330 
DECIDUOUS TREES. 
so great size, but has the same dense, glossy foliage, and in conse¬ 
quence of its rare color may be designated as one of the best trees 
for even a small collection. There is much difference in the bright¬ 
ness and duration of the purple color, in different specimens of the 
purple beech, and planters should select trees from the nursery 
rows at midsummer to be more certain of their character. 
The Copper-colored Beech, F cuprea , is a sub-variety of the 
purple beech, the young shoots of which are of a darker and duller 
color. “ It makes a splendid appearance in the sunshine, and when 
the leaves are greatly ruffled with the wind; but in a state of re¬ 
pose, and on a cloudy day, it can hardly be distinguished from the 
common green-leaved beech.” 
The Variegated-leaved Beeches, F variegata, and others, are 
pretty and peculiar when the leaves first appear, but at midsummer 
the variegation of the leaves, as far as it is apparent, only serves to 
give them an unhealthy appearance. 
The Fern-leaved and Cut-leaved Beeches. F heteropliylla 
and F lacimata .—The peculiarity of these varieties is in the fern¬ 
like delicacy of their growing foliage, the young spray of which 
pushes out from the preceding year’s growth like filaments or ten¬ 
drils, giving the tree an exquisitely delicate sky-outline. Their 
foliage is of a lighter tone than that of any of the other beeches. 
H. W. Sargent, in his Supplement to Downing’s Landscape Garden¬ 
ing, thus describes the former: “ The fern-leaved beech is a great 
favorite with us, and we hardly know a prettier or more attractive 
tree, or one less known or planted. If we could plant but half a 
dozen trees, this would certainly be one of the first. It has the 
close round habit of the beech, with a pleasing green and glaucous 
color, and the most tiny and delicate foliage, the persistency of 
which would make it very desirable for topiary work, as it bears 
the shears better than any deciduous tree we know of.” Loudon 
thinks it “ more curious than beautiful.” We have seen some of 
the best specimens in this country, and can hardly concur with Mr. 
Sargent in ranking it as one of the most interesting half dozen 
