in  adapting  tried 
oxjwdients  to  peculiar  circumstances  than  in  an 
inordinate  thirst  after  novelty,  and  that  this 
inordinaW  tlurst  after  novelty  is  a  charncteriKtic 
of  wmiUivnli'il  inindst ! 
This  speaks  not  well  for  the  present  genera¬ 
tion  of  jicople  interested  in  horticultural  topics, 
for  a  thirst  for  novelties,  ever  increasing  since 
Mr.  Repton’s  titne,  has  reached  a  cUmactcrie 
nowtliat  it  would  not  be  easy  to  eclipse. 
Caiipoknia  lIouTK'UUTuriE. — Attached  to  the 
California  Ilorticult(u-ist  is  a  catalogue  of  Messrs. 
Mn.i.KK,  SiKVEB  <t  C(x.,  nurserjuieu  and  soods- 
men  of  Han  Francisco.  The  plants  offered  therein 
are  of  the  most  ornamental  and  useful,  and  many 
of  the  prices  are  quite  as  low  as  those  of  our 
E!(*k'ru  establishments.  JAkmns  WaKhingio- 
7iianuiii. — Jy,  H''.  purpureimi.  (?) — Huntboldli — 
pard/ilhiwn  -  ^M  California  I.ilios — ore  40  cts. 
each ;  Anraluias,  8(1  ots.  Yonng  Palms,  such  as 
jMlaida  ]k>rho7)ioa,  Chmiift<'rops  lm7nUi7i,  Sea- 
fortkia  vUyanJt,  I'humix  dactylifera  arc  offered 
at  from  50  cts.  to  41  each;  Kicnig  Albert,  the 
new  double  Ivy  Iklwgfnibim,  4L 
In  the  seed  department,  tJio  catalogue  says  : 
“  Wo  are  in  the  habit  of  coUochng  thioughout 
tbe  Pacific  coast  every  seasou,  seeds  of  the  most 
desirable  wild  flowers.  This  year  we  can  f  uniish 
about  twenty  varieties,  put  up  in  packages  for 
25  cts.  each.  These  seeds  are  in  groat  demand 
abroad,  .and  can  bo  sent  to  friends  by  mail."  But 
the  names  of  tlie  aforesaid  wild  flowers  arc  not 
given.  When  we  see  such  plants  as  Uic  Passii- 
floroH,  Plumbngon,  .Irntmornw,  Aguoen.  Prnca'- 
nna,  Prims,  Jiuoali/pU,  (I'nidltctis,  oleanders 
and  many  other  handsome  things  advertis<t<l  as 
perfectly  hardy  in  California,  wo  are  templed  to 
wish  wo  were  there,  iu  splto  of  the  varied  and 
peculiar  charms  of  the  State  of  Now  Jersey. 
■  - 
NOTES. 
I’oiHONOUs  L()NT(.'EU.«. — The  Lancet  gives  an 
instance  of  a  little  boy  being  poisoned  by  the 
fruit  (berries)  of  one  of  the  lAmiocrce,  suffering 
mncli  as  if  from  the  effects  of  Belladonna.  The 
species  of  IIo)ieysucklo  is  not  mentionod, 
Bu-iziniAN  FnowEus. -- Travelers  m  Brazil 
speak  of  Fuchsias  50  and  GO  feet  in  bight, 
blooming  from  top  to  bottom  ;  of  large  bushes 
of  Ahutilon  venvsniix,  bearing  a  ))rofusion  of 
orange  bells  stieaked  nith  crimson ;  ttf  huge 
Pnturas,  with  hundreds  of  >vhite  tnimpet-shapod 
and  Bwcct-scentcd  blossoms,  some  IG  in.  in 
length;  of  Ori'hids  and  Ferjis ;  /D'mws  >Yjth 
shicld-liko  loaves,  large  enough  to  cover  a  man  ; 
brilliant  rod  and  yellow  Pi-ornelUiS  arid  TUlo7uk 
ftias ;  epiphytes  and  parasites  of  all  descriptions ; 
Camellias  large  enough  to  climb  into  to  pluck 
the  topmost  blossoms;  and  J’oinseUias,  grown 
into  very  largo  bushes,  on  which  the  crimson 
star-like  bracts  are  two  feet  in  diameter.  So 
says  the  London  Garden. 
RARE  TREES, 
Maples. — Acer  plataxioulcs  dissectum  has 
dark-green  leaves,  the  lobes  three-parted,  some¬ 
what  wedge-shaped  and  each  thi'eo-cloft  and 
laeiuiatod.  The  tree  is  compact  and  is  one  of 
the  best  for  the  ornamentation  of  lawns. 
Aivr  lUisycarpu'ifi  Wierii  lacmiatum  was  in¬ 
troduced  by  Ellwasoeb  A  Barhv  in  1873.  The 
leaves  are  Tuore  deeply  cut  and  (Jie  segments 
more  incised  than  iu  the  Silver  Loaf.  It  is  of 
equally  rapid  growth  and  is  said  to  be  desirable 
as  a  lawm  tree  if  cut  back  from  year  to  year, 
Acer  psewU}  plafatms  tricoloi'. — This  is  adver¬ 
tised  as  distinctly  variegatiMl  with  white,  red  and 
green  which  is  not  true.  The  variegation  con¬ 
sists  of  occasional  splashes  of  yellowish-green, 
and  at  no  period,  as  we  have  observed,  presents 
red  or  white.  Even  this  is  too  dull  to  form  a 
contrast  with  the  green.  The  tree,  however,  is 
pleasing  in  its  habit  and  as  the  price  is  not 
higher  than  that  of  the  ordinary  Hycamore 
Maple,  a  single  specimen  may  be  desirable. 
Aesculus. — There  arc  many  varieties  of  the 
Horsechestuut  that  outside  of  pretentious  coUeo- 
tions  or  nursery  grounds  arc  little  known.  So 
different  are  they  in  foliage,  flower  and  size  that 
they  present  as  varied  an  appearance  as  if  they 
belonged  to  different  ordell's.  A  white  double- 
flowering  variety  is  praised  by  Mr.  F,  Scorr  in 
his  “Subiubau  Homo  Grounds.”  A  double¬ 
flowering  red  is  likewise  advertised.  The  single- 
flowering  red  (A  nthicundn.)  with  which  we  are 
familiar  is,  as  we  deem  it,  one  of  the  most 
attractive  trees  in  cultivation  for  homo  grounds. 
The  cut-leaved  variety  (incisiw/i)  is  peculiar  in 
its  leaves  which  look  as  if  entire  leaves  had  been 
tom  into  shreds.  Then  there  are  the  gold  and 
silver  variegated  sorts — in  which  the  loaves  are 
rather  blotched  than  margined  with  dull  yellow 
and  dull  white— and  msptwn.  with  cnimply 
leaves  as  if  worms  had  doubled  them  up. 
Of  Alders,  we  may  mention  Alntts  gbitinosa 
lanniaia  and  A .  g.  1.  irnperiatis.  The  first  has 
oblong  and  acutely  pinnatifid  loaves,  the  second 
has  leaves  as  finely  cut  as  those  of  a  fern.  The 
first  grows  wild  in  France,  and  though  said  to 
prefer  a  moist  soil,  thrives  in  our  grounds,  so 
fai-  as  wo  may  judge  from  two  years’ observation, 
in  dry  situations.  Both  assiune  a  pyramidal 
form,  the  latter  more  peudulously  so,  attain¬ 
ing  a  bight  of  fifty  feet  or  over  in  congoni'al  1 
soil  and  climate  and  are  of  quite  rapid  growth. 
Generally,  however,  they  may  bo  ranked  as 
troos  of  the  third  size.  Our  friends  who  are 
adduig  to  their  collections  or  who  are  planting 
new  grouiuls  will  do  well  to  visit  nurseries  iu 
which  siiecimens  of  these  trees,  hut  especially  of 
iiiipirialis,  may  bo  observed. 
PuKi-LE  Bin<  n.  -Many  of  our  roadei-s  are 
familiar  with  the  Purple  Beech,  which  has  here¬ 
tofore  stocsl  unapproached  by  any  other  purple- 
foliaged  tree.  The  Purple  Biicli  bids  fair  to 
divide  honors  with  it  when  hotter  known.  The 
haWt  of  this  tree  is  similar  to  that  of  the 
out-leaved  Birch,  the  pendulous  form  of  which 
Is  so  popular  throughout  the  country — hut  the 
loaves  are  entire  and  larger  and  of  a  color  oven 
deeper  than  that  of  the  Beech,  as  ordinarily 
seen.  What  makes  it  more  pleasing  is  the 
silvery-white  bark  which  seems  to  thiow  out  in 
stronger  relief  the  beauty  of  its  dark,  rich  loaves. 
Small  specimens  are  now  offered  by  our  mu'sery- 
men  at  five  dollars  each. 
The  imfortmiato  prejudice  that  Oaks  are  the 
giant  snails  of  the  vegetable  creation  has 
ojieratod  against  that  use  of  them  as  lawn  trees 
which  their  sterling  worth  and  rugged  beauty 
deserve.  Some  of  the  finest  Oaks,  however, 
grow  as  fast  as  many  popular  trees  whoso  rate 
of  grovrth  is  never  considered,  or  at  least  ob¬ 
jected  to— and  among  their  numberless  species 
and  varieties  those  may  be  selected  that  will 
thrive  iu  almost  any  situation. 
The  Fasti giate  Oak  (Q.  fasligiaUi)  is  of  rapid, 
upright  growth,  not  unlike  the  Lombardy  Ppplar 
in  fonu. 
Q.  robnr  purpurea  is.  as  London  says,  among 
Oaks  what  the  Purple  Beech  is  among  Beeches. 
Ho  mentions  a  specimen,  thirty  feet  high,  at 
Arno's  Grove.  Routhgate.  Wo  have  heard  that 
it  is  until  (UllicuUy  transplanted,  and  behove  it, 
having  twice  failed  ourselves.  Of  this  siiecies 
there  ai'C  several  with  distinctly  variegated 
foliage,  some  mottled,  some  margined  with 
silver— and  one  {coiico7‘dia)  with  leaves  of  a 
golden  color. 
Acer  polymorphmn  is  one  of  the  Japan  Maples 
and,  if  we  may  judge  from  small  specimens, 
forms  a  decidedly  beautiful  tree.  The  leaves 
are  small,  fiYO-i>ai‘ted,  the  segments  ovate-lan¬ 
ceolate  and  incised.  A  rose  color  is  often 
blended  with  a  delicate  green  of  the  younger 
leaves  while  after  matmaty  the  others  change  to 
the  prettiest  of  fall  tints.  Many  of  the  variotios 
of  this  Maple  possess  elegantly  cut  leaves  and 
the  most  remaikahle  variegation  of  any  hardy 
plants  known  to  us.  They  are  yet  rare  in  this 
country,  eight  dollars  being  asked  for  small 
specimens. 
Tklula  aU>a  jicndula  elegmis. — This  Birch 
droops  directly  downwards  so  that  the  branches 
are  nearly  parallel  with  the  stem.  It  is  a  thin, 
slight,  louely-Iookiug  tree  which  we  should 
rather  prefer  for  a  cejnetery  plot  than  for  a 
lawit.  B,  a.  p.  Youfigii  forms  a  wider  head  and 
is  less  pendulous. 
Magnolias. — Few  of  these  are  seen  upon 
Northern  lawns  as  frequently  as  their  large 
loaves,  tulip-like  flowers  and  noble  appearance 
entitle  them  to  be.  This  is  in  pai*t  owing  to 
their  high  price ;  to  their  aversion  to  removal 
unless  properly  attended  to  in  the  nurseries  and 
to  the  previous  solecliou  of  species  not  hardy  in 
the  locaUty  to  wbicli  they  have  been  removed. 
llalhana  is  a  Japan  lilaguoha.  The  flower, 
two  inches  iu  diameter,  has  about  fifteen  petals, 
pure  white  uith  a  faint  pmple  tint  upon  the 
outside  petals  or  rather  sepals.  The  leaves  are 
comiiaratively  small  and  the  habit  compact. 
Lennei  is  one  of  the  finest  of  the  Japan  Mag- 
jiohas  and  i>erfeetly  hardy  wo  believe  hi  the 
climate  of  New  York,  though  thought  to  be  a 
natmal  hybrid  between  vunspima  and  gracilis. 
The  flowers  are  as  much  as  five  inches  iu  diunie- 
ter,  of  a  bright  rosy-crimson  externally,  white 
internally.  The  loaves  are  strong,  wavy  on  the 
edges,  acute  at  both  ends  and  more  closely 
arranged  than  upon  many  others. 
Hmlangeana. — Flowers  are  five  inches  across, 
inside  white,  outside  purple,  merging  into  white 
along  the  edges.  'J’here  are  nine  petals  alter 
natiug  in  threes,  each  one  three  to  four  inches 
long  of  a  spathulato  shape.  This  is  thought  to 
be  a  hybrid  between  conspicua  and  purpurea 
and  is  also  hardy  in  this  climate. 
Tlumisauiana  (a  seedling  of  glauco)—!' v&seri 
(the  Ear-leaved  Magnolia)  and  cordala  are 
among  the  rarest  and  best  of  native  siiccies. 
Indeed  cordala,  rejecting  that  most  glorious  of 
all  evergreens,  M,  grandijlfrra  of  the  Southern 
States  as  too  tender,  is,  for  Northern  grounds, 
one  of  the  best  of  Uie  family.  Its  flowers  are 
yellow  and  appear  in  Jnne,  sometimes  again 
blooming  in  tlie  fall.  It  forms  a  round  liead 
and,  tliongh  of  rapid  growth,  never  attains  to  a 
size  disiiroport-ionate  to  lawns  of  small  extent. 
M.  7nacrophylla  with  leaves  sometimes  three 
feet  long,  is  a  grand  tree  for  its  tropical  effect — 
but  although  it  will  sUnd  the  ordinary  winter, 
it  will  not  the  exceptional  one  as  far  north  as 
New  York, 
Morbirlia7ia  is  a  Chhiose  variety  seldom  seen, 
but  it  is  so  close  to  Soula7igeana  that  the  one 
will  sulfice  for  both. 
Magnolias  must  not  be  trans^flanted  in  the 
fall.  To  insure  their  thriving,  as  near  as  may 
bo,  after  transplantation,  they  should  first  be 
established  iu  pots. 
- - - 
SUCCESSION  OF  FOREST  TREES. 
Newton  Rked  of  Duchess  Co.,  N.  Y.,  contri¬ 
butes  a  pajier  to  the  Country  Gentleman  upon 
succession  of  forest  trees  which  calls  to  mind  the 
fact  that  many  changes  in  Iho  kind  of  trees, 
seen  in  old  settled  regions  of  country,  are  similar 
to  tliose  which  he  mentions  as  occurring  in  the 
Eastern  portions  of  the  Htate  of  Now  York. 
Climatic  influences  probably  cause  the  destruc¬ 
tion  of  many  kinds,  which  formerly  occupied  the 
land,  and  the  rejjlanting  of  the  entire  region, 
would  restore  previous  couditioris,  followed  by 
the  reappearance  of  species  now  almost  extinct. 
3Ir.  Reei>,  iu  sjieakiug  of  the  country  about 
him.  says  t — A  eliange  iu  the  natural  production 
of  certain  forest  trees  is  observed  hero,  which 
suggests  the  idea  that  there  may  he  iu  the  soil 
somotbing  that  demauds  a  succession  similar  to 
that  which  requires  a  rotation  of  crops  ou  the 
fann. 
This  “  oblong  valley,”  which  is  on  the  eastern 
boarder  of  the  Slate  of  Now'  York,  has  been 
occupied  by  the  whites  150  yoars.  They  found 
some  kinds  of  forest  trees  here,  evidently  of  ma¬ 
ture  age,  and  once  of  great  vigor,  which  have 
now  greatly  waned  or  neaily  ihsapjiearcd.  Gther 
kinds  have  increased  and  show  a  superior 
vitality.  It  is  an  iuUrestiug  (luostion  whether 
this  fact  has  been  observed  in  other  districts 
BOfliciently  to  give  plausibility  to  the  theory. 
Tliere  are  now  no  pines  or  hemlocks  in  the 
valley,  except  some  on  the  sides  of  the  rocky 
and  steep  acclivities,  which  rise  several  hundred 
feet  ou  each  side  of  the  valley.  But  when  the 
counti-y  was  first  occupied  by  the  whites,  there 
were  scattered  over  the  plains  large  numbers 
of  pines,  and  there  is  erideuco  of  a  foi-mer 
growth  of  hemlocks  of  great  size,  in  the  remains 
of  their  trunks,  which  lie  embedded  under 
ground,  along  the  creek,  iu  great  numbers. 
These  w<‘re  the  production  of  a  pci'iod  long 
before  the  coming  of  civUizutiou. 
When  the  first  settlors  came  hero,  they  found 
the  white-wood,  or  American  tulip  tree,  in  laige 
numbers,  and  all  their  first  houses  wore  built  of 
this  timber,  which  was  beaulifuUy  adapted  to 
the  pmqiose,  eiGier  for  hewing  or  sawing.  The 
trees  wore  tall  and  straight,  and  many  of  them 
largo.  One  fair-sized  two-story  house  was 
covered  with  siding  which  was  all  sawed  from 
one  tree.  Home  of  the  large  trunks  were  dug 
out  and  used  in  the  place  of  casks.  Now  the 
white-wood  is  a  rare  tree  in  all  this  valley. 
Another  tree  was  common  tlien — tbo  wild 
cherry.  Within  the  memory  of  the  old  inhabi¬ 
tants,  large  numbers  of  the  original  trees  were 
standing.  Their  fine  and  lofty  trunks  were 
striking  landmarks  in  all  directions.  Many  of 
them  were  cut  for  purposes  of  cabinet  work, 
and  all  are  gone,  and  there  ax'o  none  of  any  size 
to  take  their  places.  This  tree  is  natm  ally  and 
easily  propagated  by  the  bii'ds,  who  scatter  along 
the  fences  the  cherry  stones  wliioh  sprout 
reatUIy;  hut  yet  the  Avild  cherry  is  coming  to 
nothing. 
The  button-wood  {Platanus  utxidenlolis')  is 
another  forest  tree  wliich  perhaps  may  ho  des¬ 
tined  to  disappear  from  this  district.  It  was 
once  the  most  majestic  of  the  forest  tribes. 
They  had  passed  their  prime  when  the  country 
was  settled.  The  largest  trees  were  decaying  ; 
many  of  them  were  hollow  and  open  on  one 
side.  One  celebrated  specimen  had  room  inside 
for  fifteen  men  standing  up,  and  many  trunks 
were  six  to  eight  feet  in  diameter,  and  very 
lofty.  In  1885  or  1836  the  buttonwoed  was 
blighted,  and  the  tender  leaves  tm-ned  black. 
This  was  supimsed  at  the  time  to  ho  the  effect 
of  a  severe  frost,  Avhich  ocoiuTed  about  the  first 
of  June,  while  the  leaf  was  tender.  The  next 
year  they  had  the  same  apijearauco,  about  tho 
ame  time,  and  also  for  several  years  after. 
