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23 


J  REES   OF   AMERICA 


THE 


TREES    OF    AMERICA; 

NATIVE  AND  FOREIGN, 
$tctorfallg  an&  Botaiucalls  Helfneatetr, 


i  ND 


SCIENTIFICALLY  AND  POPULARLY  DESCRIBED; 

BEING   CONSIDERED 

principally  with  reference  to  their  geography  and  history  ;  soil  and  situ* 

tion;  propagation  and  culture;  accidents  and  diseases;  properties  and 

uses  ;    economy   in    the   arts  ;    introduction   into    commerce  ;  AND 

THEIR   APPLICATION    IN    USEFUL    AND    ORNAMENTAL    PLANTATIONS  ' 

ILLUSTRATED  BY  NUMEROUS  ENGRAVINGS. 


BY    D.    J.    BROWNE, 

AUTHOR   OF   THE   SYLVA    AMERICANA. 


"  Think  of  your  ancestors;  think  of  posterity." 

Gai.gacus. 


NEW    YORK: 

HARPER    &    BROTHERS,    PUBLISHERS, 

PEARL  STREET,  FRANKLIN  SQUARE. 

1  8  5  7. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1S4G.  by 

Harper  &  Brothers, 
In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  Southern  District  of  New  York. 


C1&  a 

QK 


4%\ 


HONOURABLE  JAMES  TALLMADGE,  LL.D., 

PRESIDENT    OF    THE    AMERICAN    INSTITUTE  J 

DISTINGUISHED     FOR    HIS    FIRM,    FAITHFUL,    AND    INTELLIGENT     COURSE     AS    A     REPRE- 
SENTATIVE    IN    CONGRESS  ;     AS     LIEUTENANT     GOVERNOR    OF    THE     STATE     OF 
NEW    YORK  5     AS    A    MEMBER     OF    THE     TWO     PRECEDING    CONVENTIONS 
FOR  REVISING  THE  CONSTITUTION   OF  THE   STATE  ;    AS  A  PATRON 
OF   EDUCATION  ;    AND   ESPECIALLY  FOR  HIS  LONG-CONTIN- 
UED   EFFORTS    IN    ENCOURAGING   AND    PROTECTING 
AMERICAN     INDUSTRY,     IN     AGRICULTURE, 
MANUFACTURES,   AND   THE    ARTS, 
ETC.,    ETC.,    ETC. 

®f)is  Volume  is  respsjctfttUa  JUebicatefc, 


BY 


THE    AUTHOR 


PREFACE. 


N  presenting  to  the  public  a  treatise  like  the  present,  it  would  naturally  be 
expected  that  the  author  should  state  the  grounds  upon  which  he  rests  his 
claim  to  attention.  With  this  expectation  he  most  cordially  complies.  Soon 
after  the  publication  of  his  "  Sylva  Americana,"  in  1832,  at  the  solicitation, 
not  only  of  personal  friends,  but  with  the  expressed  wishes  of  numerous  indi- 
viduals to  whom  he  was  comparatively  a  stranger,  he  undertook  the  prepara- 
tion of  a  work  on  the  trees  of  this  country,  more  complete  and  extensive  in  its  character 
than  had  hitherto  been  published.  With  this  view,  in  connection  with  other  pursuits, 
he  extended  his  researches  by  travelling  and  residing  for  a  time  in  various  parts  of  North 
and  South  America,  the  West  Indies,  Europe,  and  Western  Africa,  where  he  availed 
himself  of  the  advantage  of  not  only  verifying  or  correcting  the  observations  which  had 
been  made  by  others  on  the  trees  of  these  countries,  but  examined  them  under  various 
conditions  in  a  state  of  nature,  as  well  as  in  nurseries  and  collections  of  the  curious. 

In  the  year  1S38,  he  announced  to  the  public,  through  a  "  Memorial  praying  Con- 
gress to  adopt  measures  for  procuring  and  preserving  a  supply  of  timber  for  naval  pur- 
poses," [Doc.  241,  25th  Congress,  2d  Session,  Senate,]  that  he  had  commenced  the  prep- 
aration of  a  treatise  on  this  subject,  setting  forth  the  course  he  was  pursuing  and  the 
chief  objects  of  inquiry;  but  owing  to  the  party  strife  and  political  warfare  which  ex- 
isted at  that  period,  he  regrets  to  say  that  no  action  was  taken  in  the  matter  beyond  re- 
ferring said  memorial  to  the  Committee  on  Naval  Affairs,  and  ordering  it  to  be  printed. 
In  1843,  at  the  request  of  his  friends,  definite  proposals  were  issued  by  the  author 
for  publishing  the  work  in  a  popular  form,  and  a  large  number  of  wealthy  and  public- 
spirited  citizens  proffered  him  their  aid,  to  whom  he  can  not  here  omit  to  acknowledge 
his  lasting  obligations ;  but,  owing  to  various  causes  which  have  unavoidably  retarded 
the  publication,  it  could  not  with  propriety  be  issued  before  the  present  time. 

While  complying  with  this  request,  he  has  read  or  consulted  the  works  of  all  the  most 
judicious  authors  on  the  subject,  both  ancient  and  modern,  with  the  view  of  giving  a 
concise  account  of  such  trees  and  shrubs  as  are  cultivated  or  growing  in  America,  as 
would  interest  the  general  reader,  and,  at  the  same  time,  would  prove  economical  and 
useful  to  the  artisan,  the  planter,  and  to  those  interested  in  arboriculture,  in  a  more  ex 
tended  sense. 

The  pictorial  illustrations  of  this  work  have  either  been  made  directly  from  drawings 
after  nature,  or  from  accui'ate  delineations  already  in  existence,  one  figure  representing 
the  general  appearance  of  each  tree,  and  another  of  the  leaf,  flower,  fruit,  &c,  in  order 
that  the  descriptions  may  be  better  and  more  clearly  understood,  and  to  render  their 
identity  more  certain. 

The  classification  he  has  preferred  to  adopt  is  the  Natural  System,  chiefly  for  the 
sake  of  aiding  in  generalizing  on  the  species  and  varieties  contained  in  each  family  or 
tribe,  which  is  in  accordance  with  the  plan  adopted  by  Professor  Don.  in  "  Miller'? 


Vlll  PREFACE. 

Dictionary,"  and  by  Loudon,  in  his  "Arboretum  et  Fruticetum  Britannicum."  There 
is  one  feature,  as  regards  this  arrangement,  to  which  the  author  would  call  particular 
attention.  It  will  be  perceived  that,  in  various  instances,  he  has  reduced  the  number 
of  species,  and  even,  in  some  cases,  of  varieties,  which  he  wishes  to  be  distinctly  un- 
derstood has  been  done,  not  only  with  the  object  of  rendering  the  classification  less 
complicated,  but  with  an  opinion  that  such  analogies  do  exist ;  yet  he  is  not  by  any 
means  desirous  to  separate  assemblages  of  species,  or  to  alter  established  names,  in  any 
manner  whatever.  No  one,  he  conceives,  should  do  this  who  has  not  attained  an  em- 
inent rank  as  a  botanist,  to  which  he  has  no  pretensions.  Hence,  in  most  of  the  cases 
in  which  he  has  assumed  a  species  as  a  variety,  he  has  given  the  names  as  adopted  by 
Michaux,  Nuttall,  Loudon,  or  some  other  botanical  writer,  in  order  that  the  reader  may 
know  under  what  heads  such  varieties  are  described  in  the  works  of  these  authors. 

The  author  feels  called  upon  to  acknowledge  that  he  is  paiticulaily  indebted  to  Mr. 
J.  C.  Loudon  for  a  large  share  of  his  work,  taken  from  the  "Arboretum  Britannicum," 
and  to  Dr.  Thaddeus  W.  Harris  for  many  valuable  extracts  from  his  "  Report  on  the 
Insects  of  Massachusetts  injurious  to  Vegetation;"  also  to  Mr.  P.J.  Selby  for  extracts 
from  his  beautiful  work  on  "British  Forest  Trees,"  and  to  "  L'Histoire  des  Arbres 
Forestiers  de  l'Amerique  Septentrionale,"  par  M.  F.  Andre-Michaux. 

As  the  preparation  of  a  treatise  like  the  present  necessarily  requires  time  to  be  con- 
summated, and  is  attended  with  considerable  expense,  the  author  has  ventured  to  issue 
a  volume,  by  which  public  opinion  may  be  guided  respecting  its  merits,  and  a  judgment 
may  be  formed  of  the  ability  or  fidelity  with  which  it  has  been  executed.  Should  the 
public  demand  an  extension  of  the  work  conformably  to  the  plan  he  has  adopted,  a  sup- 
plementary volume  will  follow,  embracing  an  account  of  most  of  the  other  trees  grow- 
ing in  Europe  and  America,  with  statements  of  the  sources  from  which  the  information 
will  have  been  derived  ;  copious  indexes  ;  a  glossary  of  technical  terms  employed  in 
the  work;  and  comparative  tables  of  the  various  kinds  of  wood,  in  regard  to  their 
strength,  durability,  value  as  fuel,  and  a  variety  of  other  useful  information  respecting 
timber  and  trees  never  before  published. 

In  conclusion,  the  author  requests  that  his  readers  will  seasonably  apprise  him  of 
whatever  corrections,  additions,  or  suggestions  may  occur  to  them,  in  order  that  the 
work  may  be  rendered  as  complete  as  possible,  and  issued  without  unnecessary  delay. 

D.  J.  B. 

V«/j  York,  August,  1846. 


INDEX. 


Page 

Page 

.CAC1A,  three-thorned 

.  212 

Ash,  Red 

.  395 

"         Virginian        .         .         .         . 

.    195 

"     Thorny,  Prickly      . 

.   150 

i.CER,  generic  characters  of 

.     71 

Asimina  triloba        .         .          .         .         . 

.     31 

icer  canipeslre         . 

.   102 

Azedarach      

.   123 

"     circinatum        .... 

.     93 

"     dasycarpum      .                   .         .          . 

.     95 

Banian-tree 

.  469 

"     eriocarpum       .          .         .         .         . 

.     95 

Bass-wood,  American  Lime-tree    . 

.     47 

"     macrocarpum   . 

.     78 

Bay,  American  Rose      .        .        .        . 

.  359 

"     monspessulanum       . 

.   101 

"     Loblolly 

.     52 

"     montana  .         .         .         .  ■ 

.     74 

"     Red,  Carolina  Laurel 

.  414 

"     negundo  ...... 

.   106 

BERBERIS,  generic  characters  of 

.     33 

"     pennsylvanicum        .         .         .         . 

.     76 

Berberis  ca?iade?isis           . 

.     37 

"     platanuides       . 

.     80 

"        vulgaris      .         . 

.     34 

"    pscudo-platanus 

.     88 

Berberry,  Common  '      .         .        .        . 

.     34 

"     rubrum    ...... 

.     98 

"          Canadian        .        .        .        . 

.     37 

"     saccharinum     .... 

.     83 

Bignonia  catalpa      . 

.  406 

"     s.  nigrum        . 

.     84 

Birch,  West  India 

.   189 

"     spicatum           .... 

.     74 

Bow-wood,  Osage  Orange 

.  465 

"     striatum ..... 

.     76 

Box-wood 35C 

,  431,  432 

"     tataricum          ... 

.     73 

Bread  Fruit-tree 

.  464 

(ESCULUS,  generic  characters  of 

.  109    Bread  Nut-tree,  Jamaica 

.  464 

lEsculus  flava          .... 

•   118    BROUSSONETIA,  generic  characters  < 

)f      .  460 

"        hippocastanum   . 

.    110     Broussonetia  papyrifera    . 

.  461 

"        h.  glabra    .... 

.111    Buckeye,  Edible     .... 

.  120 

"        A.  ohioensis 

.  110 

"        Foetid      .... 

.   110 

"         A.  pallida  .... 

.   Ill 

"        Large,  Yellow  Pavia 

.   118 

"        ^.  rubicunda 

.  Ill 

"        Small 

.   118 

"        macrostachya 

.  120 

Buckthorn,  Purging 

.   175 

"        pavia         .... 

.   115 

Sea      .... 

.  428 

AILANTUS,  generic  characters  of 

.   155 

Buffalo  Berry,  Rabbit  Berry  . 

.  429 

Ailantus  glandulosa 

.    156 

BURSERA,  generic  characters  of.    t 

.  188 

"        procera       .... 

.   156 

Bursera  gummifera .... 

.   189 

Almond-tree 

.  224    BUXUS,  generic  characters  of 

.  431 

AMELANCHIER,  generic  characters  o 

.281     Buxus  sempervirens 

.  432 

Amelanchicr  botryapium    . 

.282         "      belearica         .... 

.  431 

"           canadensis    . 

.  282 

"           c.  botryapium 

.  282 

Camphor-tree         .... 

.  420 

AMYGDALUS,  generic  characters  of 

.   223 

Carob-tree 

.  211 

Amygdalus  communis 

.  224 

Cassena,  Yaupon   .... 

.  169 

"           persica  .... 

.  230 

CATALPA,  generic  characters  of. 

.  405 

"            J).  £<m's  .... 

.  231 

Catalpa  syringaefolia 

113,  406 

Amyris  elcmifera      .... 

.  188    CELTIS,  generic  characters  of 

.  516 

Andromeda  arborca  .... 

.  356     Celtis  australis         .... 

.  516 

ANNONA,  generic  characters  of  . 

.     30 

"      rrassifolia      .... 

.  519 

Annona  triloba          .... 

.     31 

"      occidentalis    .... 

.  517 

Apple,  American  Crab    . 

.    297,  298 

"      tenui folia       .... 

.  518 

"      Astrachan    .... 

.  298 

CERASUS,  generic  characters  of  . 

.  251 

"      Common      .... 

.  296 

Cerasus  avium         .... 

.  253 

"      European  Crab    . 

.  297 

"        borcalis       .... 

.  265 

"      Siberian       .... 

.  298 

"        caproniana 

.  257 

Apricot-tree 

.  243 

"        caroliniana 

.  272 

Armeniaca  vulgaris 

.  243 

"        chicasa       .... 

.  250 

Ash,  American,  White   . 

.  394 

"        mahaleb      .... 

.  266 

"     Black,  Brown,  Water 

.  396 

"       pennsylvanica 

.  265 

"     Carolina          .... 

.  398 

"        serotina      .... 

.  268 

"    European        .... 

.  384           "        sylvestris    .... 

.  253 

"    Flowering 

.  404          "        virginiana .... 

.  268 

"    Manna 

.  402           "        vulgaris 

.  25" 

•    Mountain,  Wild  Service 

.  325 

"        v   semperflorens 

.  26l> 

INDEX. 


characters  of 


CERCIS,  generic  characters  of 
Ccrcis  canadensis     . 
"       sihquastrum 
Cherry,  American  Bird,  Choke 

"       Carolinian,  Wild  Orange 

"       Common  Garden 

"       Perfumed  . 

"       Virginian,  Wild,  Black 

"       Wild,  Gean,  Merry    . 
Chicasaw  Plum 
CHIONANTHUS,  generic 
China-tree      .... 
CITRUS,  generic  characters  of 
Citrus  aurantium     . 
CLADRASTIS,  generic  characters  of 
Ceadrastis  tinctona  . 
Coffee-tree,  Arabian 

"  Kentucky     . 

CORNUS,  generic  characters  of 
Cornus  alba     .... 

"      florida 

"       mascula 
Cow-tree        .... 
Cranberry,  Tree     . 
CRATAEGUS,  generic  characters  of 
Crataegus  cordata     . 

"         crus-galli 

"         punctata  . 
Cucumber-tree 

CYDONIA,  generic  characters  of 
Cydonia  vulgaris 

Daphne  mezercum    . 

Devil-wood,  American  Olive 

DIOSPYROS,  generic  characters  of 

Diospyros  virginiana 

Dogwood,  ]\ew-England  Box-wood 


Elm,  American,  White,  Rock 

"  Boston,  on  Common 

"  European 

»  Hatfield . 

"  Johnstown 

"  Penn's   . 

"  Pittsfield 

"  Red,  Slippery 

"  Thomas' 

"  Wahoo  . 

""  Washington 


FICUS,  generic  characters  of 
Ficus  carica     . 

"      sycomorus 
Fig-tree,  Common  . 
Franklmia       .... 
FRAXINUS,  generic  characters  of 
Fraxinus  arnericana 
"        excelsior    . 
Fringe-trees  .... 

Furze     

Fustic-trees    .... 

Georgia  Bark,  Pinckneya 
GLEDITSOHIA,  generic  characters  of 
Gleditschia,  monosperma  . 

"  triacantkos 

GORDONIA,  generic  characters  of 
Gorduma  lasiauthus 
"         pubais 


182, 


Page  | 

220 

221  | 

220 

265 

272 

257 

266 

268 

253 

250 

370 

123 

56 

57 
191 
192 
353 
218 
347 
348 
350 
348 
464 
353 
274 
280 
278 
277 

14 
331 
333 

422 
381 
367 
368 
350 

503 
507 
479 
509 
510 
504 
508 
501 
500 
502 
510 

469 
470 
469 
470 
54 
383 
394 
384 
371 
191 
460 

354 

211 

214 

212 

51 

52 

54 


Gordonia  pubescens 
Grape-vine,  American,  Wild  . 

"  Bland's,  Pale-red 

"  Catawba 

"  Elsanborough 

"  Isabella 

Guava,  Florida 
GYMNOCLADUS,  generic  characters  of 
Gymnocladus  canadensis  . 

Hack  Berry,  Hag  Berry,  Hog  Berry 
HALESIA,  generic  characters  of 
Halesia  tetraptera 
Hawthorn,  European 
Hippophae  argentea 
Holly,  American     . 

"      Emetic,  Yaupon 

"      European     . 
Horse-chestnut,  Common 

"  Scarlet -flowered 

Hydrangea  hortense 
Hypericum  lasiantkus 

ILEX,  generic  characters  of. 

Ilex  aquifolium 
"    cassena 
"    c.  vera 
"    opaca 

"    paraguarien'sis 
"    vomitoria  . 

Judas-tree,  Red-bud 
June  Berry,  Shad-blow 

KALMIA,  generic  characters  of 
Kalmia  latifolia 

Laurel,  Kalmia 

"      Big,  Magnolia     . 

"      Carolinian,  Red  Bay  . 

"      European,  Sweet  Bay 

"      Sheep,  Lamb-kill 
LAURUS,  generic  characters  of 
Laurus  benzoin 

"       camphora 

"       carolinensis 

"       cassia  . 

"       cinnamomum 

"       nobilis 

"       sassafras 
Lilac,  Indian,  Persian 
Lime-tree,  American,  Bass-wood 
"         European,  Linden 
"  Ogechee,  Tupelo  . 

LIRIODENDRON,  generic  characters  of 
Liriodcndron  tulipifcra 
Locust,  Black 

"        Common    . 

"       Green,  Yellow 

"       Honey,  Sweet 
Red   . 

"       Rose-flowering 

"       Water 

"       White 
Lotus,  European    . 
LYONIA,  generic  characters  of 
Lyonia  arbor ea 

MACLURA,  generic  characters  of 


464 


INDEX 


XI 


Page 

1    „ 

Pag* 

Madura  aurantiaca .... 

.  465 

Nyssa  aquatica        .... 

423 

MAGNOLIA,  generic  character*  of 

.       1 

"       biflora  ..... 

.  423 

Magnolia  acuminata 

.     14 

"      candicans       .... 

.  426 

"         a.  cordata 

.     15 

"      capitata          .... 

.  426 

"         auriculata 

.     17 

"      grandidentata-         . 

.  426 

"         conspicua 

.     19 

"      sylvatica         .... 

.  423 

"         c.  alexandrina  . 

.     20 

"         c.  soulangeana  . 

.     19 

OLEA,  generic  characters  of 

.  372 

"        fraseri      .... 

.     17 

Olea  americana         .... 

.  381 

"         glauca      .... 

.       7 

"     europcea            .... 

.  373 

"         grandijlora 

2 

Olive,  American     .... 

.  381 

"         macrophylla 

.     12 

"      European     .... 

.  373 

"         puwurea .... 
"         p. gracilis 

.     22 

"      Wild 

.  366,  426 

.     22 

ORNUS,  generic  characters  of 

.  402 

"         pyramidata 

.     18 

Ornus  americana      .... 

.  404 

"         tripetala    .... 

.     10 

"      europcea          .... 

.  402 

M         umbrella  .... 

.     10 

Orange,  Common    .... 

.     57 

Magnolia,  Conspicuous-flowered    . 

.     19 

"       Navel        .... 

.     58 

"         Ear-leaved 

.     17 

"       Osage,  Madura 

.  465 

"         Large-flowered 

.       2 

"         Large-leaved  . 

.     12 

Paulownia  imperialis 

.  405 

"         Purple-flowered 

.     22 

Pavia  flava      ..... 

.  118 

"         Umbrella 

.     10 

"      lutea      ..... 

.  118 

Mahogany-tree       .... 

.   127 

"      macrostachya 

.  120 

Maple,  Ash-leaved,  Negundo . 

.  106 

"      rubra     ..... 

.  115 

"      Field 

.  102 

Papaw  .          

.     31 

"      Large-leaved 

.     78 

Peach,  Common     .... 

.  230 

"      Montpellier 

.  101 

Pear-tree,  Common 

.  287 

"      Mountain    .... 

.     74 

"         Wild,  Tupelo 

.  423 

"      Norway       .... 

.     80 

Persica  vulgaris       .... 

.  230 

"      Red,  Swamp 

.     98 

Persimon,  Virginian  Date  Plum 

.  368 

'      Round-leaved 

.     93 

PINCKNEYA,  generic  characters  of 

.  353 

"      Silver-leaved 

.     95 

Pinckneya  pubens     .... 

.  354 

"      Striped-barked    . 

.     76 

"         pubescens 

.  354 

"      Sugar,  Rock 

.     83 

Pipperidge,  Tupelo 

.  423 

"      Sugar,  Black 

.     84 

PISTACIA,  generic  characters  of. 

.  178 

"      Tartarian     .... 

.     73 

Pistacia  ojicinarum 

.   179 

"      White,  Soft,  Silver     . 

.     95 

"        vera  ..... 

.   179 

Mate,  Paraguay  Tea       . 

.   171 

Pistachio  Nut-tree 

.   179 

Medlar,  Dutch 

.  281 

PLANERA,  generic  characters  of 

.  514 

MELIA,  generic  characters  of 

.   122 

Planera  gmelini        .... 

.  515 

Melia  azedarach       . 

.   123 

"        richardii      .... 

.  514 

Mespilus  arborea      . 

.  282 

"        ulmifolia     .... 

.  515 

MORUS,  generic  characters  of 

.  438 

Plane-tree,  European  Sycamore    . 

.     88 

Morus  alba      ...... 

.  443 

Plum,  Common  Domestic 

.  245 

"       a.  multicaulis         .         .         .         . 

.  445 

"      Chicasaw     .... 

.  250 

"       nigra    ...... 

.  439 

"      Washington 

.  246 

44      papyrifcra     . 

.  461 

Poison  Sumach,  Poison  Elder 

.   186 

"      rubra     ...... 

.  457 

Pomegranate-tree  . 

.  338 

"      tinctoria         ... 

.  460 

Poplar,  White,  Yellow  . 

.     27 

Mountain  Ash,  Wild  Service  . 

.  325 

Pride  of  China,  Azedarach     . 

.   123 

Mulberry,  Black      .                 .        .        . 

.  439 

PRUNUS,  generic  characters  of    . 

.  242 

"         Brousa  

.  445 

Prunus  armeniaca    .         .         .         .         . 

.  243 

"         Chinese          .        .        .        . 

.  444 

"       avium           . 

.  253 

"         Italian            . 

.  444 

"       cerasus        .         .         .         .         . 

.  257 

"        Paper     

.  461 

"       chicasa         .         .         .         .         . 

.  250 

"         Red,  Virginian 

.  457 

"       domesixa     . 

.  245 

"         Tartarian                . 

.  446 

"       mahaleb        . 

.  266 

«'         White    ... 

.  443 

"       serolina        . 

.  268 

Myrtle,  Common  European     . 

.  343 

PTELIA,  generic  characters  of     . 

.   152 

MYRTUS,  generic  characters  of  . 

.  342 

Ptelia  trifoliata         . 

.   153 

Myrtus  communis    . 

.  343 

PUNICA,  generic  characters  of     . 

.  337 

Punica  granatum     .         .         .         .         . 

.  338 

Nectarine 

.  231 

PYRUS,  generic  characters  of 

.  284 

NEGUNDO,  generic  characters  of 

.   105 

Pyrus  aucuparia      . 

.  325 

Negundo  fraxinifolium     .         .         .         . 

.   106 

"      a.  americana           .         . 

.  326 

Nettle-tree,  American    . 

.  517 

"      communis       ... 

.  287 

"          European    .         .        .        . 

.  516 

"      c.  pyrastcr     . 

.  287 

NYSSA,  generic  characters  of 

.  422 

"      cydonia          . 

.  3:S3 

XII 


INDEX. 


Page 

Pas» 

Pyrus  japonica        .... 

.  331 

TILIA,  generic  characters  of                         .     38 

"      malus    ..... 

.  296 

Tilia  americana 

47 

'•      m.  acerba 

.  297 

"    a.  alba    . 

.     48 

m.  coronaria  .... 

.  297 

"     europaa 
"     glabra     . 

.     39 

.     47 

Quince,  Common 

.  333 

"     heterophylla     . 
Toothache-tree 

.     49 
.   150 

RHAMNUS,  generic  characters  of_ 

.  174 

Tree  of  Friendship 

.  507 

Rhamnus  catharticus        .         .         .         . 

.   175 

"      Heaven 

.  156 

RHODODENDRON,  generic  characters 

Of    .  358 

"      Liberty 

.  506 

Rhododendron  maximum  .         .         .         . 

.  359 

Tulip-tree,  Liriodendron 

.     24 

"             ponticum    .         .         .         . 

.  358 

Tupelo-tree    . 

.  423 

ROBINIA,  generic  characters  of   . 

.  194 

"          Large  . 

.  426 

Robinia  glutinosa     .         .         .         .         . 

.  209 

"          Sour    .... 

.  426 

"       montana      . 

.  209 

"       pseudacacia          .         .         .         . 

.  195 

ULMUS,  generic  characters  of 

.  477 

"       pseudo-acacia       . 

.  195 

Ulmus  americana     .... 

499 

"       viscosa 

.  209 

"      a.  alata         .... 

.  502 

RHUS,  generic  characters  of 

.   181 

"      a.  fulva         .... 

.  501 

Rhus  coriacea  ...... 

.  182 

"      a.  opaca        .... 

.  503 

"     cotinus   .         .          ■  .       . 

.   182 

"      a.  racemosa  .... 

.  500 

"     typhina  .         .         .         .         . 

.  184 

"      campestris    .... 

.  479 

"    venenata         

.  186 

"      c.  montana    .         . 

.  485 

"     vcrnix    .         . 

.   186 

"      c.  m.  glabra  .... 
"      rubra    ..... 

.  486 
.  501 

Sassafras-tree 

.  416 

Umbrella-tree         .... 

.     10 

Service-tree,  Wild          .... 

.  325 

Uvaria  triloba ..... 

.     31 

SHEPHERDIA,  generic  characters  of  . 

.  428 

Shepherdia  argentea         .... 

.  429 

Virgilia  lutea  ..... 

.  192 

Snow-drop-tree 

366,  371 

VITIS,  generic  characters  of 

.  131 

Snow-flower-tree,  Virginian  . 

.  371 

Vitis  labrusca           .... 

.  133 

Sorbus  aucuparia     ..... 

.  325 

"     /.  Isabella         .... 

.  134 

Sorrel-tree,  Lyonia         .... 

.  356 

"     vinifera  ..... 

.  131 

Sour  Gum 

.  423 

"    Tupelo 

.  426 

Wahoo 

17,  502 

Stillingia  sebifera    ..... 

.  431 

White- wood   ... 

.     24 

Styrax  officinale       ..... 

.  365 

Wickoby         ... 

422 

Sumach,  Poisonous        .... 

.   186 

Witch  Hazel 

.  £-49 

"        Staghorn,  Virginian 

.   184 

"        Venice 

.   182 

XANTHOXYLUM,  generic  characters  of     .149 

SWIETENIA,  generic  characters  of 

.   126 

Xanthoxylum  fraxineum  .         .         .         .         .150 

Swietenia  mahogoni          . 

.   127 

Sycamore,  Maple 

.     88 

Yellow  Gum,  Tupelo 423 

Yellow-wood,  Virgilia 192 

Tallow-tree 

.  431 

"            Great  Prickly  .        .        .        .150 

Tamarix  gallica       ..... 

342,  403 

Thorn,  Cock-spur 

.  278 

ZanthozQiam  americanum         ....  150 

"      Dotted-fruited     .... 

.  277 

"            clava  herculia       ....  150 

"      Washington        .... 

.  280  I 

ZerKOua,  Zelkona   . 

. 

. 

.  514 

THE 


TREES  OF  AMERICA. 


Genus   MAGNOLIA,    Linn. 


Magnoliacea?. 

Syst.  Nat. 


Magnaja, 


Synonymcs 


Polyandria  Polygynia. 
Syst.  Lin. 


Of  Authors. 


Magnolier,  France. 

Magnolie,  Gurkenbaum,  Bieberbaum,  Germany. 

Spain,  Italy,  Britain,  and 
Anglo-America. 


Magnolia, 


Derivations.  The  name  Magnolia  was  given  to  this  genus  by  Linnoeus  in  honour  of  M.  Pierre  Magnol,  a  distinguished 
botanist  of  Montpelier,  in  France.  The  German  name,  Gurkenbaum,  means  Cucumber-tree ;  and  Bieberbaum  signifies 
Beaver-tree,  which  is  sometimes  applied  in  America  to  the  Magnolia  glauca. 

Generic  Characters.  Calyx  of  3  deciduous  sepals,  that  resemble  petals.  Corolla  of  from  6 — 9  petals.  Sta 
mens  numerous.  Pistils  numerous.  Carpels  disposed  compactly  in  spikes,  opening  by  the  external  angle, 
1 — 2-seeded,  permanent.  Seeds  baccate,  somewhat  cordate,  pendulous,  hanging  out  beyond  the  carpels 
by  a  very  long  umbilical  thread.  Trees  and  shrubs  with  large,  entire  leaves,  and  solitary,  terminal, 
large,  odoriferous  flowers. — Don,  Miller's  Diet. 


HE  genus  Magnolia  embraces  the  most  admirable  productions  of 
the  vegetable  world.  All  the  species  are  highly  ornamental, 
and  may  generally  be  cultivated  in  most  parts  of  Britain,  the 
middle  and  southern  states  of  Europe  and  of  North  America, 
without  protection  during  winter.  But,  in  Russia  and  the 
northern  parts  of  Britain,  Germany,  Sweden,  and  of  the  United 
States,  the  less  hardy  kinds  are  green-house  plants.  Few  of 
the  species  ripen  their  seeds  in  England,  but  most  of  them  do  in  France.  The 
American  species  are  generally  produced  from  seeds ;  but  those  from  Asia  are 
increased  by  layers,  or  by  inarching,  and  in  some  cases  from  seeds. 

Geographical  Distribution.  The  native  country  of  the  most  hardy  mag- 
nolias is  North  America;  but  there  are  some  hardy  species  found  in  China, 
Japan,  and  probably  in  Hindoostan.  No  tree  of  this  genus  has  hitherto  been 
found  indigenous  to  Europe,  Africa,  South  America,  nor  Australia;  and  the 
geographical  range  of  the  order  Magnoliaceae  in  America  and  Asia  is  compara- 
tively limited. 

1 


Magnolia  grandiflora, 


Magnolia  grandiflora, 


THE  LARGE-FLOWERED  MAGNOLIA. 

Synonymes. 

'  Linn^us,  Species  Plantarum. 
Dv  Hajiel,  Arbres  et  Arbustes. 
De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 
Michaux,  North  American  Sylva. 
Don,  Miller's  Dictionary. 
Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
Torrey  and  Gray;  Flora  of  North  America. 
France. 
Germany. 
Italy. 
Spain. 

Southern  Indians. 
French  Louisiana. 
South  Carolina. 
Other  parts 
of  THE 
United  States. 


Magnolier  a  grandes  fleurs, 

Grossblumige  Magnolie, 

Magnolia  tulipano, 

Magnolia  floregranda, 

Toola,' 

Laurier  tulipier, 

Large  Magnolia, 

Laurel -leaved  Magnolia,  Large -flow- 
ered Evergreen  Magnolia,  Bay- 
tree,  Laurel  Bay,  Big  Laure., 


Engravings.    Michaux,  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  51 ;  Audubon,  Birds  of  America,  pi.  v. ;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
vol.  v.,  pi.  1 ;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.    Evergreen.    Leaves  oval-oblong,  coriaceous,  upper  surface  shining,  under  surface 
rusty.    Flowers  erect,  9 — 12  petals,  expanding. — Don,  3IiUer's  Diet. 

Description. 

"Seest  thou  the  heavenward  head 
Of  yon  magnolia,  with  its  ample  boughs 
And  its  pure  blossoms  1    Say,  dost  thou  inhale 
Its  breathing  fragrance?" 

"Yes.    Nor  can  I  view 
That  glory  of  the  forest,  but  my  heart 
Is  full  of  pleasure." 

Traits  op  the  Aborigines. 

F   all   the   trees  of    North 

j  America,  east  of  the  Rocky 

1  Mountains,  the  Large-flow- 
ered Magnolia  is  the  most 
remarkable  for  the  majesty  of  its  form,  the  mag- 
nificence of  its  foliage,  and  the  beauty  of  its  flowers. 
It  claims  a  place  among  the  largest  trees  of  the 
forest,  varying  from  sixty  to  one  hundred  feet  or 
upwards,  in  height,  and  from  two  to  three  feet  in 
diameter.  Its  head  often  forms  a  perfect  cone, 
placed  on  a  clean,  straight  trunk,  resembling  a 
beautiful  column ;  and,  from  its  dark-green  foliage, 
silvered  over  with  milk-white  flowers,  it  is  seen 
at  a  great  distance.  The  roots  are  branched,  and 
yet  but  sparingly  supplied  with  fibres.  The  bark 
of  the  trunk  is  smooth,  grayish,  and  somewhat 
resembles  that  of  the  beech,  and  is  disagreeably 
bitter  when  chewed  to  a  pulp.  The  leaves  vary 
from  six  to  twelve  inches  in  length,  and  from  three 

to  four  inches  in  breadth.  They  are  always  smooth  and  shining  on  their  upper 
sides,  and  perfectly  entire  on  the  edges.  They  vary  in  form  according  to  the 
variety  to  which  they  belong,  being  sometimes  oblong,  oval,  or  acuminate,  and 


LARGE-FLOWERED    MAGNOLIA.  3 


o 


at  others,  narrow,  round,  or  obtuse.  They  are  usually  thick  and  coriaceous,  of 
a  rusty  brown  on  their  under  sides,  and  are  borne  by  short  petioles.  In  Florida, 
Georgia,  and  Carolina,  the  flowers  first  appear  in  April  or  May;  but  in  England, 
France,  and  the  northern  parts  of  the  United  States,  they  seldom  put  forth  before 
June  or  July ;  and  they  continue  in  some  varieties  until  they  are  destroyed  by 
frost.  The  flowers  are  produced  on  the  summits  of  the  last  year's  shoots,  and 
are  from  six  to  ten  inches  in  diameter.  It  is  remarkable  that  they  are  produced 
throughout  the  summer,  whereas,  those  of  all  the  other  species,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  the  Magnolia  glauca,  when  planted  in  moist  situations,  come  forth 
comparatively  at  once,  and  last  only  a  short  time.  Their  odour  is  exceedingly 
sweet,  and  overpowering  to  some  when  near,  though  agreeable  at  a  dis- 
tance. They  are  succeeded  by  fleshy,  oval  cones,  which  are  about  four 
inches  in  length,  and  contain  a  great  number  of  cells.  At  the  age  of  maturity, 
or  about  the  first  of  October,  in  Carolina,  they  open  longitudinally,  exhibiting 
two  or  three  seeds  of  a  vivid  red,  which  soon  after  quit  their  cells,  and  for  seve- 
ral days,  remain  suspended  without,  by  white  filaments  attached  to  the  bottom 
of  their  cells.  The  red,  pulpy  substance  of  the  seeds  decays,  in  time,  and  leaves 
naked  a  stone  containing  a  white,  milky  kernel. 

Varieties.  In  consequence  of  the  great  demand  for  this  species,  many  vari- 
ations have  been  produced  by  cultivators,  and  have  been  considered  as  distinct 
races,  among  which  the  following  are  deserving  of  notice  : — 

1.  M.  g.  obovata,  Loudon.  Obovate-leaved  Large- flowered  Magnolia.  This 
is  said  to  be  the  only  variety  found  in  the  wild  state.  When  cultivated,  it 
deserves  the  preference  of  all  others  for  the  magnificence  of  its  foliage ;  but  it 
does  not  flower  freely.  It  may  be  known  by  the  broad  ends  of  its  leaves,  and 
its  expanded  flowers. 

2.  M.  g.  rotundifolia,  Loudon.  Round-leaved  Large-flowered  Magnolia.  Not 
a  very  distinct  or  handsome  variety,  nor  a  free  flowerer.  It  may  be  known  by 
its  roundish  leaves. 

3.  M.  g.  exoniensis,  Loudon.  Exmouth  Large-flowered  Magnolia.  This  is  the 
most  distinct  of  all  the  varieties  of  the  species ;  and,  on  account  of  its  flowering 
early  and  freely,  it  is  most  deserving  of  general  culture.  Its  form  is  tall  and 
fastigiate,  in  consequence  of  which,  it  is  less  liable  to  be  injured  by  a  heavy  fall  of 
snow.  It  is  also  said  to  grow  faster  than  any  other  variety.  It  may  be  distin- 
guished by  its  oblong-elliptical  leaves,  generally  rusty  underneath  and  by  its 
somewhat  contracted  flowers. 

4.  M.  g.  ferruginea,  Loudon.  Rusty-leaved  Large-flowered  Magnolia.  This 
differs  from  the  preceding  in  having  rather  broader  leaves,  and  larger  flowers, 
and  in  having  a  wider  and  more  compact  head. 

5.  M.  g.  lanceolata,  Loudon.  Lanceolate-leaved  Large-flowered  Magnolia. 
Differs  from  the  last-named  variety  in  not  having  the  leaves  rusty  underneath, 
nor  of  so  broad  and  bushy  a  head. 

6.  M.  g.  elliptica,  Loudon.  Elliptic-leaved  Large-flowered  Magnolia.  The 
flowers  of  this  variety  are  contracted  as  in  the  three  preceding  varieties,  from 
which  it  differs  only  in  the  oblong-elliptical  form  of  its  leaves. 

7.  M.  g.  angustifolia,  Loudon.  Narrow-leaved  Large-flowered  Magnolia. 
A  very  distinct  variety,  readily  known  by  its  lanceolate,  wavy  leaves,  pointed 
at  both  ends. 

8.  M.  g.  precox,  Loudon.  Early  flowering  Lar  ge- flowered  Magnolia.  A 
variety  which  deserves  a  preference  on  account  of  the  largeness  of  the  flowers, 
and  because  they  appear  early,  and  continue  during  the  summer.  The  leave? 
are  oval-oblong,  and  the  flowers  fully  expanded. 

Geograjiky   and    History.      The    Magnolia  grandifiora  is  only  found    indi 
genous  to  a  tract  of  country  extending  from  the  lower  part  of  North  Carolina 


4  MAGNOLIA    GRANDIFLORA. 

in  about  latitude  thirty-five  and  a  half  degrees,  along  the  maritime  districts  of  the 
more  southern  states  and  the  Floridas,  and  as  far  up  the  Mississippi  as  Natchez, 
three  hundred  miles  above  New  Orleans.  It  is  said  to  grow  in  Texas  near  the 
Brasos. 

The  introduction  of  the  Magnolia  grandiflora  into  France  dates  back  as  far 
as  1732.  A  fine  plant  was  taken  that  year  from  the  banks  of  the  Mississippi  by 
a  marine  officer,  and  planted  in  a  poor  soil  in  the  town  of  Nantz.  It  grew  there 
in  the  open  air  until  1758,  without  attracting  any  particular  notice,  when  it 
came  under  the  observation  of  M.  Bonami.  At  the  meeting  of  the  states  of  Bre- 
tagne,  held  at  Nantz,  in  September,  1760,  he  presented  a  branch  of  it  in  flower, 
to  the  Princess  of  Rohan-Chabet,  which  became  a  subject  of  conversation  and 
interest  to  all  there  assembled.  At  that  time  the  tree  was  thirty-five  or  forty 
feet  in  height ;  but,  during  the  civil  war  of  La  Vendee,  it  was  mutilated,  and 
lost  most  of  its  branches.  Afterwards,  the  burning  of  a  house,  near  where  it 
stands,  having  damaged  its  fine  head,  it  was  treated  as  an  orange-tree  injured  by 
frost ;  that  is,  the  branches  were  cut  off  close  to  the  trunk.  It  shot  out  vigo- 
rously, at  first,  but  the  young  shoots,  not  having  had  time  to  ripen,  were  de- 
stroyed by  the  frost.  Notwithstanding  this  check,  it  again  recovered,  and  after- 
wards became  a  fine  tree,  between  twenty-five  and  thirty  feet  in  height,  with  a 
large,  well-proportioned  head,  and  a  trunk  four  feet  in  circumference,  the  lower 
branches  sweeping  the  ground.  It  annually  produces  from  three  hundred  and 
fifty  to  four  hundred  large,  elegant,  and  sweet-scented  flowers.  The  seeds 
however,  never  arrive  at  perfect  maturity;  although  the  fruit  attains  its  ful 
size,  and  remains  upon  the  tree  until  the  following  spring.  It  may  be  sufficien 
to  state,  that  this  tree,  after  having  sustained  so  many  injuries,  and  been  a 
living  witness  of  all  the  political  struggles  of  France  for  more  than  a  century, 
still  exists  at  Maillardiere,  the  estate  of  M.  le  Compte  de  la  Bretesche,  from 
whom  the  foregoing  account  was  received. 

The  precise  date  of  the  introduction  of  the  Magnolia  grandiflora  into  Britain, 
is  uncertain.  In  the  "  Hortus  Kewensis,"  on  the  authority  of  Catesby,  it  was 
cultivated  prior  to  1737,  by  Sir  John  Collinton,  at  Exeter ;  and,  as  far  as  known, 
the  tree  there  was  the  first  which  was  raised  or  planted  in  England.  It  was  cut 
down  through  mistake,  about  the  year  1794,  previous  to  which  it  seems  to  have 
been  rented  by  different  gardeners,  who  at  first  sold  the  layers  at  five  guineas 
each ;  but  the  price  gradually  fell  to  half  a  guinea.  It  is  stated  in  the  "  Linnsean 
Transactions,"  vol.  x.,  that  in  1759,  two  fine  trees  about  twenty  feet  in  height 
stood  m  the  American  grove,  at  Goodwood,  near  the  coast  of"  Sussex,  that 
flowered  annually ;  also,  that  Mr.  Collinson  had  a  plant  there,  raised  by  himself 
from  seed,  which  flowered  for  the  first  time  in  1760,  when  twenty  years  old. 
At  White  Knights,  near  Reading,  there  exists  at  present,  a  magnolia  wall,  which 
is  one  hundred  and  forty-five  feet  in  length  and  twenty-four  feet  high,  entirely 
covered  with  twenty-two  plants  of  this  species,  that  flower  every  year  from 
June  till  November.  They  were  planted  in  the  year  1800,  when  the  price  in  the 
nurseries,  for  good  plants,  was  five  guineas  each. 

The  Magnolia  grandiflora,  soon  after  its  introduction  into  France  and  Eng- 
land, doubtless  found  its  way  into  the  botanic  gardens  of  Spain  and  Germany. 
The  first  planted  trees  in  Italy  were  in  the  botanic  garden  at  Padua.  On  the 
authority  of  the  Abbe  Belese,  who  made  a  tour  through  northern  Italy  in  1832, 
these  trees  were  planted  in  1742,  and  at  that  time  were  sixty  feet  in  height,  with 
trunks  four  feet  in  diameter.  We  are  also  informed  that  in  the  botanic  garden  at 
Pisa,  there  are  trees  which  flower  and  produce  perfect  seeds,  from  which  plants 
have  been  raised  by  M.  Marmier,  on  his  estate  at  Rois,  near  Besancon. 

It  is  believed  that  this  tree  has  been  introduced  into  the  botanic  gardens  of 
South  America  and  India;  and,  on  the  authority  of  Mr.  Reeves,  in  Loudoivs 


LARGE-FLOWERED    MAGNOLIA.  5 

"Gardeners'  Magazine,"  vol.  xi.,  it  was  introduced  at  Macao  by  a  Mr.  Livingston, 
previously  to  1S30;  and  the  Magnolia  acuminata,  glauca,  and  umbrella,  soon 
afterwards. 

Soil  and  Situation.  The  Magnolia  grandiflora,  in  its  natural  habitat,  grows 
in  cool  and  shady  places,  where  the  soil,  composed  of  brown  mould,  is  deep, 
loose,  and  fertile.  These  tracts  lie  contiguous  to  the  great  swamps  which  are 
found  on  the  borders  of  the  rivers  of  the  south,  and  in  the  midst  of  the  pine-bar- 
rens. In  Europe  and  the  northern  parts  of  the  United  States,  a  deep  sandy 
loam,  dry  at  the  bottom,  and  enriched  with  vegetable  mould,  seems  to  suit  all 
the  varieties  of  the  species. 

The  situation,  in  the  colder  parts  of  Europe  and  America,  may  be  exposed  to 
the  direct  influence  of  the  mid-day  sun ;  but  in  southern  Europe,  and  its  native 
climate,  it  always  thrives  best  when  in  the  shade  of  other  trees,  and  requires  a 
moister  soil.  In  general,  where  the  fig-tree  will  grow  as  a  standard,  and 
survive  the  winter  without  protection,  there  the  Magnolia  grandiflora  may  be 
planted,  and  treated  as  a  standard  also.  Perhaps  the  finest  situation  for  display- 
ing the  flowers  of  this  tree,  as  a  standard  in  a  northern  climate,  would  be  a 
sloping  bank  of  sandy  soil  facing  the  south-east.  Here  it  might  be  mixed  with 
a  few  of  the  deciduous  magnolias,  and  particularly  with  the  Magnolia  con- 
spicua  soulangeana,  which  flowers  before  the  leaves  come  out,  and  would  be  set 
off  to  great  advantage  by  its  green  leaves. 

Propagation  and  Management.  The  Magnolia  grandiflora  may  be  raised 
from  the  seed ;  but,  as  plants  so  originated  do  not  flower  for  twenty  or  thirty  years 
after  being  planted  out,  it  is  preferable  to  have  those  which  have  been  propagated 
by  layers  from  flowering  trees  of  choice  varieties.  When  propagated  by  layers, 
the  shoots  are  put  down  in  autumn,  and  require  two  years  to  become  sufficiently 
rooted  for  separation.  They  are  then  potted,  and  kept  in  pits,  or  under  glass, 
where  the  climate  requires  it  to  be  protected,  or  set  in  the  open  air,  in  a  shady 
place,  if  the  climate  is  too  hot,  till  wanted  for  final  planting.  It  is  not  recom- 
mended in  any  case  whatever  to  purchase  any  species  of  magnolia  for  planting 
not  grown  in  a  pot ;  because  plants  so  grown  may  be  sent  to  any  distance  without 
injury  to  the  roots,  which  are  few  and  succulent,  and  easily  damaged  by  expos- 
ure to  air  and  light.  In  planting,  the  ball  should  be  carefully  broken  by  the  hand, 
and  the  roots  spread  out  in  every  direction,  and  covered  with  a  mixture  of  leaf 
mould  and  sandy  loam.  The  soil  ought  to  be  made  firm  to  the  fibrous  roots,  not 
by  treading,  but  by  abundant  watering,  and,  if  the  plant  be  large,  by  fixing  with 
water ;  that  is,  while  the  earth  is  being  carefully  put  about  the  roots  by  one  man, 
another  should  pour  water  over  it  from  a  pot  held  six  or  eight  feet  above  it, 
so  that  the  weight  of  the  water  may  wash  the  soil  into  every  crevice  formed  by 
the  roots.  Shading  will  be  advisable  for  some  weeks,  or  even  months  after 
planting.  If  the  plant  is  intended  to  form  a  handsome  tree  as  a  standard,  it 
should  not  only  have  a  sufficient  depth  of  suitable  soil,  but  should  be  pruned  to 
a  single  stem  for  at  least  three  or  four  feet  from  the  ground,  to  direct  the  growth 
of  the  head.  If  the  plant  does  not  grow  freely  after  it  has  been  three  or  four  years 
planted,  it  ought  to  be  bent  down  to  the  ground,  and  kept  in  that  position  until 
it  throws  up  one  strong  shoot  from  the  collar.  The  old  stem  should  then  be  cut 
away,  leaving  only  the  new  shoot ;  and  this  shoot,  which  will  probably  extend 
three  or  four  feet  the  first  season,  will  soon  form  a  handsome  tree.  If  the  Exmouth 
variety  (M.  g.  exoniensis)  of  this  species  be  made  choice  of,  layers  will  produce 
flowers  in  a  year  or  two  after  being  separated  from  the  parent  plant,  if  kept  in 
pots;  but,  when  they  are  planted  out,  and  grow  freely,  so  as  to  make  shoots  two 
or  three  feet  each  season,  they  will  probably  not  flower  for  three  or  four  years. 
In  whatever  manner  this  tree  be  treated,  all  the  pruning  it  will  require,  after  it  has 
begun  to  grow  freely,  will  be  to  cut  out  the  stumps  from  which  the  flowers  or 


O  '  MAGNOLIA    GRAND1FLORA. 

strobiles  have  dropped  off,  or  any  dead  or  decayed  wood,  and  branches  which 
cross  and  rub  on  each  other.  For  a  few  years  after  being  planted  as  a  standard, 
it  may  be  advisable  to  protect  it  during  winter,  by  forming  a  small  cone  of 
thatch  or  straw  round  the  stem,  after  the  manner  of  M.  Boursault,  of  Paris,  as 
described  in  Loudon's  "Arboretum." 

Casualties.  In  southern  Florida,  the  Epidendrum  conopseum  grows  parasiti- 
cally  upon  the  Magnolia  grandiflora  and  other  trees. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  medicinal  virtues  of  this  magnificent  tree  were 
familiar  to  the  southern  Indians,  while  they  were  accustomed  proudly  to  point  it 
out  as  the  glory  of  the  forest.  The  bark  of  its  roots  was  used  by  them  in  Flor- 
ida, in  combination  with  snake-root,  as  a  substitute  for  the  Peruvian  bark,  in  the 
treatment  of  intermittents. 

"  If  fever's  fervid  rage 
Glow'd  in  the  boiling  veins,"        *        *        *        * 
*****        "  They  woo'd  thy  potent  spell, 
Magnolia  grandiflora;  to  supply 
The  place  of  fam'd  Cinchona,  whose  rough  brow 
Now  ruddy,  and  anon  with  paleness  mark'd, 
Drinks  in  its  native  bed,  the  genial  gales 
Of  mountainous  Peru." 

Traits  of  the  Aborigines. 

The  wood  of  this  tree  is  but  little  used  in  the  arts  or  for  fuel.  It  is  soft,  and 
remarkable  for  its  whiteness,  which  it  preserves  even  after  it  is  seasoned,  and 
when  dry,  weighs  from  twenty-seven  to  thirty  pounds  to  a  cubic  foot.  It  is 
easily  wrought,  and  is  not  liable  to  warp ;  but  when  exposed  to  the  alternations 
of  moisture  and  dryness,  it  soon  decays.  For  this  reason  the  boards  are  used 
only  in  joinery  in  the  interior  of  buildings  In  trees  from  fifteen  to  eighteen 
inches  in  diameter  there  cannot  be  discerned  any  mark  of  distinction  between 
the  sap  and  heart- wood,  except  a  deep-brown  space  about  half  of  an  inch  in 
diameter  near  the  centre  of  the  trunk.  In  general,  the  utility  of  the  Magnolia 
grandiflora  can  only  be  considered  in  the  light  of  an  ornament  to  plantations  and 
shrubberies,  or  to  the  more  refined  beds  of  the  conservatory. 


Magnolia  glauca, 

THE  GLAUCOUS-LEAVED  MAGNOLIA. 

Synonymes. 


'  Linnjsus,  Species  Plantarum. 

Willdenow,  Berlinische  Baumzucht. 

De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 

Michaux,  North  American  Sylva. 
<  Pursh,  Flora  Americae  Septentrionalis, 

Don,  Miller's  Dictionary. 

Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 

Torrey  and  Gray,  Flora  of  North  America. 
^  Bigelow,  Medical  Botany. 

France. 

Germany. 

Italy. 

Southern  States. 
Other   parts 


Magnolia  glauca, 


Magnolier  glauque,  Arbre  de  castor, 

Grauer  Bieberbaum, 

Albero  di  castoro, 

White  Bay,  Sweet  Bay, 

Magnolia,    Small     Magnolia,   Swamp 

Magnolia,   Swamp   Laurel,   Swamp 

Sassafras,  Beaver-wood, 


of  the 
United  States. 


Derivations.  The  specific  name  glauca  is  derived  from  the  Greek,  word  glaucos,  sea-green,  alluding  to  the  colour  of  the 
leaves.  It  is  named  Swamp  Sassafras  on  account  of  its  growing  in  boggy  grounds,  and  resembling  some  of  the  qualities  of  the 
Laurus  sassafras;  and  Beaver-tree,  because  the  root  is  eaten  as  a  great  dainty  by  beavers,  which  are  sometimes  caught  by 
means  of  it.  Michaux  tells  us  that  it  is  felled  by  them  for  constructing  their  dams  and  houses,  in  preference  to  any  other  tree, 
on  account  of  the  softness  of  the  wood. 

Engravings.  Michaux,  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  52  ;  Audubon,  Birds  of  America,  pi.  cxviii. ;  Loudon,  Aboretum  Britan- 
nicum, v.,  pi.  3  ;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters. — Almost  deciduous.      Leaves  elliptical,  obtuse,  under  surface  glaucous.      Flowers 
9 — 12-petaled,  contracted.     Petals  ovate,  concave. — Don,  Miller's  Diet. 


Description. 

HE  Magnolia  glauca,  though 
^  inferior  in  size  to  the  preced- 
ing species,  and  less  regularly 
^S^P  formed,  is  interesting  on  ac- 
count of  its  beautiful  foliage  and  sweet-scented  flow- 
ers. It  sometimes  attains  an  elevation  of  forty  feet, 
with  a  diameter  of  ten  or  twelve  inches ;  but  it  does 
not  ordinarily  exceed  fifteen  or  twenty  feet  in  height, 
either  in  Britain  or  this  country,  and  often  fruc- 
tifies at  the  height  of  five  or  six  feet.  The  trunk  is 
usually  crooked,  and  divided  into  a  great  number  of 
divaricating  branches.  The  young  shoots  are  from 
twelve  to  eighteen  inches  in  length,  and  the  roots,  like 
all  the  species  of  the  magnolia,  are  branched,  and 
sparingly  supplied  with  fibres.  The  bark  of  the  trunk 
is  grayish,  and  of  a  bitterish  taste.  The  leaves  are 
five  or  six  inches  long,  petiolated,  alternate,  oblong- 
oval,  or  obtuse,  and  entire.  They  are  of  a  shining 
bluish-green  on  their  upper  surface,  and  whitish  or 
glaucous,  and  often  silky  when  young,  underneath.  In  the  southern 
tree  is  often  found  with  evergreen  leaves,  and  sometimes  near  its  nor 
limits  it  retains  a  part  of  its  foliage  durmg  winter.     The  leaves  usually 


states  this 
thernmost 
fall,  how- 


8  MAGNOLIA    GLAUCA. 

ever,  in  autumn,  and  are  renewed  early  in  the  following  spring.  This  tree  begins 
to  flower  in  Florida  and  the  southern  states,  the  last  of  April  or  early  in  May,  and 
a  month  or  six  weeks  later  in  Massachusetts.  The  flowers  are  single,  two  or  three 
inches  broad,  and  are  produced  at  the  extremity  of  the  last  year's  shoots.  They 
have  six  white  concave  petals,  and  an  agreeable  perfume,  which  may  be  perceived 
at  a  considerable  distance.  If  shut  up  in  a  close  apartment  during  the  night,  they 
communicate  to  the  air  a  heavy  and  almost  insupportable  odour.  They  are  of 
short  duration,  although  the  tree  continues  flowering  for  several  months.  It  is  not 
unfrequent  to  find  it  in  bloom,  in  the  south,  in  autumn.  The  fruit  is  composed 
of  numerous  cellules,  and  varies  in  length  from  an  inch  to  an  inch  and  a  half, 
and  when  of  full  size,  is  an  inch  in  diameter  in  the  widest  part.  When  ripe, 
the  cones  are  of  a  reddish-brown,  and  the  seeds,  which  are  of  a  scarlet  colour, 
burst  their  cells,  and  hang  down  several  days  by  white,  lax,  slender  threads,  as 
in  most  of  its  congeners. 

Varieties.  The  only  aboriginal  varieties  of  this  species  are  the  M.  g.  arborea, 
which  assumes  the  character  of  a  tree ;  and  that  which  retains  its  foliage  during 
a  greater  part  or  all  the  year,  and  is  sometimes  called  M.  g.  sempervirens.  Two 
other  varieties  are  noticed  by  Pursh,  one  of  which  has  the  under  surface  of  the 
leaves  somewhat  silvery,  and  is  called  M.  g.  argentea,  and  another  with  longer 
leaves  than  usual,  called  M.  g.  longifolia.  There  are  also  two  varieties,  supposed 
to  be  hybrids,  produced  between  this  species  and  the  Magnolia  umbrella.  They 
are  usually  known  under  the  names  M.  g.  thompsoniana  and  M.  g.  longifolia. 

Geography  and  History.  The  Magnolia  glauca  has  the  most  extensive  range, 
especially  near  the  sea,  of  any  of  the  genus.  It  abounds  from  Massachusetts  to 
Louisiana  and  Missouri.  Its  most  northern  boundary  may  be  considered  a  shel- 
tered swamp  in  Manchester,  Cape  Ann,  about  thirty  miles  northerly  of  Boston. 
It  here  attains  but  a  small  size,  and  is  frequently  killed  to  the  ground  by  severe 
winters.  In  the  maritime  parts  of  the  Floridas  and  lower  Louisiana,  it  is  one  of 
the  most  abundant  among  the  trees  which  grow  in  morasses  or  wet  grounds.  It 
is  not  usually  met  with  far  interior,  nor  to  the  west  of  the  Alleghanies.  In  the 
Carolinas  and  Georgia,  it  grows  only  within  the  limits  of  the  pine-barrens. 

This  species  was  introduced  into  England  by  Rev.  John  Banister,  who  sent  it 
to  Bishop  Compton,  at  Fulham,  in  1688.  It  was  soon  afterwards  generally  prop- 
agated by  American  seeds,  and  became  known  throughout  Europe  many  years 
before  any  of  the  other  species.  At  Woburn  Farm,  Chertsey,  there  was  formerly 
a  row  of  these  trees  twenty  feet  high,  and  nearly  a  century  old,  which  frequently 
ripened  their  seeds. 

In  France,  and  southern  Europe  generally,  this  species  is  not  very  abundant, 
from  the  great  heat  of  the  summers,  and  the  general  dryness  of  the  air.  At  Ver- 
sailles and  the  Petit  Trianon,  as  well  as  in  Belgium,  it  has  attained  the  height  of 
fifteen  feet.  In  the  north  of  Germany,  and  in  Sweden  and  Russia,  it  is  a  green- 
house plant.     At  Monza,  in  Italy,  it  is  found  in  all  of  its  varieties. 

In  1843,  a  tree  of  this  species  was  cut  by  Dr.  Torrey,  on  Long  Island,  New 
York,  nearly  forty  feet  in  height,  and  six  or  eight  inches  in  diameter,  which  con- 
tained about  eighty  concentric  rings  or  annual  layers.  On  the  estate  of  Lemuel 
W.  Wells,  in  Yonkers,  (formerly  Philipsburgh,)  New  York,  there  is  a  Magnolia 
glauca  thirty  feet  in  height,  with  a  trunk  six  feet  in  circumference  two  feet  above 
the  ground,  and  is  supposed  to  be  more  than  a  hundred  and  fifty  years  old. 

Soil  and  Situation.  In  its  natural  habitat  the  Magnolia  glauca  grows  most 
abundantly  in  deep,  boggy  swamps  and  marshes,  composed  of  a  black,  miry  soil : 
but  when  cultivated  in  Europe  or  in  this  country,  the  soil  should  be  a  deep  sand', 
or  a  sandy  peat,  kept  moist,  more  especially  in  summer.  The  situation  should 
be  sheltered,  and  shaded  by  large  trees,  but  it  should  not  be  overspread  by 
them. 


GLAUCOUS-LEAVED    MAGNOLIA.  9 

Propagation  and  Culture.  Plants  of  this  species  are  generally  produced 
from  seeds ;  but  the  Magnolia  glauca  thompsoniana,  and  other  varieties,  are  pro- 
pagated by  inarching,  or  by  layers,  which  require  two  years  to  root  properly. 
The  seeds  should  be  sown  in  pots  of  bog  earth  about  the  beginning  of  March, 
or  later,  according  to  the  climate  or  season,  and  placed  in  gentle  heat,  if  neces- 
sary, under  glass.  They  should  annually  be  transplanted  into  small  pots  until 
they  are  wanted  for  final  planting.  A  tree  in  ordinary  circumstances  will 
attain  the  height  of  one  foot  per  annum  until  it  is  fifteen  or  twenty  feet  high, 
after  which  it  will  remain  stationary. 

Insects.  The  Magnolia  glauca  is  very  free  from  the  attack  of  insects.  It  is 
noted,  however,  in  Smith  and  Abbot's  "  Insects  of  Georgia,"  that  the  Sphinx  vitis 
feeds  upon  this  tree  as  well  as  upon  the  grape-vine. 

Properties  and  Uses.  In  general,  this  tree  can  only  be  used  for  ornamental 
purposes,  and  no  collection  should  be  without  it.  The  wood,  however,  is  some- 
times employed  for  making  joiners'  tools ;  and  the  bark  is  also  used  in  some 
parts  of  the  country,  like  that  of  the  cinchona,  in  the  case  of  intermittent  and 
remittent  fevers.  It  is  aromatic  and  pungent,  apparently  more  so  than  the  other 
species.  When  distilled,  it  has  a  peculiar  flavour,  and  an  empyreumatic  smell. 
In  a  dry  state  it  affords  a  little  resin.  The  aroma  is  volatile,  and  probably  con- 
tains an  essential  oil,  or  a  variety  of  camphor.  The  bark,  seeds,  and  cones,  are 
employed  in  tincture,  in  chronic  rheumatism.  That  from  the  cones  is  very  bitter, 
and  is  sometimes  used  to  cure  coughs  and  pectoral  diseases,  and  for  preventing 
autumnal  fevers.  The  flowers  in  a  dried  state,  may  be  used  in  drawing-rooms 
for  pot  pourri,  as  a  substitute  for  those  of  the  lily  of  the  valley. 


Magnolia  umbrella, 


THE  UMBRELLA  MAGNOLIA. 


Magnolia  tripetata, 


Magnolia  umbrella, 


Magnolier  parasol,  Arbre  parasol, 
Dreyblattriger    Bieberbaum,  Dreyblat- 

trige   Magnolie, 
Elkwood, 
Umbrella-tree,  Umbrella  Magnolia, 


Synonymes. 

'Linn^us,  Species  Plantarum. 
Willdenow,  Berlinische  Baumzucht. 
Michaux,  North  American  Sylva. 
Pursh,  Flora  America?  Septentrionalis. 
Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 
Don,  Miller's  Dictionary. 
Torrey  and  Gray,  Flora  of  North  America. 
France. 


Germany. 

Virginia. 

Other  parts  of  the  United  States. 


Derivations.  This  species  is  called  Umbrella-tree  on  account  of  the  leaves  being  disposed  somewhat  in  the  form  of  an 
umbrella.  It  is  called  Elkwood  in  the  mountains  of  Virginia,  probably  from  the  resemblance  which  the  points  of  the  shoots 
bear  to  the  horns  of  the  elk.  The  French  names  merely  signify  Umbrella-tree,  and  the  German  ones,  the  Three-petaled  Beaver- 
tree  or  Magnolia. 

Engravings.    Michaux,  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  55;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  v.,  pi.  5;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.    Deciduous.     Leaves  lanceolate,  spreading,  adult  ones  smooth,  younger  ones  pubes- 
cent underneath.    Petals  9 — 12,  exterior  ones  pendant. — Don,  Miller's  Diet. 


Description. 

HE  dimensions  of  the  Magno- 
lia umbrella  are  such  as  to 
form  a  connecting  link  be- 
^P"w     tween  the  large  shrubs  and 

trees  of  the  third  order ;  although  it  sometimes  rises 

to  the  height  of  thirty-five  or  forty  feet,  with  a  diam- 
eter of  five  or  six  inches,  it  rarely  attains  this  size. 

The  stem  is  seldom  erect,  but  generally  inclined,  and 

rises,  from  the  root  in  twos  or  threes.     The  bark  on 

the  trunk  is  gray,  smooth,  and  polished,  and  if  cut 

when  green,  exhales  a  disagreeable  odour.    The  leaves 

are  eighteen  or  twenty  inches  long,  and  seven  or  eight 

inches  broad.     They  are  thin,  oval,  and  acuminate  at 

both  extremities.     They  are  often  disposed  in  rays  at  J 

the  extremity  of  vigorous  shoots  ;  and  these  display 

a  surface  of  two  and  a  half  feet  in  diameter,  in  the1 

form  of  an  umbrella.     The  flowers,  which  open  in 

May  or  June,  are  seven  or  eight  inches  in  diameter, 

with  large,  white,  flaccid  petals.     They  are  placed  on 

the  extremities  of  the  last  year's  shoots,  have  a  languid,  luxuriant  appearance, 

and  a  strong  odour.     The  fruit  is  five  or  six  inches  long,  and  about  two  inches 

in  diameter.     It  ripens  in  America  about  the  beginning  of  October,  and  about 

the  same  period  in  England  and  France.     It  is  conical  in  its  form,  of  a  beautiful 

rose-colour,  and  usually  contains  from  fifty  to  sixty  pale-red  seed. 

Varieties.     In  1836,  at  Desio,  near  Milan,  in  Italy,  several  young  hybrid  plants 

were  raised  from  seeds  which  had  been  fecundated  with  the  pollen  of  the  Mag- 


UMBRELLA    MAGNOLIA.  11 

noha  conspicua  and  purpurea.  From  the  hardiness  of  this  tree,  no  doubt,  many 
other  hybrids  may  be  produced  between  it  and  the  more  delicate  Chinese 
species. 

Geography  and  History.  The  Magnolia  umbrella,  according  to  Michaux,  is 
first  seen  in  the  northern  part  of  the  state  of  New  York,  and  is  found  on  wooded 
mountains,  in  Carolina,  Georgia,  and  eastern  Tennessee.  In  the  lower  parts  of 
Georgia  and  South  Carolina,  however,  it  is  found  near  the  alluvial  flats  which 
lie  along  the  banks  of  the  rivers,  in  company  with  the  Magnolia  grandiflora. 

This  tree  was  introduced  into  England  in  about  1752,  and  soon  after  it  passed 
into  France,  and  was  cultivated  on  the  continent  generally.  It  may  now  be  con- 
sidered as  the  most  common  of  all  the  magnolias.  In  France  and  northern  Italy 
it  seeds  freely ;  and  even  in  England,  at  Deepdene,  in  Surrey,  self-sown  seeds 
have  produced  plants.  It  does  not  thrive  in  the  north  of  Scotland  without  pro- 
tection. In  England  and  middle  Europe  it  attains  the  height  of  thirty  feet,  which 
it  will  acquire  in  fifteen  to  twenty-five  years. 

In  the  Bartram  botanic  garden,  at  Kingsessing,  three  miles  below  Philadel- 
phia, there  is  a  tree  of  this  species,  thirty-five  feet  in  height,  with  a  trunk  three 
feet  in  circumference. 

Soil  and  Situation.  In  its  natural  habitat,  this  tree  grows  only  in  the  shade 
where  the  soil  is  deep,  strong,  and  fertile.  When  cultivated,  the  soil  should  be 
a  deep,  rich,  sandy  loam,  but  not  very  moist,  like  that  recommended  for  the 
Magnolia  glauca. 

The  situation  should  be  sheltered  and  shady,  as  the  exposure  to  the  sun,  or 
the  training  against  a  wall  is  injurious.  A  sheltered  glade,  in  a  shrubbery  or 
wood,  where  it  is  sufficiently  distant  from  other  trees  not  to  be  injured  by  the 
roots,  is  the  most  desirable  site. 

Propagation  and  Culture.  In  nurseries,  this  species  should  always  be  propa- 
gated by  seeds,  although  it  may  be  multiplied  by  layers.  In  either  case  the 
plants  are  kept  in  pots  until  required  for  final  transplanting.  The  seeds  should 
be  sown  immediately  after  they  are  gathered,  as  otherwise  they  become 
rancid  and  lose  their  vital  qualities;  though,  if  enveloped  in  moist  moss,  or  earth, 
they  may  be  preserved  for  several  months.  As  this  tree  is  short-lived,  and  con- 
sequently flowers  young,  there  is  not  the  same  objection  to  raising  plants  of  it 
from  seeds,  as  there  is  in  the  Magnolia  grandiflora,  which  is  a  long-lived  tree. 
The  umbrella  magnolia  is  hardy,  and  can  withstand  the  most  rigorous  winters, 
when  the  summer  has  been  sufficiently  hot  to  ripen  the  wood.  In  Britain  and 
he  northern  parts  of  the  United  States,  it  sends  up  various  shoots  from  the  roots, 
to  replace  the  stems,  which  are  seldom  of  long  duration ;  so  that  a  plant  that  has 
stood  thirty  or  forty  years  in  one  spot,  has  had  its  stems  several  times  renewed 
during  that  period. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  Magnolia  umbrella  is  spongy,  brittle, 
with  a  large  pith,  soft,  porous,  and  of  very  little  use.  Hence  it  may  be  consid- 
ered of  little  or  no  utility  except  for  the  purposes  of  ornament. 


Magnolia  macrophylla, 
THE  LARGE-LEAVED  MAGNOLIA 

Synonymes. 


Magnolia  macrophylla, 


Magnolier  a  grandes  feuilles,  Magnolier 

bananier, 
Grossblattriger  Bieberbaum, 
Large-leaved  Umbrella-tree, 


De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 

Don,  Miller's  Dictionary. 

Michaux,  North  American  Sylva. 

Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 

Torkey  and  Gray,  Flora  of  North  America. 

France. 

i 

Germany. 

Britain  and  Anglo- America. 


Derivations.  The  specific  name  is  derived  from  the  Greek  macros,  great,  and  ph-ullos,  a  leaf.  It  is  called  Umbrella-tret 
from  its  resemblance  to  the  other  species  bearing  that  name.  The  French  names  are  translations  of  the  botanic  one,  except 
Magnolier  bananier,  which  alludes  to  the  resemblance  the  leaves  of  this  tree  bears  to  those  of  the  banana-tree.  The  German 
name  signifies  Large-leaved  Beaver-tree. 

Engravings.    Michaux,  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  57;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  v.,  pi.  6 ;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.    Deciduous.     Leaves  very  large,  oblong-obovate,  somewhat  panduriform,  cordate 
at  the  base,  under  surface  whitish,  glaucous.     Petals  6 — 9,  ovate. — Don,  Millers  Diet. 


Description. 

HE  Magnolia  macrophylla  is 
I*  the  least  multiplied  of  the 
American  species,  and  is  rare- 
ly met  with  in  the  forests.  Its 
general  appearance  greatly  resembles  that  of  the  Mag-f 
nolia  umbrella.  The  terminal  arrangement  of  the  I 
leaves  is  the  same,  and  it  is  remarkable  that  it  is  usu- 
ally found  growing  with  it.  In  point  of  size  it  is  about ' 
the  same  as  the  above-named  species,  not  usually 
exceeding  thirty  or  thirty-five  feet  in  height,  and  five 
or  six  inches  in  diameter,  although  individual  trees 
have  been  found  of  nearly  double  these  dimensions. 
The  trunk  is  covered  with  a  smooth  and  very  white 
bark,  by  which,  in  winter,  when  stripped  of  its  leaves, 
it  is  readily  distinguished.  At  this  season,  also,  it  may 
be  known  by  its  buds,  which  are  compressed,  and  cov- 
ered with  a  soft  and  silvery  down ;  whereas,  in  the 
Magnolia  umbrella  they  are  prominent  and  rounded  at 
the  end.  The  leaves  in  a  wild  state  are  about  thirty- 
five  inches  long,  and  nine  or  ten  inches  broad  •  and  in  vigorous  plants,  when 
cultivated,  they  often  exceed  these  dimensions.  They  are  borne  on  petioles, 
short  in  comparison  with  their  size,  and  are  of  an  oblong-oval  shape,  pointed  at 
the  extremity,  and  sub-cordiform  at  the  base.  Their  colour  is  light-green  above, 
and  glaucous  beneath.  The  flowers  put  forth  from  May  to  July,  and  are  larger 
than  those  of  most  of  its  congeners ;  for,  when  fully  blown,  they  are  sometimes 
eight  or  nine  inches  in  diameter.  They  are  composed  of  six  white  petals,  longer 
and  broader  than  those  of  the  Magnolia  umbrella.  Within  the  flower,  near  the 
bottom  of  the  petals,  is  a  purple  spot,  about  two  thirds  of  an  inch  in  diameter. 
The  flowers  emit  a  fragrant  odour,  and  their  beauty  is  heightened  by  the  luxu- 
riant foliage  which  surrounds  them.     The  fruit  is  about  four  inches  long,  nearly 


LARGE-LEAVED    MAGNOLIA.  13 

cylindrical,  and  of  a  vivid  rose-colour  when  arrived  at  maturity.  In  the  arrange- 
ment of  the  carpels  and  of  the  seeds,  the  fruit  resembles  those  of  the  Magnolia 
umbrella  and  acuminata.  It  should  be  remarked,  however,  that  it  is  destitute 
of  the  appendages  visible  on  that  of  the  last-mentioned  species,  especially  when 
it  is  dry. 

Geography  and  History.  The  large-leaved  magnolia  is  found  in  the  moun- 
tainous regions  of  North  Carolina,  about  ten  miles  from  Lincolnton ;  in  Tennes- 
see, near  the  river  Cumberland  ;  and  in  Georgia  on  the  river  Chattahouchie.  It 
is  also  sparingly  found  in  Tennessee,  west  of  the  mountains,  at  intervals  of  forty 
or  fifty  miles. 

This  tree  was  discovered  by  the  elder  Michaux,  in  1789,  but  was  not  intro- 
duced into  England  till  imported  by  Messrs.  Loddiges,  in  1800.  In  France,  it 
seems  to  have  been  introduced  about  the  same  time  as  in  England ;  and  it  appears 
to  prosper  better  in  the  climate  of  Paris,  as  there,  in  the  nursery  of  M.  Godefroy, 
it  has  ripened  seeds,  from  which,  in  1S27,  young  plants  were  raised. 

The  largest  tree  of  this  species  in  England,  is  at  Arley  Hall,  the  seat  of  the 
Earl  of  Mount  Norris.  In  1837,  it  was  twenty-eight  and  a  half  feet  high,  with 
a  trunk  six  inches  in  diameter,  at  a  foot  from  the  ground,  with  a  head  seventeen 
feet  in  diameter. 

In  France,  the  largest  Magnolia  macrophylla  is  at  Fromont,  which  in  1835, 
measured  twenty-four  feet  in  height,  and  the  branches  covered  a  space  of  fifteen 
feet  in  diameter.  It  had  flowered  every  year  since  1826,  and  ripened  seeds  in 
October,  from  which  many  young  plants  had  been  raised. 

In  the  Bartram  botanic  garden,  at  Kingsessing,  near  Philadelphia,  there  is  a 
tree  of  this  species  thirty  feet  in  height  and  six  inches  in  diameter. 

Soil  and  Situation.  In  its  natural  habitat  this  species  delights  in  cool  situa- 
tions, sheltered  from  the  wind,  where  the  soil  is  deep  and  fertile.  The  soil,  in 
which  trees  have  attained  the  largest  size  in  England,  is  a  deep,  dry  sand,  with 
a  situation  perfectly  sheltered  on  every  side,  and  slightly  shaded  from  the  mid- 
day sun. 

Propagation  arid  Culture.  Neither  this  species  nor  the  Magnolia  umbrella 
can  be  readily  grafted  or  inarched  on  each  other,  or  on  any  other  tree ;  probably 
from  the  large  proportion  which  the  pith  bears  to  the  ligneous  part  of  the  shoots. 
It  will  root  by  layers  with  great  difficulty ;  but  plants  so  raised,  from  the  want 
of  vigour,  will  probably  not  be  of  long  duration.  The  only  mode  of  general 
adoption  is,  to  raise  it  from  seeds.  In  order  to  preserve  the  power  of  vitality  in 
the  seeds,  the  same  attention  is  requisite  as  in  the  preceding  species.  Young 
plants  grow  very  slowly  till  they  are  thoroughly  established,  which  will  require, 
in  general,  two  years.  The  annual  growth  of  the  shoots  may  vary  from  one  to 
two  feet ;  so  that  in  ten  years  a  plant  may  attain  a  height  of  twelve  or  fifteen 
feet.  This  species  may  be  considered  as  short-lived,  and,  like  all  trees  of  short 
duration,  comes  into  flower  when  young. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood,  of  this  species  is  softer  and  more  porous  than 
the  Magnolia  umbrella,  and  has  comparatively  no  value  except  for  ornament. 


Magnolia  ncufninata, 


Magnolia  acuminata, 
THE  POINTED-LEAVED  MAGNOLIA. 

Synonymes. 

'Linn*jeus,  Species  Plantarum. 
Willdenow,  Berlinische  Baumzucht 
De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 
-j  MiCHAtrx,  North  American  Sylva. 
Don,  Miller's  Dictionary. 
Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
Torrey  and  Gray,  Flora  of  North  America. 

France. 


Magnolier  acumine,  Magnolier  a 

feuilles  pointees, 
Zugespitzter  Bieberbaum, 
Blue  Magnolia, 
Cucumber-tree, 


Germany. 
England. 

Anglo-America. 


-  i-Ta^sJS&aKsfca^te 


Derivations.     This  specie3  is  called  Cucumber-tree,  from  its  fruit  resembling  a  small  cucumber.    The  other  names  es 
translations  of  the  botanic  one,  except  Blue  Magnolia,  which  has  reference  to  the  bluish  colour  of  the  flowers. 

Engravings.    Michaux,  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  53 ;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  v.,  pi.  7 ;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.     Deciduous.    Leaves  oval,  acuminate,  under  surface  pubescent.    Flowers   6—9- 
petaled. — Don,  Miller's  Diet. 


Description. 


HE  Magnolia  acu- 
minata is  regarded 
as  one  of  the  finest 
trees  of  the  Ameri- 
can forests.  Its 
trunk  is  straight, 
of  a  uniform  size, 
and  is  often  destitute  of  branches  for  two  thirds  of 
its  length,  and  sometimes  attains  a  height  of  sixty 
or  eighty  feet,  with  a  diameter  of  three  or  four  feet. 
The  branches  are  numerous,  and  are  disposed  in 
a  regular  manner,  forming  an  ample  and  beauti- 
ful fastigiate  summit.  The  bark  on  old  stocks  is 
grayish,  and  deeply  furrowed.  The  leaves  upon 
old  trees  are  from  six  to  seven  inches  long,  and 
from  three  to  four  inches  broad,  and  double  that 
size  upon  young,  vigorous  ones.  In  general,  on 
adult  trees,  they  are  oval,  entire,  and  very  acu- 
minate ;  but,  on  seedlings,  they  are  sometimes  found  ovate,  nearly  orbiculate,  and 
cordate-acuminate.  The  flowers,  which  open  in  May,  are  five  or  six  inches  in 
diameter.  They  are  bluish,  and  sometimes  white,  with  a  tint  of  yellow,  and 
emit  but  a  feeble  odour.  They  are  large  and  numerous,  and  have  a  fine  effect 
in  the  midst  of  the  superb  foliage.  The  cones  are  about  three  inches  long,  and 
nearly  an  inch  in  diameter.  They  are  cylindrical,  and  often  a  little  larger  at 
the  summit  than  at  the  base.  They  are  convex  on  one  side,  and  concave  on  the 
other ;  and  when  green,  they  nearly  resemble  small  cucumbers.     They  are  rose- 


POINTED-LEAVED    MAGNOLIA.  15 

coloured,  and,  as  in  the  fruit  of  the  other  species,  the  seeds,  before  they  drop 
remain  suspended  for  some  time  by  long,  white  threads. 

Varieties.  As  this  species  is  frequently  raised  from  seeds,  and  as  the  seedlings 
vary  much  in  the  size  and  form  of  their  leaves,  and  in  the  presence  or  absence 
of  pubescence,  both  on  the  leaves  and  the  young  shoots,  it  would  be  easy  to 
select  several  varieties  apparently  marked  with  distinctness.  It  may  be  deemed 
sufficient,  however,  to  enumerate  the  following : — 

1.  M.  a.  cordata,  Loudon.  Magnolier  a  feuilles  en  cceur,  in  France ;  Herz- 
bldttriger  Bieberbaum,  in  Germany ;  and  Heart-leaved  Cucumber-tree,  in  Brit- 
ain and  America.  This  variety,  in  its  general  appearance  and  in  the  form  of 
its  fruit,  very  nearly  resembles  the  type  of  this  species.  It  is  found  growing  in 
insulated  situations  on  the  banks  of  the  rivers  in  upper  Georgia,  and  on  those  of 
the  streams  which  traverse  the  western  part  of  South  Carolina.  It  appears  to 
have  been  discovered  by  the  elder  Michaux,  and  was  first  introduced  into  England 
by  John  Lyon,  in  1801.  The  original  tree  is  said  still  to  exist  in  the  nursery  of 
Messrs.  Loddiges,  at  Hackney,  in  England,  and  is  about  fifteen  feet  in  height.  In 
its  natural  habitat,  it  attains  an  elevation  of  forty  or  fifty  feet,  with  a  trunk  twelve 
or  fifteen  inches  in  diameter.  Its  leaves  are  from  four  to  six  inches  in  length,  and 
from  three  to  five  inches  in  width,  are  somewhat  ovate  or  cordate,  acute,  with  their 
under  surfaces  tomentose,  and  their  upper  ones  smooth.  Its  flowers,  which  are 
odoriferous,  appear  in  Georgia  in  April,  and  are  yellow,  with  the  interior  of  the 
petals  longitudinally  marked  with  reddish  lines.  They  are  from  three  to  four 
inches  in  diameter,  and  are  succeeded  by  fruit  about  three  inches  long,  and 
nearly  an  inch  in  thickness. 

2.  M.  a.  candolli  savi,  Loudon.  De  Cajidolle's  Acute-leaved  Magnolia.  This 
variety  can  readily  be  distinguished  by  its  ovate,  oblong,  and  acute  leaves,  and 
greenish  flowers.     It  is  figured  in  Savi's  "  Bibliotheca  Italica." 

3.  M.  a.  maxima,  Loudon.  Large  Acuminate-leaved  Magnolia.  The  leaves  of 
this  variety  are  much  larger  than  those  of  the  original  species.     Hence  its  name. 

Geography  and  History.  The  most  northerly  point  at  which  this  species  is 
found  is  near  the  falls  of  Niagara;  in  latitude  forty-three  degrees.  It  grows 
along  the  whole  mountainous  tract  of  the  Alleghanies  to  their  termination  in 
Georgia ;  and  is  common  on  the  Cumberland  Mountains,  which  divide  the  state 
of  Tennessee.  "At  the  distance  of  forty  or  fifty  miles  from  these  mountains,"  says 
Michaux,  "  either  eastward  or  westward,  the  Cucumber-tree  is  met  with  only 
accidentally  upon  the  steep  banks  of  rivers.  It  is  also  rare  in  the  parts  of  Ken- 
tucky and  west  Tennessee,  which  are  most  remote  from  the  mountains,  where 
the  face  of  the  country  is  less  even." 

The  Magnolia  acuminata  was  first  discovered  by  John  Bartram  in  1736,  and 
was  sent  by  him  to  that  venerable  English  amateur,  Peter  Collinson.  Being 
readily  propagated  by  layers,  and  very  hardy,  it  was  soon  extensively  cultivated 
in  the  gardens  of  Europe,  and  there  are  now  numerous  trees  in  Britain,  France, 
and  the  north  of  Italy,  from  forty  to  sixty  feet  in  height,  which  flower  freely 
every  year. 

A  tree  of  this  species  more  than  eighty  feet  in  height,  and  three  feet  in  diam- 
eter, is  at  present  growing  in  the  Bartram  botanic  garden,  at  Kingsessing,  on 
the  west  bank  of  the  Schuylkill,  three  miles  below  Philadelphia.  It  was  brought 
by  John  Bartram  from  Lake  Erie,  in  about  1753 ;  and  Col.  Robert  Carr,  the 
present  proprietor  of  this  garden  informs  us,  that  a  great  part  of  the  seeds  of  the 
Magnolia  acuminata  sent  yearly  from  America  to  Europe,  are  supplied  from  this 
tree. 

Soil  and  Situation.  The  situations  peculiarly  adapted  to  the  growth  of  this 
tree  in  its  native  country,  are  the  declivities  of  mountains,  narrow  valleys,  and 
the  banks  of  torrents,  where  the  air  is  constantly  moist,  and  the  soil  is  deep  and 


16  MAGNOLIA   ACUMINATA. 

fertile.  To  attain  a  large  size,  when  cultivated,  it  requires  a  sheltered  situation, 
and  a  deep,  rich  soil ;  but  it  will  grow  in  exposed  sites,  and  in  almost  any  soil 
that  is  moderately  free,  and  not  surcharged  with  moisture. 

Propagation  and  Culture.  The  Magnolia  acuminata  is  generally  propagated 
in  the  European  nurseries  by  layers ;  the  plants  so  produced  flowering  much 
sooner  than  seedlings ;  but  the  latter,  as  they  make  far  more  durable  plants, 
should  always  be  preferred  when  this  species  is  used  as  a  stock  to  graft  or  inarch 
others  on.  It  is  thus  treated  very  generally,  not  only  for  the  Magnolia  auricu- 
lata  and  cordata,  but  for  the  Magnolia  conspicua  and  soulangeana.  The  plants 
are  sometimes  grown  in  the  free  soil,  but  it  is  preferable  to  rear  them  in  pots ; 
because,  in  that  case,  they  are  not  checked  by  transplanting,  and  at  least  a  year 
is  gained  in  their  growth.  Plants  raised  from  seeds  do  not  usually  produce  flow- 
ers till  they  are  eight  or  ten  years  old,  when  the  tree  will  probably  be  fifteen  or 
twenty  feet  in  height;  but  those  propagated  from  layers  produce  flowers  in  two 
or  three  years. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  this  species  is  soft  and  light,  weighing, 
when  dry,  twenty-six  pounds  to  a  cubic  foot.  Being  comparatively  rare  in  the 
United  States,  its  timber  is  not  in  general  use.  Where  it  can  be  obtained,  it  is 
employed  in  joinery  for  the  interior  of  houses,  and  for  cabinet-making ;  and,  from 
its  size  and  lightness,  large  trunks  are  selected  for  scooping  out  into  canoes. 
Many  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  Alleghanies  gather  the  cones  about  mid-summer, 
when  they  are  half  ripe,  and  steep  them  in  whiskey,  which  thus  becomes 
extremely  bitter,  and  habitually  taken  in  the  morning,  is  considered  as  a  pre- 
ventative against  autumnal  fevers. 


Magnolia  auriculata, 
THE  EAR-LEAVED   MAGNOLIA. 

Synonymcs. 


Magnolia  auriculata, 


Willdenow,  Linnsei  Species  Plantarum. 
De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 
■{  Michaux,  North  American  Sylva. 
Don,  Miller's  Dictionary. 
Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
Torre  y  and  Gray,  Flora  of  North  America. 
France. 
Germany. 

United  States. 


Magnolia  fraseri, 

Magnolier  a  feuilles  auriculees, 
Geohrter  Bieberbaum, 
Long-leaved     Cucumber-tree,     Indian 
Physic,  Wahoo, 

Derivations.  The  specific  name,  auriculata,  is  derived  from  the  Latin  auris,  the  ear,  from  the  rounded  lobes  of  the  leaves, 
resembling  ears.  The  French  name  is  a  translation  of  the  botanic  one.  The  German  name  signifies  Eared  Beaver-tree.  It  is 
called  Long-leaved  Cucumber- tree  from  the  length  of  its  leaves,  and  the  form  of  its  fruit;  and  Indian  Physic,  because  it  was 
much  used  by  the  aborigines  as  medicine. 

Engravings.    Michaux,  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  56 ;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  v.,  pi.  10 ;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.  Deciduous.  Leaves  smooth,  under  surface  somewhat  glaucous,  spathulately  obovate, 
cordate  at  the  base,  with  blunt  approximate  auricles.  Sepals  3,  spreading.  Petals  9,  oblong. — Don. 
Hitter's  Diet. 


Description. 


HE  Magnolia  auriculata  is 
v  remarkable  for  the  beauty 
of  its  foliage,  the  size  of 
^Ua^^  ^iNP  its  flowers,  and  the  fra- 
grance of  their  odour.  It  attains  a  height  of 
thirty  or  forty  feet,  with  a  straight  trunk,  twelve 
or  fifteen  inches  in  diameter,  often  undivided  for 
half  of  its  length.  The  branches  spread  widely, 
and  ramify  but  sparingly,  with  their  extremities 
turned  upwards,  which  circumstances  give  the 
tree  a  peculiar  air,  so  that  it  may  readily  be 
known  at  a  distance,  even  in  winter.  The  bark 
is  gray,  and  always  smooth,  even  on  the  oldest 
trees,  except  on  the  young  shoots,  which  are  of  a 
purplish-red,  dotted  with  white.  When  the  epi- 
dermis is  removed,  the  cellular  integument,  by 
contact  with  the  air,  instantly  changes  from  white 
to  yellow.  The  leaves  are  of  a  light-green  colour,  of  a  fine  texture,  eight  or  nine 
inches  long,  and  from  four  to  six  inches  broad.  On  young  and  vigorous  trees, 
they  are  often  one  third,  or  even  one  half  larger.  They  are  smooth  on  both  sur- 
faces, acuminate  at  the  summit,  widest  near  the  top,  and  narrowest  towards  the 
bottom.  The  base  is  divided  into  rounded  lobes,  one  on  each  side  of  the  inser- 
tion of  the  petiole.  They  have  short  footstalks,  sitting  near  each  other,  and 
radiate  in  regular  order,  with  their  margins  touching  or  slightly  overlapping 
each  other,  like  an  umbrella.  The  flowers,  which  open  in  April  and  May,  are 
three  or  four  inches  in  diameter,  of  a  milky  white,  and  are  situated  at  the  extre- 
mities of  the  young  shoots.  The  fruit  is  oval,  three  or  four  inches  long,  and,  like 
the  Magnola  umbrella,  of  a  beautiful  rose-colour,  when  ripe.     It  differs  from 

3 


18  MAGNOLIA  AURICULATA. 

the  fruit  of  the  other  species,  by  a  little  inferiority  of  size,  and  by  >■  .small  appen- 
dage which  terminates  the  carpels.  Each  carpel  contains  twr  seeds,  which, 
when  ripe,  spring  from  their  cells,  and  are  suspended,  for  a  time,  by  a  white, 
silky  thread. 

Varieties.  A  tree  nearly  allied  to  this  species  was  discovered  by  John  Bar- 
tram,  in  the  maritime  parts  of  Georgia,  particularly  on  the  banks  of  the  Alta- 
maha,  and  was  subsequently  found  by  Mr.  John  Le  Conte,  in  the  western  parts 
of  Carolina  and  Georgia.  It  so  closely  resembles  the  Magnolia  auriculata,  except 
in  size,  which  is  much  less,  that  it  is  regarded  by  most  botanists  as  only  a  vari- 
ety. It  is  usually  described  under  the  name  of  Magnolia  pyramidata.  The 
tree,  according  to  Bartram,  grows  straight  and  erect,  thirty  feet  or  more  in 
height,  and  of  a  sharp,  conical  form,  much  resembling  the  Magnolia  acuminata 
in  figure.  It  was  first  introduced  into  England  in  1818,  by  John  Lyon,  and  the 
original  tree  still  exists  in  the  nursery  of  Messrs.  Loddiges.  It  is  extremely  diffi- 
cult to  propagate,  which  is  done  by  inarching  on  the  Magnolia  auriculata. 

Geography  and  History.  The  Magnolia  auriculata,  in  its  natural  habitat, 
appears  to  be  chiefly  confined  to  a  particular  part  of  the  Alleghanies.  According 
to  Michaux,  it  is  nowhere  found  so  abundant  as  on  the  steepest  parts  of  the 
lofty  mountains  of  North  Carolina,  known  by  the  name  of  the  Great  Father,  and 
Black  Iron  Mountains.  It  is  sometimes  found,  however,  on  the  steep  banks  of 
the  rivers  which  rise  in  the  Alleghanies,  and  on  one  side,  roll  their  waters  into 
the  Atlantic,  and  on  the  other,  to  meet  the  Ohio. 

This  tree  was  discovered  by  John  Bartram,  from  whom  it  was  first  received 
in  England  by  Messrs.  Loddiges,  in  1786,  and  still  exists  in  their  nursery  at 
Hackney.  It  was,  probably,  soon  afterwards  sent  to  France ;  because  we  find 
Madame  Lemonnier,  the  widow  of  Michaux's  patron  and  friend,  describing  a  tree 
of  this  species,  in  her  garden,  in  1800,  which  was  nine  feet  high,  and  had 
already  flowered. 

There  is  a  Magnolia  auriculata  in  the  Bartram  botanic  garden,  at  Kingsessing. 
on  the  Schuylkill,  fifty  feet  in  height,  with  a  trunk  four  feet  in  circumference. 
In  the  garden  of  Mr.  D.  Landreth,  of  Philadelphia,  there  is  also  another  tree  of  this 
species,  twenty-five  years  planted,  thirty  feet  in  height,  with  a  trunk  a  foot  in 
diameter. 

The  largest  Magnolia  auriculata  in  England  is  at  White  Knight's,  which  has 
been  planted  about  forty  years,  and  is  more  than  thirty  feet  in  height.  There 
are  several  in  the  gardens  about  Paris,  and  some  at  Sceaux,  which  have  attained 
a  height  of  more  than  twenty  feet. 

Soil  and  Situation.  The  soil  of  the  Alpine  regions,  of  which  this  species  is  a 
native,  is  brown,  deep,  and  of  an  excellent  quality.  The  atmosphere  in  these 
situations,  is  continually  charged  with  moisture,  from  the  number  of  torrents 
which  rush  down  from  their  summits.  When  cultivated,  the  soil  should  be  free 
and  deep,  and  the  situation  low,  sheltered,  and  moist,  rather  than  dry. 

Propagation  and  Culture.  As  seeds  are  rather  difficult  to  procure,  the  com- 
mon mode  of  propagation  is  by  layers,  or  by  inarching  on  the  Magnolia  acumi- 
nata, which  requires  two  years  before  the  plant  can  be  separated  from  the  parent 
shoot.  From  the  account  given  by  Michaux,  the  Magnolia  auriculata  is  found 
to  multiply  so  fast  from  seeds,  that,  in  its  native  forests,  a  thousand  plants  might 
be  collected  in  a  single  day.  Hence,  the  propagation  of  this  species  from  seeds 
would  be  far  preferable  to  any  other  mode.  In  England,  annual  shoots  of  young 
plants  are  from  one  to  two  feet  or  more,  in  length;  and  the  height  which  the  tree 
usually  attains  in  ten  years  is  from  ten  to  fifteen  feet. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  Magnolia  auriculata  is  soft,  spongy, 
and  very  light,  and  when  dry,  weighs  only  twenty-four  pounds  to  a  cubic  foot. 
The  bark  has  an  agreeable,  aromatic  odour,  and  an  infusion  of  it  in  some  spirit- 
uous liquor,  is  employed  as  an  excellent  sudorific  in  rheumatic  affections. 


Magnolia  conspicua, 
THE  CONSPICUOUS-FLOWERED  MAGNOLIA. 

Synonymes. 


Magnolia  conspicua, 

Magnolier  yulans, 
Yulans  Bieberbaum, 
Magnolia  dai  fiori  grandi, 
Yu  Ian, 
Lily-flowered  Magnolia, 


De  Candolle,  Piodromus. 

Don,  Miller's  Dictionary. 

Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 

France. 

Germany. 

Italy. 

China. 

Britain  and  Anglo- America. 


Derivations.    The  Chinese  name,  Yu  Ian,  signifies  the  Lily-tree,  from  the  resemblance  of  the  flowers  of  this  species  to  the 
lily. 

Engravings.    London  Botanical  Magazine,  pi.  1621 ;   Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  figure  34,  vol.  i.,  and  pi.  12,  vol.  v. ; 
and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.    Deciduous.    Leaves  obovate,  abruptly  acuminated,  younger  ones  pubescent,  expand- 
ing after  the  flowers.     Flowers  erect,  6 — 9-petaled.     Styles  erect. — Don,  Miller's  Diet. 


Description. 

HE  Magnolia  conspicua,  as 

its    name    indicates,    is    a 

beautiful  and  showy  tree, 
jNP  and  distinguishable  from 
all  others  of  the  genus  by  the  expanding  of  the  flow- 
ers before  any  of  the  leaves.  A  full-grown  tree,  in  its 
native  country,  is  said  to  attain  a  height  of  forty  or 
fifty  feet,  and  it  has  arrived  at  nearly  the  same  eleva- 
tion in  Europe  and  America.  It  assumes  a  regular, 
conical  shape,  with  numerous  branches  and  twigs, 
which  generally  have  a  vertical,  rather  than  a  hori- 
zontal direction ;  so  that  a  large  tree  of  this  species, 
would  probably  be  more  fastigiate  than  any  of  its  con- 
geners. This  tree,  as  well  as  those  native  of  Asia 
generally,  differs  from  the  American  species  in  having 
two  opposite  spathe-like  bracteas  enclosing  the  flow- 
er-buds, with  ovaries  somewhat  distant,  and  in  having 
anthers  bursting  inwards.     In 

inches  in  length,  and  from  three  to  four  inches  broad.  The  flowers,  which  put 
forth  in  March,  April  or  May,  are  of  a  milky  whiteness,  from  six  to  eight  inches 
in  diameter,  and  emit  a  powerful  odour.  The  fruit,  which  is  of  a  deep-red  col- 
our, is  of  an  irregular  form,  three  or  four  inches  in  length,  and  often  assumes 
fantastic  shapes.  It  contains  from  one  to  four  seeds,  which  usually  mature,  near 
New  York,  early  in  October.  It  is  observed  that  at  least  one  half  of  these  seeds, 
when  sown,  prove  abortive. 

Varieties.  This  species  has  ripened  seeds  in  various  parts  of  Europe,  and  in 
the  United  States ;  and  as  it  fertilizes  readily  with  the  Magnolia  purpurea  and 
gracilis,  several  varieties  have  already  been  produced,  and  many  more  may  be 
expected.     The  two  following  are  particularly  worthy  of  cultivation  : — 

1.  M.  c.  soulangeana,   Loudon.     Soulange 's   Conspicuous-flowered  Magnolia, 


young  trees,  the  leaves  are  from  six  to  eight 


20  MAGNOLIA   CONSPICUA. 

A  notice  of  this  variety  will  be  found  under  the  head  of  history.  The  chief  dif- 
ference between  this  tree  and  the  species,  consists  in  its  leaves  being  larger  and 
more  pointed,  its  flowers  marked  with  purple  within,  and  its  fruit  larger  and 
containing  more  seeds. 

2.  M.  c.  alexandrina,  Loudon.  The  Empress  Alexandrine? s  Conspicuous- 
flowered  Magnolia.  This  variety  so  closely  resembles  the  preceding,  that  it 
cannot  be  distinguished,  except  in  flowering  somewhat  earlier. 

Geography  and  History.  The  Magnolia  conspicua  is  said  to  be  indigenous  to 
the  southern  provinces  of  China;  and  to  be  extensively  cultivated  there  in  the 
gardens  of  the  emperor,  and  in  those  of  all  eminent  persons,  who  can  afford  to 
procure  it.  It  began  to  be  cultivated  in  that  country  in  the  year  627,  from  which 
time  it  has  always  held  the  very  first  rank,  as  an  ornamental  tree,  in  their  gar- 
dens, and  is  regarded  by  the  Chinese  poets  as  the  symbol  of  candour  and  beauty. 
It  is  not  only  planted  in  the  open  grounds,  and  allowed  to  attain  its  full  size, 
but  dwarfs  are  kept  in  pots  and  boxes,  and  forced  throughout  the  year,  so  as  to 
keep  up  a  perpetual  supply  of  bloom  in  the  apartments  of  the  imperial  palace. 
So  highly  is  this  tree  valued,  that  a  plant  in  flower,  presented  to  the  emperor,  is 
thought  a  handsome  present.  In  very  severe  winters,  the  trunks  of  the  trees  in 
the  open  air  are  sometimes  wrapped  round  with  straw  ropes ;  but  it  never 
requires  any  other  protection,  even  in  the  climate  of  Pekin. 

The  tree  was  first  introduced  into  England  by  Sir  Joseph  Banks,  in  17S9 ;  but 
it  was  many  years  before  it  attracted  much  attention,  being  considered  merely 
as  a  green-house,  or  conservatory  plant.  Within  the  last  twenty  years,  it  has 
been  discovered  to  be  nearly  as  hardy  as  the  American  magnolias,  and  is  now 
most  extensively  cultivated  in  the  nurseries  of  Britain,  continental  Europe,  and 
the  United  States.  It  flowers  freely  every  year,  as  a  standard  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  London,  New  York,  and  Philadelphia,  when  the  wood  has  been  prop- 
erly ripened  during  the  preceding  summer ;  and  at  White  Knights,  in  England ;  at 
Fromont,  and  various  other  places  in  France;  and  at  Monza,  in  Italy,  and  Brook- 
lyn, in  New  York,  it  has  ripened  seeds  from  which  young  plants  have  been  raised. 

At  Fromont,  near  Paris,  in  front  of  the  chateau  of  M.  Soulange-Bodin,  stands 
the  largest  plant  of  the  Magnolia  conspicua  in  Europe.  It  measures  over  forty 
feet  in  height,  and  twenty-four  inches  in  circumference,  two  feet  from  the  ground ; 
and  the  diameter  of  the  space  covered  by  the  branches  is  more  than  twenty-five 
feet.  It  flowers  magnificently  every  year,  at  the  end  of  March  and  beginning 
of  April,  and  the  perfume  of  its  blossoms  is  perceived  for  some  distance  around. 
It  was  from  the  seeds  of  this  tree  that  sprang  the  far-famed  variety,  Magnolia 
conspicua  soidangea?ia,  the  leaves,  wood,  and  general  habits  of  which,  are  allied 
to  those  of  the  parent  tree ;  but  the  flowers  resemble  in  form  those  of  the  Magno- 
lia purpurea,  or  of  the  Magnolia  purpurea  gracilis,  and  the  petals  are  slightly 
tinged  with  purple.  This  variety  was  accidentally  produced  by  fecundating  the 
flowers  of  the  Magnolia  conspicua  with  the  pollen  of  those  of  the  Magnolia  pur- 
purea. The  original  plant  of  the  Magnolia  conspicua  soulangeana,  at  Fromont, 
is  more  than  twenty  feet  in  height,  and  though  it  flowered  several  years  before, 
it  did  not  ripen  seeds  till  1834.  The  seeds  have  been  sown,  and  some  new  and 
interesting  varieties  produced  from  them. 

The  largest  Magnolia  conspicua  in  England  is  at  Eastwell  Park,  in  Kent, 
which  is  reputed  to  be  more  than  forty  feet  in  height.  An  original  imported 
plant,  trained  against  a  wall  at  Wormleybury,  in  England,  measured  twenty- 
seven  feet  in  height,  covered  a  space  laterally  of  twenty-four  feet,  and  had  on  it, 
in  April,  1835,  five  thousand  flowers ! 

In  the  garden  of  Mr.  William  Davison,  in  Brooklyn,  New  York,  there  is  a 
Magnolia  conspicua,  ten  years  planted,  twenty-four  feet  in  height,  with  a  head 
eighteen  feet  in  diameter,  which,  in  April,  1844,  contained  six  thousand  flowers ' 


CONSPICUOUS-FLOWERED  MAGNOLIA.  21 

In  the  same  garden  there  is  a  Magnolia  conspicua  soulangeana  ten  years  planted, 
twenty  feet  in  height,  with  a  head  fourteen  feet  in  diameter,  which,  in  May, 
1844,  produced  eight  hundred  flowers.  Both  of  these  trees  ripened  their  seeds 
early  in  October  of  the  same  year. 

Soil  and  Situation.  A  rich,  sandy  loam  seems  to  suit  this  species  best ;  but  it 
will  grow  in  any  deep,  free  soil,  properly  drained,  and  moderately  enriched. 

The  situation,  when  it  is  to  be  treated  as  a  standard,  ought  to  be  sufficiently 
open  to  admit  of  ripening  the  wood  in  autumn,  and  yet  not  so  warm  as  to  urge 
forward  the  flower-buds  prematurely  in  spring,  as  they  are  very  liable  to  be 
injured  by  frost,  from  which  they  should  be  protected  by  some  kind  of  covering. 
The  tree  shows  itself  in  its  greatest  beauty  against  a  wall,  where  it  can  be  pro- 
tected more  conveniently  by  a  projecting  coping,  or  otherwise.  In  warm  situa- 
tions, sloping  to  the  south  or  south-east,  it  has  the  finest  effect  planted  in  front 
of  a  bank  of  evergreens ;  and,  indeed,  wherever  it  is  planted,  evergreens  should 
be  growing  near  it,  so  as  to  form  a  back  ground,  on  account  of  the  flowers 
expanding  before  the  unfolding  of  the  leaves. 

Propagation  and  Cidture.  The  Magnolia  conspicua  and  all  its  varieties  are 
propagated  by  layers,  or  by  inarching  on  the  Magnolia  purpurea,  or  acuminata. 
When  grafted  on  the  former,  the  tree  is  comparatively  small,  by  which  it  is  ren- 
dered very  convenient  for  use  as  a  shrub,  or  for  growing  in  pots ;  but  when  it 
is  intended  to  form  a  tree,  it  should  either  be  grafted  on  the  Magnolia  acumi- 
nata, or  raised  from  layers  or  seeds.  It  generally  requires  two  years  before  the 
plant  can  be  separated  from  the  parent  stock.  The  young  shoots  are  from  twelve 
to  eighteen  inches  in  length,  and  the  tree,  in  ten  years,  will  attain  a  height  of 
ten  or  fifteen  feet,  flowering  the  second  or  third  year  after  grafting. 

Properties  and  Uses.  Besides  the  value  of  the  Magnolia  conspicua  as  an 
ornamental  plant  or  tree,  the  Chinese  pickle  the  flower-buds,  after  having 
removed  their  calyxes,  and  use  them  for  flavouring  rice.  Medicinally,  the  seeds 
are  taken  in  powder,  in  colds,  and  inflammations  of  the  chest.  It  is  also  regarded 
as  stomachic ;  and  water,  in  which  it  has  been  steeped,  is  used  for  bathing  the 
eyes  when  inflamed,  and  for  clearing  them  of  gum. 


Magnolia  purpurea, 
THE  PURPLE-FLOWERED  MAGNOLIA. 


Magnolia  purpurea, 


Synonyrnes. 

IDe  Candolle,  Prodromus. 
Don,  Miller's  Dictionary. 
Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
Magnolier  bicolore,  Magnolier  discolore,  France. 
Rother  Bieberbaum,  GERMANy. 

Obovate-leaved  Magnolia,  Britain  and  Anglo-America. 

Derivations.    The  French  names  imply  Two-coloured  Magnolia,  in  allusion  to  the  colour  of  the  flowers.    The  German  name 
signifies  Red  Beaver-tree. 

Engravings.    London  Botanical  Magazine,  pi.  390;  and  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  i.,  figure  36. 

Specific  Characters.     Deciduous.     Leaves  obovate,  acute,  reticulately  veined ;  almost  smooth. 
*>rect,  of  3  sepals,  and  6  obovate  petals.     Styles  very  short. — Don,  Miller's  Diet. 


Flowers 


HE  Magnolia  purpurea  is  a  shrub,  from  six  to  twenty  feet 
high;  native  of  Japan,  and  introduced  into  England  in 
1790;  propagated  by  seeds  and  layers  in  the  gardens 
of  China,  Europe,  and  America ;  grows  in  open  situa- 
tions, in  sandy  peat,  with  loam,  or  in  sand  and  clay,  well-drained,  with  manure. 
T weaves  large,  of  a  very  dark-green;  flowers  large,  more  or  less  purple  without, 
and  always  white  within ;  put  forth  in  March,  April  or  May,  but  do  not  fully 
expand  till  a  day  or  two  before  they  drop  oif.  The  bark,  when  bruised,  has 
an  aromatic  odour. 

Varieties.  Although  plants  of  this  species  may  exhibit  slight  shades  of  differ- 
ence, there  cannot  be  truly  considered  but  one  or  two  distinct  varieties,  the  M.  p. 
gracilis,  and  the  M.  p.  obovata-pumila,  Casoretti.  The  chief  difference  between 
the  former  and  the  species,  consists  in  being  less  hardy,  rather  more  fastigiate  in 
its  form;  leaves  of  a  paler  green,  and  somewhat  narrower  in  shape;  flowers 
longer  and  more  slender,  the  points  of  the  petals  slightly  turned  back,  and  exte- 
riorly of  a  dark-purple. 


Genus    LIRIODENDRON,    Linn. 


Magnoliaceae. 

Syst.  Nat. 


Polyandria  Polygynia. 

Syst.  Lin. 


Derivation.    The  name  of  this  genus  is  derived  from  the  Greek  leirion,  a  lily,  and  dendron,  a  tree  ;  from  the  resemblance 
af  its  flowers  to  the  lily,  but  more  nearly  to  the  tulip. 

Generic  Characters.  Carpels  1 — 2-seeded,  disposed  in  spikes,  indehiscent,  deciduous,  drawn  out  into  a 
wing  at  the  apex.  Calyx  of  3  deciduous  sepals.  Corolla  of  6  petals,  conniving  into  a  bell-shaped 
flower. — Don,  Miller's  Diet. 


IRIODENDRON  is  a  genus  comprising  but  one  species,  a  tree 
of  the  first  rank,  native  of  North  America,  and  extensively  culti- 
vated for  ornament,  in  Europe,  and  America. 

Among  the  Magnoliaceae,  there  are  probably  other  trees,  adapted 
to  the  climate  of  the  United  States,  that  are  worthy  of  cultivation, 
among  which,  are  the  Magnolia  insignis,  of  Dr.  Wallich,  growing 
on  the  mountains  of  Nepal;  also,  the  Michelia  lanuginosa,  excelsa,  kisopa,  and 
doltsopa,  all  of  which  are  indigenous  to  the  elevated  regions  of  the  Himalayas. 
The  Michelia  doltsopa  is  one  of  the  finest  trees  of  Nepal,  yielding  a  fragrant 
wood,  much  used  in  that  country  in  civil  architecture.  The  Michelia  excelsa, 
according  to  Dr.  Wallich,  produces  a  valuable  timber,  of  a  fine  texture,  at  first 
greenish,  but  soon  changing  to  a  fine  yellow. 


Liriodendron  tulipifera, 

THE  TULIP-BEARING  LIRIODENDRON. 

Synonymes. 

Linn^us,  Species  Plantarum. 

De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 

Michaux,  North  American  Sylva. 

Bigelow,  Medical  Botany. 

Don,  Miller's  Dictionary. 

Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 

Torrey  and  Gray,  Flora  of  North  America. 

France. 

Germany. 

Italy. 


Liriodendron  tulipifera, 


Tulipier  de  Virginie,  Arbre  aux  tulipes, 

Virginischer  Tulpenbaum, 

Liriodendro  tulipifero, 

Virginian  Poplar,  Tulip-bearing  Lily- 
tree,  Saddle-tree, 

"White  Poplar,  Yellow  Poplar, 

Tulip-tree,  White-wood,  Poplar,  Old 
Wife's  Shirt-tree, 


Britain. 

Kentucky. 

Other  parts  of  the  United  States. 


Derivations.  The  specific  name  is  derived  from  the  Latin  lulipa,  a  tulip,  and  fero,  to  bear,  on  account  of  the  resemblance 
the  flowers  of  this  tree  Dear  to  those  of  tulips.  It  is  called  Poplar,  from  its  general  appearance  to  trees  of  the  genus  Populus  ; 
White-wood,  and  Yellow  Poplar,  from  the  colour  of  its  timber;  Canoe-icood,  from  the  use  to  which  it  is  applied  by  the  native 
Indians ;  and  Saddle-tree,  from  the  form  of  its  leaves.  The  French  and  German  names  are  literal  translations  of  Virginian 
Tulip-tree. 


Engravings.    Michaux,  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  61 
cum,  v.,  pi.  13;  and  the  figures  below. 


Audubon,  Birds  of  America,  pi.  xii. ;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britanni- 


Specific  Characters.    Leaves  smooth,  truncate  at  the  top ;  4-lobed,  resembling  a  saddle  in  shape.    Flow 
ers  large,  solitary,  terminal,  variegated  with  green,  yellow,  and  orange  colour ;  furnished  with  two 
deciduous  bracteas  under  the  flowers. — Don,  Miller's  Diet. 


Description. 

F  all  the  deciduous 
trees  of  North  Amer- 
ica, the  Tulip-tree, 
W  next  to  the  sycamore, 
(Platanus  occidentalis,)  attains  the  amplest 
dimensions ;  while  the  perfect  straightness  and 
uniform  diameter  of  the  trunk,  the  more  regular 
distribution  of  its  branches,  and  the  greater 
richness  of  its  foliage  and  flowers,  give  it  a  de- 
cided superiority  over  that  tree,  and  entitle  it  to 
be  considered  one  of  the  most  magnificent  pro- 
ductions of  the  temperate  zones.  It  usually  at- 
tains a  height  of  sixty  or  eighty  feet,  with  a 
diameter  varying  from  eighteen  inches  to  three 
feet;  although,  in  favourable  localities,  it  has 
been  known  to  arrive  at  a  height  of  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  to  one  hundred  and  forty  feet, 
with  a  diameter  of  more  than  seven  feet.  The 
bark  of  the  trunk,  till  it  exceeds  seven  or  eight  inches  in  diameter,  is  smooth  and 
even ;  but  afterwards  it  begins  to  crack,  and  the  depth  of  the  furrows  is  in  pro- 
portion to  the  size  and  age  of  the  tree.  In  the  development  of  its  leaves  it  differs 
from  most  other  trees.     The  leaf-buds,  in  general,  are  comnosed  of  scales  closely 


TULIP-BEARING    LIRIODENDRON.  25 

imbricated,  which  in  spring  are  distended  by  the  growth  of  the  minute  bundle  of 
leaves  that  they  enclose,  till  they  finally  fall  off.  The  terminal  bud  of  each 
shoot  swells  considerably  before  it  gives  birth  to  the  leaf.  It  forms  an  oval  en- 
velope, containing  the  young  leaf,  which  is  produced  to  the  light  as  soon  as  it 
has  acquired  sufficient  strength  to  endure  the  influences  of  the  atmosphere. 
Within  this  envelope  is  found  another,  which,  after  the  first  leaf  is  put  forth, 
swells,  bursts,  and  gives  birth  to  a  second.  On  young  and  vigorous  trees,  five  or 
six  leaves  issue,  successively,  in  this  manner,  from  one  bud.  Till  the  leaf  has 
acquired  its  growth,  it  retains  the  two  scales  which  composed  the  envelope,  and 
which  are  now  called  stipules.  In  spring,  when  the  weather  is  warm  and 
humid,  the  growth  of  the  leaves  is  very  rapid.  They  are  six  or  eight  inches 
broad,  borne  on  long  petioles,  alternate,  somewhat  fleshy,  smooth,  and  of  a  pleas- 
ing green  colour.  They  are  divided  into  three  lobes,  of  which  the  middle  one  is 
horizontally  notched  at  its  summit,  and  the  two  lower  ones  rounded  at  the 
base.  This  conformation  is  peculiar  to  this  tree,  and  thereby  renders  it  distin- 
guishable from  all  others.  In  Carolina  and  Georgia  the  flowers  appear  in  April 
and  May,  and  in  the  northern  parts  of  the  United  States,  in  June  and  July.  On 
detached  trees,  they  are  large,  brilliant,  very  numerous,  and  variegated  with  dif- 
ferent colours,  among  which,  yellow  predominates.  They  have  an  agreeable 
odour,  and,  surrounded  by  the  luxuriant  foliage,  they  produce  a  fine  effect 
The  fruit  is  composed  of  numerous  thin,  narrow  scales,  attached  to  a  common 
axis,  and  forming  a  conical  spike,  two  or  three  inches  in  length.  Each  spike  or 
fruit  contains  sixty  or  seventy  carpels,  of  which,  never  more  than  a  third,  and 
in  some  seasons,  not  more  than  seven  or  eight  in  the  whole  number  are  produc- 
tive. It  is  also  observed,  that  during  ten  years  after  it  begins  to  yield  fruit, 
nearly  all  the  seeds,  when  sown,  prove  abortive ;  and  that,  on  large  trees,  the 
seeds  from  the  highest  branches  are  the  best. 

Varieties.  The  Liriodendron  tulipifera  comprises  three  varieties,  which  may 
be  regarded  as  distinct  from  the  species. 

1.  L.  t.  obtusiloba,  Loudon.  Blunt-leaved  Tulip-tree,  with  blunter  leaves 
than  the  original,  but  in  no  other  respect  different  from  it. 

2.  L.  t.  acutifolia,  Loudon.  Acute-leaved  Tidip-tree,  with  leaves  smaller  and 
more  acutely  cut  than  either  the  preceding  variety  or  the  species. 

3.  L.  t.  flava,  Loudon.      Yellow -flowered  Tulip-tree,  very  rare. 

Geography  and  History.  The  southern  extremity  of  Lake  Champlain,  accord- 
ing to  Michaux,  may  be  considered  in  its  natural  distribution,  as  the  northern, 
and  the  river  Connecticut  as  the  eastern  limit  of  this  tree.  It  is  only  westerly  of 
the  Hudson,  and  southerly  of  the  forty-third  degree  of  latitude,  that  it  is  fre- 
quently met  with,  and  fully  developed.  It  is  multiplied  in  the  middle  states,  in 
the  upper  parts  of  Carolina  and  Georgia,  and  still  more  abundantly  in  the  west- 
ern states,  particularly  in  Kentucky,  where  it  displays  its  most  powerful  vegeta- 
tion. Its  comparative  rareness  in  the  maritime  parts  of  the  Carolinas  and  of 
Georgia,  in  the  Floridas,  and  in  lower  Louisiana,  is  owing  less  to  the  heat  of 
summer  than  to  the  nature  of  the  soil,  which,  in  some  parts,  is  too  dry,  as. in  the 
pine-barrens,  and  in  others  too  wet,  as  in  the  swamps  which  border  the  rivers. 
It  is  commonly  found  mingled  with  other  trees,  such  as  the  hickories,  the  black- 
walnut,  and  butternut,  the  Kentucky  coffee-tree,  (Gymnocladus  canadensis,)  and 
the  wild  cherry-tree ;  but  it  sometimes  constitutes,  alone,  considerable  tracts  of 
the  forest,  as  was  observed  by  the  elder  Michaux,  on  the  road  from  Beardstone 
to  Louisville,  in  Kentucky.  The  artificial  geography  of  this  tree  may  be  said 
to  embrace  the  middle  region  of  Europe,  from  Berlin  and  Warsaw,  on  the  north, 
to  the  shores  of  the  Mediterranean  and  Naples,  on  the  south ;  Ireland  on  the 
west,  and  Crimea  on  the  east.  It  is  successfully  cultivated  along  the  maritime 
parts  of  the  United  States,  from  Newburyport,  in  Massachusetts,  to  St.  Mary's, 
in  Georgia.  4 


26  LIRIODENDRON    TULIP1FERA. 

The  period  at  which  the  tulip-tree  was  iirst  introduced  into  England  is  uncer- 
tain. The  honour  is  said  to  have  been  conferred  on  the  Earl  of  Noifolk,  as  far 
back  as  1663.  It  is  certain  that  it  was  cultivated  by  Dr.  Henry  Compton,  at 
Fulham,  in  1688,  at  which  time  it  was  wholly  unknown  as  a  timber-tree.  Ac- 
cording to  Miller,  Mr.  Darley,  at  Hoxton,  and  Mr.  Fairchild,  were  the  first  who 
raised  this  tree  from  seeds ;  and  from  their  nurseries  it  is  probable  that  the 
numerous  old  trees  which  are  spread  all  over  Britain  were  procured.  The  old- 
est tree  in  England,  estimated  at  over  one  hundred  and  fifty  years  of  age,  is  at 
Fulham  palace.  It  is  about  fifty  feet  high,  and  its  trunk,  at  one  foot  from  the 
ground,  is  three  feet  in  diameter.  The  largest  tree  in  Britain  is  in  Somersetshire, 
at  Hestercombe,  which  is  one  hundred  feet  in  height,  with  a  trunk  three  feet  in 
diameter,  and  ripens  seeds  every  year. 

The  first  notice  which  we  have  of  the  tulip-tree  on  the  continent,  is  in  the 
"Catalogue  of  the  Leyden  Garden,"  published  in  1731.  From  the  number  of 
these  trees  existing  in  France,  the  south  of  Germany,  and  Italy,  there  can  be 
little  doubt  it  spread  as  rapidly  in  those  countries  as  it  did  in  Britain.  Public 
avenues  are  planted  of  it  in  Italy,  and  as  far  north  as  Strasburg  and  Mentz.  It 
stands  the  open  air  at  Vienna,  and  attains  a  large  size  there ;  but  it  will  not 
endure  the  climate  north  of  Warsaw,  nor  Moscow,  without  protection.  In  the 
grounds  of  the  palace  of  Lacken,  near  Brussels,  there  is  a  tree  which  has  a  clear 
stem  three  feet  in  diameter,  with  a  compact  globular  head.  When  Lacken 
belonged  to  France,  the  palace  was  occupied  by  the  Empress  Josephine,  who 
brought  her  gardener  from  Paris ;  and  the  poor  man,  while  he  was  gathering 
seeds  from  this  tree,  fell  from  it,  and  broke  his  neck.  At  Schwobber,  near  Han- 
over, there  is  growing,  in  alluvial  soil,  near  water,  a  tree  more  than  one  hundred 
and  twenty  years  old,  and  eighty  feet  in  height,  with  a  trunk  two  feet  in  diam- 
eter, and  an  ambitus  of  thirty  feet.  In  Italy,  the  tulip-tree  attains  a  height  of 
seventy  or  eighty  feet,  flowers  freely,  and  ripens  seeds  every  year. 

The  elder  Michaux  measured  a  tulip-tree,  three  and  a  half  miles  from  Louis- 
ville, Kentucky,  which  was  twenty-two  feet  and  a  half  in  circumference  five  feet 
from  the  ground,  and  from  one  hundred  and  twenty  to  one  hundred  and  forty 
feet  in  height.  In  1842,  there  was  felled  from  the  estate  of  Mr.  John  Lewis,  in 
Llangollan,  Kentucky,  a  tulip-tree,  eight  feet  in  diameter,  near  the  ground,  and 
five  feet  in  diameter  seventy-five  feet  above.  The  trunk  was  perfectly  straight 
and  sound,  and  was  sawed  into  boards  of  common  lengths. 

At  Green  Point,  Bushwick,  near  New  York,  on  the  estate  of  Mr.  N.  Bliss, 
there  is  a  tulip-tree  which  has  a  circumference  of  twenty-one  feet  at  three  feet 
above  the  ground,  and  a  height  of  seventy  feet. 

In  1807,  there  existed  a  tulip-tree,  in  Hamilton,  Adams  county,  Pennsylvania, 
noticed  by  John  Pearson,  in  a  communication  to  Dr.  James  Mease,  in  the 
"  Memoirs  of  the  Philadelphia  Society  for  promoting  Agriculture,"  for  that  year, 
which  had  a  circumference  of  thirty-six  feet,  with  a  trunk  thirty  or  forty  feet  to 
the  forks,  a  large  head,  and,  to  all  appearances,  perfectly  sound.  In  the  same 
work,  he  mentions  another  tree  as  growing  near  the  Virginia  head  of  the  river 
Roanoke,  which  was  thirty-nine  feet  in  circumference  four  feet  from  the  ground, 
apparently  sound,  and  about  forty  feet  to  the  forks. 

Soil  and  Situation.  The  Liriodendron  tulipifera,  in  its  natural  habitat,  delights 
only  in  deep,  loamy,  and  extremely  fertile  soils,  such  as  are  found  in  the  rich 
bottoms,  lying  along  the  rivers,  and  on  the  borders  of  the  great  swamps  which 
are  enclosed  in  the  forests.  Like  almost  all  other  trees,  however,  it  will  grow  on 
soils  of  different  qualities,  and  have  its  timber  and  other  properties  affected  by  the 
circumstances  in  which  it  is  placed.  But,  according  to  M.  Du  Hamel,  it  neither 
thrives  in  France  on  a  dry,  arid,  gravelly  soil,  nor  on  one  with  a  subsoil  of  clay, 
or  marl.     The  most  rapid-growing  young  tulip-trees  in  England,  it  is  said,  were 


TULIP-BEARING   LIRIODENDRON.  27 

in  a  deep,  sandy  loam,  in  a  rather  moist  climate,  in  the  West  Riding  in  York- 
shire. 

The  situation  most  favourable  to  this  tree,  is  one  which,  while  it  is  sheltered 
from  high  winds,  is  at  the  same  time,  sufficiently  exposed  to  the  light  and  air  to 
admit  of  the  maturation  of  its  leaves  on  every  side,  and  the  perfect  ripening  of 
its  wood,  without  which  it  can  neither  resist  the  severe  frosts  of  winter,  nor  form 
blossom-buds.  At  Kinlet,  in  Worcestershire,  England,  there  is  a  tulip-tree,  in 
a  sandy  loam,  and  partially  sheltered  situation,  the  lower  part  of  which  always 
comes  into  leaf  before  the  upper  part  has  the  least  appearance  of  doing  so.  The 
lower  part  is  sheltered  by  high  ground,  while  the  upper  part  is  exposed  to  a 
strong  west  wind.  It  flowers  freely,  and  has  a  splendid  appearance  at  that  sea- 
son, as  also  in  autumn  before  it  sheds  its  yellow  leaves.  If  it  were  desired  to  grow 
the  tulip-tree  for  the  purpose  of  forming  straight,  clean  timber,  it  should  be  placed 
in  a  close  plantation,  where  one  plant  would  draw  upon  another. 

Propagation  and  Culture.  The  Liriodendron  tulipifera  is  seldom,  if  ever, 
propagated  otherwise  than  by  seeds,  which  come  up  best  in  very  fine  mould,  or 
sandy  loam,  in  a  shady  situation,  kept  rather  moist ;  but  the  varieties  are,  of 
course,  multiplied  by  layers,  budding,  grafting,  or  inarching.  When  the  seeds 
are  sown  in  autumn,  they  generally  come  up  in  the  following  spring ;  but,  sown 
in  spring,  or  the  beginning  of  summer,  they  generally  remain  a  year  in  the 
ground.  In  France,  and  occasionally  in  England,  the  obtuse-lobed  variety  is 
raised  by  layers,  or  inarching;  but,  in  either  case,  it  requires  two  or  three  years 
before  the  plant  can  be  separated  from  the  parent  stock.  The  tulip-tree,  like 
the  magnolias,  having  roots  furnished  with  but  few  fibres,  does  not  transplant 
readily ;  and  therefore,  the  plant  ought  either  to  be  kept  in  pots,  or,  if  in  the  free 
ground,  transplanted  into  the  nursery  every  year ;  or,  if  neither  of  these  modes 
be  practicable,  they  should  be  removed  to  their  final  situation,  when  not  more 
than  two,  or  at  most,  three  years  old.  The  progress  of  growth  of  young  trees, 
in  England,  in  favourable  situations,  has  been  at  the  rate  of  sixteen  feet  in  ten 
years. 

Bisects.  From  the  bitter  qualities  of  its  leaves,  the  Liriodendron  tulipifera 
does  not  seem  to  be  much  attacked  by  insects.  In  Smith  and  Abbot's  "  Insects 
of  Georgia,"  it  is  stated,  that  the  Phalcena  liriodendraria,  or  tulip-tree  butterfly, 
feeds  upon  it.  The  insect  went  into  the  ground  in  Georgia,  May  15th,  came  out 
the  5th  of  June;  others,  which  went  in  the  11th  of  July,  came  forth  on  the  1st 
of  August.     The  moth  sits  on  the  bodies  of  the  trees,  but  is  not  very  common. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  timber  of  the  Liriodendron  tulipifera,  though  classed 
among  light  woods,  is  yet,  much  heavier  than  that  of  the  common  poplar ;  its 
grain  is  equally  fine,  but  more  compact,  and  the  wood  is  easily  wrought,  and 
polishes  well.  When  dry,  a  cubic  foot  weighs  twenty-five  pounds.  It  affords 
excellent  charcoal,  the  product  of  which,  from  dry  wood,  is  twenty -two  per  cent. 
The  heart-wood,  when  separated  from  the  sap,  and  perfectly  seasoned,  long 
resists  the  influence  of  the  air,  and  is  rarely  attacked  by  insects.  Its  greatest 
defect,  when  employed  in  wide  boards,  and  exposed  to  the  weather,  is,  that  it  is 
liable  to  shrink  and  warp,  by  the  alternations  of  moisture  and  dryness  ;  but  this 
defect  is,  in  a  great  measure,  compensated  by  its  other  properties,  and  may  be, 
in  part,  owing  to  its  not  being  allowed  sufficient  time  to  be  properly  seasoned. 
The  nature  of  the  soil  on  which  it  grows,  has  so  striking  an  influence  upon  the 
colour,  and  quality  of  this  wood,  that  mechanics  distinguish  it  by  the  names  of 
White  Poplar  and  Yellow  Poplar.  The  external  appearances  which  mark  these 
varieties  are  so  equivocal,  that  they  can  only  ascertain  to  which  of  them  a  tree 
belongs,  by  cutting  it.  It  is  known,  in  general,  that  the  white  poplar  grows  in 
dry,  gravelly,  and  elevated  places ;  and  is  recognized,  too,  by  its  branchy  sum- 
mit, and  by  the  small  proportion  which  the  light  yellow  heart- wood  bears  to 


Z'S  LIR10DENDR0N    TULIPIFERA. 

the  sap-wood.  The  grain,  also,  is  coarser  and  harder,  and  the  wood  decays 
more  speedily ;  hence,  it  is  neglected  when  the  other  variety  can  be  obtained. 
The  yellow  poplar  possesses  every  quality  requisite  to  fit  it  for  a  great  variety 
of  uses.  At  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  and  in  the  adjacent  country,  it  was 
formerly  employed  in  the  construction  of  houses,  for  rafters,  and  for  joists  of  the 
upper  stories,  for  which  purposes  it  was  esteemed,  on  account  of  its  lightness  and 
strength,  but  as  the  timber  has  become  scarce,  pine  and  spruce  have  taken  its 
place.  In  the  middle,  southern,  and  western  states,  where  this  tree  abounds,  it 
is  more  generally  used  in  building,  and  is  considered  as  the  best  substitute  for 
pine,  red  cedar,  and  cypress,  and  serves  for  the  interior  work  of  houses,  and 
sometimes  for  the  exterior  covering.  The  panels  of  doors  and  of  wainscots,  and 
the  mouldings  of  chimney  pieces,  are  made  of  this  wood.  In  some  states,  shin- 
gles are  made  of  it,  about  fifteen  inches  long,  which  are  preferred  to  those  made 
of  pine,  because  they  are  more  durable,  and  are  not  liable  to  crack  from  the 
effects  of  intense  frost  and  sunshine.  In  most  of  the  large  cities  and  towns 
in  the  United  States,  boards  sawn  from  this  tree,  are  generally  used  for  the 
panels  of  carriages.  When  perfectly  dry,  they  take  the  paint  well,  and  admit 
of  a  brilliant  polish.  Large  quantities  of  this  wood  are  consumed  in  the  manufac- 
ture of  trunks,  covered  with  cloth,  or  skins ;  of  tables,  and  bedsteads,  which 
are  stained,  in  imitation  of  mahogany,  and  for  the  seats  of  chairs.  It  often 
enters  into  the  composition  of  bureaus,  and  cabinet-work  generally,  particularly 
when  it  is  inlaid  with  veneers.  It  is  also  used  for  the  circular  boards  and  wings 
of  winnowing  machines,  also  for  the  construction  of  sleigh  and  wagon  bodies, 
where  white  pine  is  not  abundant,  and  for  the  interior  of  canal  and  steamboats. 
As  it  is  easily  wrought  in  the  lathe,  it  is  often  used  for  bowls,  brush,  and  broom 
heads  and  handles,  and  numerous  other  articles  among  turners'  wares.  Among 
agriculturists,  trunks  of  these  trees  are  often  formed  into  eating  and  drinking 
troughs  for  their  animals,  which,  when  exposed  to  the  weather,  last  as  long  as 
those  made  of  chestnut  and  butternut.  In  some  parts  of  the  country,  the 
wood  of  this  tree  is  employed  for  the  rails  of  rural  fences.  It  is  found  useful, 
also,  in  the  construction  of  bridges,  as  it  unites  lightness  with  strength  and 
durability.  The  Indians  who  formerly  inhabited  the  middle  states,  made  choice 
of  this  tree  to  form  their  canoes,  for  which  purpose  it  was  well  adapted.  The 
trunk  being  of  great  length  and  diameter,  and  the  wood  being  light  and  strong, 
it  was  sometimes  wrought  by  them  into  canoes  that  would  carry  twenty  or 
more  persons.  It  is  still  used  by  the  Indians  and  others  in  the  western  country, 
for  the  same  purpose.  Michaux  remarks  that,  when  one  of  these  trees  is  felled, 
the  chips  of  the  heart-wood  that  are  left  upon  the  ground,  particularly  those 
which  are  left  half  buried  in  the  leaves,  suffer,  at  the  end  of  three  or  four  weeks, 
a  remarkable  change ;  the  lower  part  becomes  of  a  dark-blue,  and  they  exhale  a 
fetid,  ammoniacal  odour ;  though  the  live  part  of  the  bark  of  the  trunk,  branches, 
and  still  more  of  the  roots,  has  an  agreeable  smell,  and  a  very  bitter  taste,  and, 
even  under  the  same  circumstances  as  the  heart- wood,  it  neither  acquires  the 
blue  colour,  nor  the  disagreeable  smell. 

The  bark  of  this  tree  is  considered,  by  some,  as  scarcely  inferior  to  the  cin- 
chona, being  a  powerful  tonic  and  antiseptic.  The  aromatic  principle  appears  to 
reside  in  a  resinous  part  of  the  substance  of  the  bark,  and,  when  used,  stimulates 
the  intestinal  canal,  and  operates  as  a  gentle  cathartic.  In  many  instances,  the 
stomach  cannot  support  it,  unless  each  dose  is  accompanied  by  a  few  drops  of 
laudanum.  These  properties  were  well  known  to  the  American  Indians,  who 
employed  the  bark  of  the  roots  of  this  tree  for  the  cure  of  intermittents. 


TULIP-BEARING   LIRIODENDRON. 


29 


"  If  Fever's  fervid  rage 
Glow'd  in  the  boiling  veins,"     ***** 
if    *    *    *    *    "  Anxiously  they  sought. 
The  Liriodendron,  with  its  varied  bloom, 
Orange,  and  green,  and  gold  ;"***** 
#    *    *    *    *    "To  supply 
The  place  of  fam'd  Cinchona,  whose  rough  brow 
Now  ruddy,  and  anon  with  paleness  mark'd, 
Drinks  in  its  native  bed,  the  genial  gales 
Of  mountainous  Peru." 

Traits  op  the  Aborigines. 


And  even  at  the  present  day,  in  parts  of  the  country  where  this  tree  abounds, 
some  of  the  inhabitants  steep  the  bark  of  the  roots  with  an  equal  portion  of  dog- 
wood bark,  in  brandy,  during  eight  days,  and  take  this  tincture  as  a  remedy  for 
the  intermittent  fever.  The  bark,  reduced  to  powder,  and  given  in  substance 
to  horses,  appears  to  be  a  pretty  certain  remedy  for  worms. 

In  Europe,  the  uses  of  the  Liriodendron  tulipifera  are  limited  almost  entirely 
to  those  of  ornament ;  for  there  are  numerous  trees  which  would  produce  excel- 
lent timber,  if  cut  down.  We  have  never  heard  of  any  having  been  felled  for 
this  purpose.  Every  possessor  of  a  tulip-tree,  in  Europe,  values  it  far  higher  fol- 
ks beauty  in  a  living  state,  than  for  its  products,  or  the  artificial  application  of 
them.  On  the  continent,  where  trees  ripen  seeds,  they  may  be  considered  as 
affording  some  profit  from  that  source. 


Genus  ANNONA,  Linn. 


Anonaceae. 

Si/st.  Nat. 


Polyandria  Polygyni*. 
Syst.  Lin. 


Annona,  Anona,  Asimina,  Orchidocarpum, 
Porcelia,  Uvaria, 


Synonymes. 

Of  Authors. 


Anone,  Corossol, 
Flaschenbaum, 
Asimina, 
Anona, 
Custard  Apple, 


France. 

Germany. 

Italy. 

Spain. 

Britain  and  Anglo- America. 


Derivations.  The  name  Annona  was  given  to  this  genus  by  Linnaeus,  who  derived  it  from  a  South  American  fruit  of  a  grate 
ful  flavour,  called  anona,  which  signifies  a  mess,  or  dish  of  food,  to  be  eaten  with  a  spoon.  Asimina  was  Latinized  by  M. 
Adanson,  from  a  word  of  Canadian  origin  of  a  doubtful  meaning.  Orchidocarpum  was  probably  intended  to  express  a  resem- 
blance between  the  fruit  of  this  genus,  and  that  of  some  species  of  Orchis.  Porcelia  is  a  name  given  by  Ruiz,  in  honor  of  Anto- 
nio Porcel,  a  Spanish  promoter  of  botany.  Uvaria  was  also  applied  to  this  genus  by  Linnaeus,  and  is  derived  from  the 
Latin  uva,  a  grape.  The  German  name,  flaschenbaum,  signifies  Flask-tree,  from  the  shape  of  the  fruit.  The  French  and 
Italian  names  are  merely  modifications  of  the  Spanish  one.  It  is  called  Custard  Apple,  on  account  of  the  pulp  of  the  fruit  often 
being  eaten  with  a  spoon,  after  the  manner  of  eating  a  custard. 

Generic  Characters.  Calyx  3-parted.  Petals  6,  spreading,  ovate-oblong,  inner  ones  smallest.  Anthers 
numerous,  nearly  sessile.  Ovaries  many,  but  for  the  most  part  only  3,  ovate  or  oblong.  Carpels  the 
same  number  as  the  ovaries,  baccate,  sessile.  Seeds  many,  disposed  in  a  single  or  double  row. — Bon, 
Miller's  Diet. 

HE  hardy  species  of  the  genus  Annona  are  chiefly  confined  to  the 
United  States,  and  vary  in  height  from  two  to  thirty  feet.  The 
low  shrubs  are  deciduous,  with  white  or  purple  flowers,  and  bear 
fruit  about  the  size  of  small  plums.  They  are  rather  tender, 
and  difficult  of  cultivation,  although  they  have  been  introduced 
into  Europe  at  different  periods  from  1736  to  1820.  All  the  spe- 
cies require  peat  soil,  and  are  only  propagated  by  seeds. 


Annona  triloba, 

THE   THREE-LOBED-CALYXED  ANONNA. 

Synonymes. 
Annona  triloba, 


Anona  triloba, 


Asimina  triloba, 

JJvaria  triloba, 

Anone  a  trois  lobes,  Asiminier  de  Vir-  )  ■pRANrE 

ginie, 
Dreylappiger  Flaschenbaum, 
Annona, 
Anona, 
Asiminier, 
Pap  aw, 


Linnjeus,  Species  Plantarura 

De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 

Michaux,  North  American  Sylva. 

Don,  Miller's  Dictionary. 

Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 

Torre  y  and  Gray,  Flora  of  North  America. 


Germany. 

Italy. 

Spain. 

French  Louisiana. 

Britain  and  Anglo- America. 


Engravings.    Michaux,  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  60;   Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  i.,  figure  39;  and  the  figure* 
below. 

Specific  Characters.    Leaves  oblong-obovate,  acuminate  ;   petals  dark-purple ;    the   exterior   orbicular, 
3  or  4  times  the  length  of  the  sepals. —  Torrey  and  Gray,  Flora. 


Description. 


HE  Annona  triloba  is  a 
small  tree,  seldom  ex- 
ceeding thirty  feet  in 
height,  densely  cloth- 
ed with  long  leaves,  lying  over  one  another,  in 
such  a  manner  as  to  give  a  peculiarly  imbricated 
appearance  to  the  entire  plant.  The  trunk  is 
covered  with  a  silver- gray  bark,  which  is  smooth 
and  finely  polished.  The  leaves  are  borne  on 
short  petioles,  and  are  alternate,  five  or  six 
inches  in  length,  and  of  an  elongated  form, 
widening  from  the  base  to  the  summit.  They 
are  of  a  fine  texture,  and  the  upper  surface  is 
smooth  and  brilliant.  The  flowers  appear  in 
South  Carolina  and  Georgia  in  March,  and  a 
month  or  six  Weeks  later  farther  north.  They 
are  campanulate  and  drooping,  and  put  forth 
before  the  leaves ;  the  outer  petals  are  purple, 
and  vary  in  colour  in  different  plants ;  in  some  they  are  very  dark,  and  in  others 
light,  inclining  to  yellow.  The  fruit  ripens  in  August,  and  is  about  three  inches 
long,  and  one  and  a  half  inches  thick,  yellow,  ovate,  oblong,  irregular,  and 
swelling  into  inequalities.  It  contains  a  yellow  pulp,  of  a  sweet,  luscious  taste, 
in  the  middle  of  which  lie,  in  two  rows,  twelve  seeds,  or  triangular  stones, 
divided  by  as  many  thin  membranes. 

Geography  and  History.  Michaux  did  not  observe  this  tree  north  of  the  river 
Schuylkill ;  and  it  appears  to  be  unknown,  or  extremely  rare,  in  the  low  and 
maritime  parts  of  the  southern  states.  It  is  not  uncommon  in  the  bottom- 
lands which  stretch  along  the  rivers  of  the  middle  states,  where,  at  intervals,  it 


& 


ANNONA    TRILOBA. 


forms  thickets  exclusively  occupying  several  acres.  In  Kentucky  and  the  west- 
ern part  of  Tennessee,  it  is  sometimes  seen  also,  in  the  forests,  where  the  soil  is 
luxuriantly  fertile ;  of  which  its  presence  is  an  infallible  proof.  In  these  forests 
it  attains  the  height  of  thirty  feet,  with  a  trunk  six  or  eight  inches  in  diameter, 
though  it  usually  stops  short  of  half  of  this  height.  According  to  Dr.  William 
Baldwin,  the  papaw  grows  spontaneously  in  the  island  of  Bermuda ;  and  in 
Smith's  "  History  of  Virginia,"  it  is  stated  to  have  been  introduced  on  that  island 
prior  to  1623. 

This  species  was  introduced  into  England  by  Peter  Collinson  in  1736  ;  and  it 
has  since  become  known  in  the  principal  botanic  gardens  throughout  Europe. 
Miller  states  that  the  largest  plant  he  had  seen  was  in  the  Duke  of  Argyll's  gar- 
den, at  Whitton,  which  flowered  every  year.  Another  plant  is  mentioned  as 
growing  at  Purser's  Cross,  which  ripened  fruit. 

Soil,  Situation,  fyc.  This,  as  well  as  most  of  the  other  species  of  annona, 
generally  grows  in  shady  places,  and  in  a  sandy  soil.  All  the  species,  when  cul- 
tivated, require  peat  soil,  and  are  propagated  from  seeds.  The  papaw  seldom 
produces  shoots  exceeding  five  or  six  inches  in  length ;  hence  a  plant,  in  ten 
years,  does  not  reach  above  three  or  four  feet  in  height,  and  will  not  flower  till 
of  fifteen  or  twenty  years'  growth.  It  may  be  considered  as  a  curious,  slow- 
growing,  deciduous  shrub,  well  deserving  a  place  in  gardens,  but  which  ought 
always  to  be  isolated,  and  at  some  distance  from  rapid-growing  plants. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  Annona  triloba  is  spongy,  extremely 
soft,  destitute  of  strength,  and  applicable  to  no  use  in  the  mechanic  arts.  All 
parts  of  the  tree  have  a  rank,  if  not  a  fetid,  smell ;  and  the  fruit  is  relished  by 
few  persons,  except  negroes.  A  spirituous  liquor  has  been  made  from  it,  bu+  it 
is  of  little  worth. 


Genus  BERBERIS,  Linn. 

Berberaceae.  Hexandria  Monogynia. 

Syst.  Nat.  Syst.  Lin. 

Synonymcs. 
Berbens,  Oi  Authors. 

Epine  vinette,  France. 

Berberitzbeerenstrauch,  Sauerdorn,  Germany. 

Berberis,  Portugal. 

Berbero,  Crespino,  Italy. 

Espina  de  majuelas,  Spain. 

Berbery,  Pipperidge  Bush,  Britain  and  Anglo- America. 

Derivations.  The  word  Berberis  is  of  very  doubtful  origin.  Some  derive  it  from  the  Arabic  berberys,  a  word  used  for  this 
slant  by  Averrhoes  and  other  writers  on  medicine  ;  others  from  the  Greek  word,  berberi,  signifying  a  shell,  from  the  leaves  of 
,he  common  kind  having  a  hollow  surface.  Bochart  derives  it  from  the  Phoenician  word,  barar,  which  signifies  shiny  like  a 
ihell.  Gerard  says,  that  it  is  corrupted  from  the  word  amyrberis,  the  name  given  to  this  plant  by  Avicenna.  Du  Hamel  derives 
t  from  an  Indian  word  signifying  Mother  of-pearl.  The  French  name,  Epine  vinette,  signifies  Acid  or  Sorrel  Thorn,  from 
,he  taste  of  the  fruit  and  leaves.  The  Spanish  name  signifies  Prickly-hawthorn  Berberry  ;  and  the  German  and  Italian  names 
ire  derived  from  the  botanic  one. 

Generic  Characters.  Sepals  6,  guarded  on  the  outside  by  3  scales.  Petals  6,  with  2  glands  on  the  inside 
of  each.  Stamens  toothless.  Berries  2 — 3-seeded.  Seeds  2,  rarely  3,  laterally  inserted  at  the  base  of 
the  berries,  erect,  oblong,  with  a  crustaceous  coat  and  fleshy  albumen.  Cotyledons  leafy,  elliptical. 
Radicle  long,  capitellate  at  the  tip. — Don,  Miller's  Diet. 


LL  the  species  of  Berberis  are  shrubs  from  two  to  twenty  feet  in  height, 
in  a  wild  state,  and  sometimes  attain  an  elevation  of  thirty  feet, 
when  cultivated.  They  all  throw  up  numerous  side-suckers,  and 
©^♦^  the  stronger-growing  species,  if  these  were  carefully  removed,  might  be 
formed  into  very  handsome  small  trees.  In  all  the  species,  the  flowers  are  yel- 
low. The  fruit  is  generally  red,  always  acid,  and  more  or  less  astringent.  The 
irritability  of  the  stamens,  more  particularly  those  of  the  Berberis  vulgaris, 
canadensis,  and  sinensis,  the  flowers  of  which  expand,  is  a  very  remarkable  prop- 
arty  in  vegetable  economy.  When  the  filament  is  touched  on  the  inside  with 
the  point  of  a  pin,  or  any  other  hard  instrument,  the  stamens  bend  forward 
towards  the  pistil,  touch  the  stigma  with  the  anther,  remain  curved  for  a  short 
time,  and  then  partially  recover  their  erect  position.  This  is  best  seen  in  warm, 
iry  weather.  The  cause  of  this  curious  action,  like  that  of  all  other  vital  phe- 
nomena, is  unknown.  All  that  has  been  ascertained  concerning  it  is,  that  the 
irritability  of  the  filament  is  affected  differently  by  different  noxious  substances. 
[t  has  been  found  by  Messrs.  Macaire  and  Marcett,  that,  if  a  berberry  is  poisoned 
with  any  corrosive  agent,  such  as  arsenic,  or  bicloride  of  mercury,  the  filaments 
become  rigid  and  brittle,  and  lose  their  irritability ;  while,  on  the  other  hand,  if 
the  poisoning  be  effected  by  any  narcotic,  such  as  prussic  acid,  opium,  or  bella- 
donna, the  irritability  is  destroyed  by  the  filaments  becoming  so  relaxed  and 
flaccid,  that  they  can  be  easily  bent  in  any  direction.  In  the  original  position 
:>f  the  stamens,  the  anthers  are  sheltered  from  rain  by  the  concavity  of  the  petals. 
Thus,  probably,  they  remain  till  some  insect  comes  to  extract  honey  from  the 
base  of  the  flowers,  and,  thrusting  itself  between  the  filaments,  unavoidably 
touches  them  in  the  most  irritable  part,  and  in  this  maimer,  the  impregnation  of 
the  germs  takes  place. * 

Geographical  Distribution.     Few  genera  of  plants  are  more  generally  dissemi- 
nated over  the  globe  than  the  berberis.     At  least  twenty  species  have  been  dis- 
covered, either  in  Europe,  northern  and  central  Asia,  or  in  North  and  South 
America,  most  of  which  have  been  introduced  into  Britain,  and  treated  as  shrubs 
or  small  ornamental  trees. 


*  See  Penny  Cyclopaedia   i\ .,  p.  2G0. 


5 


Berberis  vulgaris, 
THE   COMMON   BERBERRY. 

Synonymes. 


Berberis  vulgaris, 


Epine  vinette, 

Gemeine  Berberitze, 

Berberi  ordinario,  Spino  vinetto, 

E  spina  de  majuelas, 

Berberry,  Barberry,  Pipperidge-Bush, 


( 


Linn.£Us,  Species  Plantarum* 

De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 
\  Don,  Miller's  Dictionary. 
I  Lotjdon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
(  Torrey  and  Gray,  Flora  of  North  America. 

France. 

Germany. 

Italy. 

Spain. 

Britain  and  Anglo- America. 


thirty- 
much 


Engravings.    Willdenow,  BerlinischeBaumzucht,  pi.  39;  Loudon,  Encyclopaedia  of  Plants,  figure  4922 ;  and  the  figures  below 

Specific  Characters.    Spines  3-parted.     Leaves  somewhat  obovate,  ciliately  serrated.    Racemes  many -flow 
ered,  pendulous.     Petals  entire. — Don,  Miller's  Diet. 

Description. 

HE  Common  Berberry,  in  its  wild 
*  state,  is  seldom  found  higher  than 
six  to  ten  feet,  but  when  cul- 
tivated it  may  be  grown  to  nearly 
feet  in  height.  The  stems  are  upright,  and 
branched  towards  the  top;  smooth,  slightly 
grooved,  and  covered  with  a  whitish,  or  ash-coloured 
bark,  which  is  of  a  bright  yellow  within.  The  main 
stem  soon  becomes  so  surrounded  by  side-suckers,  as 
to  be  concealed  by  them;  so  that,  even  when  the 
height  of  the  plant  is  that  of  a  tree,  its  character  is 
still  that  of  a  bush.  The  blossoms  are  yellow,  and, 
in  general,  are  abundant,  and  produce  a  fine  appear- 
ance in  April,  May,  and  June ;  their  odour  is  offensive 
when  near,  but  not  disagreeable  at  a  short  distance. 
The  fruit  is  oblong-oval,  which  at  first  is  green,  and, 
when  ripe,  is  red,  white,  yellow,  purple,  or  black, 
according  to  the  variety ;  and  it  is  so  acid  that  birds 
seldom  touch  it. 

Varieties.  These  are  numerous.  Those  recognized  by  Messrs.  De  Candoll* 
and  Don,  are  as  follows: — 

1.  B.  v.  alba.     Fruit  white. 

2.  B.  v.  violacea.     Fruit  violet-coloured. 

3.  B.  v.  purpurea.     Fruit  purple. 

4.  B.  v.  nigra.     Fruit  black;  leaves  oblong ;  ciliately  serrated  ;  serratures  few. 

5.  B.  v.  dulcis.  Fruit  red,  less  acid  than  the  common  variety;  leaves  of  a 
bright,  shining  green.     Native  of  Austria. 

6.  B.  v.  asperma.  Fruit  destitute  of  seeds,  in  old  plants.  It  is  said  by  Du 
Hamel,  that  this  variety  produces  the  best  fruit  for  preserving;  and  it  is  from  ii 
that  the  delicious  confitures  d1  epine  vinette,  for  which  Rouen  is  so  celebrated 
are  made. 

Geography  and  History.  The  berberry  is  found  wild  in  most  parts  of  Europe 
and  in  many  parts  of  Asia  and  America.     In  the  warmer  parts  of  the  two  last 


THE    COMMON    BERBERRY.  35 

named  countries,  it  grows  on  mountains,  and  in  the  colder  parts  of  Europe  and 
America,  in  plains,  as  in  Norway,  near  Christiania,  and  in  Massachusetts,  north  of 
Boston.  It  also  grows  on  Mount  Lebanon,  and  on  Mount  iEtna;  in  which  last 
situation  it  becomes  a  low  shrub,  in  the  upper  zone  of  vegetation.  In  England  it 
is  found  indigenous  in  woods  and  hedges,  more  especially  on  calcareous  soils.  It 
is  also  indigenous  in  Scotland  and  Ireland,  but  not  very  common.  It  was  doubt- 
less introduced  into  the  United  States  from  Europe,  and  has  naturalized  itself  in 
waste  places,  and  about  cultivated  grounds  in  the  northern  states,  and  in  the 
British  American  provinces.  The  plant  is  mentioned  by  Pliny ;  and,  among  mod- 
erns, it  appears  first  to  have  been  recorded  by  Bauhin,  in  his  "  Pinax,"  and  subse- 
quently by  all  the  writers  on  plants,  under  different  names,  till  the  time  of  Ray, 
in  1686  and  1688,  who  first  called  it  berberis;  which  name  was  afterwards 
adopted  by  Linnaeus,  and  by  all  botanists  since  his  time. 

Propagation  and  Culture.  The  original  species  of  the  Berberis  vulgaris  is 
propagated  in  the  nurseries  by  seeds,  and  the  varieties  by  suckers.  For  ordinary 
purposes,  no  plant  requires  less  culture ;  but,  to  produce  large  fruit,  it  should  be 
planted  in  a  deep,  well-manured,  somewhat  calcareous  soil,  and  be  constantly 
freed  from  side-suckers.  The  racemes  of  the  blossoms  should  be  thinned  out,  in 
order  to  reduce  the  number  of  bunches  of  fruit,  and  to  increase  its  size.  When 
the  berberry  is  intended  to  become  an  ornamental  tree,  it  should  be  trimmed,  with 
a  straight  stem,  to  a  height  of  eight  or  ten  feet,  and  all  suckers  from  the  roots, 
and  all  side-buds  from  the  stem,  should  be  removed  the  moment  they  appear, 
and  then  suffered  to  branch  out  into  a  fine,  orbicular,  or  drooping  head.  So 
treated,  it  forms  a  singularly  beautiful  tree,  or  shrub,  and  will  sometimes  endure 
for  two  or  three  centuries,  without  increasing  much  in  size,  after  thirty  years. 
It  may  also  be  employed  for  hedges,  and  as  it  patiently  bears  the  shears,  it  may 
be  shorn  to  any  desirable  form.  The  rate  of  growth,  when  the  plant  is  young, 
is  rapid  ;  for  the  first  five  or  six  years,  it  will  nearly  attain  its  maximum  height, 
unless  the  side-branches  be  removed. 

Diseases,  fyc.  The  Berberis  vulgaris  is  subject  to  a  disease  called  mildew, 
(JEcidium  berberidis,)  which,  when  magnified,  is  found  to  consist  of  a  number  of 
small  orange-cups,  with  a  fine  film  over  each,  as  shown  in  the 
adjoining  figure.  When  ripe,  these  films  burst,  and  the  tops 
of  the  cups  assume  a  ragged,  uneven  appearance,  in  which 
state  they  look  like  white  fungi.  The  cups  are  filled  with 
innumerable  little  cases,  containing  seeds  or  sporules,  and 
these  constitute  the  bright-orange  powder,  that  is  seen  on  the 
leaves  and  flowers  of  the  berberry,  and  was  long  supposed  to 
be  the  blight  on  corn  both  in  Europe  and  America.  This  opinion,  though  totally 
unfounded,  is  of  unknown  antiquity.  This  error  has  been  ably,  and  scientifi- 
cally refuted  by  Messrs.  Du  Hamel,  Broussonet ,  and  Drs.  Grenville  and  Lindley. 
The  blight  on  corn  is  generally  a  species  of  uredo,  and  does  not  correspond  in 
botanical  characters  with  the  secidium.  One  of  the  principal  reasons  why  corn 
will  not  thrive  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  berberry,  is,  on  account  of  the 
meagreness  of  the  soil  in  which  it  often  grows,  it  being  impoverished  by  its  creep- 
ing root. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  berberry  is  hard  and  brittle,  of  a  yel- 
low colour,  and  contains  a  large  white  pith.  It  is  of  but  little  use  in  the  arts 
except  for  dying.  The  inner  bark,  both  of  the  stems  and  roots,  affords  a  yellow 
dye.  The  leaves  are  agreeably  acid,  and,  according  to  Gerard,  were  used,  in  his 
time,  to  season  meat  with,  instead  of  a  salad,  like  sorrel.  The  berries  are  not 
eaten  raw,  but  are  excellent,  when  preserved  with  their  own  weight  of  sugar  or 
syrup,  or  candied.  They  are  also  made  into  jelly  and  rob,  both  of  which  are 
not  only  delicious  to  the  taste,  but  extremely  wholesome    and  they  are  pickled  ir 


36  BERBERIS   VULGARIS. 

vinegar,  when  green,  and  substituted  for  capers.  In  some  countries  in  the 
north  of  Europe,  the  berries  are  used  instead  of  lemon,  for  flavouring  punch ; 
and,  when  fermented,  it  produces  an  acid  wine,  from  which  tartar  is  procured 
by  evaporation.  They  are  also  in  general  use  for  garnished  dishes.  Medici- 
nally, the  berries,  leaves,  and  roots,  are  powerfully  acid  and  astringent ;  the  bark 
is  purgative  and  tonic;  and  the  berries,  when  bruised  and  steeped  in  water, 
make  a  refreshing  drink,  in  fevers.  The  astringent  principle  is  also  so  abundant 
in  the  bark,  that  it  is  used  in  Poland  in  tanning  leather,  which  it  dyes  a  fine  yel- 
low. A  decoction  of  the  bark  is  said  to  make  a  good  gargle  to  strengthen  the 
throat  and  gums.  When  the  berberry  is  cultivated  hi  a  garden  for  its  fruit,  it  is 
preferable  to  select  the  variety,  or  rather  variation,  called  Berberis  vulgaris 
asperma,  in  which  the  seeds  are  said  to  be  wanting,  and  in  which  the  fruit  is 
sweeter  than  the  common  kinds.  This  shrub  makes  excellent  hedges  ;  but  there 
exists  a  prejudice  against  it  among  agriculturists  both  in  Europe  and  in  Amer- 
ica, from  its  supposed  influence  in  producing  blight,  or  mildew,  on  the  corn  or 
grain  growing  near  it. 


Berberis  canadensis, 
THE  CANADIAN  BERBERRY. 

Synonymes. 


Berberis  canadensis, 


Epine  vinette  du  Canada, 
Canadischer  Berberitzbeerenstrauch, 
Barberry  Bush, 


'  De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 

Don,  Miller's  Dictionary. 

Nuttall,  Genera  of  North  American  Plants. 

Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
k  Torrey  and  Gray,  Flora  of  North  America. 

France. 

Germany. 

Anglo-America. 


Engravings.    Audubon,  Birds  of  America,  pi.  clxxxviii. ;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  figure  48 ;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific   Characters.    Spines  3-parted.     Leaves  obovate-oblong,  remotely  serrated,  upper  ones  nearly 
entire.    Racemes  many-flowered,  nodding. — Don,  Miller's  Diet. 

Description. 

HE  Canadian  Berberry  is  a  low  shrub,  not  exceeding  five 
*  feet  in  height,  with  stems,  roots,  and  flowers  yellow,  as  in 
the  preceding  species.  The  leaves  are  much  smaller  and 
^C^F  narrower,  attenuate  at  the  base,  but  nearly  sessile.  The 
flowers  which  put  forth  in  May  and  June,  are  also  smaller  than  those  of  the 
Berberis  vulgaris,  and  the  fruit  is  smaller  and  shorter,  of  a  red  colour,  and  less 
sour.  It  grows  on  fertile  hills,  and  among  rocks,  especially  in  the  Alleghany 
Mountains,  and,  on  the  authority  of  Pursh,  it  is  found  in  Canada.  Torrey  and 
Gray  remark  that,  "  This  indigenous  species,  very  distinct  from  the  Berberis 
vulgaris,  with  which  it  has  been  in  some  degree  confounded,  is  probably  a  native 
of  the  southern  states  only ;  the  barberry  of  the  New  England  states,  and,  doubt- 
less, of  Canada,  being  the  European  species,  and  certainly  not  indigenous.  Our 
species  was  first  noticed,  apparently,  by  Marshall,  who  states  that  he  has  a  dif- 
ferent species  of  barberry  growing  near  New  River,  Virginia.  Original  specimens, 
collected  and  named  by  Pursh,  exist  in  the  herbarium  of  the  late  Professor  Bar- 
ton, now  deposited  in  the  rooms  of  the  American  Philosophical  Society,  Phila- 
delphia."    This  shrub  was  cultivated  in  England  in  1759. 


Genus   TILIA,  Linn. 


Tiliacese. 
£>yst.  Nat. 


Polyandria  Polygynia. 
Syst.  Lin. 


Generic  Characters.  Calyx  5-parted.  Petals  5.  Stamens  numerous,  free,  or  somewhat  polyadelphous. 
Ovary  globose,  villous,  1-styled,  5-celled;  cells  2-ovuled.  Nut  coriaceous,  1-celled,  1 — 2-seeded,  from 
abortion. — Don,  Miller's  Diet. 


^HE  genus  Tilia  consists  of  timber  trees,  with  mellifluous  flowers, 
with  a  remarkable  bractea  attached  to  the  peduncle  of  each  of  the 
cymes  of  the  flowers.  The  number  of  species  varies,  according  to 
the  opinion  of  botanists,  from  two  to  ten.  As  there  is  great  uncer- 
tainty respecting  the  number,  owing  to  the  imperfect  manner  in 
which  several  of  them  have  been  heretofore  described,  wc  shall 
adopt  only  two  species,  and  include  them  all  under  Tilia  europaea,  and  ameri- 
cana.  The  most  obvious  external  differential  characteristics  of  these  two  spe- 
cies appear  to  be,  that  the  former  have  regularly  cordate,  and  the  latter,  obliquely 
cordate  leaves. 


Tilia  etiropcea, 
THE   EUROPEAN   LIME-TREE. 


Synonymes. 


Tilia  europcea, 


Tilleul, 

Tiglio, 

Tilo, 

Til, 

Lind, 

Linde, 

Lipa, 

Line-tree,  Linden,  Lime-tree,  Teil-tree, 

Lime-tree,  Lin  or  Linden-tree, 

Bast, 

Bast  Holz, 


'  LiNNiEus,  Species  Plantarun.. 
Smith,  English  Flora. 
■I  Don,  Miller's  Dictionary. 
Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
Selby,  British  Forest  Trees. 
France. 
Italy. 
Spain. 
Portugal. 

Sweden  and  Denmark. 
Holland  and  Germany. 
Russia,  Poland,  and  Bohemia. 
Britain. 
Anglo- America. 
Lincolnshire,  (Eng.) 
Ancient  Germany. 


Derivations.  The  generic  name,  Tilia,\s  supposed,  by  some,  to  be  derived  from  the  Greek,  ptilon,  a  feather,  from  the  fea- 
thery appearance  of  the  bracteas;  and  by  others,  from  the  Greek,  tilai,  light  bodies  floating  in  the  air,  like  wool  or  feathers. 
The  French,  Spanish,  Italian,  and  Portuguese  names  are  derived  from  the  botanical  one.  Most  of  the  other  European  names 
are  derived  from  the  Roman,  linea,  a  line  or  cord,  having  reference  to  the  bark,  which  was  formerly,  as  at  present,  made  into 
lines  or  ropes.  The  name  Bast  was  applied  to  a  variety  of  tilia,  by  the  rustics  of  Lincolnshire,  because  ropes  were  made  from 
its  bark.  The  ancient  German  name,  Bast  Holz,  signifies  literally,  bark-wood,  and  is  evidently  derived  from  the  use  made  of 
the  bark  of  this  tree  in  making  mats. 

Engravings.    Selby,  British  Forest  Trees,  pp.  1,  2;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  v.,  pi.  19;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.     Petals  without  scales.     Leaves  cordate,  acuminated,  serrated,  smooth,  except  a  tuft 
of  hair  at  the  origin  of  the  veins  beneath,  twice  the  length  of  the  petioles.     Cymes  many-flowerer* 
Fruit  coriaceous,  downy. — Don,  Miller's  Diet. 


Description. 


"  And  the  Lime  at  dewy  eve 
Diffusing  odours." 

Cowper. 


®HE  Linden  or  Lime- 
tree,  in  its  full  and 


J  K  luxuriant  foliage. 
^OsSis  where  sufficient  room 
has  been  afforded  it,  and  the  soil  has  suited 
its  constitution,  is  pronounced  as  one  of  the 
finest  and  most  striking  of  European  trees. 
In  its  native  country,  it  often  attains  a  height 
of  eighty  or  one  hundred  feet,  with  a  diam- 
eter of  four  to  six  feet,  and  even  more.  From 
the  straightness  of  its  stem,  and  the  luxuri- 
ant spreading  of  its  branches,  which  are  like- 
wise so  tough  as  to  withstand  the  fury  of  the 
winds  that  would  disarm  most  other  trees,  it 
is  peculiarly  adapted  for  lining  avenues,  and 
screening  the  passenger  from  the  scorching 
sun.  This  tree,  however,  is  not  so  much  es- 
teemed, on  account  of  its  coming  into  leaf 
late  in  the  spring,  and  beginning  to  decay 
early    in    autumr.      more    especially   when 


40  TILIA    EUROPJEA. 

planted  m  a  dry  soil.  It  unfolds  its  leaves  at  Naples  at  the  end  of  March ;  in 
England  in  the  middle  of  April ;  and  at  Upsula,  in  Sweden,  and  at  New  York, 
about  the  first  of  May.  At  the  two  last-named  places  it  loses  its  leaves  early  in 
autumn,  while  at  Naples  it  remains  in  full  foliage  during  November.  In  Holland, 
where  the  linden  abounds,  the  whole  country,  during  the  months  of  July  and 
August,  is  perfumed  by  the  fragrance  of  its  flowers. 

Varieties.  "The  extensive  distribution,"  says  Loudon,  "and  long  cultivation 
of  this  tree  in  Europe,  have  given  rise  to  the  following  races  or  varieties,  de- 
scribed by  De  Candolle,  and  others,  as  species ;  from  which  high  authority,  it 
may  be  considered  presumption  in  us  to  differ ;  but  we  have  not  done  so  without 
due  consideration,  and  after  having  examined  the  living  plants  of  different  ages 
and  in  different  situations,  with  the  greatest  care  and  attention. " 

1.  T.  e.  microphylla,  Loudon.  Small-leaved  European  Lime-tree,  in  England; 
Tilleul  d  petites  feuilles,  in  France ;  and  Kleinblattrige  Linde,  or  Winterlinde, 
in  Germany.  The  petals  of  this  variety  are  without  scales ;  the  leaves  cordate, 
roundish,  acuminated,  sharply  serrated,  smooth  above,  glaucous,  and  bearded 
beneath  on  the  axils  of  the  veins,  as  well  as  in  hairy  blotches ;  the  fruit  is  rather 
globose,  hardly  ribbed,  very  thin  and  brittle.  This  variety  is  distinguishable,  at 
first  sight,  from  all  others,  by  the  smallness  of  its  leaves,  which  are  only  two 
inches  broad,  and  sometimes  scarcely  longer  than  their  slender  footstalks.  The 
flowers  are  also  much  smaller  than  in  any  of  the  other  varieties ;  and  they  are 
very  fragrant,  having  a  scent  like  those  of  the  honeysuckle.  This  appears  to  be 
the  linden-tree  of  Gerard,  the  timber  of  which,  he  says,  "is  much  harder  and 
more  knotty,  and  more  yellow,  than  the  timber  of  the  other  sort ;  and  not  very 
different  from  the  timber  of  the  elm-tree."  In  Worcestershire,  England,  between 
Horford  and  Ombersley,  there  is  a  tree  of  this  variety  estimated  at  upwards  of 
three  hundred  years  of  age,  which  is  seventy  .feet  high,  with  a  circumference 
of  thirty  feet,  at  three  yards  above  the  ground. 

2.  T.  e.  platyphylla,  Loudon.  Broad-leaved  European  Lime-tree,  in  Eng- 
land ;  Tilleul  d  grandes  feuilles,  or  Tilleul  de  Hollande,  in  France.  The 
petals  of  this  variety  are  without  scales ;  the  leaves  cordate,  roundish,  acumi- 
nated, sharply  serrated,  downy  beneath,  origin  of  their  veins  woolly ;  branches 
hairy ;  cymes  three-flowered ;  fruit  woody,  downy,  turbinate,  with  five  promi- 
nent angles.  This  tree  can  readily  be  distinguished  by  its  large,  rough  leaves, 
and  also  by  its  rough  bark,  and  hispid  branches.  At  Syon,  near  London,  there 
is  a  tree  of  this  variety,  supposed  to  have  been  planted  about  ninety  years,  and  is 
nearly  eighty  feet  high. 

3.  T.  e.  rubra,  Loudon.  Red-twigged  European  Lime-tree.  This  variety  is 
distinguished  by  the  redness  of  its  young  branches,  and  it  may  be  properly  con- 
sidered as  a  sub-variety  of  the  two  preceding.  In  Sweden,  where  linden  woods 
extend  over  the  low  parts  of  the  country  for  many  miles  together,  the  common 
lime-tree  is  met  with,  in  some  places,  perhaps,  for  a  mile  together,  with  the 
twigs  bright  red,  yellow  in  some,  and  in  others  quite  green ;  from  which  we 
may  infer  that  there  is  also  a  yellow-twigged  variety,  or  sub-variety.  Several 
similar  coincidences  occur  in  England  among  the  cultivated  varieties. 

4.  T.  e.  laciniata,  Loudon.  Cut-leaved  European  Lime-tree.  The  leaves  of 
this  variety  are  smaller  than  those  of  the  common  species,  and  deeply  and  irreg- 
ularly cut  and  twisted,  scarcely  two  on  the  tree  being  alike.  This  variety  sel- 
dom, if  ever,  exceeds  thirty  feet  in  height. 

5.  T.  e.  aurea,  Loudon.  Golden-twigged  European  Lime-tree.  This  variety 
differs  from  the  common  lime-tree  in  the  yellowness  of  its  twigs ;  and,  apparently, 
is  not  so  vigorous  in  its  growth  as  any  of  the  other  varieties,  except  the  T.  e. 
laciniata. 

6.  T.  e.  platyphylla  aurea.     Golden-twigged  Broad-leaved  European  Lime- 


EUROPEAN   LIME-TREE.  41 

tree.     This  variety  differs  from  the  common  broad-leaved  lime  in  no  other  respect 
than  in  the  yellow  colour  of  its  twigs. 

7.  T.  e.  dasystyla.  Hairy -styled  European  Lime-tree.  This  variety  is  de- 
scribed as  having  petals  without  scales ;  leaves  smooth,  somewhat  hairy  at  the 
base  beneath ;  axils  of  veins  bearded ;  style  tomentose. 

8.  T.  e.  alba,  Loudon.  White-leaved  European  Lime-tree,  in  England;  Til- 
leul  blanc,  in  France ;  Weisse  Linde,  in  Germany.  Each  of  the  petals  of  this 
variety  has  a  scale  at  the  base,  inside  ;  the  leaves  are  cordate,  somewhat  acumi- 
nated, and  rather  unequal  at  the  base,  serrated,  clothed  with  white  down  be- 
neath, but  smooth  above,  and  four  times  longer  than  the  petioles ;  the  fruit  is 
ovate,  with  five  obscure  ribs.  This  tree  is  at  once  distinguishable  from  all  other 
varieties  by  the  white  appearance  of  its  foliage,  even  at  a  considerable  distance, 
and  by  the  strikingly  snowy  hue  of  its  leaves,  when  ruffled  by  the  wind.  Its 
wood  and  shoots  resemble  those  of  the  common  lime ;  but  it  does  not  attain  the 
same  height.  There  is  a  good  specimen  of  this  tree  at  Walton,  upon  the 
Thames,  sixty  feet  high ;  and  several  others  at  High  Clere,  in  Berkshire,  some 
of  which,  in  forty  years,  have  attained  a  height  of  upwards  of  sixty  feet. 

9.  T.  e.  alba  petiolaris,  Loudon.  Lo?ig-petioled-leaved  European  Lime-tree. 
This  tree  is  described  by  De  Candolle  from  dried  specimens,  without  flower  or 
fruit,  and  is  probably  only  a  sub-variety  of  T.  e.  alba. 

There  is  another  variety,  with  varigated  leaves,  but  it  is  such  a  ragged,  ill- 
looking  plant,  that  it  is  not  deemed  worthy  of  culture. 

Geography  and  History.  The  Tilia  europsea  appears  to  be  confined  to  the 
central  and  northern  parts  of  Europe.  It  is  found  wild  in  northern  Germany. 
Denmark,  Sweden,  Bohemia,  and,  according  to  Pallas,  throughout  the  whole  of 
Russia,  and  a  great  part  of  Siberia.  According  to  Watson,  it  is  common  all  over 
Britain,  and  in  the  south-western,  north-eastern,  and  north-western  counties  of 
Ireland.  The  T.  e.  platyphylla  is  said  to  inhabit  Sweden,  and  most  parts  of 
Europe,  as  far  south  as  the  Alpine  regions  of  Switzerland,  and  Spain.  The 
T.  e.  microphylla  appears  to  be  indigenous  chiefly  in  the  north  of  Germany,  in 
Sweden,  and  Russia ;  also  in  the  south-eastern  and  north-eastern  counties  of  Eng 
land,  and  north-western  counties  of  Scotland.  At  Shawley,  eight  miles  north- 
west from  Worcester,  England,  there  is  a  wood  of  about  five  hundred  acres  in 
extent,  the  greater  part  of  the  undergrowth  of  which,  is  of  this  variety.  So 
extensive  a  tract  in  Britain,  covered  with  the  linden,  strongly  tends  to  prove 
that  this  tree  is  truly  indigenous.  It  is  said,  however,  that  the  lime  seldom,  if 
ever,  ripens  its  seeds  in  England,  which  would  operate  unfavourably  to  its  repro- 
duction. The  T.  e.  alba  is  found  in  the  woods  in  Hungary,  where  it  is  rare, 
and  also  near  Constantinople,  whence  it  was  introduced  into  England  in  1767, 
and  planted  at  Mile  End. 

The  European  lime-tree  has  long  been  cultivated  for  ornament  and  shade, 
both  in  the  United  States  and  in  the  British  American  provinces. 

The  lime-tree  appears  to  have  been  known  to  the  Greeks  and  Romans.  Theo- 
phrastus,  Homer,  Horace,  Virgil,  Columella,  and  Pliny  mention  it,  and  celebrate 
its  bark  and  wood.  According  to  Theophrastus,  it  is  of  both  sexes,  which  are 
totally  different  as  to  form ;  probably  referring  to  the  small-leaved  and  large- 
leaved  varieties.  The  leaves,  he  says,  are  sweet,  and  are  used  as  food  for  most 
kinds  of  cattle.  This  tree  was  highly  esteemed  by  the  Romans  for  its  shade ; 
and,  according  to  Pliny,  for  the  numerous  uses  to  which  its  wood  might  be  applied. 
In  modern  times,  the  lime-tree  was  one  of  the  first  to  attract  the  attention  of 
dendrological  writers  previously  to  the  time  of  Linnaeus,  who  describes  only  two 
species,  Tilia  europgea  and  americana.  M.  Ventenat,  in  1798,  described  three 
European  species,  and  three  American  ones ;  and  De  Candolle  has  described  ten. 
Evelyn,  speaking  of  the  lime-tree,  says,  "  It  is  a  shameful  negligence  that  we  are 

6 


42  TILIA    EUEOP^EA 

no  better  provided  with  nurseries  for  a  tree  so  choice,  and  so  universally  accept- 
able. We  send,  commonly,  for  this  tree,  into  Flanders  and  Holland,  while  our 
woods  do,  in  some  places,  spontaneously  produce  them."  The  linden  has  long 
been  a  favorite  tree  for  avenues  and  public  walks,  in  some  of  the  principal  towns 
of  France,  Holland,  and  Germany,  one  of  the  most  celebrated  of  which  is  in 
Berlin,  called  Die  Linden  Strasse.  It  also  forms  avenues  to  country-seats, 
on  the  continent  of  Europe,  in  Britain,  and  in  America.  "The  French," 
says  Du  Hamel,  "  growing  tired  of  the  horse-chesnut  for  avenues,  adopted  the 
lime  for  that  purpose,  in  the  time  of  Louis  XIV. ;  and,  accordingly,  the  ap- 
proaches to  the  residences  of  the  French,  as  well  as  the  English  gentry  of  that 
date,  are  bordered  with  lime  trees;"  and  Fenelon,  "in  conformity  to  this  taste, 
decorates  with  'flowering  lime-trees,'  his  enchanted  isle  of  Calypso." 

The  introduction  of  the  European  linden  into  America,  no  doubt,  took  place 
soon  after  its  settlement.  In  general,  as  it  is  but  a  short-lived  tree,  in  this  coun- 
try, in  consequence  of  the  ravages  of  insects,  but  few  specimens  are  to  be  found 
of  advanced  age  and  size,  which  renders  it  difficult  to  determine  the  precise 
period  at  which  it  was  brought  from  Europe.  There  exists,  at  present,  how- 
ever, a  noble  and  venerable  tree  of  this  species,  in  Cambridge,  Massachusetts 
which  is  reputed  to  be  above  two  hundred  years  old,  with  a  trunk  measuring 
more  than  eight  feet  in  circumference  at  three  feet  from  the  ground.  Its  trunk  is 
pierced  and  grooved  with  numerous  holes  by  the  Saperda  vestita;  several  of  its 
large  branches,  and  a  portion  of  its  top  have  fallen,  apparently  in  consequence 
of  the  depredations  of  these  insects,  and  in  a  few  years  more,  it  will  probably 
moulder  to  earth. 

The  largest  and  the  most  remarkable  linden  in  Europe,  and  probably  in  the 
world,  is  at  Neustadt,  in  Wiirtemberg,  so  famous  for  its  size,  that  even  the  city  itself 
takes  its  name  from  it,  being  called  by  the  Germans,  Neustadt  an  der  Linde  ; 
that  is,  Newtown  by  the  Great  Linden-tree.  This  monstrosity  of  unknown 
antiquity,  is  nearly  one  hundred  feet  in  height,  and  eighteen  feet  in  diameter  near 
the  ground.  Its  trunk  rises  fifteen  feet  before  it  begins  to  ramify.  The  branches 
extend  to  nearly  one  hundred  feet  on  each  side  of  the  trunk,  and  are  supported 
by  one  hundred  and  eight  pillars  of  wood  and  stone.  There  is  a  place  of  enter- 
tainment formed  in  the  head  of  the  tree,  which  may  be  ascended  by  a  flight  of 
steps.  In  the  hollows  of  the  branches,  earth  has  been  placed,  and  gooseberry 
bushes  planted,  the  fruit  of  which  is  sold  to  visiters. 

At  Fribourg,  in  the  public  square,  there  is  a  large  lime-tree,  the  branches  of 
which  are  supported  by  pieces  of  timber.  This  tree  was  planted  on  the  day 
that  the  victory  was  proclaimed  of  the  Swiss  over  the  Duke  of  Burgundy, 
Charles  the  Bold,  in  1476;  and  it  is  a  monument  admirably  accordant  with  the 
then  feebleness  of  the  Swiss  republics,  and  the  extreme  simplicity  of  their  man- 
ners, it  being  the  custom  in  the  middle  ages,  during  the  struggles  of  the  Swiss 
and  Flemish  people  to  recover  their  liberty,  to  plant  a  lime-tree  on  the  field  of 
every  battle  that  they  gained  over  their  oppressors.  In  1833,  the  trunk  of  this 
tree  measured  about  fourteen  feet  in  circumference.  In  the  village  of  Villars-en- 
Morig,  near  Fribourg,  there  is  a  large  lime-tree,  which  existed  there  long  before 
the  battle  of  Morat,  (which  the  tree  of  Fribourg  commemorates,)  and  which 
now  is  of  extraordinary  dimensions.  According  to  De  Candolle,  in  1831,  it  was 
seventy  feet  high,  and  thirty-six  feet  in  circumference  at  four  feet  from  the 
ground,  where  it  divided  into  large  and  perfectly  sound  branches.  It  is  esti- 
mated as  being  nearly  one  thousand  years  of  age. 

At  Knowle,  south  of  London,  there  is  an  immense  lime-tree,  which  spreads 
over  nearly  a  quarter  of  an  acre  of  ground.  What  is  very  remarkable,  the 
branches  of  this  tree,  many  years  ago,  rested  their  extremities  on  the  soil,  rooted 
into  it,  and  sent  up  a  circle  of  young  shoots,  which  surrounded  the  parent  tree. 


? 


EUROPEAN    LIME-TREE.  43 

rhese  young  shoots,  in  process  of  time,  partook  the  character  of  trees  them- 
elves,  and,  in  turn,  stretched  out  their  branches,  rested  them  on  the  ground,  and 
hrew  up  a  second  circle  of  trees,  which,  in  1820,  were  twenty  or  thirty  feet  in 
teight.  This  tree  is  said  to  stand  in  a  lawn  in  an  ancient  geometrical  garden, 
,nd  must  be,  at  least,  two  hundred  years  old. 

In  the  cemetery  of  the  hospital  at  Annaberg,  in  Saxony,  a  man  planted  a  linden- 
ree,  and  was  afterwards  buried  under  its  shade,  who  left  a  sum  of  money  to 
lave  a  sermon  preached  every  Trinity  Sunday,  under  it.  This  tree  is  said  to  have 
frown  to  an  enormous  size,  and  was  planted  in  a  reversed  position,  with  its  head 
Lownwards. 

Mythological  and  Legendary  Allusions.  In  Prussia,  near  Konigsberg,  two 
arge  lindens  were  grown  on  a  grassy  bank,  beneath  which,  it  is  said,  were  buried, 
n  one  grave,  a  bride,  who  died  on  her  wedding-day,  and  her  husband,  who  did 
Lot  long  survive  her  loss.  The  tree  was  ever  afterwards  a  favourite  retreat  for 
orrowful  lovers. 

In  the  churchyard,  at  Seidlitz,  in  Bohemia,  it  is  said  there  are  some  old  lime- 
rees,  the  leaves  of  which  are  hooded ;  and  the  peasants  affirm  that  they  have 
:ver  been  so  since  some  monks  from  a  neighbouring  convent  were  hanged  on  their 
>oughs. 

Ovid  tells  us  in  his  "  Metamorphoses,"  that  Baucis,  when  Jupiter  and  Mer- 
;ury,  after  they  had  partaken  of  her  hospitality,  offered  to  grant  any  request  she 
night  make,  only  asked  to  die  on  the  same  day  as  her  husband ;  that  the  gods, 
granting  her  prayer,  when  she  and  Philemon  had  both  attained  a  good  old  age, 
ihe  was  changed  into  a  lime-tree,  and  her  husband  into  an  oak.  While  the 
ransformation  was  taking  place,  they  continued  speaking  affectionately  to  each 
>ther,  till  the  bark  had  closed  quite  round  them ;  and  that,  even  when  they  had 
>ecome  trees,  they  entwined  their  branches  closely  together. 

Soil  and  Situation.  A  deep,  and  rather  light  soil  is  recommended  by  Du 
rlamel,  for  the  lime-tree,  or  an  argillaceous  soil,  inclining  somewhat  to  sand,  and 
ather  moist ;  but  the  largest  trees  are  generally  found  in  a  good,  loamy  soil,  or 
n  the  alluvial  deposites  of  low-lying  meadows,  along  the  margins  of  lakes,  riv- 
srs,  &c.  In  Lithuania,  where  this  tree  abounds,  the  soil  is  rather  a  clayey  than 
i  sandy  loam. 

In  dry  situations,  it  never  attains  a  large  size,  and  it  loses  its  leaves,  perhaps, 
earlier  than  any  other  tree.  Being  an  inhabitant  of  the  plains,  rather  than  of 
he  mountains,  it  does  not  appear  suitable  for  exposed  surfaces ;  but  it  requires  a 
Hire  air,  rather  than  otherwise ;  for,  it  is  found,  in  abundance  in  many  of  the 
cities  of  continental  Europe,  but  sparingly  so  in  the  British  cities,  where  more 
nineral  coal  is  consumed,  which  appears  to  be  more  injurious  to  the  lime  than  to 
he  elm,  the  plane,  or  some  other  trees. 

Propagation  and  Culture.  This  tree  is  seldom  propagated  otherwise  than  by 
ayers,  which  are  made,  in  the  nurseries,  in  autumn,  or  winter,  and  which  be- 
;ome  rooted,  so  as  to  be  separated  from  the  parent  stock,  in  a  year.  Du  Hamel 
says  that  the  lime-tree  may  be  raised  from  seeds,  which  ought  to  be  sown  irame- 
liately  after  being  gathered ;  because,  if  they  are  preserved  dry  till  the  following 
spring,  they  will  not  often  come  up  till  the  second  year.  If,  however,  the  seeds 
ire  mixed  with  sand,  or  with  soil,  not  too  dry,  and  kept  in  that  state  during  the 
winter,  they  will  generally  spring  up  the  first  year.  Owing  to  the  slowness  of 
he  growth  of  plants  raised  from  seeds,  the  French  and  Belgian  gardeners  cut  off 
;he  stock  of  an  old  tree,  close  to  the  surface  of  the  ground,  which  soon  sends  up 
i  great  number  of  young  shoots ;  among  these  they  throw  a  quantity  of  soil, 
which  they  allow  to  remain  one,  two,  or  three  years,  after  which,  they  find  the 
shoots  well  rooted,  and  of  a  sufficient  height  and  strength  to  be  planted  at  once 
where  they  are  finally  to  remain.  The  lime-tree  bears  transplanting  when  of  a 
considerable  size :  but.  when  it  is  grown  in  the  nurseries  for  this  purpose,  it  ought 


44 


TILIA   EUROP^A. 


always  to  be  taken  up  and  replanted  every  two  or  three  years.  A  tree  which 
has  stood  some  years  without  being  removed,  should  have  the  roots  cut  round, 
at  three  or  four  feet  from  the  stem,  a  year  before  removal,  for  the  purpose  of 
stunting  the  growth,  both  of  the  head  and  roots,  and  of  forming  smaller  roots 
and  fibres. 

Insects.  The  foliage  of  the  Tilia  europgea  affords  a  pabulum  to  the  larvae  of 
many  lepidopterous  insects,  some  of  which  feed  exclusively  upon  it,  while  others 
prey  upon  that  of  various  trees.  Among  those  which  prove  the  most  injurious 
to  it  in  the  United  States,  are  several  species  of  the  Geometridee,  such  as  span- 
worms,  loopers,  measurers,  etc.,  some  of  which  also  feed  indiscriminately  upon 
the  elm,  maple,  horse-chesnut,  sycamore,  (Platanus,)  poplar,  apple,  cherry,  and 
plum.  Within  the  last  five  or  six  years,  soon  after  the  unfolding  of  the  leaves 
of  these  trees,  they  have  been  attacked  by  the  larvse  of  these  insects,  and  in  some 
instances  have  been  entirely  divested  of  their  foliage.  They  usually  emerge  from 
the  egg,  at  New  York  and  vicinity,  about  the  middle  of  May,  and  during  the 
month  of  June  suspend  themselves  by  their  silken  lines  from  the  trees  along  the 
streets  and  avenues,  greatly  to  the  annoyance  of  the  citizens.  After  gorging 
themselves  with  the  tender  foliage  for  three  or  four  weeks,  they  quit  the  tree, 
enter  the  ground,  or  some  other  place  of  concealment,  and  undergo  their  trans- 
formations. The  perfect  insects  of  most  of  the  species  appear  about  the  20th  of 
July,  and  others  at  various  periods  in  autumn,  and  in  the  following  spring.  They 
commonly  consist  of  small,  whitish,  or  variegated  millers,  and,  in  some  species, 
the  females  have  no  wings.  Soon  after  their  appearance,  the  females  make  pro- 
vision for  their  future  progeny,  by  laying  their  eggs  upon  the  leaves,  branches, 
or  trunks  of  trees,  and  then  die.  Various  expedients  have  been  resorted  to  for 
the  destruction  of  these  insects,  and  but  a  few  of  these  have  proved  effectual, 
except  those  of  crushing  them  to  death,  when  on  the  trees,  or  by  destroying  the 
chrysalides,  or  the  eggs. 

Another  insect,  in  this  country,  which  is  more  pernicious  and  fatal  to  the 
European  linden-tree  than  the  preceding,  is  a  long-horned  beetle,  (Saperda  ves- 
tita,  Say,)  described  and  figured  by  Dr.  T.  W.  Harris,  in  Hovey's  "  Magazine  of 


Horticulture."  vol.  x.,  p.  330.  It  was  discovered  about  twenty  years  ago  by  Mr. 
Thomas  Say,  near  the  southern  extremity  of  Lake  Michigan,  and  has  been 
known  for  several  years  in  Pennsylvania,  Massachusetts,  and  New  York.  The 
insect,  in  the  winged  state,  is  a  little  more  than 
half  of  an  inch  in  length,  and  is  covered  with  a 
greenish  down,  having  two  dark  spots  on  each 
wing  cover,  as  indicated  in  the  adjoining  figure. 
It  makes  its  appearance  in  the  month  of  May,  and 
commences  eating  the  young  bark  and  tender 
twigs,  and  often  the  petioles  of  the  leaves.  The 
female  deposits  her  eggs  on  the  branches  and 
trunks  of  the  trees,  where  they  remain  during  the 
autumn  and  winter.  According  to  Dr.  Harris,  a 
strip  of  the  bark  of  the  large  linden  in  Cambridge, 
mentioned  in  a  preceding  page,  two  feet  wide  at  the 
bottom,  and  extending  to  the  top  of  the  trunk,  has 
been  destroyed,  and  the  exposed  surface  of  the  *^^& 
wood  is  pierced  and  grooved  with  countless  numbers  of  holes,  wherein  the  larvae 
of  these  insects  have  been  bred,  and  whence  swarms  of  beetles  have  issued  in 
times  past.  The  lindens  in  Washington  square,  in  Philadelphia,  were  also 
attacked  by  these  borers  a  few  years  since,  and  in  1842,  it  became  necessary 
to  remove  them  entirely.  The  superintendent  of  the  square  informed  us,  that 
soon  after  the  European  species  was  cut  down,  they  attacked  the  American  lin- 
dens, which  probablv  would  have  been  destroyed,  had  not  the  insects  been  arrested 


EUROPEAN   LIME-TREE.  45 

T  him.  The  two  beautiful  rows  of  European  lindens,  in  front  of  the  state 
>use,  in  Philadelphia,  have  likewise  been  perforated  by  them,  and  in  a  year  or 
to  more,  they  will  probably  fall  from  their  prey.     The  same  insect  also  is  said 

attack  the  mountain  ash.  Various  experiments  have  been  tried  to  arrest 
eir  course,  but  most  of  them  have  proved  fruitless,  except  by  crushing  the  in- 
cts  to  death,  or  by  destroying  their  eggs. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  lime-tree,  as  compared  with  that  ol 
e  oak,  the  ash,  and  other  timber  trees,  holds  but  an  inferior  rank,  and  is  only 
>ed  in  such  works  as  are  not  to  be  exposed  to  the  alternations  of  moisture  and 
yness.  It  is  of  a  pale  yellow,  or  white,  close-grained,  soft,  light,  and  smooth  ; 
id,  when  seasoned,  it  is  not  liable  to  be  attacked  by  insects.  It  is  used  by 
anoforte-makers,  for  sounding-boards,  and  by  cabinet-makers  for  a  variety  of 
irposes,  as  it  does  not  warp  under  atmospheric  changes.  It  is  turned  into 
miestic  utensils  of  various  kinds,  carved  into  toys,  and  turned  into  small  boxes 
r  apothecaries.  The  most  elegant  use  to  which  it  is  applied,  is  for  carving,  foi 
hich  it  is  superior  to  every  other  wood.  Many  of  the  fine  carvings  in  Windsor 
istle,  Trinity  College  Library,  at  Cambridge,  and  in  the  Duke  of  Devonshire' s 
ansion,  at  Chatsworth,  are  of  this  wood.  It  is  said  to  make  excellent  charcoal 
r  gunpowder,  even  better  than  alder,  and  nearly  as  good  as  hazel,  or  willow, 
askets  and  cradles  were  formerly  made  from  the  twigs  ;  and  shoe-makers  and 
overs  are  said  to  prefer  planks  of  lime-tree  for  cutting  the  finer  kinds  of  leather 
)on.  The  leaves  of  this  tree  are  collected  in  Sweden,  Norway,  Carniola,  and 
vitzerland,  for  feeding  cattle ;  though  in  Sweden,  Linnaeus  says,  they  commu- 
cate  a  bad  flavour  to  the  milk  of  cows.  One  of  the  most  important  uses  of  the 
ne-tree,  in  the  north  of  Europe,  is  that  of  supplying  material  for  making  ropes 
id  mats ;  the  latter  of  which  enter  extensively  into  European  commerce.  The 
ussian  peasants  weave  the  bark  of  the  young  shoots  for  the  upper  parts  of  their 
loes,  the  bark  of  the  trunks  or  large  branches  serving  for  the  soles ;  and  they 
so  make  of  it,  tied  together  with  strips  of  the  inner  bark,  baskets  and  boxes  for 
)mestic  purposes.  The  outer  bark  of  old  trees  also  supplies  them,  like  that 
'  the  birch,  with  tiles  for  covering  their  cottages.  Ropes  are  still  made  of  the 
irk  of  this  tree  in  Cornwall,  and  in  some  parts  of  Devonshire.  The  manufac- 
ire  of  mats  from  the  inner  bark,  however,  is  now  chiefly  confined  to  Russia, 
id  to  some  parts  of  Sweden.  Trees  from  six  to  twelve  inches  in  diameter  are 
lected  at  the  beginning  of  summer,  when,  from  the  expansion  produced  by  the 
;cending  sap,  the  bark  parts  freely  from  the  wood.  The  bark  is  then  stripped 
om  them  in  lengths  of  six  to  eight  feet,  and  is  afterwards  steeped  in  water  till  it 
iparates  freely  in  layers.  It  is  then  taken  out,  and  divided  into  ribands  or 
rands,  and  hung  up  in  the  shade,  generally  in  the  forest  were  it  grows,  and,  in 
le  course  of  the  summer,  is  manufactured  into  mats,  so  much  in  use  by  garden- 
's and  upholsterers,  and  for  covering  packages  generally.  The  fishermen  of 
weden  make  nets  for  catching  fish,  of  the  fibres  of  the  inner  bark,  separated  by 
Laceration,  so  as  to  form  a  kind  of  flax  or  hemp ;  and  the  shepherds  of  Carniola 
eave  a  coarse  cloth  of  it,  which  serves  for  their  ordinary  clothing.  The  sap  of 
le  lime-tree,  drawn  off  in  spring,  and  evaporated,  affords  a  considerable  quan- 
ty  of  sugar.  The  honey  produced  from  the  flowers  is  considered  superior  to 
1  other  kinds  for  its  delicacy,  selling  for  three  or  four  times  the  price  of  common 
Dney ;  and  it  is  used  in  the  preparation  of  medicine,  and  for  making  particular 
yueurs,  more  especially  rosoglia.  This  lime-tree  honey  is  only  procured  at 
le  little  town  of  Kowno,  on  the  river  Niemen,  in  Lithuania,  which  is  surrounded 
y  an  extensive  forest  of  lime-trees,  and  where  the  management  of  the  honey-bee 
jcupies  the  principal  attention  of  the  inhabitants.     The  Jews  of  Poland  produce 

close  imitation  of  this  honey,  by  bleaching  the  common  kind  in  the  open  air, 
uring  frosty  weather.  -  The  fruit  of  the  lime-tree  had  long  been  thought  of  little 


46  TILIA    EVROPJEA. 

use,  till  M.  Missa,  of  Paris,  by  triturating  it,  mixed  with  some  of  its  flowers,  suc- 
ceeded in  procuring  a  butter,  perfectly  resembling  chocolate,  both  in  taste  and 
consistency ;  but,  unfortunately,  it  was  found  that  the  lime-tree  chocolate 
would  not  keep.  It  has  been  suggested  whether  some  of  the  American  varieties 
of  tilia  would  not  prove  successful  in  this  particular.  In  England,  there  are 
many  ancient  lime-trees,  planted  in  towns,  because,  in  olden  times,  their  odour 
was  considered  as  purifying  to  the  air,  and  to  be  good  against  epilepsy. 

In  landscape  gardening  the  principal  use  of  the  linden  is  as  a  detached  tree  on 
a  lawn,  or  in  scenery  which  is  decidedly  gardenesque ;  because,  from  the  sym- 
metrical and  regular  form  of  its  head,  it  is  unfitted  for  grouping  with  other  trees 
in  a  picturesque  manner.  It  is  recommended  as  preferable  to  the  elm,  for  shel- 
tering gardens,  or  orchards,  because  the  roots,  do  not,  like  those  of  the  elm,  spread 
and  impoverish  all  around  them.  Evelyn  commends  the  lime  for  its  "  unpar- 
alleled beauty"  for  walks;  "because,"  says  he,  "it  will  grow  in  almost  all 
grounds,  lasts  long,  soon  heals  its  wounds,  when  pruned,  affects  uprightness, 
stoutly  resists  a  storm,  and  seldom  becomes  hollow."  Scattered  trees  of  it  har- 
monize well  with  immense  masses  of  Grecian  or  Roman  architecture ;  but  it  is 
less  suitable  for  the  narrow,  perpendicular  forms  of  the  Gothic.  For  architec- 
tural gardening  it  is  well  adapted,  from  the  patience  with  which  it  bears  the 
Knife,  or  the  shears.  In  some  of  the  public  gardens  in  the  vicinity  of  Paris,  and 
Amsterdam,  there  are  numerous  colonnades,  arcades,  walls,  pyramids,  and  other 
architectural  masses  formed  of  this  tree,  which  produce  an  imposing  effect. 


Tilia  americana, 

THE  AMERICAN  LIME-TREE. 

Synonymes. 


Tilia  americana, 


'  Linn-eus,  Species  Plantarum. 
Willdenow,  Berlinische  Baumzucht. 
Michaux,  North  American  Sylva. 
Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
Torrey  and  Gray,  Flora  of  North  America. 
De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 
Don,  Miller's  Dictionary. 
France. 
Germany. 
Italy. 
Spain. 

Lenni  Lenape  Indians. 
Canada. 
Kentucky. 

Other  parts  of  the  United  States. 


Tilia  glabra, 

Tilleul  de  l'Amerique,  Tilleul  du  Canada, 
Amerikanischer  Lindenbaum, 
Tiglio  americano, 
Tilo  americano, 
Lenikby, 

White-wood,  Bass-wood, 
Lin,  Linden, 

Lime-tree,  Black  Lime-tree,  Smooth-leav- 
ed Lime-tree,  Bass-wood, 

Derivations  The  name  Bass-wood,  is  probably  a  corruption  from  bast,  which  is  applied  to  the  European  lime-tree  by  the 
rustics  of  Lincolnshire,  because  ropes  were  made  from  its  bark.  The  Indian  name  is  derived  from  lenni,  original,  and  wikby  ; 
the  last  word  by  itself,  meaning  the  tree,  the  bark  of  which  peels  freely  all  the  year  round.  It  is  called  Black  Lime  from  the 
dark  colour  of  the  bark. 

Engravings.  Michaux,  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  131;  Selby,  British  Forest  Trees,  p.  11;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britanni- 
cum, v.,  pi.  22;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.    Leaves  obliquely  cordate,  or  truncate  at  the  base,  somewhat  coriaceous,  glabrous, 
abruptly  acuminate ;  petals  obtuse  or  truncate,  crenate  at  the  apex.— Torrey  and  Gray,  Flora. 


Description. 

HE  Tilia   americana, 

like     the    European 

linden,  is  regarded  as 

one  of  the  finest  of 
forest  trees,  and  when  cultivated,  proves  highly 
ornamental.  In  our  native  woods,  it  often 
rises  more  than  eighty  feet  in  height,  and  fre- 
quently upwards  of  four  feet  in  diameter ;  and 
there  is  little  doubt  but,  if  cultivated,  and  judi-i 
ciously  treated,  it  would  reach  a  size  little 
inferior,  if  not  equal,  to  the  European  species. 
Its  body  is  straight,  uniform,  and  surmounted 
with  an  ample  and  tufted  summit.  In  winter, 
it  is  readily  recognized  by  the  robust  appear- 
ance of  the  trunk  and  branches,  and  by  the 
dark-brown  colour  of  the  bark  on  the  shoots. 
The  leaves  are  from  three  to  four  inches  wide, 

obliquely  heart-shaped  at  the  base,  abruptly  and  acutely  pointed  at  the  sum- 
mit, finely  and  sharply  toothed,  glabrous  above,  of  a  deep-green,  and  paler 
beneath,  with  foot-stalks  about  two  inches  long.  The  flowers,  which  appear  in 
June,  are  about  half  of  an  inch  in  diameter,  borne  by  peduncles  from  four  to  six- 
inches  long,  and  are  garnished  with  a  long,  narrow  floral  leaf.  The  cymes  are 
compounded,  having  from  twelve  to  eighteen  flowers,  pendulous,  and  subdivided 


43 


T1L1A    AMERICANA. 


at  the  extremities.  The  sepals  are  triangular-lanceolate,  pubescent  outside,  and 
woolly  within.  The  petals  are  longer  than  the  sepals,  and  are  of  a  yellowish- 
white.  The  staminodia  are  obovate-lanceolate,  exactly  like  the  petals,  but 
smaller.  The  style  is  sometimes  longer,  and  at  others  shorter  than  the  petals, 
and  hairy  towards  the  base.  The  fruit,  which  ripens  in  September  and  October, 
is  about  the  size  of  a  pea,  nearly  round,  and  covered  with  a  short,  gray  pubes- 
cence, usually  perfecting  but  one  seed. 

Varieties.  The  other  American  limes  we  regard  as  nothing  more  than  varie- 
ties of  this  species,  and  they  may  be  described  as  follows : — 

1.  T.  a.  laxiflora,  Loudon.  Loose-cymed-jlowered  American  Lime-tree. 
The  petals  of  this  variety  have  each  a  scale  at  the  base,  inside ;  the  leaves  are 
cordate,  gradually  acuminated,  serrated,  membranaceous,  and  smooth ;  the 
cymes  are  loose ;  the  petals  emarginate,  and  shorter  than  the  styles ;  and  the 
fruit  is  nearly  round.  The  tree  is  usually  forty  or  fifty  feet  in  height,  and  pro- 
duces yellowish-white,  sweet-scented  flowers,  from  May  to  July.  This  variety 
greatly  resembles  the  Tilia  americana,  and  is  essentially  the  same,  except  in  size. 

2.  T.  a.  pubescens,  Loudon.  Pubescent-leaved  American  Lime-tree.  This 
variety  is  of  much  less  vigorous  growth  than 
the  preceding,  and  seldom  exceeds  forty  feet  in 
height.  The  colour  of  the  bark  is  dark,  and 
the  branches  are  slender.  The  leaves  are 
smaller,  and  differ  widely  in  size,  according  to 
the  exposure  in  which  they  grow.  In  dry  and 
open  places,  they  are  only  two  inches  in  diam- 
eter ;  but  in  cool  and  shady  situations,  they 
are  twice  the  size.  They  are  truncate  at  the 
base,  somewhat  cordate,  and  oblicme,  denticu- 
lately serrated,  and  pubescent  beneath ;  they 
are  most  pubescent  soon  after  their  first  expan- 
sion, but  as  they  increase  in  size,  a  part  of  the 
down  falls  off,  and  the  hairs  which  remain 
form  little  starry  tufts.  The  flowers,  which 
resemble  those  of  the  Tilia  americana,  appear, 
in  May  and  June,  and  vary  in  size  with  the 
leaves ;  they  are  more  numerous,  and  form 
larger  branches: 
at  the  base, 
than  the  style.     The  fruit  is  globose  and  downy. 

3.  T.  a.  pubescens  leptophylla,  Loudon.  Thin-leaved  Pubescent  American 
Lime-tree,  in  the  United  States ;  Tilleul  de  la  Louisiane,  in  France.  This  vari- 
ety is  represented  as  having  very  thin  leaves,  with  but  few  serratures.  It  is 
said  to  closely  resemble  the  T.  a.  pubescens,  and  is  doubtless  a  sub-variety  of 
that  race,  as  it  is  only  found  associated  with  it. 

4.  T.  a.  alba  (T.  alba,  Mich.)  White-leaved  Lime-tree,  White  Lime,  War- 
hew,  in  the  United  States  ;  Tilleul  blanc  de  V Amerique,  Tilleul  de  Virg-inie,  in 
France.  This  tree  usually  grows  to  a  height  of  forty  or  fifty  feet,  with  a  diameter 
of  twelve  to  eighteen  inches.  On  the  banks  of  the  Ohio,  however,  it  often  rises 
to  an  elevation  of  sixty  or  eighty  feet,  although,  in  France,  according  to  the  "Nou- 
veau  I)u  Hamel,"  it  attained  the  height  of  twenty  feet  in  seventy  years.  The 
young  branches  are  covered  with  a  smooth,  silver-gray  bark,  with  a  rough  surface, 
and  may  readily  be  distinguished  in  winter  by  their  thickness  and  the  large  size 
of  their  buds.  The  leaves  are  larger  than  those  of  any  other  variety,  either  Eu- 
ropean or  American,  being  often  six  or  seven  inches  long,  and  from  three  to  five 
inches  broad.     They  are  obliquely  heart-shaped,  and  pointed  like  those  of  all 


,  the  petals  have  each  a  scale 
inside,  as  in  the  other  varieties; 


they  are  emarginate,  and  shorter 


AMERICAN    LIME-TREE.  49 

th>;  other  American  varieties,  are  of  a  dark-green  on  the  upper  surface,  and 
Wiitish  beneath,  with  small  reddish  tufts  of  hairs  at  the  intersections  of  the  prin- 
cipal nerves.  The  flowers,  which  are  also  larger  than  those  of  any  other  lime-tree 
in  America,  appear  in  June,  having  petals  of  a  white  colour,  and  of  an  agreeable 
odour.  The  seeds  are  globose,  downy,  with  five  ribs.  The  wood  is  white  and 
tender,  but  is  not  much  used  in  the  arts. 

5.  T.  a.  alba  glabra  ( T.  heterophylla,  Nuttall.)  Smooth-fruited  White-leaved 
American  Lime-tree,  Large-leaved  Lime-tree.  The  chief  difference  between  this 
tree  and  the  preceding  variety,  is,  that  its  branches,  when  young,  are  of  a  pur- 
plish colour,  and  somewhat  glaucous ;  its  flowers  are  more  yellow,  and  its  fruit  is 
always  without  ribs. 

Geography  and  History.  The  Tilia  americana  is  found  in  Canada  and 
the  northern  parts  of  the  United  States.  It  becomes  less  abundant  towards  the 
south,  except  on  the  Alleghanies,  where  it  is  found  quite  at  their  termination  in 
Georgia.  It  is  profusely  multiplied  on  the  borders  of  Lake  Erie,  Ontario,  and  in 
Maine,  New  Hampshire,  and  Vermont.  It  was  cultivated  in  England  by  Miller, 
in  1752,  but  has  not  been  very  extensively  distributed.  The  Tilia  americana 
laxiflora  is  said  to  abound  from  Maryland  to  Georgia,  near  the  sea  coast.  It  was 
introduced  into  Britain  in  1820,  and  is  but  sparingly  cultivated  in  that  country. 
The  Tilia  americana  pubescens  belongs  to  the  southern  parts  of  the  United 
States,  Florida,  Kentucky,  and  Texas.  It  is  said  to  be  the  only  variety  found 
in  the  maritime  parts  of  Carolina,  Georgia,  and  Florida.  Seeds  of  this  tree  were 
carried  from  this  country  to  England  by  Mark  Catesby,  in  1726 ;  but  it  does  not 
appear  to  have  been  much  cultivated.  The  Tilia  americana  alba  is  not  met  with 
east  of  the  river  Delaware,  but  it  is  found  in  Pennsylvania,  Maryland,  Delaware, 
Virginia,  Ohio,  Kentucky,  and  Georgia.  It  is  said,  also,  to  grow  on  the  river  San- 
tee,  in  South  Carolina,  and  on  the  Mississippi.  It  is  remarkable,  that,  although 
this  variety  was  known  in  France  in  1755,  it  should  not  have  been  introduced 
into  England  till  1811. 

Soil  and  Situation.  Like  the  European  species,  the  American  lime-tree  affects  a 
rich,  loose,  and  deep  soil ;  and  seems  to  prefer,  in  general,  the  borders  of  lakes  and 
rivers,  and  moist  bottom-lands,  which  are  but  little  subject  to  inundation.  They 
are  all  highly  ornamental,  and  well  deserve  a  place  in  collections,  where  the  cli- 
mate is  adapted  to  other  trees,  which  naturally  grow  with  them.  For  instance,  the 
Tilia  americana  will  grow  where  the  sugar  maple,  white  ash,  and  hemlock 
spruce  will  best  thrive ;  the  Tilia  americana  pubescens  with  the  Magnolia  grandi- 
flora ;  and  the  Tilia  americana  alba  with  the  tulip-tree,  and  the  sycamore 
(platanus.) 

Propagation  and  Culture.  All  the  varieties  of  this  species  may  be  propagated 
from  seeds,  by  cuttings,  and  by  grafting ;  but,  from  the  facility  with  which  they 
can  be  multiplied  by  layers,  the  former  mode  should  rarely  be  adopted. 

Insects.  The  insects  which  prey  upon  the  Tilia  americana  are  but  few. 
Those  which  prove  the  most  injurious  are  the  Hybernia  tiliaria,  or  lime-tree 
moth,  of  Harris,  and  the  Saperda  vestita,  of  Say.  The  Chrysomela  scalaris  of 
Le  Conte,  also  inhabits  this  species,  as  well  as  the  Papilio  turnus,  or  swallow- 
tailed  butterfly,  well  known,  from  Newfoundland  to  Mexico.  There  is  often  an 
appearance  in  the  foliage  of  this  species,  the  cause  of  which  is  unknown,  unless  it 
is  the  work  of  some  minute  insects.  The  leaves  become  corroded  or  destroyed 
in  many  trees  of  the  same  forest,  so  that  it  is  difficult  to  find  a  perfect  leaf,  except 
such  as  have  just  been  unfolded.  Whatever  the  cause  may  be,  the  effect  is  very 
detrimental  to  the  beauty  of  the  tree. 

The  Tilia  americana  alba  is  devoured  by  the  larvae  of  the  Papilio  comma 
aureum,  or  American  comma  butterfly.  In  Smith  and  Abbot's  "Insects  of 
Georgia,"  it  is  stated  that  the  larva  suspended  itself  by  the  tail,  May  29thr 


50 


TILIA    AMERICANA. 


changed  on  the  30th,  and  appeared  on  the  wing  June  7th.  The  butterfly  lives 
through  the  winter  in  places  of  shelter,  and  comes  forth  very  early  in  the  spring. 
This  insect  is  found  as  far  north  as  Virginia. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  American  lime-tree,  when  dry,  weighs 
thirty-five  pounds  to  a  cubic  foot.  It  is  very  white,  when  green,  but  becomes 
of  a  light-brown  hue,  when  seasoned.  It  is  soft,  easily  worked,  and  is  often 
sawed  into  boards,  which  do  not  warp,  like  those  formed  of  resinous  trees.  In 
the  northern  parts  of  the  United  States,  and  in  the  British  provinces,  where  the 
tulip-tree  does  not  abound,  it  is  used  for  the  panels  of  carriage  bodies,  and  the 
seats  of  chairs.  In  Kentucky  and  the  western  states,  the  wood  of  the  white  lime 
is  often  substituted  for  that  of  the  white  pine.  In  various  parts  of  the  country, 
it  is  turned  into  domestic  utensils  of  various  kinds ;  and  is  also  carved  into 
images  for  the  heads  of  vessels,  and  other  ornamental  work.  The  young  trees 
are  sometimes  cut,  and  employed  as  rails  for  rural  fences ;  but  they  are  not  dura- 
ble when  thus  exposed.  The  wood  is  almost  useless  as  fuel,  when  green,  being 
too  full  of  sap,  and  of  but  little  value  when  dry.  The  cellular  integument  of 
the  bark  is  separated  from  the  epidermis ;  and,  after  being  macerated  in  water, 
is  formed  into  ropes,  after  the  manner  of  making  them  in  Europe,  of  the  other 
species.  The  bark  was  also  employed  by  the  Lenni  Lenape  Indians  for  making 
lines  and  ropes,  as  well  as  for  covering  their  habitations.  The  outer  bark  of  the 
Tilia  americana  is  rough  and  stringy,  and  the  inner  portion  viscid  and  sweet. 
The  twigs  and  buds  are  very  glutinous  when  chewed,  and  afford  considerable 
nutriment.  In  severe  winters,  when  fodder  is  scarce,  it  is  common  for  the  farm- 
ers of  the  British  American  provinces,  as  well  as  those  of  Maine,  New  Hamp- 
shire, and  Vermont,  to  drive  their  cattle  into  the  woods  in  the  morning,  and  fell 
a  bass-wood,  or  other  tree  on  which  they  eagerly  browse  during  the  day. 


Genus  GORDONIA,  Ellis. 


Ternstromiacese. 

Syst.  Nat. 


Monadelphia  Polyandria. 
Syst.  Lin. 


Synonymes. 


Gordonia,  Hypericum, 

Gordonia, 
Gordonie, 


Of  Authors. 

France  and  Italy. 
Germany. 


Derivations.  This  genus  was  named  in  honour  of  Alexander  Gordon,  a  celebrated  nurseryman,  at  Mile  End,  near  London, 
who  lived  in  the  time  of  Phillip  Miller.  The  name  Hypericum  is  supposed  to  be  derived  from  the  Greek  huper  for,  and  ereiki, 
heath,  and  was  applied  by  Linnreus,  from  a  supposed  resemblance  that  plants  of  this  genus  bear  to  the  heath. 

Generic  Characters.  Calyx  of  5  rounded  coriaceous  sepals.  Petals  5,  somewhat  adnate  to  the  urceolus 
of  the  stamens.  Style  crowned  by  a  peltate  5-lobed  stigma.  Capsules  5-celled,  5-valved  ;  cells  2 — 4- 
seeded.     Seeds  ending  in  a  leafy  wing,  fixed  to  the  central  column,  filiform. — Don,  Miller's  Diet. 

^HERE  are  but  two  hardy  species  of  Gordonia,  both  sub-evergreen. 
Although  they  are  natives  of  a  low  latitude,  they  are  able  to  with- 
stand a  considerable  northern  climate.  To  the  same  natural  fam- 
ily belong  the  genera  Malachodendron,  Stuartia,  Camellia,  and 
Thea.  The  most  noted  species  among  them  are  the  Camellia 
japonica,  universally  planted  in  the  Japanese  gardens,  and  are 
common  in  the  conservatories  of  Europe  and  America ;  and  the  Thea  viridis 
and  bohea,  or  the  Chinese  tea-plants.  The  two  last-named  species,  indepen- 
dent of  being  especially  cultivated  in  China,  France,  and  Brazil,  for  their 
leaves,  which  constitute  the  tea  of  our  commerce,  are  highly  esteemed  as  hot 
house  plants,  for  their  large,  shining,  laurel-like  leaves,  and  sweet-scented, 
axillary,  white  flowers. 


Gordonia  lasianthus, 
THE   WOOLLY-FLOWERED   GORDONIA. 


Hypericum  lasianthus, 


Gordonia  lasianthus. 


Gordonia  a  feirilles  glabres,  Alcee  de  la 

Floride, 
Langstielige  Gordonie, 
Loblolly  Bay, 


Synonymes. 


Linnaeus,  Species  Plantarum. 
'  Linn^us,  Mantissa  Plantarum. 
De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 
Michaux,  North  American  Sylva. 
Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
Torrey  and  Gray,  Flora  of  North  America. 


France. 

Germany. 
United  States. 


Derivations.  The  specific  name,  lasianthus,  is  derived  from  the  Greek  lasios,  woolly,  and  anthos,  a  flower.  The  French 
name  Aide  de  la  Floride,  signifies  Florida  Althea,  or  hollyhock,  and  the  other  name  has  reference  to  the  smoothness  of  the 
leaves.    The  German  name  signifies  Long-peduncled  Gordonia. 

Engravings.  Michaux,  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  53  ;  Audubon,  Birds  of  America,  pi.  clxvii. ;  Catesby,  Natural  History  of 
Carolina,  i.,  pi.  44. ;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  figure  93;  and  the  figures  below. 


Specific   Characters. 
smooth,  serrated. 


Pedicels  axillary,  usually  shorter  than  the  leaves.     Leaves  oblong,  coriaceous, 
Calyx  silky.     Capsules  conoid,  acuminated. — Don,  Miller's  Diet. 


Description. 

HE    Gordonia    lasian- 
thus,    in     its     native 
country,  is  a  beauti- 
^WB&W&sm  ful  sub-evergreen  tree, 

growing  to  a  height  of  fifty  or  sixty  feet,  with  a 

diameter  of  eighteen  or  twenty  inches.    The  trunk 

is  often  straight,  for  the  first  half  of  its  height, 

and  the  small  divergency  of  its  branches  gives  it 

a  regularly  fastigiate  form ;  but,  as  they  ascend, 

they  spread  more  loosely,  like  those  of  other  trees 

of  the  forest.      The  bark  is  very  smooth  while 

the  tree  is  less  than  six  inches  in  diameter ;  but, 

on  old  trunks,  it  becomes  thick,  and  deeply  fur- 
rowed.    The  leaves  are  from  three  to  six  inches 

in    length,    alternate,    oval-acuminate,    slightly 

toothed,  and  smooth  and  shining  on  the  upper 

surface.     The  flowers   are   more   than   an  inch 

broad,  white,  and  sweet-scented ;  they  begin  to 

appear  about  the  middle  of  July,  and  continue  to 

put  forth,  in  succession,  during  two  or  three  months.     This  tree  possesses  the 

agreeable  singularity  of  bearing  flowers  when  it  is  only  three  or  four  feet  high. 

The  fruit  is  an  oval  capsule,  divided  into  five  compartments,  each  of  which 

contains  small,  black,  winged  seeds. 

Geography  and  History.     This  tree  appears  to  be  confined  to  the  maritime 

parts  of  the  United  States,  from  Virginia  to  lower  Louisiana.     According  to 

Michaux,  tracts  of  fifty  or  one  hundred  acres  are  met  with  in  the  pine-barrens, 

which,  being  lower  than  the  adjacent  ground,  are  kept  constantly  moist  by  the 

waters  collected  in  them  after  great  rains.     These  spots  are  entirely  covered 

with  this  species  and  are  called  bay  sivamps. 


WOOLLY-FLOWERED    GORDONIA.  53 

This  tree  seems  first  to  have  been  recorded  by  Catesby,  and  was  soon  after 
described  by  Ellis,  in  the  "  Philosophical  Transactions,"  and  figured  there,  as 
well  as  in  Catesby's  "Carolina."  It  was  introduced  into  England,  in  about 
1768,  by  Benjamin  Bewick;  but  it  has  never  been  very  successfully  cultivated, 
apparently  from  neglecting  to  imitate  its  natural  habitat.  The  largest  plants  in 
England  are  at  Purser's  Cross,  at  White  Knight's,  in  some  of  the  London  nurse- 
ries, and  a  few  others.  No  plants,  as  yet,  have  exceeded  twenty  feet  in  height. 
In  the  vicinity  of  New  York,  Philadelphia,  and  other  places,  this  tree  is  planted 
in  gardens,  and  succeeds  well,  with  some  slight  protection  during  winter. 

Soil  and  Situation.  In  the  natural  habitat  of  this  species,  the  vegetable  mould 
is  often  not  more  than  three  or  four  inches  deep,  and  reposes  upon  a  bed  of  bar- 
ren sand ;  yet  its  growth  is  surprisingly  luxuriant.  A  swampy  soil,  and  a  low, 
sheltered  situation  appear  to  be  the  most  congenial  to  its  growth.  In  preparing 
an  artificial  soil,  either  for  this  species  or  the  Gordonia  pubescens,  it  should  be 
composed  of  peat,  or  leaf-mould,  and  sand ;  and  it  should  be  so  circumstanced, 
as  always  to  be  kept  moist,  without  having  the  surface  alternately  moistened  by 
the  watering-pot,  and  dried  by  the  sun.  In  order  to  do  this,  a  considerable  mass 
of  soil  ought  to  be  brought  together,  and  placed  in  an  excavation,  on  a  retentive 
substratum,  in  a  low  situation.  During  summer,  water  ought  to  be  supplied 
from  below,  rather  than  from  the  surface,  in  order  that  the  degree  of  moisture 
may  be  maintained  as  uniformly  as  possible.  This  may  be  effected  by  laying 
the  bottom  of  the  foundation  or  substratum  of  broken  stone  or  coarse  gravel,  to 
which  water  can  be  supplied  through  a  shaft,  or  tube,  communicating  with  the 
surface.  Such  a  preparation  is  well  worthy  of  the  expense,  in  order  to  insure 
the  growth  of  these  species,  as  well  as  the  Magnolia  glauca,  and  other  plants, 
requiring  a  similar  situation. 

Propagation  and  Culture.  In  the  British  nurseries,  this  species  is  generally 
propagated  by  layers ;  but  sometimes  seeds  are  imported  for  the  purpose.  These 
require  to  be  sown  on  peat  soil,  kept  moist  and  shaded ;  and,  for  this  purpose,  a 
covering  of  moss  (sphagnum)  is  thought  desirable,  as  the  seeds  which  drop 
from  the  plants  in  their  native  habitats,  only  germinate  successfully  in  this  sub- 
stance. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  Gordonia  lasianthus  is  extremely  light, 
a  cubic  foot  of  which,  when  dry,  does  not  weigh  more  than  twenty  pounds.  In 
trunks  of  these  trees,  which  exceed  fifteen  inches  in  diameter,  four-fifths  of  the 
wood  is  heart.  It  is  of  a  rosy,  or  mahogany  hue,  and  of  a  fine,  silky  texture, 
which  render  it  very  proper  for  the  inside  of  furniture,  though  the  cypress  is  gene- 
rally preferred.  When  seasoned,  it  is  exceedingly  brittle,  and  rapidly  decays 
when  exposed  to  the  alternations  of  moisture  and  dryness.  The  bark  may  be 
taken  off  this  tree  during  three  months  of  the  year,  which  shows  that  the  sap  is 
in  vigorous  motion  a  much  longer  period  than  it  is  in  most  other  trees.  The 
value  of  the  bark,  in  tanning,  compensates,  in  some  measure,  for  the  uselessness 
of  the  wood,  for  which  purpose  it  has  been  employed  in  times  past,  throughout 
the'  maritime  parts  of  the  southern  states  and  Florida.  Although  this  branch  of 
industry  was  never  so  extensively  practised  in  the  southern  as  in  the  northern 
parts  of  the  United  States,  the  regions  where  this  tree  abounds  do  not  afford  a 
sufficient  quantity  of  bark,  proper  for  tanning,  to  supply  the  wants  of  the  inhab- 
itants. Hence,  nearly  all  the  leather,  and  articles  manufactured  therefrom,  con- 
sumed in  the  southern  states,  are  carried  from  the  north.  A  bark,  suitable  for 
the  purpose  of  tanning,  is  more  valuable  in  the  United  States,  than  at  first  sight 
might  be  supposed.  Although  there  are  a  great  variety  of  oaks,  and  many  of 
the  species  profusely  multiplied,  yet  there  are  but  a  very  few  of  them  that  are 
sufficiently  rich  in  tannin  to  be  worth  using. 


Gordonia  piibescens, 
THE   PUBESCENT-LEAVED   GORDONIA. 

Synonymes. 


Gordonia  Piibescens, 


Behaarte  Gordonie, 
Franklinia, 


(  De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 

I  Michaux,  North  American  Sylva. 

IPursh.  Flora  America?  Septentrionalis. 
Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
Torre  y  and  Gray,  Flora  of  North  America. 
Germany. 
Britain,  France,  and  Anglo-America. 


nri 


Dtrivations.    The  word  piibescens  is  derived  from  the  Latin  pubesco,  to  become  downy;  and  the  German  name  has  the 
same  signification.     The  name  Franklinia  is  so  called  in  honour  of  Dr.  Franklin. 

Engravings.     Michaux,  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  59 ;  Audubon,  Birds  of  America,  pi.  clxxxv.  ;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Bri- 
tannicum, figure  94  ;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.     Flowers  almost  sessile.     Leaves  obovate-lanceolate,  pubescent  beneath,  somewhat 
serrated,  membranaceous.     Petals  and  sepals  rather  silky  on  the  outside. — Don,  Miller's  Did. 

Description. 

Franklinia  is  a  decidu- 
ous tree,  much  smaller  than 
the  preceding  species,  and 
rarely  exceeds  thirty  feet 
in  height,  and  six  or  eight  inches  in  diameter.  The 
bark  of  the  trunk  is  smooth,  and  presents  a  ridged 
surface,  somewhat  like  that  of  the  Carpinus  ameri- 
cana.  The  leaves  are  alternate,  oblong,  narrowed 
at  the  base,  finely  and  sharply  toothed,  shining  above, 
canescent  beneath,  and  rather  thin.  The  flowers  are 
white,  with  yellow  anthers,  and  are  nearly  three  inches 
in  diameter.  They  are  of  an  agreeable  odour,  and 
appear  in  Carolina  about  the  beginning  of  July,  and 
a  month  later  near  Philadelphia.  They  open  in  suc- 
cession during  two  or  three  months,  and  mature 
hen  the  tree  is  only  three  or  four  feet  high.  In  the 
neighbourhood  of  London,  it  seldom  comes  into  flower 
uefore  September ;  and  so  continues  until  the  flower- 
buds  are  destroyed  by  frost.     The  fruit  consists  of 

round,  ligneous  capsules,  which,  when  ripe,  open  at  the  summit  in  four  seams, 
to  release  the  small  seeds. 

Geography  and  History.  The  Gordonia  piibescens  is  found  only  on  the  banks 
of  the  river  Altamaha,  in  Georgia,  where  it  was  discovered,  in  1770,  by  John 
Bartram,  who  gave  it  the  name  of  Franklinia.  It  was  introduced  into  England, 
in  1774,  by  Mr.  William  Malcolm.  There  are  plants  ten  feet  high  in  the  Mile 
End  nursery,  London,  and  of  a  larger  size  at  Purser's  Cross,  and  at  Syon.  It 
is  also  cultivated  in  the  Jardin  Imperial  des  Plantes,  in  France  ;  and  a  few  years 
ago  there  was  a  tree  of  a  considerable  size  in  the  garden  at  Trianon.  The  largest 
tree  of  this  species  which  we  have  on  record,  is  in  the  Bartram  botanic  garden, 
at  Kingsessing,  near  Philadelphia.  It  is  fifty-two  feet  in  height,  with  a  trunk 
three  feet  and  nine  inches  in  circumference.  There  is  also  another  vigorous  tree 
fifteen  feet  high,  in  the  garden  of  Mr.  D.  Landreih,  of  Philadelphia. 


PUBESCENT-LEAVED    GORDONIA.  55 

Soil,  Situation,  $*c.  The  native  soil  of  this  species  is  sandy  wastes,  where 
there  is  peat  and  an  abundance  of  moisture  a  great  part  of  the  year.  It  is  con- 
sidered somewhat  hardier  than  the  Gordonia  lasianthus,  and  has  been  more 
generally  cultivated.  The  soil,  situation,  and  culture,  may  be  considered,  in  all 
respects,  the  same  as  those  described  in  the  preceding  species. 

Uses,  <S,'c.  No  particular  application  has  been  made  of  this  tree,  except  for 
on  lament. 


Genus  CITRUS,  Linn. 

Aurantiacese.  Polydelphia  Icosandna. 

Syst.  Nat.  Syst.  Lin. 

Derivation.  The  meaning  of  the  word  Citrus  has  escaped  the  ingenuity  of  philologers  and  etymologists;  it  was  probably 
corrupted  from  the  Latin  word  cedrns,  a  name  applied  by  the  Romans  to  various  kinds  of  trees,  which  they  ignorantly  con- 
founded.   It  is  supposed  by  some  to  be  derived  from  kitron,  the  Greek  name  of  the  lemon-tree. 

Distinctive  Characters.  The  common  character  of  the  citrus  family,  is  that  of  low,  evergreen  trees,  with 
ovate  or  oval-lanceolate,  entire,  or  serrated  leaves.  On  trees  in  a  wild  state,  or  on  ungrafted  cultivated 
ones,  there  are  often  axillary  spines.  The  flowers  occur  in  peduncles,  axillary  or  terminating,  and  sin- 
gle or  many-flowered.  The  fruits  are  large  berries,  round,  spheroidal,  or  oblong,  and  generally  of  a 
yellow  colour.  The  species  appear  to  be  the  most  easily  distinguished  by  the  petiole,  which,  in  the 
orange  and  shaddock,  is  winged ;  while  in  the  citron,  lemon,  and  lime,  it  is  naked.  The  form  of  the 
fruit,  although  not  constant,  may  serve,  in  a  measure,  for  a  distinction.  In  the  orange  and  shaddock 
it  is  spherical,  or  rather  flattened  at  the  ends,  with  a  reddish  yellow,  or  golden-coloured  rind ;  in  the 
lime,  the  form  is  spherical,  or  oblong,  with  a  pale,  yellowish  rind ;  in  the  lemon,  oblong,  rough,  with  a 
pointed  protuberance  at  the  end ;  and  in  the  citron,  the  form  is  oblong,  with  a  very  thick  greenish,  or 
yellow  rind.  The  flowers  of  the  citron  and  lemon  have  ten  stamens,  but  those  of  the  orange  more. 
After  all,  it  is  very  difficult  to  determine  what  is  a  species,  and  what  a  variety  in  this  family. 

kHE  beautiful  and  tree-like  forms  of  this  genus,  clothed  as  they  are 
in  shining  and  perennial  verdure,  odoriferous  flowers,  and  adorned 
with  brilliant,  fragrant,  and  delicious  fruits,  must  have  attracted 
the  attention  of  aboriginal  man,  long  before  other  fruits  of  less  bril- 
liancy, though  more  nutritious,  and  grateful  to  his  senses.  The 
"golden  apples"  of  the  heathens,  and  the  "forbidden  fruit"  of  the 
JeAvs,  are  supposed  to  have  reference  to  this  family,  though  we  have  no  authentic 
records  of  any  species  of  citrus  having  been  cultivated  either  by  the  ancient 
Greeks  or  Romans.  The  citron  was  introduced  into  Europe  from  Media,  under 
the  name  of  Medica,  and  was  cultivated  in  Italy  by  Palladio,  in  the  Ilnd  centu- 
ry ;  but  the  introduction  of  the  other  species  has  been,  comparatively,  of  recent 
date.  They  are  all  natives  of  the  torrid  zone,  chiefly  of  India,  and  have  been 
disseminated  throughout  the  warmer  and  more  temperate  regions  of  the  habitable 
globe.  The  limes  are  classified  by  modern  botanists  under  the  name  of  Limonia, 
a  new  genus,  derived  from  the  Arabic,  lymoun,  a  citron.  It  is  not  very  well 
known,  however,  but  it  is  said  to  include  nearly  twenty  species,  one  of  which  is 
a  native  of  East  Florida,  the  Limorria  ambigua,  of  Nuttall.  There  are  also  sev- 
eral half-hardy  kinds,  natives  of  the  Himalayas  and  Nepal,  which  are  said  to 
grow  at  considerable  elevations,  and  are  adapted  to  the  climate  of  the  temperate 
parts  of  Europe,  and  of  the  United  States,  without  protection  in  winter. 

The  most  splendid  work  on  this  genus  which  has  ever  appeared,  is  the  "  His- 
toire  Naturelle  des  Orangers,"  by  Risso,  of  Nice,  and  Poiteau,  of  Versailles, 
published  in  folio,  at  Paris,  in  1818.  There  are  described  in  this  treatise  one 
hundred  and  sixty-nine  sorts,  one  hundred  and  five  of  them  figured,  and  their 
French  and  Italian  culture  given  at  great  length.  They  are  classified  as  sweet 
oranges,  of  which  they  describe  forty-three  varieties  or  races;  bitter  and  sour 
oranges,  thirty-two;  bergamots,  five;  limes,  eight;  pampelucos  or  shaddocks, 
six ;  sweet  limes,  twelve ;  lemons,  forty-six ;  and  citrons,  seventeen  varieties. 

Dr.  Sickler,  who  lived  several  years  in  Italy,  and  paid  particular  attention  to 
the  culture  of  the  orange,  published,  in  1815,  a  work  entitled  "  Der  Volkommen 
Orangerie  Gartner,"  in  which  he  describes  above  seventy  kinds  of  citrus.  And 
Galesio,  in  his  "  Traite  du  Genre  Citrus,"  etc.,  Savonna,  1818,  has  given  a 
synopsis  of  forty  principal  kinds  cultivated  in  Italy. 


Citrus  aurantium, 


THE  GOLDEN-FRUITED  ORANGE-TREE 


Synonymes. 


Citrus  aurantium, 

Oranger, 

Orangenbaum, 

Oranjeboom, 

Melarancio, 

Naranjo, 

Laranjeira, 

Pomeranez, 

Cay  Cam, 

Orange-tree, 


Of  Authors. 

France. 

Germany. 

Holland. 

Italy. 

Spain  and  Spanish  America. 

Portugal  and  Portuguese  America. 

Russia. 

Cochin-China. 

Britain  and  Anglo- America. 


Derivations.  The  specific  name,  aurantium,  is  derived  from  the  Latin  aurum,  gold,  from  the  colour  of  the  fruit  of  this  tree ; 
and,  for  the  same  reason,  the  English  name,  orange,  is  derived  from  the  French  word,  or,  gold.  The  Spanish,  Italian,  and  Por- 
tuguese appellations  are  derived  from  the  Arabic,  narunj,  or  more  remotely  from  the  Sanscrit,  nagrungan,  the  name  of  this 
tree. 

Engravings.  Risso  et  Poiteau,  Histoire  Naturelle  des  Orangers;  Poiteau  et  Turpin,  Traite  des  Arbres  fruitiers  de  DuHamel; 
Audubon,  Birds  of  America;  Catesby,  Natural  History  of  Carolina  ;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.  Calyx,  quinquefid.  Petals  white,  oblong,  and  5  in  number.  Anthers,  20-androus, 
with  their  filaments  grown  together,  so  as  to  form  various  pencils.  Fruit,  a  9  to  12-celled  berry,  glo- 
bose, or  flattened  at  the  ends,  with  a  thin  or  rough  golden-yellow,  or  tawny  rind,  and  a  sweet,  or  bitter- 
sour  pulp.  Petioles,  winged,  sometimes  nearly  naked.  Leaves,  oval-oblong,  elliptical,  acute,  or  acute- 
crenulate. 

Description. 

"  Kennst  du  das  Land  ?  wo  die  Citronen  bluhn, 
Im  dunkeln  laub  die  Gold-Orangen  gliihn, 
Ein  sanfter  Wind  vom  blauen  Himmel  weht, 
Die  Myrte  still  und  hoch  der  Lorber  steht." 

Goethe. 


s  LI  8  vc 


p§HE  Citrus  auran- 
tium, under  fa- 
M  LI  M>  vourable  circum- 
fl^g/j^yf  stances,  usually 
attains  a  height  of  twenty-five  or  thirty 
feet,  and  is  graceful  in  all  its  parts.  The 
trunk  is  upright,  and  branches  into  a  regu- 
lar or  symmetrical  head.  The  bark  of  the 
twigs  is  of  a  soft  and  almost  translucent 
green,  while  that  of  the  trunk  and  older 
branches  is  of  a  delicate  ash-gray.  The 
leaves  are  moderately  large,  beautifully 
shaped,  of  a  fine  healthy  green,  and  shining 
on  the  upper  sides,  while  the  under  sides 
have  a  slight  appearance  of  down.  The 
flowers  occur  in  little  clusters  on  the  sides 
of  the  branches,  are  pleasing  in  their  form, 
of  a  delicate  white  in  the  sweet  oranges, 
and  in  the  more  acid  varieties  slightly  tinged 
with  pink.  In  some  plants,  they  have  a 
more  powerful  xlour,  and  are,  for  the  mo- 
ment, more  rich  ;  but,  in  the  orange-grove, 

8 


58 


CITRUS    AURANTIUM. 


there  is  a  fragrance  in  the  aroma  which  never  satiates  nor  offends ;  and,  as  the 
tree  is  at  one  and  the  same  time  in  all  stages  of  its  bearing — in  flower,  in  fruit 
just  set,  and  in  golden  fruit,  inviting  the  "hand to  pull  and  the  palate  to  taste," 
— it  is  hardly  possible  to  conceive  or  imagine  any  object  more  delightful.  There 
is  something,  too,  peculiar  in  the  organization  of  the  fruit  of  this  tree.  Its  rind,  or 
external  covering,  is  of  a  spongy  texture,  containing  but  little  juice  or  sap  of  any 
kind  in  its  substance ;  but  the  external  surface  is  covered,  or  tuberculated  with 
iittle  glands,  which  secrete  an  acrid,  volatile  oil,  very  inflammable,  and  of  a 
strong,  pungent  taste.  The  interior  of  the  fruit  is  usually  divided  into  from  nine 
to  twelve  carpels  or  cells,  which  contain  the  pulp,  seeds,  and  juice,  and  are  united 
by  a  whitish  pellicle  or  leathery  skin,  radiating  from  the  centre  to  the  rind,  and 
may  easily  be  separated  without  wasting  the  juice.  The  seeds  are  solitary  or 
several,  and  are  attached  to  the  inner  angle  of  the  carpel,  and  in  some  varieties, 
are  entirely  wanting. 

Varieties.  The  varieties  or  races  of  the  orange  have  been  greatly  multiplied ; 
but  whether  from  the  proneness  to  change  from  some  original  differences  in  the 
species,  or  from  difference  of  soil  and  climate,  it  is  difficult  to  determine.  It  was 
the  opinion  of  Galesio,  who  described  forty  principal  kinds,  as  cultivated  in 
Italy,  that  they  were  all  derived  from  the  common  orange,  although  some  are 
more  acid,  and  others  more  bitter  in  their  flavour.  The  most  important  varieties 
may  be  described  as  follows  : — 

1.  C  a.  umbilicata.  Navel  Golden-fruited  Orange-tree;  Oranger  nombrli. 
of  the  French ;  Nabel  Orangenbaum,  of  the  Germans ;  Melara?icio  umbilico,  of 
the  Italians ;  Naranjo  ombligo,  of  the  Spaniards  ;  Laranjeira  embiga,  of  the 
Portuguese  and  Brazilians.  This  variety  is  a  curious  lusus  naturae,  differing 
from  the  common  orange  by  having,  near  the  crown,  and  in  some  instances, 
quite  outside  of  the  pulp,  at  the  end  opposite  the  stem,  an  excrescence  resembling 
a  small  orange  when  the  rind  is  removed,  into  which  is  drawn  all  the  superflu- 
ous or  objectionable  portion  of  the  fruit,  leaving  the  legitimate  production  free 
from  impurities,  and  rendering  it  the  most  delicious  and  agreeable  of  its  kind. 
The  fruit  is  usually  round,  or  slightly  oblong,  rather  larger  than  that  of  the  com- 
mon orange,  with  a  rind  of  about  the  same  colour,  surface,  and  thickness.  The 
pulp  is  of  a  yellowish  colour,  of  a  delicious  flavour,  and  better  filled  with  juice 
than  oranges  generally  in  the  torrid  zone.  It  is  chiefly  cultivated  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  Bahia,  in  Brazil,  where  it  is  thought  to  be  one  of  the  greatest 
prodigies  of  the  vegetable  kingdom.  The  author  of  the  present  work  claims  the 
honour  of  first  introducing  this  variety  into  the  United  States.  He  brought  sev- 
eral trees  from  Brazil,  in  1S35,  and  caused  them  to  be  planted  on  the  estate  of 
the  late  Z.  Kingsley,  on  Drayton  Island,  Lake  George,  East  Florida,  where 
they  are  believed  still  to  exist. 

2.  C.  a.  sinensis.  Chinese  Golden-fruited  Orange-tree,  with  ovate-oblong 
leaves ;  round,  smooth,  and  rather  flattened  fruit,  which  is  much  esteemed,  and 
is  called  by  the  Portuguese,  Laranja  da  Xina  ;  by  the  French,  Orange  douce; 
and  Porto-gallo  or  Poma  de  Sino,  by  the  Italians. 

3.  C.  a.  pyriformis.  Pear-shaped  Golden-fruited  Orange-tree.  This  variety 
may  be  known  by  its  elliptical,  acute  leaves,  and  large,  top-shaped  fruit.  It  is 
one  of  the  most  hardy  kinds,  and  is  well  worthy  of  cultivation. 

4.  C.  a.  sanguinea.  Blood-red-pidped  Golden-fruited  Orange-tree,  distinguished 
by  its  ovate-oblong  pellucid  leaves,  and  medium-sized,  round,  rough,  and  red- 
dish-yellow fruit,  with  a  pulp  irregularly  mottled  with  crimson.  The  Arancio 
di  sugo  rosso  of  the  Sicilians,  is  a  sub-variety  of  it,  who  call  the  true  blood-red 
variety,  Arancio  di  Malta  sanguigno.  There  is  another  sub- variety  with  small 
fruit,  growing  about  Nice,  called  by  the  Italians,  Arancio  a  foglio  stretta. 

5.  C.    a.   cortidulcicula.      Sweet-skinned    Golden- fruited    Orange;    Pomme 


GOLDEN-FRUITED    ORANGE-TREE.  59 

d?  Adam,  or  forbidden  fruit  of  the  shops  of  Paris.  This  variety  may  be  known  by 
its  broad,  taper-pointed  leaves,  roundish,  rather  ovate,  heavy  fruit,  and  a  deep- 
yellow,  smooth,  thick,  sweet,  soft  rind.  Its  pulp  is  sub-acid,  and  pleasant,  of  a 
deep-yellow  colour,  and  is  soft  and  melting  in  the  mouth,  like  the  flesh  of  a  cling- 
stone peach. 

6.  C.  a.  nobilis.  Far-famed  Golden-fruited,  or  Mandarin  Orange-tree,  with 
flattened,  rough,  deep-orange-coloured  fruit,  and  a  thin  rind,  which  separates 
spontaneously  from  the  pulp.  It  is  cultivated  in  China,  where  the  fruit  is 
chiefly  consumed  in  presents  to  the  officers  of  state,  whence  its  name.  Its  sin- 
gularity consists  in  the  rind  so  completely  separating  from  the  pulp,  when  quite 
ripe,  that  the  latter  may  be  shaken  about  within.  In  quality  it  is  inferior  to  no 
other  kind. 

7.  C.  a.  asperma.  Seedless  Golden-fruited,  or  Saint  Michael 's  Orange-tree, 
known  by  its  small,  round,  seedless  fruit,  with  a  thin  rind,  and  extremely  sweet 
pulp.  When  in  a  state  of  perfection,  it  is,  perhaps,  the  most  delicious  of  all  the 
varieties,  and  by  far  the  most  productive. 

8.  C.  a.  bigaradia.  Bigarade  or  Bitter  Golden-fruited  Orange-tree.  The  branches 
of  this  variety  are  spiny ;  leaves  elliptical,  acute,  with  a  winged  stalk ;  flowers  very 
white ;  fruit  medium-sized,  uneven,  more  or  less  globose,  with  an  acid  and  bitter 
pulp.  This  tree  is  somewhat  smaller  than  those  of  the  preceding  varieties,  having 
broader  leaves,  and  larger  and  sweeter  scented  flowers.  It  is  called  bigaradier 
by  the  French,  and  tnelangolo  by  the  Italians.  There  are  several  sub-varieties 
of  it  cultivated,  principally  on  account  of  their  flowers,  among  which,  the  follow- 
ing are  deserving  of  notice : — 1st.  Melangolo  a  frutto  cornuto  of  the  Italians,  or 
Horned-fruited  Bigarade,  with  a  large,  pale-yellow,  ribbed  fruit,  the  sides  of 
which  project  into  horns.  It  is  much  esteemed  on  account  of  the  powerful  and 
delicious  perfume  of  its  flowers.  2nd.  The  Female  Bigarade,  with  a  deep- 
yellow,  large,  coarse  fruit,  containing  orange  within  orange,  which  latter  circum- 
stance is  not  at  all  uncommon  in  the  genus  citrus,  but  exists,  in  the  present 
instance,  in  perhaps  the  most  striking  manner.  An  orange,  in  its  natural  state, 
consists  of  one  whorl  of  carpels,  which  are  consolidated  into  a  round  fruit,  each 
lobe  being  a  carpel.  It  sometimes  happens,  however,  that  two  whorls  of  carpels 
combine  to  form  the  same  fruit,  in  which  case,  the  inner  whorl  is  consolidated 
into  a  central  orange,  and  the  outer  whorl  grows  over  it.  Or,  it  may  happen, 
that  three  whorls  of  carpels  constitute  the  fruit,  in  which  case,  the  innermost 
whorl  will  combine  into  an  orange  in  the  centre ;  the  second  whorl  will  form  a 
coating  over  it,  and  the  most  exterior  one  will  enclose  the  whole.  Finally,  the 
carpels  may  separate  wholly,  or  in  part,  and  then  the  fruit  consists  of  a  number 
of  lobes  more  or  less  distinct.  3rd.  Ourled-leaved  Bigarade,  called  by  the  French 
gardeners,  Le  Bouquelier,  and  Bigaradier  riche  depouilU  ;  and  by  the  Italians, 
Melangolo  riccio.  The  leaves  of  this  sort  are  very  compact,  blunt,  small,  and 
curled,  and  its  flowers  grow  in  thick  clusters  at  the  ends  of  the  branches.  The 
fruit  is  coarse,  very  light,  and  uneven,  having  a  large,  conspicuous  scar  at  the 
point.  The  tree  itself  is  rather  small,  and  is  one  of  the  most  hardy  of  its  race, 
being  a  common  object  of  cultivation  throughout  the  south  of  Europe.  4th. 
Doiible-flowered  Bigarade,  with  rather  thick  leaves,  double  flowers,  round, 
granulated  fruit,  and  a  thick  rind.  It  is  much  esteemed  on  account  of  the  pro- 
fusion of  fragrant  double  flowers  it  produces,  which  do  not  fall  in  pieces  so 
quickly  as  the  single  ones.  If  the  soil  in  which  it  grows  is  not  kept  in  a  very 
rich  condition,  it  loses  the  property  of  producing  double  flowers.  5th.  The 
Seville  Bigarade,  or  Bitter  Orange-tree ;  Naranjo  amargo,  Naranjo  agrio,  or 
Naranjo  de  Sevilla  of  the  Spaniards,  distinguished  by  its  winged  petioles,  acute, 
crenulate,  elliptical  leaves,  round,  dark  fruit,  with  an  uneven,  rugged,  and 
extremely  bitter  rind,  filled  with  a  bitter,  or  bitter-sour  pulp.     It  grows  sponta- 


60 


CITRUS   AURANTIUM. 


neously  in  East  Florida,  and  on  the  Island  of  Cuba.  6th.  Myrtle-leaved 
Bigarade,  with  small,  very  compact,  ovate,  sharp-pointed  leaves,  and  small, 
round  fruit.  If  well  cultivated,  it  is  generally  both  in  flower  and  fruit  at  the 
same  time.  On  this  account,  and  its  dwarfy  habit,  it  is  a  very  common  object 
in  houses  and  gardens.  It  is  said  to  be  employed  by  the  Chinese  gardeners  as 
an  edging  of  flower-beds,  in  the  same  manner  as  the  dwarf  box  in  Europe  and 
America.  * 

Geography  and  History.  The  orange  is  believed  to  have  been  originally  a 
native  of  the  warmer  parts  of  Asia,  and  has  long  since  been  acclimated  to  the 
shores  of  the  Red  and  Mediterranean  Seas,  to  the  temperate  and  tropical  isles  of 
the  oceans  and  seas,  and  to  the  warmer  portions  of  Africa  and  America.  It  is 
especially  cultivated  with  a  view  to  profit,  and  abounds  in  Portugal,  Spain, 
France,  Italy,  Greece,  Turkey,  Egypt,  northern  Africa,  and  many  of  the  islands 
adjacent  to  those  countries ;  also  in  the  Azores,  Brazil,  the  island  of  Cuba,  and 
East  Florida. 

At  the  time  of  the  crusades  for  the  recovery  of  Syria  from  the  dominion  of  the 
Saracens,  oranges  were  found  abundant  in  that  country.  Though  they  were,  in 
reality,  cultivated  trees,  the  beauty  and  excellence  of  their  fruit,  by  the  aid  of 
romance  and  credulity,  naturally  led  the  infatuated  adventurers  to  believe  and 
state  that  they  )were  indigenous,  and  formed  a  part  of  the  glories  of  the  "  Holy 
Land."  The  fables  of  the  profane  writers,  and  the  ambiguity  of  the  descriptions 
of  vegetables  in  Holy  Writ,  helped  further  to  confirm  this  opinion.  As  the 
oranges  were  in  the  form  of  apples,  and  the  colour  of  gold,  it  was  easy  to  make 
them  the  "golden  apples  of  the  garden  of  the  Hesperides;"  and  the  only  point 
that  remained  to  be  settled,  was  to  fix  the  locality  of  that  enchanting  and  imag- 
inary abode.  The  authority  of  Moses  was  brought  into  requisition  to  confirm  the 
existence  of  the  Syrian  fruit,  even  at  the  time  when  the  children  of  Israel  were 
wandering  in  the  wilderness ;  and  the  boughs  of  the  "  goodly  trees"  borne  in  the 
procession  commanded  in  the  twenty-third  chapter  of  Leviticus,  were  considered 
no  less  than  those  of  the  orange.  The  mala  medica  of  the  Romans,  which 
is  mentioned  by  Virgil,  and  afterwards  by  Palladio  and  others;  the  kitron 
of  the  Greeks;  and  the  citrus  of  Josephus,  were  all  understood  to  mean  the 
same  fruit.  Although  there  was  much  written  upon  the  subject,  there  was  no 
attempt  to  examine  the  authorities  with  that  minuteness  which  the  search  of 
truth  demanded.  This  opinion  prevailed  until  the  XlXth  century,  when  the 
history  of  this  fruit  was  carefully  investigated  by  Galesio.  He  maintains  that 
the  orange,  instead  of  being  found  in  the  north  of  Africa,  in  Syria,  or  even  in 
Media,  whence  the  Romans  must  have  obtained  their  "  mala  medica,"  was  not  in 
that  part  of  India,  watered  by  the  Indus,  at  the  time  of  Alexander  the  Great's 
expedition,  as  it  is  not  mentioned  by  Nearchus,  the  commander  of  the  fleet, 
among  the  fruits  and  productions  of  that  country.  It  is  not  noticed  either  by 
Arrian,  Diodorus,  or  by  Pliny ;  and  even  so  late  as  the  year  1300,  Pietro  di 
Cuescenga,  a  senator  of  Bologna,  who  wrote  on  agriculture  and  vegetable  pro- 
ductions, does  not  make  the  least  mention  of  the  orange. 

The  first  distinct  notice  of  this  fruit  on  record,  is  by  Avicenna,  an  Arabian  phy- 
sician, who  flourished  in  the  Xth  century.  He  not  only  describes  oleum  de  cit- 
rangula,  (oil  of  oranges,)  and  oleum  de  citrangidorum  seminibus,  (oil  of  orange- 
seeds,)  but  speaks  of  citric  acid  (acid  of  citrons.)  According  to  Galesio,  the 
Arabs,  when  they  entered  India,  found  the  orange  tribes  there,  further  inland 
than  Alexander  had  penetrated;  and  they  brought  them  to  Europe  by  two 
routes, — the  sweet  ones  through  Persia  to  Syria,  and  thence  to  the  shores  of 
Italy  and  the  south  of  France,  and  the  bitter  ones,  by  Arabia,  Egypt,  and  the 
north  of  Africa,  to  Spain  and  Portugal. 

*  Penny  Cyclopaedia,  vol.  vii.,  p.  214. 


GOLDEN-FRUITED    ORANGE-TREE.  61 

It  does  not  appear  that  the  orange  was  of  Chinese  origin,  as  it  is  not  mentioned 
by  Marco  Polo,  who  is  so  minute  in  describing  all  the  other  wonders  of  the 
"Celestial  Empire."  It  is  said  to  have  been  found  by  the  Portuguese  upon  the 
east  coast  of  Africa ;  but  it  is  not  known  whether  it  had  been  indigenous  there, 
or  disseminated  by  the  Arabs.  When  the  Portuguese  reached  India,  in  the 
early  part  of  the  XVIth  century,  they  found  the  orange  there,  and  also  in  China, 
which  was  then  visited  by  them  for  the  first  time  by  sea. 

At  the  Azores,  nothing  can  exceed  the  rich  luxuriance  of  the  orange  groves, 
from  November  to  March,  when  the  emerald  tints  of  the  unripe,  and  the  golden 
hue  of  the  mature  fruit,  mingle  their  beauties  with  the  thick,  dark  foliage  of  the 
trees.  Although  the  oranges  of  the  Azores  are  among  the  best  that  are  to  be 
met  with,  they  are  not  indigenous  productions  of  those  islands  ;  but  were  intro- 
duced there  by  the  Portuguese,  as  the  same  fruit  was  originally  sent,  by  the 
Spaniards,  to  the  West  Indies,  and  the  continent  of  America.  In  the  midst  of  a 
forest,  on  the  banks  of  the  Cedeno,  Baron  Humboldt,  in  1800,  found  wild  orange- 
trees,  laden  with  large  and  sweet  fruit.  These  were  probably  not  indigenous, 
however,  but  the  remains  of  some  old  Indian  plantations. 

The  orange  plantations  of  the  Azores  are  usually  of  large  extent,  always  encir- 
cled by  walls  fifteen  or  twenty  feet  in  height,  and  within  thick  belts  of  other 
trees,  to  protect  them  from  the  breezes  of  the  sea.  The  trees  are  commonly  pro- 
pagated by  cuttings  or  layers,  arriving,  in  seven  years  after  planting,  to  good 
bearing,  and  in  time,  spread  out  with  the  majestic  luxuriance  of  chesnut  trees. 
Each  tree,  a  few  years  after,  upon  an  average,  annually  produces  from  twelve 
thousand  to  sixteen  thousand  oranges,  and  one  instance  is  recorded  of  a  single 
tree  producing  twenty-six  thousand  fruits  in  a  year ! 

The  amount  of  oranges  and  lemons  usually  exported  from  the  Azores  in  a 
year,  is  upwards  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  thousand  boxes,  and  seventy  or 
eighty  vessels  are  sometimes  seen  lying  in  the  roads,  waiting  to  take  their  car- 
goes. Besides  these,  a  large  quantity  of  the  sweet  lemon  is  cultivated,  for 
home  consumption,  which  are  produced  by  grafting  the  sour  lemon  on  the 
orange.  This  fruit  is  tasteless  and  vapid,  though  esteemed  salutary  and  re- 
freshing. 

In  Algarve  in  Portugal,  and  in  Andalusia  in  Spain,  there  are  trees  of  great 
size ;  and  extensive  orchards  of  oranges  have  formed  the  principal  revenue  of 
the  monks  for  several  centuries.  In  Cordova,  the  seat  of  Moorish  grandeur  and 
luxury,  there  are  orange-trees  still  remaining,  which  are  supposed  to  have  been 
planted  as  early  as  the  Xlth  century ;  and  in  the  craggy  mountains  of  that 
province,  which  are  covered  with  gardens  and  vineyards,  and  forests  abounding 
in  fruit,  the  air  is  perfumed  with  the  flowers  of  the  orange,  and  carries  back  the 
imagination  to  the  days  of  the  Moorish  poets  and  historians,  when  the  land  they 
conquered  was  adorned  with  all  the  refinements  of  their  taste  and  intelligence, 
and  the  luxuries  of  the  east  were  fully  realized. 

The  orange  is  said  to  have  been  introduced  into  Portugal  by  Camoens.  In 
apostrophizing  on  a  little  grove  that  waved  upon  an  open  casement,  that  poet 
was  heard  to  say,  "  Yes,  I  have  made  a  bower  for  the  honey-bee,  hung  with 
golden  lamps." 

In  France,  the  orange  country  is  chiefly  Provence,  or  that  part  which  lies  to 
the  eastward  of  the  Rhone ;  and  plantations  or  groves  of  oranges  are  the  most 
abundant,  and  the  most  beautiful,  on  the  banks  of  the  Var,  and  especially  in  the 
environs  of  Nice,  where  the  varieties  are  very  numerous,  and  come  to  great  perfec- 
tion. According  to  Risso,  there  was  a  tree  in  that  neighbourhood,  in  1789,  which 
generally  bore  upwards  of  five  thousand  oranges,  and  was  more  than  fifty  feet 
in  height,  with  a  trunk  so  large  that  it  required  two  men  to  embrace  it.     Here, 


62  CITRUS    AURANTIUM. 

the  Provence  rose,  the  tuberose,  and  countless  other  flowers,  blend  their  sweets 
with  that  of  the  orange ;  and  amidst  all  the  richness  of  these  perfumes,  the  pesti- 
lent airs  of  the  tropics,  and  even  the  sii'occo  of  southern  Italy  and  Sicily,  are  alto- 
gether unknown. 

In  Italy,  the  orange  groves  accompany  the  chain  of  the  Apennines  round  the 
whole  gulf  of  Genoa,  and  until,  upon  the  confines  of  the  plain  of  Tuscany,  they 
subside  in  elevation,  and  bend  more  toward  the  Adriatic ;  although,  further  to 
the  south,  the  climate  and  vegetation  of  Tuscany  cannot  be  compared  to  those 
of  the  little  valleys  of  Provence  and  Liguria,  especially  the  latter.  About  Flor- 
ence, there  are  still  orange-trees  in  the  gardens ;  but  there  are  none  of  those  aro- 
matic groves  and  plantations  which  are  found  further  to  the  west.  Mr.  Spence, 
who  passed  some  winters  in  Florence,  states  that  the  cold  is  so  great  there,  that 
skating  is  sometimes  practised  occasionally  four  months  of  the  year,  and  the 
thermometer  repeatedly  stands  at  24°  to  26°  F.,  at  8  A.  M.  Eastward  of 
Tuscany,  though  further  south,  the  country  is  even  less  adapted  to  the 
production  of  the  orange ;  the  sea-coast  is  barren,  the  interior  is  dreary,  and 
over  the  whole,  the  "  pestilent  malaria"  creeps,  forbidding  man  to  approach, 
even  for  the  cultivation  of  the  fields.  In  the  gardens  at  Rome,  however, 
notwithstanding  the  thermometer  ranges  from  2°  to  4°  F.,  lower,  during  the 
winter,  than  at  Nice,  the  orange-tree  flourishes,  and  attains  its  usual  size. 
At  the  convent  of  Santa  Sabina,  in  Rome,  there  is  a  tree  of  this  species  thirty- 
one  feet  high,  which  is  reputed  to  be  upwards  of  six  hundred  years  of  age.  After 
the  gulf  of  Gaeta  is  passed,  and  the  shelter  of  the  more  elevated  mountains  in 
the  kingdom  of  Naples  is  obtained,  the  orange  groves  again  make  their  appear- 
ance, and  particularly  abound  along  the  western  shore  of  Calabria,  and  in  the 
vicinity  of  Messina  and  Palermo,  in  the  island  of  Sicily. 

The  precise  period  at  which  the  orange  was  introduced  into  Britain,  is  not 
with  certainty  known ;  but  it  is  supposed  that  it  was  brought  from  Portugal,  by 
Sir  Walter  Raleigh,  towards  the  end  of  the  XVIth  century.  The  trees  were 
planted  near  a  wall  in  the  open  air,  at  Beddington,  in  Surry,  with  a  movable 
cover,  to  protect  them  from  the  inclemency  of  winter.  They  flowered,  and  bore 
fruit,  and,  at  the  beginning  of  the  XVIIIth  century,  they  had  attained  the 
height  of  eighteen  feet,  with  a  diameter  of  nine  inches,  and  the  spread  of  the 
branches  of  the  largest  one,  was  twelve  feet  in  one  direction,  and  nine  feet  in  the 
other.  In  1738,  they  were  surrounded  by  a  permanent  enclosure,  like  a  green- 
house, and  were  destroyed  by  a  great  frost  in  the  winter  following. 

Parkinson,  in  his  "  Practise  of  Plants,"  published  in  1629,  gives  some  curious 
directions  for  the  preservation  of  orange-trees,  from  which,  one  would  be  led  to 
infer  that  the  trees  at  Beddington,  with  their  ample  protection  of  a  movable 
covering  in  winter,  had  not  been  in  existence  at  that  time.  "  The  orange-tree," 
says  he,  "hath  abiden,  with  some  extraordinary  branching  and  budding  of  it, 
when  as  neither  citron  nor  lemon-trees  would,  by  any  means,  be  preserved  for 
any  long  time.  Some  keepe  them  in  square  boxes,  and  lift  them  to  and  fro  by 
iron  hooks  on  the  sides,  or  cause  them  to  be  rolled  on  trundles  or  small  wheels 
under  them,  to  place  them  in  an  house,  or  close  galerie,  for  the  winter  time ; 
others  plant  them  against  a  bricke  wall  in  the  ground,  and  defend  them  by  a 
shed  of  boardes,  covered  with  seare-cloth,  in  the  winter  ;  and  by  the  warmth  of 
a  stove,  or  such  other  thing,  give  them  some  comfort  in  the  colder  times  ;  but  no 
tent  or  mean  provision  will  preserve  them." 

Towards  the  end  of  the  X Vllth  and  in  the  early  part  of  the  XVIIIth  cen- 
turies, the  orange-tree  was  a*  very  fashionable  article  of  growth,  in  conserva- 
tories, in  France,  as  well  as  in  Britain.  The  plants  were  mostly  procured  from 
Genoa,  with  stems  generally  from  four  to  six  feet  in  height ;  they  were  planted 
in  large  boxes,  and  were  set  out  during  summer,  to  decorate  the  walks  near  the 


L.OLDEN -FRUITED    ORANGE-TREE.  63 

houses,  in  the  manner  still  practised  at  Versailles,  the  Tuileries,  and  some  other 
collections  in  Europe,  and  in  America. 

The  largest  trees  in  Britain  are  said  to  be  those  at  Smorgony,  in  Glamorgan- 
shire ;  they  are  planted  in  the  floor  of  an  immense  conservatory,  and  produce 
fruit  in  abundance.  It  is  said  that  these  plants  were  procured  from  a  wreck  on 
the  coast  in  that  quarter,  in  the  time  of  Henry  VII. 

In  the  south  of  Devonshire,  and  particularly  at  Saltcombe,  one  of  the  warmest 
spots  in  England,  it  is  said  there  are  gardens  containing  orange-trees,  which 
have  withstood  upwards  of  one  hundred  winters  in  the  open  air.  The  fruit  is 
represented  as  being  as  large  and  fine  as  any  from  Portugal. 

In  East  Florida,  the  orange  grows  spontaneously  in  the  neighbourhood  of  New 
Smyrna.  In  noticing  that  town,  in  1791,  Bartram  observes,  "I  was  there  about 
ten  years  ago,  when  the  surveyor  run  the  lines  of  the  colony,  where  there  was 
neither  habitation  nor  cleared  field.  It  was  then  a  famous  orange  grove,  the 
upper  or  south  promontory  of  a  ridge  nearly  half  a  mile  wide,  and  stretching 
north  about  forty  miles.  *  *  *  *  All  this  was  one  entire  orange  grove, 
with  live  oaks,  magnolias,  palms,  red  bays,  and  others."  He  also  makes  fre- 
quent mention  of  extensive  groves  of  wild  oranges,  in  Florida,  as  far  north  as 
latitude  twenty-eight  degrees.  Dr.  Baldwin,  in  1817,  in  speaking  of  Fish's 
Island,  says,  "  Here  are  the  remains  of  perhaps  the  most  celebrated  Orange 
Grove  in  the  world.  Some  trees  still  remain  that  are  thirty  feet  in  height,  and 
still  retain  a  portion  of  their  golden  fruit."  In  the  same  year,  in  describing  the 
beauties  of  the  St.  John's  he  says,  "  You  may  eat  oranges  from  morning  till 
night,  at  every  plantation  along  the  shores,  while  the  wild  trees,  bending  with 
their  golden  fruit  over  the  water,  present  an  enchanting  appearance."  These 
trees  are  not  regarded  as  originally  natives  of  the  new  world,  but  were  intro- 
duced by  the  Spaniards,  at  the  time  they  settled  Florida,  or  by  a  colony  of 
Greeks  and  Minorcans,  who  founded  New  Smyrna,  in  1769,  while  that  country 
was  in  the  possession  of  the  English.  Audubon,  as  late  as  1832,  observes, 
"  Whatever  its  original  country  may  be  supposed  to  be,  the  wild  orange  is,  to 
all  appearances,  indigenous  in  many  parts  of  Florida,  not  only  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  plantations,  but  in  the  wildest  portions  of  that  wild  country,  where 
there  exist  groves  fully  a  mile  in  extent."  This  wild  fruit  is  known  in  Florida 
by  the  name  of  the  bitter-sweet  orange,  which  does  not  differ  materially  from 
the  Seville  orange,  and  probably  originated  from  that  variety.  The  occurrence  of 
these  trees,  wherever  they  grow,  is  a  sure  indication  of  good  land. 

For  many  years  past,  no  small  degree  of  attention  has  been  paid  to  the  culture 
of  the  common  edible  orange,  at  St.  Augustine,  and  on  the  river  St.  John's.  The 
number  of  trees  owned  by  different  individuals,  prior  to  1835,  varied  from  ten  to 
fifteen  hundred.  Perhaps  no  person  in  Florida  had  more  than  the  latter  number 
in  full  bearing  condition,  at  the  time  of  the  great  frost,  which  occurred  on  the 
9th  of  February,  of  that  year.  There  were  many  trees  then  to  be  found  in  St. 
Augustine,  which  exceeded  forty  feet  in  height,  with  trunks  from  twenty  to 
twenty-seven  inches  in  diameter,  and  which,  probably,  were  more  than  a  cen- 
tury old.  But  there  are  many  persons  in  that  vicinity,  at  the  present  time,  who 
are  extensively  engaged  in  the  business.  The  late  Mr.  Kingsley  left  upwards 
of  six  thousand  bearing  trees,  in  1843,  all  of  which  are  on  the  St.  John's.  In 
addition  to  these,  there  are  also  on  the  same  river,  more  than  one  hundred 
orange  groves,  which,  it  is  estimated,  contain  twenty  thousand  trees.  At  St. 
Augustine,  it  is  said,  there  are,  at  least,  thirty  thousand  standard  trees,  four 
thousand  of  which  are  owned  by  Mr.  J.  Douglass,  about  the  same  number  by 
Mr.  V.  Sanchez ;  and  by  Mr.  J.  Drisdale,  and  the  lady  of  the  late  Dr.  Anderson, 
fifteen  hundred  each.  Notwithstanding  the  injuries  which  the  trees  have  suffered 
by  the  depredations  of  insects,  for  a  few  years,  as  well  as  by  the  discouragement 


64  CITRUS    AURANTIUM. 

caused  by  frost,  it  may  be  observed,  that  there  are  more  standard  trees  planted 
in  Florida,  at  the  present  time,  than  there  ever  were  at  any  former  period.  Pre- 
vious to  1S35,  St.  Augustine  produced  annually  from  two  million  to  two  million 
five  hundred  thousand  oranges,  which  were  equal  in  bulk  to  about  fifteen  thou- 
sand barrels.  They  were  shipped  to  Charleston,  Baltimore,  New  York,  Boston, 
&c,  and  usually  brought  from  one  dollar  to  three  dollars  per  hundred,  or 
about  three  dollars  per  barrel,  producing  in  the  aggregate,  a  little  short  of  fifty 
thousand  dollars  per  annum.  During  the  orange  season,  the  port  of  St.  Augustine 
formerly  presented  quite  a  commercial  aspect,  there  being  frequently  from  fifteen 
to  twenty  vessels  in  it  at  a  time,  loading  with  fruit.  A  person  who  was  the  owner 
of  one  hundred  standard  trees,  could  safely  rely  on  a  yearly  income  arising 
therefrom  of  two  thousand  dollars,  sometimes  three  thousand,  and  even  four 
thousand  dollars!  In  1829,  Mr.  A.  Alvarez  gathered  from  a  single  tree,  six 
thousand  five  hundred  oranges ;  and  it  is  said  that  there  was  a  tree  on  the  St. 
John's,  which  bore  ten  thousand  fruits  in  one  year !  But  ordinarily  each  tree 
produces  about  two  thousand  fruits. 

The  orange  has  also  been  an  object  of  culture  for  a  long  time  in  Carolina  and 
Georgia;  and  in  1762,  it  will  be  seen  by  the  London  "  Annual  Register"  for  that 
year,  that  there  were  four  barrels  of  this  fruit  shipped  from  Charleston  to  Eng- 
land. 

Soil  and  Situation.  The  orange  is  found  to  flourish  best  in  a  warm,  fertile 
soil,  composed  of  sand  and  loam,  or  sand  and  clay,  not  too  dry,  and  sheltered 
from  chilly  and  parching  winds.  But  it  is  cultivated  in  varied  soils,  and  will 
thrive  in  any  country,  with  a  mean  annual  temperature  of  62°  to  84°  F. 
Hence  the  locality  favourable  to  the  growth  of  this  species  depends  fully  as 
much  upon  soil  and  situation  as  upon  latitude ;  and  we  are  induced  to  infer, 
that,  if  the  temperature  be  sufficiently  high  for  maturing  the  flavour,  the  fruit 
is  delicious  in  proportion  to  the  uniform  salubrity  of  the  air ;  and  that  those 
high  temperatures  which  often  force  a  very  large  expansion  of  fruit  are 
against  the  fineness  of  its  quality.  For  instance,  we  will  contrast  the  fruit 
of  St.  Michael's,  in  the  Azores,  of  Bahia,  in  Brazil,  or  of  some  of  the  West 
India  Islands,  with  that  of  Malta.  The  former  is  always  exposed  to  the 
equalizing  breezes  wafted  across  the  Atlantic,  while  that  of  the  latter,  lying 
near  the  arid  and  sultry  coast  of  Africa,  is  subject  to  more  changes  of  season, 
and  a  greater  and  higher  range  of  temperature.  There  is  also  some  difference  in 
the  soil  of  these  places.  The  artificial  earth,  which  forms  the  soil  of  Malta,  was 
originally  brought  from  Sicily ;  and  by  the  decomposition  of  the  rock,  or  of  the 
saline  particles  brought  by  the  same  "  pestilent  sirocco"  that  blasts  the  fruit  of 
the  south  of  Italy  and  Sicily,  a  crust  is  formed,  which,  if  not  removed  by  trench- 
ing, at  the  end  of  a  certain  number  of  years,  ceases  to  be  productive,  or  the 
oranges  become  so  bitter,  that  they  are  neither  palatable  nor  healthful.  But  St. 
Michael's,  Bahia,  and  the  other  places  referred  to,  have  no  such  disadvantage; 
the  soils  in  those  places  are  native,  and  deposite  nothing  calculated  to  injure 
their  fertility  or  impair  the  qualities  of  their  fruit.  The  same  fact  may  be  corrob- 
orated in  comparing  the  climate  of  the  slopes  and  valleys  of  the  Estrella,  near 
the  lower  Tagus,  and  that  of  the  maritime  Alps,  and  the  Apennines,  in  Provence 
and  Liguria,  with  that  of  Andalusia.  At  St.  Augustine,  in  Florida,  the  fruit  is 
generally  of  a  superior  quality,  owing  to  some  peculiar  influence  of  the  soil  and 
climate.  The  mean  annual  temperature  of  that  place  in  1842,  was  73°  F., 
and  in  1843,  72°.  The  extreme  heats  from  June  to  September  are  usually  as 
high  as  92° ;  but  they  have  been  known  to  reach  97°.  The  extremes  of  cold 
generally  range  from  38  to  40°  ;  but  sometimes  the  mercury  has  fallen  as  low  as 
3U°.  On  the  9th  of  February,  1835,  the  time  that  nearly  all  the  orange- 
trees  of  Florida  were  cut  off  by  frost,  it  is  said  that  the  thermometer  indicated  a 


GOLDEN-FRUITED    ORANGE-TREE.  65 

temperature  of  10  to  15°.  In  February,  1823,  as  well  as  in  the  same  month  in 
1839,  the  trees  also  suffered  in  their  extreme  branches,  from  the  effect  of  frost. 
On  the  morning  of  the  9th  of  January,  1765,  the  thermometer  stood  at  26°,  at  St. 
Augustine,  and  the  ground  was  frozen  to  the  depth  of  an  inch,  on  the  banks  of  the 
St.  John's.  This  extreme  cold  proved  fatal  to  the  orange,  and  many  other  trees. 
Propagation  and  Management.  The  orange  may  be  propagated  by  seeds, 
cuttings,  layers,  and  grafting,  or  inoculation.  The  object  of  raising  plants  from 
seeds,  is  either  to  obtain  new  varieties,  or  stocks  for  grafting.  They  do  not 
readily  bear  fruit,  and  often  arrive  at  an  age  of  twenty  or  twenty-five  years 
without  flowering.  Mr.  Henderson,  of  Woodhall,  in  England,  well  skilled  in 
the  culture  of  the  citrus  tribe,  considers  cuttings  as  the  quickest  mode  of  obtain- 
ing plants  in  that  country,  and  gives  the  following  directions : — "  Take  the 
strongest  young  shoots,  and  also  a  quantity  of  the  two-year  old  shoots ;  these 
may  be  cut  into  lengths  of  from  nine  to  eighteen  inches.  Take  the  leaves  off 
the  lower  part  of  each  cutting  to  the  extent  of  about  five  inches,  allowing  the 
leaves  above,  that  remain,  untouched ;  then  cut  right  across,  under  an  eye,  and 
make  a  small  incision  in  an  angular  direction  on  the  bottom  of  the  cutting. 
When  the  cuttings  are  thus  prepared,  take  a  pot,  and  fill  it  with  sand ;  size  the 
cuttings,  so  that  the  short  ones  may  be  all  together,  and  those  that  are  taller  in  a 
different  pot.  Then,  with  a  small  dibble,  plant  them  about  five  inches  deep 
in  the  sand,  and  give  them  a  good  watering  over  head,  to  settle  the  sand 
about  them.  Let  them  stand  a  day  or  two  in  a  shady  place,  and  if  a  frame  be 
ready  with  bottom-heat,  plunge  the  pots  to  the  brim.  Shade  them  well  with  a 
double  mat,  which  may  remain  till  they  have  struck  root ;  when  rooted,  take 
the  sand  and  cuttings  out  of  the  pot,  and  plant  them  into  single  pots,  in  the 
proper  compost.  Plunge  the  pots  with  the  young  plants  again  into  a  frame,  and 
shade  them  for  four  or  five  weeks,  or  till  they  are  taken  with  the  pots ;  when 
they  may  be  gradually  exposed  to  the  light.  From  various  experiments,  I  found 
that  pieces  of  two-year  old  wood  struck  quite  well ;  and  in  place,  therefore,  of 
putting  in  cuttings  six  or  eight  inches  long,  I  have  taken  off  cuttings  from  ten 
inches  to  two  feet  long,  and  struck  them  with  equal  success.  Although  I  at  first 
began  to  put  in  cuttings  only  in  the  month  of  August,  I  now  put  them  in  at  any 
time  of  the  year,  except  when  the  plants  are  making  young  wood.  By  giving 
them  a  gentle  bottom-heat,  and  covering  them  with  a  hand-glass,  they  will  gene- 
rally strike  root  in  seven  weeks  or  two  months."  When  the  wood  of  the  orange- 
tree  is  fully  ripened,  and  the  sap  is  at  rest,  grafts  and  cuttings  may  be  kept  in  the 
dark  for  two  or  three  months  together,  provided  the  air  be  kept  dry. 

Within  the  tropics,  where  the  circulation  of  the  sap  is  nearly  uniform  through- 
out the  year,  the  orange  may  readily  be  propagated  by  the  following  method  : — 
Select  a  vigorous  branch  of  any  tree  of  the  variety  wished  to  be  propagated,  with 
flowers  and  fruit  upon  it,  if  desirable,  and  bind  round  it,  at  its  junction  with 
the  trunk,  or  limb  from  which  it  grows,  a  funnel-shaped  mass  of  fine,  rich 
mould,  firmly  kept  in  its  place  by  pieces  of  tin,  bark,  cloth,  or  other  substance. 
This  mass  should  constantly  be  kept  moist,  and  new  mould  or  earth  added,  if 
necessary,  until  shoots  protrude  from  the  branch  and  take  root.  As  soon  as 
these  roots  are  sufficiently  developed,  the  branch  surrounded  by  mould  may  be 
sawed  off  close  to  the  trunk  or  limb  from  which  it  proceeds,  and  transplanted, 
without  disturbing  the  mould,  into  a  box  of  light,  rich,  natural  soil,  or  to  some 
other  place  congenial  to  its  growth.  We  have  obtained  vigorous  trees  in  this 
manner  in  Cuba  and  Brazil,  in  six  or  eight  weeks'  time,  that  would  bear  trans- 
portation. 

If  grafting  or  budding  be  adopted  in  the  propagation  of  the  orange,  the  proper 
period  for  performing  these  operations  is,  when  the  sap  is  in  brisk  motion,  which 

9 


66 


CITRUS   AURANTIUM. 


■' 


usually  occurs  in  the  northern  hemisphere  in  the  month  of  March.  For  small 
grafts,  less  than  half  of  an  inch  in  diameter,  the  whip,  or  splice  method  should 
be  adopted,  and  for  larger  ones,  the  saddle  mode  is  preferable,  as  practised  in  the 
apple  and  pear.  But  the  most  sure  and  expeditious  method  is  that  of  spring 
budding,  by  which  the  bark  of  the  stock,  as  early  in  the  season  as  it  will  sepa- 
rate from  the  wood,  is  cut  like  the  letter  T  inverted,  (thus,  j,)  as  shown  by  (a) 
in  the  adjoining  figure  ;  whereas,  in  summer  budding, 
it  forms  a  T  in  its  erect  position.  The  horizontal 
edges  of  this  cut  in  the  stock,  and  of  the  shield  bark, 
containing  the  bud,  should  be  brought  into  the  most  per- 
fect contact,  as  denoted  by  (6;)  because  the  union  of 
the  bark  in  spring  takes  place  by  means  of  the  ascent  of 
the  sap,  whereas,  in  summer  budding,  it  is  supposed  to 
be  caused  by  its  descent.  The  parts  should  then  be 
immediately  bound  with  water-proof  bass  (c  )  with- 
out applying  either  grafting-clay  or  grafting-wax. 
The  buds  may  be  inserted  either  in  a  healthful  branch, 
or  in  a'  stock  near  the  ground.  In  general,  two  buds  are  sufficient  for  one  stock ; 
and  these  should  be  of  the  same  variety ;  as  two  sorts  seldom  grow  with  equal  vig- 
our. The  bass  ligature,  which  confines  the  bud,  may  be  removed,  if  the  season  be 
moist,  in  a  month  after  budding ;  but  if  it  be  hot  and  dry,  not  for  six  weeks,  at 
least.  As  soon  as  the  inserted  buds  show  signs  of  vegetation,  the  stock  or 
branch,  containing  them,  should  be  pruned  down,  so  as  to  leave  one  or  two 
buds  or  shoots  above.  If  the  stock  is  allowed  to  have  a  leading  shoot  above  the 
inserted  buds,  and  this  shoot  is  not  shortened,  the  buds  inserted  probably  will 
not  show  many  signs  of  vegetation  for  several  weeks. 

Though  orange-trees  will  grow  exceedingly  well  in  large  pots  and  boxes,  yet 
to  have  them  produce  the  finest  crop  of  fruit,  they  should  be  planted  in  the 
ground  like  peach-trees,  and  trained  like  them,  or  as  standard  cherries  in  a  con- 
servatory. The  latter  mode  has  by  far  the  best  effect,  especially  when  the  stems 
of  the  trees  are  seven  or  eight  feet  high,  and  the  head  forms  a  handsome  cone ; 
but  the  largest  fruit  is  produced  when  the  trees  are  planted  against  the  back- 
wall  trellis  of  a  narrow  house,  and  treated  like  peach-trees. 

At  Genoa  and  Florence,  orange-trees  are  grown  in  a  strong  yellow  clay,  which 
is  highly  manured ;  and  this  soil  is  considered  by  the  first  Italian  gardeners  as 
best  suited  to  their  natures.  In  France,  in  preparing  a  compost  for  them,  they 
endeavour  to  compensate  for  quantity  by  quality ;  because  the  pots  or  boxes,  in 
which  the  plants  are  placed,  ought  always  to  be  as  small  as  possible,  relatively 
to  the  size  of  the  tree.  The  following  is  the  composition  recommended  : — "  To  a 
fresh  loam,  which  contains  a  third  of  clay,  a  third  of  sand,  and  a  third  of  vege- 
table matter,  and  which  has  lain  a  long  time  in  a  heap,  add  an  equal  bulk  of 
half-rotten  barnyard  manure.  The  following  year  turn  it  over  twice.  The 
succeeding  year  mix  it  with  nearly  one  half  its  bulk  of  decomposed  horse 
manure.  Turn  it  over  twice  or  three  times,  and  the  winter  before  using,  add 
one  twelfth  part  of  sheep  manure,  a  twentieth  of  pigeon  dung,  and  a  twentieth 
of  dried  ordure."  Mr.  Henderson,  already  mentioned,  takes  one  part  of  light- 
brown  mould  from  a  piece  of  ground  that  has  not  been  cropped,  nor  manured  for 
many  years ;  one  part  of  peat  earth,  such  as  is  used  for  growing  heaths ;  two 
parts  of  river,  or  pit  sand,  if  it  be  free  from  saline  substances  ;  and  one  part  of 
rotted  hot-bed  dung,  with  one  part  of  rotted  leaves  of  trees,  and  mixes  them  all 
well  together,  so  as  to  form  a  compost  soil  of  uniform  quality. 

The  usual  mode  of  propagating  the  orange  in  Florida,  is  to  plant  the  seeds 
and  wait  patiently  for  about  twenty  years,  till  the  trees  become  of  a  sufficient 


GOLDEN-FRUITED    ORANGE-TREE.  67 

height  to  bear  fruit,  which  is  ordinarily  about  fifteen,  or  twenty  feet.  It  is  well 
known  there,  that  the  period  of  bearing  might  be  hastened  by  grafting  or  bud- 
ding ;  but  this  has  never  been  resorted  to  generally.  It  is  true,  several  individ- 
uals have  practised  these  operations  very  successfully  on  wild  stocks,  but  these 
are  mere  exceptions.  The  propagation  of  the  orange  by  cuttings,  or  by  layers, 
does  not  succeed  well  in  Florida,  probably  owing  to  the  aridity  of  the  soil  and 
climate. 

Near  the  equator,  the  fructification  of  the  orange  is  constant,  and  is  at  one  and 
the  same  time,  in  all  stages  of  its  bearing ;  but  in  higher  latitudes,  it  continues 
flowering  during  nearly  all  the  summer,  and  the  fruit  takes  two  years  to  come  to 
maturity ;  so  that  perpetually,  at  the  equator,  and  for  a  considerable  portion  of 
the  year  in  higher  latitudes,  a  healthy  tree  exhibits  every  stage  of  the  production, 
from  the  flower-bud  to  the  ripe  fruit  in  perfection,  at  the  same  time.  The  gath- 
ering of  oranges,  intended  for  the  European  and  American  markets,  usually  takes 
place  from  October  to  January,  while  they  are  green ;  but  they  do  not  fully  ma- 
ture before  spring  has  commenced.  And  it  is  a  remarkable  fact,  that  the  trees 
from  which  the  fruit  is  gathered  green,  bear  plentifully  every  year,  while  those 
upon  which  the  fruit  is  suffered  to  ripen,  afford  abundant  crops  only  on  alternate 
years. 

Insects.  The  principal  insects  that  infest  the  orange-tree,  are  several  species 
of  coccidae,  or  bark-lice,  the  habits  of  which  are  nearly  uniform,  and  may  be 
described  as  follows : — On  examining  the  trees  early  in  the  spring,  the  female 
insects  may  be  found,  in  a  lifeless  state,  fastened  close  to  the  bark,  having  been 
fixed  in  this  position  ever  since  the  year  before.  A  little  later  in  the  season,  their 
bodies  become  more  distended,  and  on  carefully  removing  them,  numerous  eggs 
will  be  found  beneath  them.  At  this  period,  the  internal  parts  of  their  bodies 
appear  to  be  dried  up  and  dead,  their  outer  skins  only  remaining,  which  serve 
as  shields  for  protecting  their  future  progeny.  On  the  approach  of  the  heats  of 
summer,  the  larva?  are  hatched,  and  escape  at  the  lower  extremities  of  the 
shields,  which  are  slightly  elevated  or  notched  at  these  parts.  In  this  stage  of 
their  existence,  they  usually  have  the  appearance  of  small,  oval,  roundish,  or 
oblong  scales,  of  a  brownish  colour,  and  much  in  the  shape  of  their  parent 
shields,  but  thinner,  more  flattened,  and  of  a  paler  colour.  At  first,  they  are 
full  of  activity,  disperse  themselves  over  the  young  shoots  and  leaves,  puncture 
the  tender  parts,  exhaust  the  sap  by  suction,  and  increase  in  size,  till  they 
prepare  for  change.  In  the  early  period  of  their  growth,  their  heads  are  com- 
pletely concealed  beneath  the  shells  of  their  bodies ;  their  beaks  or  suckers  appear 
to  proceed  from  their  breasts ;  and  their  legs,  which  are  six  in  number,  are  so 
short  that  they  are  not  visible  from  above.  When  they  have  completed  the 
larva  state,  they  prepare  for  transformation  by  emitting  from  the  under  sides  of 
their  bodies,  numerous  little  downy  threads,  by  which  they  securely  confine  them- 
selves to  the  bark.  After  becoming  thus  fixed,  they  remain,  for  a  time,  in  a 
torpid  state,  and  under  these  inanimate  scales,  the  transformations  of  both  sexes 
take  place.  The  outer  coverings  of  the  males  serve  as  cocoons,  from  which  they 
appear  to  shrink  and  become  detached.  In  the  course  of  time,  they  push  them- 
selves out  of  their  shells,  at  the  little  fissures  at  their  extremities,  and  appear  in 
their  perfect  form,  having  two  wings,  which  lie  flatly  upon  their  bodies,  but  no 
beaks,  as  they  had  previous  to  their  transformation.  In  a  few  days  after  the 
females  fasten  themselves  to  the  bark,  they  contrive  to  burst,  and  throw  off  in 
flakes,  their  outer  coats,  and  betake  similar  forms  as  those  which  they  before 
assumed,  and  enter  into  the  pupa  or  chrysalis  state.  When  mature,  they  retain 
their  beaks  or  suckers,  and  are  wingless,  but  are  destined  never  to  change  their 
places  after  they  have  once  become  fixed.  In  this  condition,  their  bodies  are 
greatly  enlarged,  and  in  some  species,  approach  more  or  less  to  a   spherica 


68  CITRUS   AURANTIUM. 

form.  It  is  in  this  condition  that  they  receive  the  embraces  of  the  males,  after 
which,  they  continue  to  increase  in  size  for  a  time,  eject  their  eggs,  and  gradu- 
ally shrink  away,  leaving  nothing  but  their  dry,  outer  skins,  and  perish  on  the 
spot.  After  the  eggs  mature,  they  imperceptibly  pass  under  the  body  of  their 
mother,  where  they  remain,  until  they  undergo  the  changes  before  described. 

The  species  that  commonly  attacks  the  orange  in  southern  Europe,  the  Azores, 
and  the  West  India  Islands,  is  the  Coccus  hesperidum,  which  also  infests  the 
myrtle.  It  may  be  known  by  the  oblong-oval  form,  and  brownish  colour  of  its 
shield,  which  is  covered,  as  it  were,  with  a  coat  of  varnish.  Another  species,  the 
pest  of  Florida,  for  the  last  five  years,  is  the  Coccus  *  *  *  *  ?  It  is  about  one-eighth 
of  an  inch  in  length,  and  one  tenth  as  wide  as  it  is  long,  of  a  brownish  colour, 
pointed  at  the  extremities,  and  straight,  or  curved,  according  to  the  nature  of 
the  surface  to  which  it  adheres.  The  larvse  make  their  first  appearance  at  St. 
Augustine  as  soon  as  a  few  warm  days  occur,  in  January  or  February ;  but 
their  general  hatching  period  is  not  considered  to  begin  before  March,  and  is 
never  suspended  from  that  time  until  the  commencement  of  the  cool  weather 
in  November  or  December.  Myriads  of  these  young  insects,  scarcely  discernible 
to  the  unaided  eye,  may  be  observed  crawling  over  the  trees,  puncturing  the 
tender  shoots  and  leaves,  and  sucking  their  sap,  by  which  they  gradually  increase 
in  size,  and  in  about  eight  days,  permanently  fix  themselves  to  the  trunk, 
branches,  and  leaves,  to  undergo  their  transformations.  Soon  after  the  com- 
mencement of  hot  weather  in  May,  vast  numbers  of  the  perfect  male  insects 
may  be  seen,  and,  as  the  season  advances,  they  become  still  more  numerous, 
until  they  are  checked  by  cool  weather,  in  September  or  October.  In  shaking 
violently  a  tree  infested  with  these  insects,  myriads  and  myriads  of  them  may 
be  seen  flying  between  the  observer  and  the  rising  sun.  And  during  the  sum- 
mer, the  young  leaves,  branches,  and  other  uninfested  parts  of  the  trees  become 
rapidly  and  successively  covered  with  the  scales  of  these  insects,  which  are  at 
first  scarcely  perceptible  to  the  naked  eye,  but  soon  increase  to  their  full  size. 
This  circumstance  tends  to  prove  that  there  are  many  broods  or  generations 
in  the  same  season. 

This  insect  first  made  its  appearance  in  Florida,  in  Robinson's  grove,  at  Man- 
darin, on  the  St.  John's,  in  1838,  on  some  trees  of  the  Mandarin  variety,  which 
had  been  procured  in  New  York.  In  the  course  of  three  or  four  years  they 
spread  to  the  neighbouring  plantations,  to  the  distance  of  ten  miles,  and  were 
the  most  rapid  in  their  migrations  in  the  direction  of  the  prevailing  winds,  which 
evidently  aided  them  in  their  movements.  In  1840,  Mr.  P.  S.  Smith,  of  St. 
Augustine,  obtained  some  orange-trees  from  Mandarin,  and  had  them  planted 
in  his  front  yard.  From  these  trees  the  insects  went  to  others  of  the  same 
enclosure,  and  rapidly  extended  themselves  to  the  trees  and  plantations  to  the 
northerly  and  westerly  parts  of  that  city  and  vicinity,  obviously  aided  in  their 
migration  by  the  south-east  trade-winds,  which  blow  there  almost  daily  during 
summer ;  and  what  is  remarkable,  these,  insects  were  occupied  nearly  three 
years  in  reaching  trees  in  the  south-east  part  of  the  city,  only  about  half  of  a 
mile  from  their  original  point  of  attack.  They  have  since,  however,  extended 
themselves  to  all  the  trees  in  and  about  the  city ;  but  have  not  yet  travelled  in 
any  direction  beyond  ten  miles.  Being  aided  in  their  dispersion  by  birds  and 
other  natural  causes,  impossible  to  guard  against,  they  must  eventually  attack 
most,  if  not  all  the  trees  in  Florida ;  for  the  wild  orange  groves  suffer  equally 
with  those  which  have  been  cultivated,  and  no  difference  can  be  perceived  in 
their  ravages,  between  old  and  young  trees,  nor  between  vigorous  and  decayed 
ones.  Various  remedies  have  been  tried  to  arrest  their  progress,  such  as  fumi- 
gating the  trees  with  tobacco  smoke,  covering  them  with  soap,  lime,  potash, 
sulphur,  shellac,  glue,   and  viscid  or  tenacious  substances,  mixed  with  clay, 


GOLDEN-FRUITED    ORANGE-TREE.  69 

quicklime,  salt,  etc.,  but  all  have  failed  partially  or  entirely,  and  it  appears  not 
to  be  in  the  power  of  man  to  prevent  the  ravages  of  these  insignificant  and  insid- 
ious destroyers.  Most  of  the  cultivated  orange-trees  in  Florida  have  already 
been  injured  by  them,  their  tops  and  branches  having  been  mostly  destroyed. 
Their  roots  and  stems,  it  is  true,  remain  alive,  and  annually  send  forth  a  crop 
of  young  shoots,  only  to  share  the  fate  of  their  predecessors.  The  visitation  of 
these  insects  in  Florida,  probably  is  not  destined  to  continue  much  longer,  at 
least  with  its  present  violence ;  for,  among  the  means  which  nature  has  pro- 
vided to  check  their  increase,  are  various  species  of  birds,  that  devour  inconceiv- 
able numbers  of  them,  and  the  coccidae  are  invariably  accompanied  by  consider- 
able numbers  of  yellow  lady-birds,  (coccinellce,)  which,  it  has  been  conjectured, 
have  been  appointed  to  keep  them  down. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  orange-tree,  when  dry,  weighs  forty- 
four  pounds  to  a  cubic  foot,  is  hard,  compact,  flexible,  slightly  odoriferous,  and 
is  susceptible  of  being  polished.  When  recently  cut,  it  is  of  a  yellowish  hue,  but 
in  the  course  of  time  it  fades.  From  its  scarcity  and  small  size,  it  is  but  little 
employed  in  the  arts,  the  only  particular  uses  to  which  it  is  applied  being  to  make 
boxes,  dressing-cases,  and  other  articles  of  fancy;  and  in  Florida,  considerable 
quantities  of  straight,  young  shoots,  are  cut,  and  shipped  in  bundles,  to  be  made 
into  walking-canes. 

The  fruit  of  the  orange  may  be  obtained  fresh,  in  any  region  of  the  globe,  and 
at  almost  every  season  of  the  year.  The  aromatic  oil  and  the  rind  preserve  it 
from  the  effects  both  of  heat  and  of  cold  ;  and  the  acridity  of  the  former  renders  it 
proof  against  the  attacks  of  insects.  It  is  true  that  oranges  decay,  like  other  fruit ; 
but  that  does  not  happen  for  a  long  time,  if  the  rind  remains  uninjured,  and  they 
are  kept  from  humidity,  and  so  ventilated  as  not  to  ferment.  With  regard  to 
the  quality  of  this  fruit  in  various  places,  there  appears  to  be  a  diversity  of  opin- 
ion. Some  consider  those  of  Malta  the  best;  others,  those  of  St.  Michael's; 
while  others  prefer  those  of  Bahia,  Havana,  or  of  St.  Augustine. 

The  Maltese  oranges  are  usually  large,  the  rind  thick  and  spongy,  and  the 
glands  which  secrete  the  volatile  oil,  are  prominent.  The  pulp  is  red,  and  deli- 
cious, although,  sometimes,  there  is  a  trace  of  bitterness  iu  their  taste.  They  are 
shipped  in  boxes,  of  an  irregular  size,  and  are  generally  packed  in  shavings  or 
saw-dust. 

The  St.  Michael's  oranges  are  of  a  small  size,  the  rind  is  thin  and  smooth,  the 
glands  small,  which  secrete  but  little  volatile  oil,  the  pulp  light-coloured,  and  of 
a  delicious,  sugary  taste.  They  are  put  up  in  boxes  of  three  hundred  and  fifty 
to  four  hundred,  with  each  fruit  enveloped  in  paper,  or  in  the  husks  of  maize. 

The  celebrated  Navel  oranges  of  Bahia,  are  of  difficult  transport  to  Europe 
and  the  United  States,  in  consequence  of  the  length  of  the  voyage,  and  of  the 
humidity  and  warmth  of  the  climate  through  which  they  have  to  pass.  If  they 
are  gathered  green,  however,  and  suspended  in  the  air  above  deck,  or  at  the 
stern  of  the  vessel,  in  netting,  they  will  endure  through  the  voyage. 

The  Havana  oranges  are  usually  of  a  good  size,  with  a  moderately  rough 
rind,  and  a  pulp  well  filled  with  delicious  juice.  From  the  shortness  of  the 
voyage  to  any  of  the  American  markets,  they  may  be  safely  transported  during 
the  winter  months.  The  fruit  is  ripe  in  Cuba  at  the  end  of  October,  and  is  usu- 
ally shipped  in  barrels  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  to  four  hundred  fruits  in  each, 
put  up  loosely,  without  any  envelopes. 

The  St.  Augustine  oranges  are  superior,  both  in  size  and  quality,  to  those  of 
Cuba,  or  the  Mediterranean.  They  resemble  those  of  Havana  in  flavour,  but  are 
much  larger,  and  bring  from  twenty  to  thirty  per  cent  more,  in  the  New  York 
and  Boston  markets.  Of  the  smaller  sizes,  it  requires  about  three  hundred 
fruits  to  fill  a  barrel,  but  of  the  largest  ones,  only  one  hundred  are  necessary. 


70  CITRUS    AURANTIUM. 

In  Europe,  the  Valencia  oranges  are  eagerly  sought  after,  on  account  of  their 
early  appearance,  large  size,  and  beautiful  colour.  They  are  put  up  in  boxes  of 
two  hundred  and  twenty  to  two  hundred  and  forty  fruits  in  each,  enveloped  in 
brown  paper. 

The  Sicilian  oranges,  and  those  of  the  south  of  Italy,  maybe  regarded  as 
nearly  of  the  same  quality.  They  are  of  a  medium  size,  with  a  fine  colour,  and 
are  rather  acid  in  their  flavour.  Those  shipped  from  Messina  are  put  up  in 
boxes  of  two  hundred  to  two  hundred  and  ten  fruits  in  each,  and  those  of  Pa- 
lermo, which  mature  later,  are  shipped  in  boxes  of  three  hundred  or  more  fruits 
in  each.  The  oranges  of  Reggio  ripen  very  early,  so  much  so,  that  it  is  not  unu- 
sual to  send  them  away  by  the  20th  of  October.  They  are  packed  in  boxes  of 
two  hundred  and  forty  fruits  in  each,  and  like  most  of  the  oranges  of  the  Medi- 
terranean, are  enveloped  in  paper. 

The  Provence  oranges  come  to  great  perfection,  and  may  be  classed  with  those 
of  Genoa.  Along  the  river  Var,  they  have  two  harvests  of  the  orange,  the  first 
commencing  from  the  10th  to  the  15th  of  November,  when  the  fruit  begins  to 
turn,  and  continues  till  the  4th  of  December ;  the  second  begins  about  the  10th  of 
January,  and  is  prolonged  nearly  to  the  end  of  February.  They  are  put  up  in  boxes 
of  one  hundred  and  twenty  to  three  hundred  and  sixty  fruits  in  each,  accord- 
ing to  their  size  and  qualities. 

With  the  Seville  oranges  may  be  classed  those  of  Faro,  St.  Ubes,  Oporto, 
Andalusia,  Malaga,  and  the  bitter  oranges  of  Cuba  and  Florida.  This  fruit  is 
usually  of  a  good  size,  of  a  beautiful  colour,  but  unfit  to  eat,  on  account  of  its 
bitter  flavour.  Those  shipped  from  Seville  are  put  up  in  large  boxes,  of  one 
thousand  fruits  in  each ;  while  those  of  Faro  and  St.  Ubes  are  badly  packed,  in 
cases  of  three  hundred  to  three  hundred  and  fifty  in  each.  Those  of  Spain  and 
Portugal  are  principally  Carried  to  England  and  the  Baltic,  and  are  employed  in 
cookery,  and  in  the  manufacture  of  cordials  and  other  aromatic  liquors.  The 
essential  product  of  the  fruit  is  in  the  rind  or  peel ;  it  is  cut  into  quarters,  sepa- 
rated from  the  pulp,  and  caused  to  be  quickly  dried.  It  is  much  used  in  Hol- 
land in  aromatizing  a  certain  liquor,  called  curagoa.  In  East  Florida,  the  imme- 
diate vicinity  of  a  wild  orange  grove,  is  of  some  importance  to  the  planters. 
They  collect  the  fruit,  extract  the  juice  by  horse-mills,  and  send  it  off  to  differ- 
ent markets,  where  it  is  used  as  an  ingredient  in  cooling  drinks.  The  fruit  is 
sometimes  given  by  them  to  their  horses,  which  seem  to  eat  it  with  relish.  In 
Cuba  it  is  much  used  by  the  inhabitants  in  the  cure  of  fluxes,  intermittent,  and 
other  fevers.  In  France,  in  the  department  of  the  Var,  and  particularly  at 
Grasse,  the  flowers  of  the  Seville  orange  are  brought  into  use.  A  volatile  oil  is 
listilled  from  them,  called  neroli,  the  colour  of  which  varies  from  a  reddish-yel- 
low to  a  deep  red.  It  is  very  fluid,  of  an  agreeable  odour,  and  is  chiefly 
employed  in  pharmacy  and  in  perfumery.  For  the  latter  purpose,  this  variety 
is  superior  to  the  ordinary  orange. 


Genus  ACER,  Linn. 

Aceracese.  Polygamia  Monoecia. 

Syst.  Nat.  Syst.  Lin. 

Synonymes. 

Acer,  Of  Authors. 

Erable,  France. 

Ahorn,  Germany. 

Acero,  Italy  and  Portugal. 

Acer,  Arce,  Spain. 

Maple,  Britain  and  Anglo- America. 

Derivation.  The  word  Acer  signifies  in  Latin,  hard  or  sharp,  and  is  derived  from  the  Celtic,  ac,  a  point.  The  name  is  sup- 
posed to  be  applied  to  this  genus  because  the  wood  of  some  species  is  extremely  hard,  and  was  much  sought  after  by  the 
ancients  for  the  purpose  of  making  pikes  and  lances. 

Generic  Characters.  Sexes  hermaphrodite,  or  monoeciously  polygamous.  Flowers  with  a  calyx  and  co- 
rolla. Calyx  divided  into  5  parts,  or  some  number  between  4  and  9.  Petals  the  same  in  number. 
Stamens  8,  or  some  number  between  5  and  12.  Anthers  2-lobed.  Carpels  2,  very  rarely  3,  each  a 
samara ;  that  is,  a  fruit,  which  is  called,  in  England,  vernacularly,  a  key.  Leaves  lobed  and  toothed. 
or,  rarely,  neither  lobed  nor  toothed.  Flowers  generally  yellow,  with  more  or  less  green  blended  with 
the  yellow ;  red  in  Acer  rubrum. — Loudon,  Arboretum. 

\HK  species  of  this  genus  are  chiefly  low  and  middle-sized  decid- 
uous trees,  highly  ornamental,  and  valuable  in  some  kinds,  for 
their  timber,  and  in  others,  for  the  sugar  they  produce.  The 
flowers  are  not  individually  conspicuous,  but  interesting  in 
those  species  which  put  forth  at  leafing-time,  from  their  number 
and  rarity,  and  from  the  enlivening  effect  of  the  numerous  bees, 
and  other  insects,  that  generally  attend  them  at  that  season.  The  tips  of  the 
wings  of  the  samarse  of  several  of  the  European  kinds  are  of  a  light-red.  at 
the  end  of  summer,  and  in  autumn.  It  is  in  this  genus  too,  that  we  early 
observe  the  sylvan  beau,  weary  of  his  summer  suit,  first  shifting  his  dress  to 
ochrey  shades,  then  trying  a  deeper  tint,  and,  lastly  assuming  an  orange  or  scarlet 
vest.  The  larger-growing  species  are  often  many  years  before  they  come  into 
flower,  and  even  then,  they  do  not  mature  their  seeds  for  several  seasons,  proba- 
bly from  being  only  of  one  sex.  In  general,  it  may  be  observed,  that  there  is 
great  uncertainty,  in  the  different  species  of  acer,  with  regard  to  sex. 

Geography  and  History.  The  genus  acer  is  confined  to  Europe,  North 
America,  northern  India,  and  to  southern  Russia,  in  Asia. 

The  ancients  held  the  maple  in  great  esteem ;  and  tables  inlaid  with  curious 
portions  of  it,  or  formed  entirely  of  its  finely  variegated  wood,  in  some  instances 
brought  their  weight  in  gold.  To  such  a  height  did  the  fondness  of  the  Romans 
for  curious  woods,  carry  them  at  one  period  of  their  history,  that  their  tables 
were  even  more  expensive  than  the  jewels  of  their  ladies.  Maple  dishes  are 
frequently  mentioned  by  the  Latin  poets,  and  Virgil  celebrates  the  maple,  as  the 
throne  of  the  "  good  Evander,"  and  its  branches  as  the  canopy  under  which 
he  received  and  seated  iEneas  : — 

"On  sods  of  turf  he  sat  the  soldiers  round ; 
A  maple  throne,  raised  higher  from  the  ground, 
Received'  the  Trojan  chief;  and,  o'er  the  bed 
A  lion's  shaggy  hide,  for  ornament  they  spread." 

Cowper,  and  many  modern  poets,  also  mention  bowls  of  maple  as  being  used 
by  shepherds  and  hermits.  Pliny  gives  an  elaborate  account  of  the  properties 
and  uses  of  the  maple.     He  enumerates  ten  different  kinds  that  were  known  to 


72 


ACER. 


the  Romans,  in  his  time,  and  that  the  wood  of  some  species  was  considered  next 
in  value  to  the  citron-wood.  He  treated  at  length  upon  the  bnisca  and  molusca, 
or  knobs  and  excrescences  of  the  maple,  of  which,  furniture  and  cabinet-work 
of  the  most  costly  kind  were  made. 

General  Remarks  on  Propagation,  Culture,  fyc.  The  maple  tribe,  in  general, 
prefer  a  free,  deep,  loamy  soil,  rich  rather  than  sterile,  and  neither  wet  nor  very 
dry.  The  situation  that  suits  them  best,  is  one  that  is  sheltered  and  shady, 
rather  than  exposed.  They  are  seldom  found  on  the  north  sides  of  lofty  moun- 
tains, or  on  mountains  at  all,  except  among  other  trees ;  but  in  the  plains  they 
are  found  by  themselves.  They  are  chiefly  propagated  by  seeds;  but  some 
kinds  are  increased  by  layers,  cuttings  of  the  shoots,  and  roots,  and  by 
budding,  or  grafting.  The  seeds  of  most  of  the  species  ripen  in  September  or 
October,  and  may  be  gathered  by  hand,  or  by  shaking  the  tree,  when  the  keys 
begin  to  turn  brown.  The  maturity  of  the  seeds  may  be  proved  by  opening  the 
keys,  and  observing  whether  the  cotyledons  are  green,  succulent,  and  fresh ;  if 
the  green  colour  is  wanting,  they  are  good  for  nothing.  The  seeds  of  all  the 
species  may  be  sown  in  autumn,  or  in  the  spring ;  and  the  latter  time  is  preferable 
where  moles  or  other  vermin  abound,  which  are  liable  to  devour  them.  If  sown 
in  spring,  they  come  up  in  five  or  six  weeks,  with  the  exception  of  those  of  the 
Acer  campestre,  which  are  said  never  to  vegetate  till  the  second  or  third  year. 
The  seeds  should  not  be  covered  with  more  than  one  fourth  or  one  half  of  an 
inch  of  soil,  and  the  ground  where  they  are  sown  may  be  advantageously  shaded 
with  leaves,  heath,  or  straw. 


Acer  taiaricum, 

THE  TARTARIAN  MAPLE. 

Synonymes. 


Acer  taiaricum, 


Erable  de  Tartarie, 
Tartarischer  Ahorn, 
Zarza-modon,  (Locust,) 
Tartarian  Maple, 


Linnjeus,  Species  Plantarum. 

De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 

Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 

France. 

Germany. 

Russia. 

Britain  and  Anglo- America. 


Engravings.    Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  i.,  figure  114,  o.  434,  et  v.  pi.  25;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.     Leaves    cordate,  undivided,  serrated,  with  obsolete    lobes.     Racemes  compound, 
crowded,  erect ;  wings  of  fruit  parallel,  young  ones  puberulous. — Don,  Miller's  Diet. 


Description. 

HE  Tartarian  Maple,  in 
favourable  situations,  at- 
tains a  height  of  forty 
or  fifty  feet;  but  near 
the  river  Wolga,  and  its  tributaries,  it  forms  a 
hemispherical  tree,  about  twenty  feet  in  height, 
with  a  summit  as  broad  and  as  high  as  the  tree  . 
itself.  The  branches  are  numerous,  and  disposed  / 
into  a  compact  head,  densely  covered  with  leaves, 
which  are  distinguished  by  a  peculiarly  veiny 
appearance,  and  lively  green.  The  flowers, 
which  appear  in  May  and  June,  are  of  a  pale, 
greenish  yellow,  sometimes  slightly  tinged  with 
red,  as  are  the  fruit  or  keys,  before  their  matu- 
rity. 

Geography  and  History.  The  Acer  tatari- 
cum  is  found  in  Tartary,  and  is  common  through- 
out all  the  south  of  European  Russia ;  but  it  does 
not  occur  on  the  Ural  Mountains,  nor  on  the  Caucasus.  It  was  introduced  into 
Britain  in  1759,  and  is  cultivated  in  the  chief  gardens  in  Europe  solely  as  an 
ornamental  tree. 

The  largest  tree  in  Britain  is  at  Endsleigh  Cottage,  in  Devonshire,  which,  at 
eighteen  years  planted,  was  forty  feet  high. 

Properties,  Uses,  fyc.  The  wood  of  this  species  is  hard;  and  being  of  a 
whitish  colour,  veined  with  brown,  it  may  be  used  for  cabinet-work.  In  orna- 
mental plantations,  the  tree  is  valuable  on  account  of  the  early  expansion  of  its 
leaves,  which  appear  before  those  of  almost  every  other  kind  of  maple ;  and  it  is 
said  to  thrive  in  a  moister  soil.  When  raised  from  seeds,  the  plant  will  come 
into  flower  in  five  or  six  years ;  and  in  good  soil,  it  will  attain  the  height  of 
fifteen  feet  in  ten  years.  Pallas  informs  us,  that  the  Calmucks,  after  depriving 
the  keys  of  their  wings,  boil  them  in  water,  and  afterwards  use  them  for  food, 
mixed  up  with  milk  and  butter. 
10 


Acer  spicatum, 
THE  SPIKE-FLOWERED  MAPLE. 

Synonymes. 

(  LiNNiEUS,  Species  Plantarum. 
I  De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 
Acer  spicatum.  1  Don,  Miller's  Dictionary 

Loudon,  Arboretum  Bntannicum. 
[  Torrey  and  Gray,  Flora  of  North  America. 

Michaux,  North  American  Sylva. 

France. 

Germany. 

Italy. 

Britain  and  Anglo- America. 


Acer  montanum, 
Erable  de  montagne, 
Berg  Ahorn, 
Acero  di  montagna, 
Mountain  Maple,  Low  Maple, 


eneravin-s     Michaux,  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  47;  Audubon,  Birds  of  America,  pi.  cxxxiv. ;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Bri- 
tannicum,  l,Bfi&ure  115,  pi.  435,  et  v.  p.  26;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.  Leaves  cordate,  3-  or  slightly  5-lobed,  acuminated,  pubescent  beneath,  unequally  and 
coarsely  serrated.  Racemes  compound,  erect.  Petals  linear.  Fruit  smooth,  with  the  wings  rather 
diverging. — Don,  Millers  Diet. 

Description. 

||HE  Mountain  Maple 

£$  H  H  ^  is  a  low,  deciduous 

I)?    LI    f$  tree  or  shrub,  seldom 

Ifefell  exceeding  a  height 
of  ten  or  twelve  feet  in  its  native  hab- 
itat, and  it  often  flowers  at  an  eleva- 
tion of  less  than  six  feet.  It  most  fre- 
quently grows  in  the  form  of  a  shrub, 
with  a  single  stem,  and  a  straight  stock. 
The  leaves  are  large,  opposite,  and 
divided  into  three  acute  and  indented 
lobes.  They  are  slightly  hairy  at  their 
unfolding,  and  when  fully  grown,  they 

are  uneven  and  of  a  dark  green  on  the  upper  surface.  The  flowers,  which 
appear  in  May  and  June,  are  small,  of  a  greenish  colour,  and  consist  of  semi- 
erect  spikes  from  two  to  four  inches  in  length.  The  seeds,  which  are  smaller 
than  any  of  the  other  American  maples,  are  fixed  upon  slender,  pendulous  foot- 
stalks. They  are  reddish  at  maturity,  have  each  a  small  cavity  on  one  side, 
and  are  surmounted  by  a  membraneous  wing.  They  are  usually  ripe  in  the 
early  part  of  October. 

Geography  and  History.  The  Acer  spicatum  is  most  abundant  in  Canada, 
and  along  the  range  of  the  Alleghany  Mountains,  as  far  south  as  the  forty-first 
degree  of  latitude.  It  was  introduced  into  England  in  1750,  by  Archibald,  Duke 
of  Argyle,  and  has  since  been  cultivated  in  many  of  the  gardens  on  the  continent. 
According  to  Loudon,  the  largest  tree  of  this  species  in  England,  is  at  Croome, 
in  Worcestershire,  which,  in  1835,  had  been  planted  thirty  years,  and  was  forty 
feet  high,  fifteen  inches  in  diameter  near  the  ground,  with  an  ambitus,  or  extent  of 
branches,  of  twenty  feet.  He  mentions  another  at  Edinburgh,  in  the  Caledonian 
Horticultural  Society's  garden,  which,  nine  years  after  planting,  was  thirty  feel 
high.  Also,  another  at  Florence  Court,  the  residence  of  the  Earl  of  Enniskillen, 
in  Ireland,  which  at  thirty-eight  years'  growth  was  fifty  feet  high. 


SPIKE-FLOWERED    MAPLE.  75 

Soil,  Situation,  §*c.  This  tree,  in  its  natural  habitat,  prefers  the  declivities 
3f  mountains  exposed  to  the  north,  and  in  cool,  moist,  and  shady  places ;  or  on 
the  abrupt  and  rocky  banks  of  torrents  and  rivers.  When  cultivated,  the  soil 
should  be  free,  deep,  loamy,  and  rather  rich  than  otherwise,  and  neither  wet  nor 
very  dry.  It  may  be  propagated  either  by  seeds  or  by  the  modes  recommended 
in  the  general  remarks  at  the  commencement  of  this  genus.  Michaux  states  that 
this  species,  grafted  upon  the  European  sycamore,  (Acer  pseudo-platanus)  is,  like 
the  Acer  striatum,  augmented  to  twice  its  natural  dimensions. 

The  mountain  maple  is  ordinarily  too  small  to  be  profitably  applied  to  any 
useful  purpose  in  the  arts,  and  consequently  can  be  of  but  little  value  except  for 
ornament. 


Acer  striatum^ 
THE  STRIPED-BARKED  MAPLE. 

Synonymes. 


Acer  striatum, 

Acer  pennsylvanicum, 

Erable  jaspe, 

Gestreifter  Ahorn, 

Acero  screziato, 

Striped  Maple, 

Dogwood,  False  Dogwood, 

Moose-wood,  Snake-barked  Maple, 


'  Michatjx,  North  American  Sylva 
1  De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 

Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 

Linn-eus,  Species  Plantarum. 

Dp  Hamel,  Traite  des  Arbres  et  Arbustes* 

Torre y  and  Gray,  Flora  of  North  America. 

France. 

Germany. 

Italy. 

New  Jersey  and  Pennsylvania. 

New  York. 

New  England  and  British  American  Provinces. 


Derivation.     The  specific  name  striatum,  is  derived  from  the  Latin  strio,  striped,  in  allusion  to  the  colour  of  the  bark. 

Engravings.    Michaux,  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  45;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  i.,  figure  116  ;  pp.  336,  337,  et 
».  pi.  27;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.    Leaves  cordate,  3-lobed,  acuminated,  finely  and  acutely  serrated.    Racemes  pendu- 
lous, simple.    Petals  oval.    Fruit  smooth,  with  the  wings  rather  diverging. — Don,  Miller's  Diet. 


Description. 

^SflHE  Acer  striatum  is 
a  beautiful,  deciduous 
tree,  or  shrub,  grow- 
ing, in  its  natural  hab- 
itat, to  a  height  of  ten  or  twenty  feet,  and 
to  nearly  thirty  feet  in  height,  in  a  state  of 
cultivation.  The  trunk  and  branches  are 
covered  with  a  smooth,  green  bark,  longitudi- 
nally marked  with  light  and  dark  stripes,  by 
which  the  tree  is  readily  distinguished  at  all 
seasons  of  the  year.  In  the  regions  where  it 
naturally  grows,  it  is  one  of  the  first  produc- 
tions that  announces  the  approach  of  spring. 
Its  buds  and  leaves,  when  beginning  to  un- 
fold, are  of  a  roseate  hue,  and  soon  change  to 
a  yellowish-green.  The  leaves  are  of  a  thick 
texture,  four  or  five  inches  wide,  rounded  at 
the  base,  and  finely  serrated.  The  flowers, 
which  appear  in  May  or  June,  are  of  a  yel- 
lowish-green, and  are  grouped  on  long  peduncles.  The  fruit,  which,  like  that 
of  all  its  congeners,  consists  of  samarse  or  keys,  is  remarkable  for  a  cavity  on 
one  side  of  the  capsules.  It  is  produced  in  great  abundance,  and  ripens  in  Sep- 
tember or  October. 

Geography  and  History.  The  Acer  striatum  is  a  native  of  North  America,  and 
makes  its  first  appearance  in  about  fifty-one  degrees  of  latitude.  It  is  particularly 
abundant  in  Nova  Scotia,  Canada,  Maine,  New  Hampshire,  and  Vermont.  In 
approaching  the  river  Hudson,  it  becomes  more  rare;  and  beyond  this  boun- 
dary, it  is  confined  to  the  mountainous  tracts  of  the  Alleghanies,  in  which  it  is 


STRIPED-BARKED  MAPLE.  77 

Dund  in  cold,  shaded  exposures,  along  the  whole  range,  to  their  termination  in 
Georgia.  In  many  of  the  forests  of  Maine  and  New  Hampshire,  this  species 
onstitutes  a  great  part  of  the  undergrowth,  seldom  exceeding  ten  feet  in  height ; 
ut  where  it  is  not  shaded  by  other  trees,  it  attains  a  height  of  twenty  feet  and 
pwards. 

This  tree  was  introduced  into  England  in  about  1760,  and  was  cultivated,  not 
ir  from  that  time,  by  Miller.  It  was  probably  soon  after  introduced  on  the  con- 
inent,  where  it  is  still  growing  in  many  of  the  gardens. 

The  largest  tree  of  this  species  in  Europe,  and  probably  on  the  globe,  is  at 
Ichonbrunn,  in  Germany.  In  1835  it  was  between  thirty  and  forty  feet  high, 
rith  a  trunk  eighteen  inches  in  diameter. 

The  largest  specimen  in  England,  in  1835,  mentioned  by  Loudon,  was  at 
Vhite  Knight's,  near  Reading.  At  twenty-five  years  after  planting,  it  was 
wenty-one  feet  high.  Another  tree  is  noticed  by  him  at  Oriel  Temple,  in  Ire- 
md,  which,  at  thirty-five  years  planted,  was  twenty-seven  feet  high. 

Properties,  Uses,  $*c.  The  wood  of  the  Acer  striatum  is  white,  and  fine- 
rained  and  is  sometimes  used  by  cabinet-makers  as  a  substitute  for  holly,  or 
ther  woods,  for  forming  the  lines  with  which  they  inlay  mahogany.  According 
)  Michaux,  in  Nova  Scotia  cattle  are  fed  with  the  leaves  of  this  tree,  both  in  the 
reen  and  dried  state ;  and  in  spring,  when  the  buds  begin  to  swell,  horses  and 
attle  are  turned  into  the  woods  to  browse  on  the  young  shoots,  which  they  devour 
rith  avidity.  The  same  thing  is  practised,  at  present,  in  regions  where  this  tree 
bounds,  both  in  Canada,  and  in  the  United  States. 

From  the  great  beauty  of  the  bark  and  foliage  of  this  tree,  it  deserves  a  place 
l  every  collection.  It  is  propagated  by  seeds,  or  by  grafting  on  the  Acer  pseudo- 
la'tanus. 


Acer  macrophylhim, 
THE  LARGE-LEAVED  MAPLE. 

Synonymes. 


Acer  macrophyllum, 


Erable  a  grandes  feuilles, 
Grossblattriger  Ahorn, 
Large-leaved  Maple, 


'  De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 

Hooker,  Flora  Boreali  Americana. 

Don,  Miller's  Dictionary. 

Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
^  Nuttall,  North  American  Sylva. 

France. 

Germany. 

Britain  and  Anglo- America. 


Derivations.    The  specific  name  is  derived  from  the  Greek  macros,  great,  and  phulos,  a  leaf.    The  other  names  are  transla- 
tions of  the  botanic  one. 


Engravings.    Hooker,  Flora  Boreali  Americana,  i.,  pi.  33 ;  Nuttall,  North  American  Sylva,  pi. 
tannicum,  i.,  figures  117  et  118,  pp.  438  to  441,  et  v.  pi.  28;  and  the  figures  below. 


Loudon,  Arboretum  Bri- 


Specific  Characters.  Leaves  digitately  5-lobed,  with  rounded  recesses.  Lobes  somewhat  3-lobed,  repandly 
toothed,  pubescent  beneath,  racemes  compound,  erect.  Stamens  9,  with  hairy  filaments.  Ovaries  very 
hairy. — Don,  Miller's  Diet. 


Description. 

!  HE  Large-leaved  Ma- 
ple is  one  of  the  most 
graceful  of  trees  in  the 
H^gH  country  it  inhabits,  va- 
rying from  forty  to  ninety  feet  in  height,  and 
from  two  to  five  feet  or  more  in  diameter.  The 
trunk  is  covered  with  a  rough,  brown  bark,  and 
the  branches  are  wide  and  spreading.  The 
leaves  vary  much  in  size,  and  also  in  the  manner 
in  which  they  are  lobed.  Som^  are  cut  nearly 
to  the  base,  so  as  almost  to  merit  the  appellation 
of  palmate,  while  others  are  not  more  deeply  cut 
than  those  of  the  Acer  platanoides.  The  largest- 
sized  leaves  are  nearly  a  foot  broad.  The  flow- 
ers are  of  a  greenish-yellow,  and  very  fragrant, 
appearing  in  April  and  May.  The  fruit  is  hispid, 
with  elongated,  slightly  diverging,  glabrous 
wings. 

Geography  and  History.  The  Acer  macrophyllum  is  a  native  of  the  north- 
west coast  of  North  America.  It  is  found  exclusively  in  woody,  mountainous 
regions  along  the  sea-coast,  between  forty  and  fifty  degrees  of  latitude,  and  on 
the  great  rapids  of  the  river  Columbia. 

"  This  noble  tree,"  observes  Dr.  Hooker,  "  was  unquestionably  discovered  by 
Mr.  Menzies,  the  first  naturalist  who  visited  the  coast  where  it  grows."  Mr. 
David  Douglass,  who  subsequently  found  it,  prophetically  adds,  "  It  will,  at 
some  future  time,  constitute  one  of  our  most  ornamental  forest  trees  in  England." 
It  was  introduced  into  Britain  in  1812,  where,  however,  it  had  not  flowered  in 
1835.  The  largest  specimen  of  this  tree  is  in  the  garden  of  the  London  Horti- 
cultural Society,  where  it  attained  a  height  of  twenty-five  feet  in  twenty-three 
years. 


LARGE-LEAVED  MAPLE.  79 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  Acer  macrophyllum  is  whitish,  beau- 
tifully veined,  and  resembles  the  curled  maple.  It  is  said  to  exhibit  a  grain 
scarcely  inferior  in  beauty  to  the  finest  satin-wood.  Hence,  from  its  great  size, 
it  cannot  fail  to  be  admirably  adapted  for  cabinet-making,  as  well  as  for  numer- 
ous other  purposes.  The  tree  contains,  perhaps,  as  much  sap  as  any  of  its 
congeners,  except  the  Acer  saccharinum ;  but  it  is  not  used  by  the  natives  for 
making  sugar. 

This  magnificent  species  cannot  be  too  warmly  recommended  to  the  attention 
of  amateurs  and  planters,  as  it  is  perfectly  hardy  and  well  suited  for  general 
cultivation,  both  in  Europe  and  in  America.  It  is  propagated  by  layers  in  the 
nurseries  of  Messrs.  Loddiges,  where  the  annual  shoots  often  acquire  a  length 
of  six  to  ten  feet. 


Acer  platanoides, 

THE  PLATANUS-LIKE  MAPLE. 

Synonymes. 


Acer  platanoides, 


'Linnaeus,  Species  Plantarum. 

De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 

Michaux,  North  American  Sylva. 

Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 

Selby,  British  Forest  Trees. 
Erable  de  Norvege,  France. 

Spitz- Ahorn,  Spitzblattriger  Ahorn,  Germany. 

Acero  riccio,  Sicomoro  falso,  Platano  di  )  ttaly 

Norvegia,  j 

Norway  Maple,  Britain  and  Anglo-America. 

Derivations.    The  specific  name  is  derived  from  the  Latin  platanus,  a  plane-tree,  and  the  Greek  eidos,  form,  from  the 
resemblance  which  the  leaves  of  this  tree  bear  to  those  of  the  Platanus  orientalis. 

Engravings.    Michaux,  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  44  ;  Selby,  British  Forest  Trees,  pp.  23  et  26;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Bri- 
tannicum, i.,  figures  119,  pp.  442  et443;  et  v.  pi.  29;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.  Leaves  cordate,  smooth,  5-lobed.  Lobes  acuminated,  with  a  few  coarse,  acute  teeth. 
Corymbs  stalked,  erectish,  and,  as  well  as  the  fruit,  smooth  ;  fruit  with  divaricated  wings.— Dm,  Mil- 
ler's Diet. 


Descrijrtion. 

^jjjHE   Acer    platanoides 

*Mi  h  H  irl  is  a  handsome  tree,  of 

gj    J    |t  the    first    rank.      Its 

ifeS^  general  appearance,  at 
a  distance,  is  like  the  Acer  psendo-platanus,  but 
on  a  nearer  approach,  the  leaves  are  found  of  a 
smoother  and  finer  texture.  The  trunk  is  some- 
what shorter  than  that  of  the  sycamore,  and  the 
tree  seldom  exceeds  sixty  or  seventy  feet  in 
height.  The  roots  extend  considerably,  both 
laterally  and  downwards.  The  bark  is  green  on 
the  young  shoots,  but  it  afterwards  becomes  of  a 
reddish-brown,  dotted  with  white  spots ;  that  of 
the  trunk  is  brown,  and  somewhat  cracked. 
The  buds  are  large  and  red  in  autumn,  becoming 
of  a  still  darker  hue  in  the  course  of  the  winter ; 
those  on  the  points  of  the  shoots  are  always  the 
largest.  The  leaves  are  thin,  green  on  both 
sides,  and  shining.  In  an  early  or  half-expanded 
state,  they  are  of  a  delicate  yellowish-green,  and  in  autumn,  before  they  fall, 
become  of  a  clear  red,  or  of  a  rich,  warm  yellow.  They  fall,  in  England,  about 
the  end  of  October.  When  the  petiole  is  broken,  an  acrid,  milky  sap  issues  from 
it,  which  coagulates  on  being  exposed  to  the  air.  The  leaves  are  about  five 
inches  long,  and  nearly  of  the  same  width.  The  petioles  are  longer  than  the 
leaves.  The  flowers  appear  just  before  the  leaves,  near  the  end  of  April,  and 
form  a  short  raceme,  somewhat  corymbose.  They  are  yellowish-green,  sweet- 
scented,  and  eagerly  sought  after  by  bees,  to  which  they  afford  an  early,  and  at 
the  same  time,  a  valuable  pasture.     The  fruit  or  keys  have  their  wings  yellow. 


PLATANUS-LIKE    MAPLE.  81 

They  ripen  in  England  in  September  and  October,  and  generally  prove  abortive 
until  the  tree  arrives  at  an  age  of  nearly  forty  years. 

Varieties.  At  least  four  varieties  of  the  Norway  maple  are  known,  and  may 
be  distinguished  as  follows  : — 

1.  A.  p.  lobelii,  Loudon.  Lobel's  Platanus-like  Maple.  The  leaves  of  this 
variety  are  very  slightly  heart-shaped,  irregularly  toothed,  five-lobed,  with  the 
lobes  more  or  less  abruptly  pointed.  The  bark  of  the  young  wood  is  striped, 
somewhat  in  the  manner  of  that  of  the  Acer  striatum ;  by  which  circumstance 
the  plant,  in  the  young  state,  may  readily  be  known.  It  is  a  large  tree,  native 
of  the  kingdom  of  Naples,  and  found  on  mountains. 

2.  A.  p.  pubescens,  Loudon.  Downy-leaved  Platanus-like  Maple.  This  vari- 
ety may  be  distinguished  by  the  pubescence  of  the  leaves  on  their  under  sides. 

3.  A.  p.  albo  variegatum,  Loudon.  Silvery  Variegated-leaved  Platanus-like 
Maple.  This  variety  has  been  represented  as  having  its  foliage  beautifully  and 
handsomely  marked :  but  it  is  thought  to  be  inferior  in  beauty  to  the  variegated 
sycamore. 

4.  A.  p.  laciniatum,  De  Candolle.  Cut-leaved  Platanus-like  Maple.  This  is 
a  very  distinct  variety,  with  the  leaves  deeply  and  variously  cut.  There  is  a 
sub-variety  of  this  race,  sometimes  called  by  nurserymen,  the  eagle's  claw,  or 
hawk's-foot  maple. 

Geography  and  History.  The  Acer  platanoides  is  a  native  of  Europe,  from 
the  west  coast  of  Norway  to  Switzerland,  and  from  France  to  the  eastern  boun- 
dary of  European  Russia.  Pallas  says  that  it  does  not  occur  beyond  the  Ural 
Mountains,  nor  in  Siberia,  but  that  it  is  common  through  all  the  woods  of  Russia. 
In  the  north,  it  forms  a  stunted  bush,  but  in  the  Ukraine  it  is  a  lofty  tree. 

This  species  is  recorded  as  having  been  first  cultivated  in  Britain  in  the  Edin- 
burgh botanic  garden,  by  Mr.  James  Southerland.  It  is  also  stated  by  the 
late  Dr.  Walker,  of  Edinburgh,  that  it  was  first  introduced  at  Mount  Stewart 
in  1738.  Since  that  time  it  has  very  generally  been  propagated  in  Britain,  and 
on  the  continent. 

The  largest  tree  on  record,  is  at  Schwobber,  near  Hanover,  in  Germany.  It 
had  attained  the  height  of  eighty  feet  in  1835. 

At  Charleville  Forest,  in  King's  county,  Ireland,  there  was,  in  1835,  a  tree  of 
this  species,  sixty  years  planted,  which  had  attained  the  height  of  seventy-eight 
feet,  with  a  trunk  three  and  two-thirds  feet  in  diameter,  one  foot  from  the 
ground. 

At  Taymouth,  in  Perthshire,  Scotland,  there  was,  in  1835,  a  Norway  maple, 
fifty  years  planted,  which  was  fifty  feet  high,  with  an  ambitus,  or  spread  of 
branches,  of  fifty-one  feet. 

This  species  was  introduced  into  the  United  States  by  the  late  Mr.  Prince,  of 
Flushing,  New  York,  prior  to  1820,  and  is  usually  found  in  American  nurseries 
and  collections. 

Soil  and  Situation.  To  attain  a  considerable  size,  this  tree  should  be  planted 
in  a  free,  deep,  rich  soil,  not  surcharged  with  moisture ;  and  the  situation  ought  to 
be  low  rather  than  high.  It  thrives  remarkably  well  along  the  sea-shore  on  the 
Baltic,  and  on  the  west  coast  of  Norway. 

Accidents,  fyc.  The  leaves  of  the  Acer  platanoides,  in  common  with  those  of 
the  Acer  pseudo-platanus,  and  perhaps  those  of  several  other  species  of  the  same 
genus,  are  subject  to  what  is  commonly  called  the  honey-dew,  which,  from  its 
clamminess  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  smoke  of  mineral  coal,  is  apt  to  attract 
and  retain  the  particles  of  soot  that  are  continually  floating  in  the  air.  In  con- 
sequence of  insects  resorting  to  the  leaves  in  quest  of  the  honey-dew,  they  are 
frequently  blackened  with  their  excrement.  This  honey-dew,  or  manna,  as  it  is 
called  in  some  parts  of  France,  is  thought  by  some,  to  be  produced  by  the  extra 

11 


82  ACER   PLATANOIDES. 

vasated  sap  of  the  leaves,  and  by  others  as  the  exudation  of  plant -lice  (aphides.) 
Bees  are  so  fond  of  it,  that  it  has  been  recommended  by  some,  to  plant  this  spe- 
cies in  the  vicinity  of  places  where  they  are  kept,  to  afford  them  forage ;  but 
according  to  others,  the  bitterness  of  this  substance  on  the  leaves,  prevents  them 
from  being  attacked  by  insects. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  Norway  maple,  in  its  young  state,  is 
white  ;  but  at  a  more  advanced  age,  it  becomes  gray.  It  promises  to  be  of  more 
value  in  England,  and  adapted  for  a  greater  variety  of  purposes,  than  that  of  the 
Acer  pseudo-platanus.  It  is  close-grained,  firm,  heavy,  and  frequently  exhibits 
those  beautiful  appearances  in  the  direction  and  disposition  of  the  fibres,  for 
which  the  American  "bird's-eye  maple"  is  so  highly  prized.  When  dry,  it 
weighs  forty-three  and  a  quarter  pounds  to  a  cubic  foot ;  and  in  seasoning,  it 
loses  about  one  twenty- fourth  part  of  its  weight.  It  is  easily  worked,  takes  a 
fine  polish,  and  absorbs  and  retains  various  kinds  of  dyes  and  colouring  sub- 
stances. From  the  sap,  sugar  has  been  made  in  Norway,  Sweden,  and  Lithu- 
ania. This  tree,  however,  does  not  produce  so  great  a  quantity  of  sap  as  the  Acer 
saccharinum,  or  the  European  sycamore  ;  bat  it  contains  more  saccharine  matter 
than  the  latter,  and  less  than  the  former. 

Independently  of  the  above-named  uses,  this  tree  has  much  to  recommend  its 
general  culture,  both  in  Europe  and  in  America.  In  a  suitable  soil,  it  grows  with 
rapidity  and  luxuriance,  and  even  thrives  upon  soils  of  an  inferior  quality,  pro- 
vided they  are  not  charged  with  too  much  moisture.  Another  recommendation 
it  possesses,  is  its  aptitude  to  withstand  the  effects  of  the  sea-breeze,  which  it 
has  proved  to  do  upon  the  western  coast  of  Scotland,  as  well  as  upon  the  shores 
of  the  Baltic,  and  eastern  coast  of  Norway.^  It  may  be  propagated  by  seeds, 
by  layering,  or  grafting.  The  seeds,  when  gathered,  should  either  be  sown 
immediately,  or  mixed  with  sand  or  earth,  and  kept  moderately  dry  till  spring. 
In  either  case,  they  will  come  up  the  first  year. 

*  Selby,  British  Forest  Trees,  p.  24. 


Acer  saccharinum, 
THE  SUGAR  MAPLE. 

Synonymes. 


Acer  saccharinum, 


Erable  a  sucre, 


Zucker  A horn, 

Acero  zuccheroso,  Acero  del  Canada, 


Ininawtig, 


'  LiNN.aEus,  Species  Plantarum. 

De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 

Michaux,  North  American  Sylva. 
-^  Don,  Miller's  Dictionary. 

Hooker,  Flora  Boreali  Americana. 

Lotjdon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
k  Torrey  and  Gray,  Flora  of  North  America 

France. 

Germany. 

Italy. 

Ojibway  Indians. 


Rock  Maple,  Hard  Maple,  Bird's-eye  Ma-  ) 
pie,   Sugar  Maple,  Sugar-tree,   Black  >  Britain  and  Anglo-America. 
Sugar-tree,  Sap-tree,  ) 

Derivations.    The  specific  name  is  derived  from  the  Latin  saccharum,  sugar,  having  reference  to  the  sugar  contained  in  the 
sap. 

Engravings.    Michaux,  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  42;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  i.,  figure  122.  pp.  446  et  447,  et 
v.,  pi.  31 ;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.  Leaves  cordate,  smooth,  glaucous  beneath,  palmately  5-lobed ;  lobes  acuminated, 
serrately  toothed.  Corymbs  drooping,  on  short  peduncles.  Pedicels  pilose.  Fruit  smooth,  with  the 
wings  diverging. — Bon,  Miller's  Diet. 


Description. 

iHE   Acer   saccharinum 

is  one  of  the  most  noble 

and  majestic  of  Ameri- 
WSf^^^HM  can  trees.  In  favoura- 
ble situations  it  sometimes  grows  to  a  height 
of  seventy  or  eighty  feet,  and  from  two  to  four 
feet  in  diameter ;  but  usually  it  does  not  ex- 
ceed an  elevation  of  fifty  or  sixty  feet,  and  a 
diameter  of  twelve  or  eighteen  inches.  The 
trunk  is  generally  straight,  though  often  stud- 
ded with  projections  and  excrescences.  In  all 
healthful  and  vigorous  trees,  the  outward  bark 
is  light-coloured,  by  which  they  may  readily 
be  distinguished.  When  growing  in  open  sit- 
uations, with  room  to  spread  on  every  side, 
where  all  its  branches  are  exposed  to  the  free 
action  of  light,  this  tree  is  an  object  of  great 
beauty.  It  somewhat  resembles  the  English 
oak,  in  its  outline,  in  the  form  of  its  trunk,  and 
disposition  of  its  branches,  and  in  the  dense  and  massy  character  of  its  foliage. 
The  leaves  are  from  three  to  five  inches  broad ;  but  they  vary  in  length,  accord- 
ing to  the  age  and  vigour  of  the  tree.  They  are  opposite,  attached  by  long 
petioles,  palmated  or  unequally  divided  into  five  lobes,  entire  at  the  edges,  of  a 
bright-green  above,  whitish,  and  very  pubescent  at  first,  but  later,  minutely  so. 
or  nearly  glabrous  beneath ;  and  except  in  the  colour  of  the  under  surface,  they 


84 


ACER    SACCHARINUM. 


greatly  resemble  the  Norway  maple.  In  autumn,  after  the  appearance  of  the 
first  frost,  their  colour  changes  from  green  to  all  shades  of  red,  from  the  deepest 
crimson  to  light  orange.  The  flowers,  which  appear  in  April  and  May,  are 
small,  of  a  pale  greenish-yellow,  and  are  suspended  by  slender,  drooping  pedun- 
cles. The  seed  is  contained  in  two  capsules,  united  at  the  base,  and  terminating 
in  membraneous  wings  about  an  inch  in  length.  It  usually  ripens  in  Pennsyl- 
vania and  New  York  by  the  first  of  October,  though  the  fruit  attains  its  full  size 
a  month  or  six  weeks  earlier.  Externally,  the  keys  appear  equally  perfect;  but 
one  of  them,  Michaux  informs  us,  is  always  empty.  The  fruit  matures  only 
once  in  two  or  three  years. 

Variety.  The  Acer  saccharinum  has  been 
confounded  by  some  botanists  with  another  tree 
so  nearly  allied  to  it,  that  it  can  only  be  re- 
garded as  a  variety.  From  the  dark  hue  of 
its  leaves,  it  was  very  appropriately  designated 
by  Mr.  Loudon,  under  the  name  of  A.  s.  ni- 
grum, {Acer  nigrum,  Michaux,)  or  Black  Su- 
gar Maple.  According  to  Michaux,  the  leaves 
of  this  variety  are  pale-green  beneath,  the 
veins  of  the  lower  surface  and  petioles  minutely 
villous-pubescent,  and  the  wings  of  the  fruit  a 
little  more  diverging  than  those  of  the  species, 
as  indicated  in  the  adjoining  figure.  "The 
leaves,"  he  says,  "are  five  or  six  inches  long, 
and  exhibit,  in  every  respect,  nearly  the  same 
conformation  as  those  of  the  true  sugar  maple." 
:'They  differ  from  it,"  continues  he,  "chiefly 
in  being  of  a  darker  green,  and  of  a  thicker 
texture ;  and  in  being  somewhat  more  bluntly 
lobed.  The  tree  is  indiscriminately  mixed  with  the  common  sugar  maple, 
through  extensive  regions  of  country  in  New  Hampshire,  Vermont,  and  Connec- 
ticut ;  but  is  readily  distinguished  from  it,  by  the  smaller  size  it  attains,  and  the 
darker  colour  of  the  leaves."  When  the  tree  stands  alone,  it  naturally  assumes 
a  regular  and  agreeable  form.  In  Canada  and  New  England,  it  rarely  exceeds 
fifty  feet  in  height,  with  a  diameter  of  fifteen  or  twenty  inches ;  but  in  western 
New  York,  and  in  the  immense  valleys  through  which  flow  the  great  rivers  of 
the  west,  it  is  common,  and  attains  the  full  magnitude  of  the  species. 

Geography  and  History.  According  to  the  elder  Michaux,  this  tree  is  first 
seen  a  little  north  of  Lake  St.  John,  in  Canada,  near  the  forty-eighth  degree  of 
north  latitude,  which,  in  the  rigour  of  its  winter,  corresponds  with  the  parallel 
of  about  the  sixty-eighth  degree  in  Europe.  It  is  nowhere  more  abundant  than 
between  the  parallels  of  forty-three  and  forty-six  degrees,  comprising  all,  or  a 
great  part  of  Canada,  New  Brunswick,  Nova  Scotia,  the  states  of  Maine,  New 
Hampshire,  Vermont,  and  New  York,  the  true  region  assigned  by  nature  for  the 
growth  of  this  tree.  It  is  also  found,  but  more  sparingly,  in  almost  every  state 
in  the  union,  particularly  on  the  flanks  of  the  entire  range  of  the  Alleghanies  to 
their  termination  in  Georgia. 

This  species  was  introduced  into  England,  in  1734,  by  Collinson,  and  since 
that  time,  it  has  been  cultivated  in  the  principal  gardens  throughout  Europe. 
Count  Wingersky  is  said  to  have  planted  a  great  number  of  trees  on  his  estate  in 
Moravia,  and  to  have  drawn  off  the  sap  from  them  at  the  age  of  twenty-five 
years,  in  order  to  make  sugar.  He  succeeded  in  procuring  a  very  good  article ; 
but  in  consequence  of  depriving  the  trees  of  their  sap  every  year,  they  became 
sickly,  and  soon  afterwards  died. 


SUGAR    MAPLE.  S5 

The  largest  recorded  tree  of  this  species,  in  Europe,  is  at  Worlitz,  in  Saxony. 
At  the  expiration  of  sixty  years  after  being  planted,  it  was  fifty  feet  high. 

The  largest  sugar  maple  in  the  neighbourhood  of  London,  is  at  Purser's  Cross, 
which,  in  1835,  had  attained  the  height  of  forty-five  feet. 

Several  large  trees  of  this  species  are  found  on  Goat  Island,  at  the  falls  of  Ni- 
agara ;  but  they  are  far  inferior  in  size  to  myriads  of  others,  in  Canada,  New 
England,  and  other  parts  of  America. 

Soil,  Situation,  fyc.  The  natural  habitat  of  the  Acer  saccharin  um  is  the  steep 
and  shady  banks  of  rivers,  which  rise  in  mountainous  regions,  and  in  all  elevated 
situations,  where  the  soil  is  cold  and  humid,  free,  deep,  and  fertile,  and  not  sur- 
charged with  moisture.  When  cultivated,  the  same  soil  is  recommended  as  in 
the  Acer  platanoides ;  but  as  it  is  less  hardy,  the  situation  should  be  more  shel- 
tered. In  Europe,  it  is  always  propagated  by  seeds,  where  its  rate  of  growth 
varies  from  one  to  four  feet  per  annum.  In  the  United  States  it  is  either  propa- 
gated from  seeds,  in  nurseries,  or  is  transplanted  from  the  woods  or  fields,  to  the 
site  where  it  is  intended  to  remain.  The  age  of  this  tree  in  America  does  not 
usually  exceed  two  hundred  years. 

Insects.  Few  insects  or  their  larvae  seem  to  feed  upon  the  leaves  of  the  sugar 
maple,  with  the  exception  of  the  Apatela  americana,  described  by  Dr.  Harris,  in 
his  "Report  on  the  Insects  of  Massachusetts  injurious  to  Vegetation,"  and  also 
figured  and  described  in  Smith  and  Abbot's  "  Insects  of  Georgia,"  under  the 
name  of  Phalcena  aceris.  The  caterpillar  of  this  insect  eats  the  leaves  of  the 
various  kinds  of  maple,  as  well  as  those  of  the  elm  and  chesnut.  They  commence 
spinning  in  October  or  November,  and  come  out  from  their  webs  or  cocoons 
from  April  to  July.  The  moths  fly  only  in  the  night.  But  this  fine  tree  suffers 
much  from  the  attacks  of  the  borers  or  larvae  of  the  Clytus  speciosus,  denoted  by 
the  accompanying  figure.  This  insect  is  accurately 
described  and  figured  in  Say's  "  American  Entomol- 
ogy;" and  an  account  of  its  habits  is  given  by  Rev. 
L.  W.  Leonard,  of  Dublin,  New  Hampshire,  in  Har- 
ris' "  Report."  He  discovered  the  insect  in  the  beetle 
state,  under  the  loosened  bark  of  one  of  the  trees,  and 
traced  the  recent  track  of  the  larva,  three  inches  into 
the  solid  wood.  Dr.  Harris  says,  "It  is  the  largest 
known  species  of  Clytus,  being  from  nine  to  eleven- 
tenths  of  an  inch  in  length,  and  three  to  four-tenths 
in  breadth.  It  lays  its  eggs  on  the  trunk  of  the  maple 
in  July  and  August.  The  grubs  burrow  into  the 
bark  as  soon  as  they  are  hatched,  and  are  thus  protected  during  the  winter.  In 
spring,  they  penetrate  deeper,  and  form,  in  the  course  of  the  summer,  long  and 
winding  galleries  in  the  wood,  up  and  down  the  trunk.  In  order  to  check 
their  devastations,  they  should  be  sought  for  in  the  spring,  when  they  will  rea- 
dily be  detected  by  the  saw-dust  that  they  cast  out  of  their  burrows ;  and,  by  a 
judicious  use  of  a  knife  and  stiff  wire,  they  may  be  cut  out,  or  destroyed  before 
they  have  gone  deeply  into  the  wood." 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  Acer  saccharinum,  when  newly  cut, 
is  white,  but  after  being  wrought  and  exposed  for  some  time  to  the  light,  it  takes 
a  rosy  tinge.  Its  grain  is  fine  and  close,  and  when  polished,  its  lustre  is  silky. 
It  is  very  strong  and  heavy,  but  wants  the  property  of  durability,  for  which  the 
•  English  and  American  white  oaks  are  so  highly  esteemed.  The  northern  wood, 
when  dry,  weighs  forty-six  pounds  to  a  cubic  foot,  but  that  grown  south,  weighs 
much  less.  When  cut,  and  properly  dried,  it  makes  excellent  fuel,  which  is 
equally  esteemed  by  some,  for  that  purpose,  with  the  oak  and  hickory.  When 
exposed  to  the  alternations  of  moisture  and  dryness,  it  soon  decays,  and  for  this 


8G  ACER    SACCHARINUM. 

reason,  it  is  not  much  used  in  civil  and  naval  architecture.  In  Maine,  JNew 
Hampshire,  Vermont,  and  farther  north,  where  the  oak  is  not  plentiful,  the  tim- 
ber of  this  tree  is  substituted  for  it,  in  preference  to  that  of  the  beech,  the  birch, 
or  the  elm.  When  perfectly  seasoned,  which  requires  two  or  three  years,  it  is 
used  for  axletrees,  spokes,  runners  of  common  sleds,  mill-cogs,  and  for  chairs, 
and  cabinet-work.  It  is  also  sometimes  used  for  the  frames  of  houses,  keels, 
and  the  lower  frames  of  vessels,  piles,  and  foundation  pieces  for  mills,  canal 
locks,  and  for  many  other  purposes  where  strength  is  required,  and  the  work  is 
not  exposed  to  the  alternations  of  moisture  and  dryness.  The  wood  of  this  tree 
exhibits  several  accidental  forms  in  the  arrangement  of  its  fibre,  of  which  cabi- 
net-makers take  advantage  in  manufacturing  beautiful  articles  of  furniture,  such 
as  bedsteads,  writing-desks,  and  other  fancy  works,  and  for  inlaying  mahogany 
and  black  walnut,  in  bureaus,  piano-fortes,  etc.  These  forms  or  varieties  may 
be  classified  and  described  as  follows  : — 

1.  Curled  Maple.  Erable  gris  ondule,  French.  The  undulations  or  medul- 
lary rays  of  this  variety,  like  those  of  the  red-flowered  maple,  are  lustrous,  and 
in  one  light  appear  darker,  and  in  another  lighter  than  the  rest  of  the  wood. 
Sometimes  the  zig-zag  lines  are  crossed  by  beautifully  coloured  veins;  but, 
unfortunately,  the  lustre  of  these  shades  disappear  by  long  exposure  to  light  and 
air. 

2.  Bird's-eye  Maple.  Erable  monchele,  French.  This  variety  exhibits  small 
whitish  spots  or  eyes,  not  exceeding  a  tenth  of  an  inch  in  diameter,  sometimes 
occurring  a  little  way  apart,  and  at  others  contiguously  disposed.  The 
more  numerous  these  spots,  the  more  beautiful  and  valuable  the  wood.  They 
are  seen  only  in  old  trees,  which  are  still  sound,  and  appear  to  arise  from  an 
inflection  of  the  fibres  from  the  centres  of  their  trunks  towards  the  surface  across 
the  grain.  To  obtain  the  finest  effect,  the  wood  should  be  sawed  as  nearly  as 
possible  in  a  direction  parallel  with  the  concentric  circles. 

In  addition  to  the  above-named  varieties,  two  other  kinds  occur  in  the  wens,  or 
excrescences  which  grow  on  the  trunk  or  roots  of  this  tree,  and  like  them,  are 
covered  with  bark.  The  most  valuable  variety  is  known  by  the  name  of  Varie- 
gated Maple-knob,  or  Loupe  d'brable  de  coidenrs  variees,  of  the  French.  It  pre- 
sents an  assemblage  of  shades,  agreeably  disposed,  sometimes  resembling  Arabic 
characters,  which  renders  the  wood-  very  appropriate  for  fancy  works,  and  from 
its  scarcity,  it  usually  commands  high  prices.  The  other  variety,  known  by  the 
name  of  Silver-tvhite  Maple-knob,  or  Loupe  durable  blanc  argenle,  of  the  French, 
exhibits  a  silvery  lustre  by  the  arrangement  of  its  fibres,  and  is  highly  prized  for 
the  same  purposes  as  the  preceding,  although  more  common. 

The  wood  of  this  species  is  easily  distinguished  from  that  of  the  red-flowered 
maple,  which  it  resembles  in  appearance,  by  its  weight  and  hardness.  There 
is  besides,  a  very  simple  and  certain  test.  A  few  drops  of  water  saturated  with 
copperas,  (sulphate  of  iron,)  being  poured  upon  samples  of  different  woods,  that 
of  the  sugar  maple  turns  greenish,  and  the  white  maple  and  the  red-flowered 
maple  change  to  a  deep  blue.  The  ashes  of  the  sugar  maple  are  rich  in  the 
alkaline  principle,  and  it  has  been  asserted,  that  they  furnish  four-fifths  of  the 
potash  exported  from  the  United  States  to  Europe.  In  the  forges  of  Maine, 
New  Hampshire,  Vermont,  and  places  farther  north  where  this  tree  grows,  its 
charcoal  is  preferred  to  that  of  any  other  wood ;  and  it  is  said  to  be  one  fifth 
heavier  than  that  made  from  the  same  species  in  the  middle  and  southern  states. 

The  extraction  of  sugar  .from  this  tree  is  a  valuable  resource  in  a  new  coun-' 
try  where  it  abounds;  but  it  is  obvious  that  this  mode  of  obtaining  sugar  is  only 
destined  for  a  certain  stage  in  the  progress  of  society,  and  eventually  gives  way 
to  the  sugar  of  commerce,  produced  by  cane.     For  this  reason,  we  shall  not 
detail  the  process  of  its  manufacture,  as  it  cannot  be  regarded  as  a  matter  of 


SUGAR    MAPLE.  87 

practical  utility.  In  a  country  like  the  United  States,  intersected  by  canals, 
railroads,  and  other  channels  of  intercommunication,  where  labour  is  expensive, 
and  fuel  is  becoming  more  and  more  valuable,  the  manufacture  of  this  article 
cannot  fail  to  be  an  unprofitable  occupation.  Besides,  the  annual  drawing  of 
the  sap  renders  the  trees  sickly,  and  causes  a  premature  decay. 

Ordinarily,  the  sap  begins  to  flow  about  the  last  of  February  or  early  in 
March,  and  continues  for  five  or  six  weeks ;  after  which,  it  becomes  less  abun- 
dant, less  rich  in  saccharine  matter,  and,  at  length,  is  incapable  of  crystalliza- 
tion. It  is  sometimes  the  case,  however,  in  the  northernmost  regions  where  this 
tree  abounds,  that  there  is  an  ascent  of  sap  in  autumn,  as  well  as  in  spring. 
This  only  occurs  late  in  the  season,  when  there  are  slight  frosts  at  night,  suc- 
ceeded by  warm,  pleasant  days.  The  sugar  produced  from  this  sap,  when 
properly  made,  is  equal  to  that  manufactured  from  the  cane,  or  the  beet-root, 
the  properties  of  the  three  being  essentially  the  same.  That  of  the  maple,  as  it 
is  usually  made,  has  a  peculiar  taste,  which  is  much  relished  by  those  who 
are  unaccustomed  to  its  use.  The  amount  of  sugar  produced  from  each 
ree,  in  a  year,  varies  from  different  causes.  A  cold  and  dry  winter  renders  the 
trees  more  productive  than  a  changeable  and  humid  season.  It  is  observed, 
that,  when  a  frosty  night  is  followed  by  a  dry  and  sunny  day,  the  sap  flows 
abundantly ;  and  two  or  three  gallons  are  sometimes  yielded  by  a  single  tree,  in 
twenty-four  hours ;  but,  in  cold,  frosty  weather,  or  rainy  weather,  or  when  the 
nights  are  mild,  the  sap  almost  ceases  to  flow.  The  yearly  product  of  sugar 
from  each  tree  varies  from  two  to  four  pounds.  Trees  which  grow  in  low  and 
moist  places  afford  a  greater  quantity  of  sap  than,  those  which  occupy  rising 
grounds ;  but  it  is  less  rich  in  the  saccharine  principle.  That  of  isolated  trees, 
left  standing  in  the  middle  of  fields,  or  by  the  sides  of  fences,  is  best.  It  is  also 
remarked,  that,  in  districts  which  have  been  cleared  of  other  trees,  and  of  the 
less  vigorous  sugar  maples,  the  product  of  the  remainder  is  proportionably 
greater.  In  the  United  States  and  the  British  provinces  of  North  America, 
there  is  annually  made,  from  seven  million  to  twelve  million  pounds  of  sugar 
from  this  tree.  Holes  are  made  through  the  bark  into  the  wood  of  the  trunk,  in 
March,  April,  and  May,  into  which  tubes  are  introduced  to  lead  the  juice  into 
vessels  placed  below.  It  is  observed  that  the  higher  the  holes  are  from  the 
ground,  the  more  saccharine  the  juice,  and  the  more  injury  the  tree  receives  from 
its  abstraction.  Towards  the  end  of  the  season,  when  the  sap  becomes  uncrys- 
tallizable,  it  is  either  made  into  molasses  or  syrup,  or  is  exposed  for  two  or  three 
days  to  the  sun,  when  it  is  converted  into  vinegar,  by  the  acetous  fermentation 
It  is  also  sometimes  made  into  a  kind  of  beer. 

Wild,  and  domestic  animals  are  inordinately  fond  of  maple  juice,  and  break 
through  their  enclosures  to  sate  themselves ;  and  when  taken  by  them  in  large 
quantities,  it  has  an  exhilarating  effect  upon  their  spirits. 

From  the  great  height,  extended  branches,  regular  and  often  pyramidal  form, 
and  the  rich  verdure  and  cleanliness  of  the  foliage  in  spring  and  summer,  the 
sugar  maple  is  accounted  as  one  of  our  finest  shade-trees,  and  is  highly  recom- 
mended to  be  planted  along  streets  and  avenues,  in  pastures,  and  ornamental 
grounds.  And  it  is  no  less  beautiful  in  our  forest  or  woodland  scenery,  in 
autumn,  when  it  puts  on  its  bright-orange,  and  deep-crimson  robes.  At  first,  the 
extremities  of  the  boughs  alone  change  their  colour,  leaving  the  internal  and  more 
sheltered  parts  still  in  their  verdure,  which  "  gives  to  the  tree  the  effect  of  great 
depth  of  shade,  and  displays  advantageously  the  light,  lively  colouring  of  the 
sprays."  Later  in  the  season,  on  the  contrary,  when  the  tints  become  more  and 
more  gorgeous,  and  the  full  beams  of  the  sun-shine  fall  upon  the  large  masses 
of  foliage,  the  warm  and  glowing  colours  of  the  whole  summit  possess  a  great 
deal  of  grandeur,  and  add  much  to  the  beauty  and  effect  in  the  landscape. 


Acer  pseudo-platanus, 
THE   EUROPEAN    SYCAMORE-TREE. 

Synonymes. 


Acer  pseudo-platanus, 


(  Linnaeus,  Species  Plantarum. 
|  Michaux,  North  American  Sylva. 
■{  Don,  Miller's  Dictionary. 
I  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
[  Selby,  British  Forest  Trees. 
Erable  blanc  de  montagne,  Fausse  pla-  j  France 

tane,  Grand  erable,  Erable  sycomore,     j 
Ehrenbaum,  Weisser    Ahorn,  Gemeiner  j  GermanYi 

Ahorn,  ) 

Acero  fico,  Acero  sicouioro,  Platano  falso,  )  ttaly. 

Platano  salvatico,  j 

Great  Maple,  Mock  Plane-tree,  England. 

Plane-tree,  Scotland. 

European  Sycamore, 


United  States. 


Derivations.    The  botanic  name,  pseudo-platanus,  is  derived  from  the  Latin,  and  signifies  false  plane-tree.    The  other  nam 
are  generally  significant  in  themselves. 

Engravings.    Michaux,  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  44;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  v.,  pi.  32;  Selby,  British  Forest 
Trees,  pp.  14,  15  et  21 ;   and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.  Leaves  cordate,  smooth,  with  5  acuminated,  unequally  toothed  lobes.  Racemes  pen  ■ 
dulous,  rather  compound,  with  the  rachis,  as  well  as  the  filaments  of  stamens,  hairy.  Fruit  smooth, 
with  the  wings  rather  diverging. — Don,  Miller's  Diet. 

Description. 

"  Nor  unnoticed  pass 
The  sycamore,  capricious  in  attire  ; 
Now  green,  now  tawny  ;  and  ere  autumn  yet 
Has  changed  the  woods,  in  scarlet  honours  bright." 


COWPER. 


®@f|HE    Great    Maple    or 


S  S~P  P  Sycamore,    vying    in 
D?    LI    f(5>  point   of   magnitude, 


le^^sl  with  the  oak,  the  ash, 
and  other  trees  of  the  first  rank;  presents  a 
grand,  unbroken  mass  of  foliage.  It  forms  a 
beautiful  contrast  in  appropriate  situations,  and 
when  judiciously  grouped  with  trees  of  a  lighter 
and  more  airy  character,  it  affords  an  "  impene- 
trable shade."  In  favourable  situations,  it  at- 
tains a  height  of  seventy  to  one  hundred  feet, 
and  from  three  to  six  feet  in  diameter  ;  but  ordi- 
narily, it  grows  only  to  one  half  of  these  dimen- 
sions. It  is  a  tree  of  quick  growth,  with  a 
smooth,  ash-gray  bark,  and  round,  spreading 
branches.  The  bark  of  old  trees,  in  peeling  off, 
frequently  leaves  patches  on  their  trunks  of  vari- 
ous hues,  in  a  similar  manner  as  that  of  the 
platanus.  The  leaves  on  long  foot-stalks  are  four  or  five  inches  broad,  pal- 
mate, with  five  acute,  variously  serrated  lobes;  the  middle  one  largest,  pale,  or 
glaucous  beneath.  The  flowers,  which  appear  in  May  and  June,  are  green, 
about  the  size  of  a  currant-blossom,  and  disposed  into  axillary,  pendulous,  com- 


EUROPEAN  SYCAMORE-TREE.  89 

pound  clusters.     The  fruit,  or  capsules  are  smooth,. with  two,  and  sometimes 
three,  large  diverging  wings. 

•     Vcwieties.     The  principal  cultivated  varieties  of  this  species  may  be  described 
as  follows : — 

1.  A.  p.  flava  variegata,  Loudon.  Yellow  Variegated-leaved  Sycamore,  or 
Costorphine  Plane-tree.  The  leaves  of  this  variety  are  variegated  with  yellow. 
The  original  tree  stands  in  the  grounds  of  Sir  T.  Dick  Lauder,  in  the  parish 
of  Costorphine,  near  Edinburgh. 

2.  A.  p.  albo  variegata,  Loudon.  White  Variegated-leaved  Sycamore-tree. 
The  leaves  of  this  variety  are  blotched  with  white.  It  is  more  common  in 
Europe  than  the  preceding.  It  has  much  to  recommend  it  in  spring  or  beginning 
of  summer,  from  the  beauty  of  its  foliage  ;  but  later  in  the  season,  they  soon  become 
ragged,  and  in  autumn,  in  dying  off,  they  acquire  a  dirty  colour,  and  a  diseased 
appearance. 

3.  A.  p.  purpurea,  Loudon.  Purple-leaved  Sycamore-tree.  The  leaves  are  of 
a  fine  purple  beneath,  when  matured,  and  have  a  beautiful  appearance  when 
slightly  ruffled  by  the  wind. 

4.  A.  p.  subobtusa,  Loudon.  Half -obtuse-leaved  Sycamore-tree.  The  lobes 
of  the  leaves  of  this  variety  are  blunt ;  and  the  fruit  and  wings  are  large. 

5.  A.  p.  laciniata,  Loudon.  Cut-leaved  Sycamore-tree.  The  lobes  of  the 
leaves  in  this  variety  are  jagged. 

Geography  and  History.  The  Acer  pseudo-platanus  is  found  in  various  parts 
of  Europe,  particularly  in  Switzerland,  Germany,  Austria,  and  Italy,  in  wooded 
mountainous  situations.  In  England,  it  is  found  in  hedges  and  about  houses, 
but  not  truly  wild.  The  first  record  of  this  tree  as  being  cultivated  in  Britain, 
is  in  Turner's  "  Herbal,"  in  1551 ;  it  is  mentioned  by  most  other  British  authors 
since,  as  of  doubtful  indigenousness.  .  Gerard,  in  1597,  says  "it  is  a  stranger  in 
England,  only  found  growing  in  the  walks  and  places  of  pleasure  of  noblemen, 
where  it  is  planted  for  the  sake  of  its  shadow."  Ray  speaks  of  it  as  being  very 
common  in  courtyards,  churchyards,  avenues,  &c.  Martyn  observes,  in  his 
edition  of  "  Miller's  Dictionary,"  that,  "if  it  were  truly  indigenous,  the  country 
would  have  been  full  of  it ;  since  the  tree  comes  up  with  such  wonderful  facility 
from  the  seed."  Sir  T.  Dick  Lauder  says,  "  It  is  a  favourite  Scotch  tree,  having 
been  much  planted  about  old,  aristocratic  residences  in  Scotland;  and,  if  the 
doubt  of  its  beiftg  a  native  of  Britain  be  true,  which,  however,  we  cannot  believe, 
then  it  is  probable  that  the  long  intimacy  which  subsisted  between  France  and 
Scotland,  may  be  the  cause  of  its  being  so  prevalent  in  the  latter  country." 
Evelyn  accuses  it  of  "contaminating  the  walks,  where  it  may  be  planted,  with 
its  leaves,  which,  like  those  of  the  ash,  fall  early,  and  putrefy,  with  the  first 
moisture  of  the  season."  He  further  remarks,  that  it  "  should  be  banished  from 
all  curious  gardens  and  avenues,"  though  he  acknowledges  that  "for  more  dis- 
tant plantations  it  is  desirable,  particularly  where  better  timber  will  not  pros- 
per so  well,  as  in  places  near  the  sea ;  it  being  in  no  way  injured  by  the  spray, 
which  is  so  prejudicial  to  most  trees."  In  Switzerland,  this  species  is  found  from 
two  thousand  to  three  thousand  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  reaching  up  the 
mountains  to  the  point  where  the  Vaccinium  vitis-idaea  commences ;  provided, 
however,  that  the  soil  be  dry  and  of  a  good  quality.  In  such  situations  it  suf- 
fers much  less  from  frost  and  snow  than  any  other  tree. 

The  Acer  pseudo-platanus ,  in  the  language  of  flowers,  signifies  curiosity, 
because  it  was  supposed  to  be  the  tree  on  which  Zaccheus  climbed  to  see  our 
Saviour  ride  in  triumph  to  Jerusalem,  when  the  people  strewed  leaves  and 
branches  of  palm  and  other  trees  in  his  way,  exclaiming, 

"  Hosanna  to  the  Son  of  David." 

Math.  xxi.  9. 

12 


90  ACER    PSEUDO-PLATANUS. 

The  tree  called  sycamore,  to  which  allusion  is  frequently  made  ii  Holy  Wnt, 
was  not  the  Acer  pseudo-platanus,  but  the  Ficus  sycomoj^us  of  botanists; 
Sycomore  of  the  French;  and  Indischer  Feigenbaum  of  the  Germans.  The  sup- 
position that  this  specie?  was  the  sycamore  of  the  scriptures,  induced  many 
religious  persons  in  Britain,  in  the  XlVth  and  XVth  centuries,  to  plant  it  in 
churchyards,  courtyards,  avenues,  and  near  houses. 

The  oldest  recorded  sycamore,  and  perhaps  the  largest  tree  of  the  kind  in  Brit- 
ain, is  that  at  Kippenross,  in  Perthshire.  In  1823,  it  measured  twenty-eight  feet 
nine  inches  in  circumference,  at  a  foot  from  the  ground.  It  appears  that  it  went 
by  the  name  of  "  the  big  tree  in  Kippenross,"  in  the  time  of  Charles  II.  Another 
tree  of  this  species  is  mentioned  by  Loudon,  as  growing  at  Taymouth,  which 
had  been  planted  more  than  two  hundred  years,  and  attained  the  height  of  one 
hundred  feet,  with  a  trunk  six  feet  in  diameter,  and  an  ambitus  of  forty  feet. 
At  Bishopton,  on  the  Clyde,  there  is  another  tree,  figured  by  Strutt,  in  his 
"Sylva  Britannica,"  which  is  described  as  being  sixty  feet  high,  with  a  trunk 
six  and  a  half  feet  in  diameter. 

Perhaps  the  most  remarkable  sycamores  in  Scotland,  are  those  called  "  dool- 
trees,"  which  were  used  by  the  powerful  barons  in  the  western  part  of  that 
country,  for  hanging  their  enemies  and  refractory  vassals  upon,  and  for  this  rea- 
son, were  called  dool,  or  grief-trees.  One  of  these  trees  is  said  still  to  be  standing 
on  the  banks  of  the  river  Doon,  near  the  fine  old  castle  of  Cassilis,  a  seat  of  the 
Marquis  of  Ailsa,  who  descended  from  the  powerful  family  of  the  Kennedys.  It 
is  raised  on  a  pyramid,  consisting  of  six  steps,  covered  with  turf,  and  has  a 
large,  spreading  head,  nearly  two  hundred  feet  in  circumference.  The  last  time 
this  tree  was  used  as  a  gibbet,  was  for  the  execution  of  Johnny  Faa,  the  gipsy, 
and  seven  of  his  men,  who  were  hanged  for  eloping  with  the  Countess  of  Cas- 
silis. 

Two  other  dool-trees  are  said  to  exist  on  the  estate  of  Blairquhan,  recently  in 
possession  of  Sir  David  Hunter  Blair.  The  largest  is  seventy-two  feet  high, 
with  a  trunk  seventeen  feet  in  circumference,  at  ten  feet  from  the  ground.  The 
other  tree  is  somewhat  less  in  size.  They  are  probably  nearly  three  centuries 
old.  The  date  on  the  old  coat  of  arms  of  the  Kennedys,  in  the  adjoining  court 
of  the  castle,  is  1573. 

In  France,  in  the  botanic  garden  at  Toulon,  there  is  a  sycamore,  about  sixty 
years  planted,  which  is  one  hundred  feet  in  height. 

In  Switzerland,  there  are  many  remarkable  trees  of  different  species,  which 
are  more  or  less  linked  with  the  history  of  the  country.  They  speak  to  the 
imaginations  of  the  people,  and  are  connected,  not  only  with  the  amusements  of 
the  successive  generations,  but  with  the  victories,  that,  in  ancient  times,  secured 
the  independence  of  that  republic.  Among  these  are  the  great  lime-trees  at  Fri- 
bourg,  already  mentioned;  and  as  a  monument  of  a  similar  nature,  we  will  now 
introduce  that  venerable  old  sycamore  of  Trons,  in  the  Grisons,  in  the  same  can- 
ion.  It  was  under  the  shade  of  this  tree,  that  the  deputies  of  the  country  swore 
to  free  themselves  from  the  yoke  of  their  lords.  In  1835,  it  measured  twenty-six 
and  a  half  feet  in  circumference,  at  eighteen  inches  from  the  ground,  and  was 
estimated  to  be  nearly  five  hundred  years  old.  It  is  celebrated  in  all  the  local 
poems  as  being  a  lime-tree,  but  the  fact  is,  it  is  the  Acer  pseudo-platanus.  In 
the  "  Bibliotique  Universelle  de  Geneve,"  for  August,  1831,  there  is  a  letter  from 
M.  Bontemps,  in  which  it  is  stated,  that  the  probable  reason  why  this  tree  is 
called  a  lime  in  the  local  poems  is,  that  the  German  word  Ahorn,  which  signifies 
a  sycamore  or  maple,  is  very  unpoetical,  while  that  for  a  lime-tree,  Linde,  is  soft 
and  liquid ;  and  this  caused  the  former  to  be  rejected  by  the  writers  of  the  old 
ballads. 

The  European  sycamore  appears  to  have  been  introduced  into  the  United 


EUROPEAN    SYCAMORE-TREE.  9] 

States  by  Governor  Christopher  Gore,  prior  to  1810.  The  trees  are  said  to  be 
growing  on  the  estate  which  he  formerly  occupied  in  Waltham,  Massachusetts, 
and  have  attained  a  considerable  size. 

In  the  Bartram  botanic  garden,  at  Kingsessing,  near  Philadelphia,  there  is  a 
tree  one  foot  in  diameter  and  thirty  feet  in  height.  On  the  estate  of  Mr.  Henry 
Codman,  in  Roxbury,  Massachusetts,  there  is  also  another  tree  of  this  species 
nearly  of  the  same  dimensions. 

Soil  and  Siluatio?i.  The  European  sycamore  will  grow  in  any  soil  not  satu- 
rated with  moisture ;  but  it  seems  to  prefer  one  that  is  dry  and  free,  rather  than 
stiff  or  moist.  It  will  grow  in  exposed  situations,  and  especially  on  the  sea- 
coast,  and  maintain  its  erect  position  against  the  sea-breeze  better  than  most 
other  trees.  It  is  in  use  for  this  purpose  in  Scotland,  and  also  for  planting  round 
farm-houses  and  cottages  on  bleak  hills.  In  such  situations,  it  is  said,  an 
instance  can  hardly  be  found  of  the  head  of  the  tree  leaning  more  to  one  side 
than  to  the  other.  Even  when  the  wind  blows  strongly  in  one  direction  for  nine 
months  in  the  year,  this  tree  maintains  its  perpendicular  position  and  symmetrical 
form. 

Propagation  and  Culture.  This  species  is  generally  propagated  by  seeds ; 
and  the  variegated-leaved  and  other  varieties  by  layers,  or  by  budding  and 
grafting.  It  will  also  propagate  freely  by  cuttings  of  the  roots.  The  seeds  may 
either  be  sown  immediately  after  they  are  gathered,  or  they  may  be  kept  in  sand 
until  the  following  spring.  If  they  are  kept  dry  and  unmixed  with  earth  or 
sand  till  spring,  they  seldom  come  up  the  same  year,  and  sometimes  lose  their 
germinating  properties  altogether.  This  tree  reaches  its  usual  height  in  sixty 
years ;  the  wood,  however,  continues  to  improve  till  it  is  eighty  or  one  hundred 
years  old,  and  it  frequently  remains  undecayed  for  another  century. 

Accidents  and  Diseases.  The  leaves  of  this  species  are  often  covered  with  a 
sweet,  clammy  matter,  or  honey-dew,  eagerly  sought  after,  and  imbibed  by  vari- 
ous insects.  By  some,  this  substance  is  supposed  to  be  exuded  by  the  leaves 
themselves,  and  it  is  thought  by  others,  that  it  is  generally  produced  by  insects, 
or  voided  by  the  aphides  which  infest  the  tree.  It  is  also  subject,  when  planted 
in  too  humid  a  soil,  to  dropsy,  or  an  oozing  out  of  the  sap  from  the  trunk,  in 
consequence  of  a  redundancy  or  an  irregular  assimilation  of  the  juices.  In  such 
cases,  the  roots  soon  grow  spongy  and  rotten,  and  the  tree  becomes  a  prey  to 
parasites,  and  finally  dies.  The  leaves,  also,  towards  the  end  of  summer, 
become  spotted  and  unsightly,  by  the  growth  and  spreading  of  two  kinds  of 
fungus,  Xyloma  acerinum,  and  Erineum  acerinum.  Few  lepidopterous  larvae 
feed  upon  the  leaves,  but  among  those  which  occasionally  do  so,  are  those  of  the 
Pygasra  bucephala,  or  buff-tip  moth.  The  flowers  are  sweetly,  but  not  power- 
fully scented,  and  are  the  resort  of  various  hymenopterous  insects,  particularly 
the  Bombus  hortorum,  and  terrestris.  The  young  shoots  of  this  tree  are  eaten 
by  hares,  horses,  cattle,  goats,  and  other  ruminating  animals. 

Properties  and  Uses.  When  young,  the  wood  of  the  Acer  pseudo-platanus  Is 
white ;  but  when  advanced  in  age,  it  becomes  a  little  yellow,  and  often  brown, 
especially  towards  the  heart.  It  is  compact  and  firm,  without  being  very  hard ; 
of  a  fine  grain,  sometimes  veined,  susceptible  of  a  high  polish,  and  easily  worked, 
either  on  the  bench,  or  in  the  turning-lathe.  It  does  not  warp,  and  is  not  sub- 
ject to  the  attack  of  worms.  When  dry,  it  weighs  forty-eight  pounds  to  a  cubic 
foot,  and  in  seasoning,  loses  about  one  twelfth  part  of  its  bulk,  and  one  fourth  part 
of  its  weight.  According  to  M.  Hartig,  an  eminent  German  dendrologist,  the  wood 
of  this  tree  is  the  most  valuable  of  all  woods  for  fuel,  both  for  the  quantity  of 
heat  which  it  imparts,  and  the  time  that  it  continues  burning.  It  surpasses  the 
European  beech,  in  these  respects,  in  the  proportion  of  1757  to  1540.  Converted 
into  charcoal,  it  is  superior  to  the  beech  in  the  proportion  of  1647  to  1600.     He 


92  ACER    PSEUDO-PLATANUS. 

felled  trees  two  hundred  years  old,  and  upwards  of  one  hundred  feet  in  height, 
the  timber  of  which  was  perfectly  sound. 

In  France  and  Germany,  the  wood  of  the  sycamore  is  much  sought  after  by- 
wheelwrights,  cabinet-makers,  turners,  sculptors  in  wood,  manufacturers  of  musi- 
cal instruments,  and  especially  of  violins,  and  makers  of  toys,  and  other  small 
wares.  The  roots,  which  are  often  beautifully  veined,  and  the  stools  or 
stumps  where  the  plant  has  long  been  treated  as  a  bush,  and  cut  periodically  as 
coppice-wood,  is  eagerly  sought  after  for  curious  cabinet-work,  and  for  inlaying. 
The  wood  is  used  for  pestles,  for  tables,  rollers,  spoons,  plates,  and  other  house- 
hold articles ;  it  is  also  used  for  gun-stocks,  and  in  every  kind  of  structure, 
whether  under  water  or  in  the  air.  The  leaves,  gathered  green,  and  dried,  form 
an  excellent  forage  for  sheep,  during  the  winter.  The  sap  has  been  drawn  from 
the  trees  in  Germany,  and  various  experiments  made  upon  it.  At  first,  it  is  as 
clear  as  water,  and  sweet ;  but,  after  it  has  flowed  from  the  tree  for  some  time, 
and  begins  to  run  slowly,  it  takes  a  whitish  colour,  and  becomes  sweeter,  and  of 
a  thicker  consistence ;  though  it  contains  less  sugar  than  that  of  the  first  flowing. 
The  proportion  of  sugar  produced  by  the  sap  varies.  Sometimes  an  ounce  of 
sugar  from  a  quart  of  liquor  has  been  obtained ;  but,  generally  not  so  much. 
The  variations  depend  upon  the  age  of  the  tree,  the  vigour  of  its  growth,  the 
nature  of  the  soil,  the  temperature  of  the  season,  and  a  number  of  other  circum- 
stances, of  which  little  is  known. 

In  Britain,  the  uses  to  which  the  sycamore  is  applied  are  much  less  varied 
than  in  France  and  Germany.  It  is  used  by  joiners,  turners,  cabinet-makers, 
musical  instrument  makers ;  for  cheese  and  cider  presses,  and  sometimes  for  gun- 
stocks.  It  is  also  extensively  used,  when  of  sufficient  size,  for  machinery,  in 
printing  and  bleaching  works,  for  beetling-beams,  and  in  foundries  for  making 
patterns,  &c.  In  the  western  Highlands  of  Scotland,  it  is  said  that  the  sap  of 
this  tree  is  made  into  wine. 

As  an  underwood,  the  sycamore  shoots  freely  from  the  stool  to  an  age  of 
eighty  or  one  hundred  years.  As  a  timber-tree,  it  is  most  advantageously  felled 
at  the  age  of  eighty  years,  or  from  that  age  to  one  hundred. 

As  an  ornamental  tree,  it  produces  the  best  effect,  either  singly,  in  groups  of 
two  or  three,  placed  sufficiently  near  to  form  a  whole,  but  not  so  as  to  touch 
each  other;  or  planted  in  rows  in  avenues.  Its  picturesque  beauties  are  thus 
described  by  Sir  T.  D.  Lauder.  "The  spring  tints  of  the  sycamore  are  rich, 
tender,  glowing,  and  harmonious;  in  summer  its  deep-green  hue  accords  well 
with  its  grand  and  massive  form,  and  the  brown,  and  dingy  reds  of  its  autum- 
nal tints  harmonize  well  with  the  mixed  grove,  to  which  they  give  a  fine  depth 
of  tone." 


Acer  circinatum, 
THE   CIRCINAL-LEAVED   MAPLE. 

Synony tries. 


Acer  circinatum, 


Erable  circinal, 
Kreiselnder  Ahorn, 
Acero  acchiocciolato, 
Round-leaved  Maple, 


De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 

Hooker,  Flora  Boreali  Americana. 

Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 

Torkev  and  Gray,  Flora  of  North  America. 

Nuttall,  North  American  Sylva. 

France. 

Germany 

Italy. 

Britain. 


Derivations.    The  specific  name,  circinatum,  is  derived  from  the  Latin  circino,  to  roll,  having  reference  to  the  manner  ol 
he  rolling  of  the  leaves.    The  European  names  are  translations  of  the  botanical  one. 

Engravings.    Nuttall,  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  — ;  Hooker,  Flora  Boreali  Americana,  pi.  39  ;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britan- 
nicum, i.,  figures  112,  et  127,  in  p.  454  ;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.    Leaves  orbicular,  rather  cordate  at  the  base,  7-lobed,  smooth  on  Doth  surfaces ,  lobes 
acutely  toothed ;  nerves  and  veins  hairy  at  their  origins. — Don,  Miller's  Diet 


Description. 

HE  Acer  circinatum,  in 
its  native  country,  at- 
tains a  height  of  twenty 
to     forty     feet.       The 

branches  are  slender,  pendulous,  and  crooked ; 

often   taking  root  in  the  manner  of  those  of 

many  species  of  ficus,  and  sometimes  of  the 

linden-tree.     The  bark  is  smooth,  green  when 

young,  and  whitish  when  fully  grown.     The 

leaves,  which  are  about  the  size  of  those  of  the 

Acer  rubrum,  are  membraneous,  heart-shaped, 

with  seven  to  nine  lobes,  and  the  same  number 

of  nerves.      They  are  smooth   above,   except 

hairs  in  the  axils  of  the  nerves,  when  young,  but 

glabrous  when  older,  and  downy  beneath,  with 

the  axils  of  the  nerves  woolly.     The  lobes  are 

ovate,  acute,  and  sharply  serrated ;  the  sinuses 

are  acute,   the  foot-stalks   rather   short,  from 

which   radiate  the  nerves  to  the  tip  of  each 

lobe.     The  flowers,  which  appear  in  April  and  May,  are  of  a  middling  size,  and 

occur  on  nodding  corymbs,  with  long  peduncles.     The  fruit  has  thin,  straight 

wings,  which  are  so  divaricate  as  to  form  right  angles  with  the  peduncle.     This 

species  is  very  marked,  and  may  readily  be  distinguished  by  the  regular  form  of 

its  leaves,  and  their  pale,  reddish-green  colour. 

Geography  and  History.     This  tree  is  common  along  the  west  coast  of  North 

America,  between  the  forty-third  and  forty-ninth  degrees  of  latitude,  and  is 

particularly  abundant  on  the  great  rapids  of  the  river  Columbia.     Like  the  Acer 

macrophyllum,  it  is  exclusively  confined  to  the  woody,  mountainous  country 

that  skirts  the  shores,  and  there  forms,  among  the  pine  forests,  almost  impene- 
trable thickets. 


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96  ACER    ERIOCARPUM. 

scattered,  and  leaves  an  open  passage  for  the  sunbeams.  According  to  Dr. 
Hooker,  the  young  leaves,  and  germs,  are  very  downy ;  but  the  old  leaves,  and 
perfect  fruit,  are  glabrous. 

Geography  aiid  History.  The  banks  of  the  river  Sorel,  in  Lower  Canada,  in 
latitude  forty-five  degrees,  may  be  considered  as  the  northern,  and  those  of  the 
tributaries  of  the  Penobscot,  in  the  state  of  Maine,  as  the  eastern  limit  of  the  Acer 
eriocarpum.  But,  like  many  other  trees,  it  is  stunted  by  the  rigorous  winters  of 
these  latitudes,  and  never  reaches  the  size  which  it  attains  a  few  degrees  farther 
south.  It  is  found  on  the  banks  of  all  the  rivers  which  flow  from  the  Alleghanies  to 
the  ocean ;  though  it  is  less  common  along  those  which  water  the  southern  parts  of 
the  Carolinas  and  Georgia.  In  no  part  of  the  United  States  is  it  more  multiplied 
than  in  the  country  west  of  the  mountains,  and  nowhere  is  its  vegetation  more 
luxuriant  than  on  the  banks  of  the  Ohio,  and  on  those  of  the  streams  which  flow 
into  it.  There,  sometimes  alone,  and  at  others  mingled  with  the  willow,  which 
is  also  found  along  all  these  waters,  it  contributes  singularly,  by  its  magnificent 
foliage,  to  the  embellishment  of  the  scene.  "The  brilliant  white  of  the  leaves 
beneath,  forms  a  striking  contrast  with  the  bright-green  above,  and  the  alternate 
reflection  of  the  two  surfaces  in  the  water,  heightens  the  beauty  of  this  wonder- 
ful moving  mirror,  and  aids  in  forming  an  enchanting  picture;  which,"  says 
Michaux,  "  during  my  long  excursions  in  a  canoe  in  these  regions  of  solitude  and 
silence,  I  contemplated  with  unwearied  admiration."  "  Beginning  at  Pittsburg," 
continues  he,  "  and  even  some  miles  above  the  junction  of  the  Alleghany  and 
Monongahela  Rivers,  white  maples,  with  short  trunks,  twelve  or  fifteen  feet  in 
circumference,  are  continually  to  be  met  with  at  short  distances." 

The  Acer  eriocarpum  was  introduced  into  England  by  Sir  Charles  Wagner, 
in  1725,  and  has  since  been  in  general  cultivation  throughout  Europe,  for  orna- 
ment. 

The  largest  tree  of  this  species  in  the  neighbourhood  of  London,  is  at  Kew, 
where,  in  twenty-five  years  after  planting,  it  had  attained  the  height  of  fifty 
feet.  At  Trentham,  in  Staffordshire,  there  is  another  tree  mentioned  by  Loudon, 
of  the  same  height. 

At  Pfauen  Insel,  in  Prussia,  there  is  an  Acer  eriocarpum,  which,  at  the  age  of 
forty  years,  had  attained  the  height  of  fifty  feet.  And  another  is  recorded, 
as  growing  in  the  garden  of  Christianholme,  near  Lolland,  in  Sweden,  of  the 
height  of  forty  feet.  And  another  of  still  more  rapid  growth,  at  Niedzwiedz,  in 
Poland,  which  had  attained  the  height  of  thirty-six  feet  in  twenty  years. 

Insects.  The  Acer  eriocarpum  is  chiefly  preyed  upon  by  the  larva3  of  the 
Apatela  americana,  of  Harris,  and  by  those  of  several  species  of  the  Geome- 
tridse,  all  of  which  feed  with  more  or  less  avidity  on  the  leaves  of  various  other 
maples,  the  elm,  chesnut,  and  probably  many  other  trees. 

Soil,  Situation,  fyc.  In  its  natural  habitat,  the  Acer  eriocarpum  is  found  in  a 
sandy  loam,  on  the  banks  of  such  rivers  only  as  have  limpid  waters,  with  a 
gravelly  bed  ;  and  it  is  seldom,  if  ever,  found  in  swamps  and  other  wet  grounds 
enclosed  in  forests,  where  the  soil  is  black  and  miry.  When  cultivated,  this  tree 
requires  a  deep,  free  soil,  and  more  moisture  than  most  of  the  other  species. 
Though  it  will  not  grow  in  swamps,  yet  it  attains  its  greatest  dimensions  on  the 
alluvial  banks  of  rivers  which  are  occasionally  inundated.  It  ripens  its  seeds, 
both  in  Europe  and  in  the  United  States,  by  midsummer,  or  earlier ;  and  if 
these  are  immediately  sown,  they  come  up,  and  produce  plants,  which  are  eight 
or  ten  inches  high,  by  the  succeeding  autumn. 

Properties  and  Uses.     The  wood  of  the  Acer  eriocarpum  is  very  white  when 
newly  cut,  and  of  a  fine  texture;  but  it  is  softer  and  lighter  than  that  of  any 
other  maple  in  the  United  States  ;  and  from  the  want  of  strength  and  durability 
it  is  little  used.     When  dry,  it  weighs  thirty-eight  pounds  to  a  cubic  foot,  and 


COTTON-FRUITED   MAPLE.  97 

in  seasoning,  loses  nearly  half  of  its  weight.  It  is  sometimes  used  in  cabinet- 
making,  instead  of  the  holly  or  other  light-coloured  wood,  for  inlaying  furniture 
}f  mahogany,  cherry-tree,  and  black  walnut ;  though  it  is  less  suitable  for  this 
purpose,  as  it  soon  changes  colour  by  exposure  to  light.  Wooden  bowls  are  also 
made  of  it,  when  that  of  ash,  or  tulip-tree  cannot  be  obtained.  The  charcoal  of 
this  wood  is  preferred  by  hatters  and  dyers  to  every  other,  as  it  affords  a  heat 
more  uniform,  and  of  longer  duration.  The  sap  is  in  motion  earlier  in  this  spe- 
3ies  than  in  the  sugar  maple,  beginning  to  ascend,  in  the  middle  states,  about 
the  15th  of  January  ;  so  that,  when  it  is  employed  for  making  sugar,  the  opera- 
tions are  sooner  completed.  Like  the  sap  of  the  red-flowered  maple,  it  yields  not 
more  than  one  half  the  product  of  sugar,  from  a  given  measure,  as  that  of  the 
icer  saccharinum.  Its  inner  bark  produces  a  black  precipitate  with  copperas, 
[sulphate  of  iron,)  and  is  sometimes  employed  in  domestic  dyeing. 

The  Acer  eriocarpum  is  highly  prized  as  an  ornamental  tree,  both  in  Europe 
ind  America,  on  account  of  the  rapidity  of  its  growth,  the  graceful,  divergent 
lirection  of  its  branches,  the  beauty  of  its  leaves,  and  the  profusion  of  its  early 
lowers.  It  is  admirably  adapted  for  overspreading  artificial  ponds,  or  other 
wraters,  with  a  mirror-like  surface,  where  the  lover  of  nature  can  calmly  admire 
the  brilliant  white  of  the  leaves  beneath,  which  he  may  pleasingly  contrast  with 
the  bright-green  above. 

13 


i:-T  imbtmm, 


A^er  rubnnn. 

THE    RED-FLOWERED   MAPLE 

Synonymes. 

LnmiKUs,  Sreeies  Plantarum. 
Pi  Cahdoujr,  Prodromus. 
-  Michacx.  North  American  Sylva, 
Lotjdoh,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
Tokkey  axd  Gkay.  Flora  of  North  America. 
Frauck. 

.ST. 

Bkitatx. 

Westekh  States. 

Other  fakts  01  tbs  Uxited  States. 


Erable  rouge. 
Eother  Ahorn. 
-      Let-now- 

Bed  Map/   5 .:'.  Maple,  5 -ramp  Maple. 


The  specific  name,  ntbn.-  ei  from  the  Latin  ruber,  red.  havin?  reference  to  the  colour  of  the  flow 

.=  tree,     The  other  names  hare  chiefly  the  same  signification  as  the  botanical  one. 

--orj'nss.    Mkhaux.  Xonh  America  i  S  .ubon,  Birds  of  America,  pL  liv.  et  Lrrii. ;  Loudon,  Arboretum 

Britannic  _  •   re  130 ;  p.  - "  i  .  .  1  the  figures  below. 

Sp*riiic  Characters.    Leaves  cordate  at  the  base,  glaucous  beneath,  deeply  and  unequally  toothed,  palmately 
5-lobed,  with  acute  recesses.    Flowers  conslomerate,  5-petaled,  pentandrous.     Ovaries  smooth. — Don, 
M 


Description. 

"  '-  ||  HE  Acer  nibrum.  whether 
%  -  H  j<f  in  rlower  or  in  foliage. 

J  €  like  its  congeners,  is  a 
ST^/V^Sa  beautiful  tree.  Although 
n<  /.her  attains  the.  size  nor  the  height  of  the 
sugar  maple,  it  much  resembles  that  tree  hi  its 
general  appearance :  but  it  may  be  easily  distin- 
guished from  it  by  its  trunk,  which,  when  young, 
lore  profusely  marked  with  broad,  pale-yellow 
lichens.  In  open  situations,  it  often  ramifies  at 
the  ground,  and  assumes  the  form  of  several 
small  trees,  growing  in  a  clump.  The  bark,  in 
such  situations,  is  usually  of  a  darker  colour,  and 
smoother,  when  young,  than  it  is  on  trees  grow- 
ing in  shady  woods.  When  the  tree  is  old.  how- 
ever, the  epidermis  of  the  trunk,  like  that  of  the 
hquidambar.  and  white  oak.  becomes  brown, 
chapped,  and  deeply  furrowed.  The  ordinary 
height  of  this  species  does  not  exceed  fifty  or 

sixty  feet :  but  in  favourable  situations,  as  in  the  maple  sitamps  in  New  Jei 
and  Pennsylvania,  it  often  attains  a  height  of  seventy  or  eighty  feet,  with  a  trunk 
three  or  four  feet  in  diameter.  The  blossoms  of  this  tree  are  the  first  that  an- 
nounce the  return  of  spring.  It  dowers  near  St  Marys,  in  Georgia,  from  the 
-  i  to  the  last  of  February,  and  five  or  six  weeks  later  near  Philadelphia  and 
New  York.  The  flowers,  which  are  of  a  beautiful  purple  or  deep-red.  unfold 
more  than  a  fortnight  before  the  leaves.  They  are  small,  aggregate,  and  are 
situated  at  the  extremity  of  the  branches.  The  fruit  is  suspended  by  long,  flex- 
ible peduncles,  and  is  of  the  same  hue  of  the  flowers:  though  it  varies  in  size 
and  in  the  intensity  of  its  colouring,  according  to  the  exposure  and  dampness  of 


RED-FLOWERED    MAPLE.  99 

tne  soil.  The  keys  and  seeds  are  at  least  one  half  smaller  than  those  of  the 
Acer  eriocarpum,  and  ripen  two  or  three  weeks  earlier.  The  leaves  are  also 
smaller  than  those  of  that  species,  and  in  some  respects  resemhle  them.  They 
are  glaucous  and  whitish  underneath ;  palmated  or  divided  into  three  moderately 
acuminate  lobes,  irregularly  toothed :  but  they  are  longer  than  they  are  broad, 
usually  rounded  at  the  base,  with  two  small  lobes,  or  large  teeth  below  the  lat- 
eral lobes.  The  extremities  of  this  tree,  which  are  formed  by  numerous  twiars 
united  at  the  base,  and  when  garnished  with  flowers  and  fruit  of  a  deep-red. 
before  vegetation  has  generally  begun  to  revive,  presents  a  very  singular  and 
grand  appearance. 

Varieties.  The  Acer  rubrum  has  long  been  confounded  bv  British  authors 
with  the  Acer  eriocarpum:  but  whether  they  are  only  varieties  or  races  of  the 
same  species,  or  not.  there  is  a  marked  difference  between  them,  both  in  the 
habit  of  their  growth  and  the  colour  of  their  flowers.  The  principal  distinction, 
however,  consists  in  the  fruit  of  the  Acer  eriocarpum  beins  woolly,  and  that  of 
the  Acer  rubrum  being  smooth. 

There  are  two  varieties,  however,  among  cultivators,  known  by  the  name  of 
A.  r.  coccinevm.  and  .4.  r.  intermedium,  which  differ  so  slightly  from  the  Acer 
rubrum.  as  hardly  to  be  worthy  of  notice.  The  leaves  of  the  former  variety  are 
somewhat  redder  in  spring,  when  they  expand,  than  those  of  the  species. 

Geography  and  History.  The  natural  habitat  of  the  red-flowered  maple, 
towards  the  north,  according  to  Michaux.  begins  about  Malebaye,  in  Canada,  in 
forty-eight  degrees  of  latitude,  where  it  is  sparinsly  found:  but  in  proceeding 
southward,  it  soon  becomes  more  common,  and  abounds  in  Florida  and  Lower 
Louisiana.  It  also  grows  beyond  the  Rocky  Mountains,  on  the  authority  of  Mr. 
Douglass,  at  the  sources  of  the  Oregon. 

This  tree  was  first  cultivated  in  England  by  Mr.  John  Tradescant,  jun.,  in 
L646.  at  South  Lambeth,  near  Yauxhall :  and  since  that  time,  it  has  been  propa- 
gated in  the  principal  European  nurseries,  but  less  extensively  than  the  Acer 
eriocarpum. 

There  are  several  recorded  trees  of  this  species,  both  in  Britain  and  in  Ireland, 
which,  in  1S35,  had  arrived  at  nearly  their  maximum  heislit.  In  Surrey,  on  an 
eminence,  in  the  arboretum  at  Milford,  a  tree  is  mentioned,  as  being  forty  feet 
high,  which,  in  autumn,  when  its  leaves  assume  a  dark-red  colour,  looks  like  a 
column  of  scarlet,  and  is  seen  from  a  great  distance  all  round  the  cotmtry.  At 
Woodstock,  in  Kilkenny,  Ireland,  there  is  a  tree,  which,  at  sixty  years  planted, 
was  fifty  feet  in  height. 

In  France,  in  the  botanic  garden  at  Toulon,  there  is  a  tree  of  this  species, 
which,  in  forty-five  years  after  planting,  attained  the  height  of  twenty-nine  feet. 

In  Saxony,  at  Worlitz.  an  Acer  rubrum  attained  the  height  of  fifty-five  feet 
n  sixty-five  years  after  planting. 

In  Bavaria,  at  Munich,  a  tree  of  this  species  is  mentioned  which  attained  the 
leight  of  forty  feet  in  twenty-four  years. 

Sod.  Situation.  Propagation,  frc.  "Of  all  the  trees  which  flourish  in  grounds 
.vhich  are  occasionally  overflowed.'-'  says  Michaux,  '••  this  species  is  most  multi- 
plied in  the  middle  and  southern  states.  It  occupies,  in  great  part,  the  borders  of 
greeks,  and  abounds  in  all  the  swamps,  which  are  often  inundated,  and  always 
niry."  In  these  situations  it  is  accompanied  by  the  Nyssa  biflora  villosa.  (black 
mm.)  Liquidambar  styraciflua.  Carya  squamosa,  (shell-bark  hickory.)  Quercus 
prinus  discolor,  (swamp  white  oak.)  Fraxinus  a.  sambucifolia,  (black  ash.)  and 
he  Fraxinus  a.  quadrangulata  (blue  ash.)  To  these  are  added,  in  Carolina  and 
ijfeorgia,  the  Magnolia  glauca.  Quercus  aquatica.  (water  oak.)  Gordonia  lasian- 
hus,  (loblolly  bay.)  Nyssa  biflora.  (sour  gum.)  and  the  Laurus  carolinensis 
ired  bay.)     "It  is  a  remarkable  fact,"  continues  Michaux,  "that,  west  of  the 


100  ACER    RUBRUM. 

mountains,  between  Brownville  and  Pittsburg,  the  red-flowering  maple  is  seen 
growing  on  elevated  ground,  with  the  oaks  and  the  walnuts ;  but  in  such  situa- 
tions, it  does  not  attain  such  ample  dimensions,  as  in  Pennsylvania  and  New 
Jersey.  In  these  states  exist  extensive  marshes,  called  maple  swamps,  exclu- 
sively covered  with  it."  Elliot  observes  that,  in  "  descending  the  mouths  of  our 
large  rivers,  the  red  maple  is  the  last  tree  found  in  the  swamps,  diminishing  in 
size  as  the  soil  becomes  impregnated  with  salt,  until  it  dwindles  down  to  a  shrub, 
and  mingling  with  the  Myrica  cerifera,  (candlebery  myrtle,)  and  the  Baccharis 
halimifolia,  it  finally  disappears." 

This  species,  when  cultivated,  contrary  to  the  general  character  of  the  maples, 
is  said  to  thrive  best  in  moist  soil,  which  must,  however,  at  the  same  time,  be 
rich ;  and  for  the  tree  to  attain  a  large  size,  the  situation  should  be  sheltered. 
In  Britain  it  is  chiefly  propagated  by  layers ;  but  on  the  continent,  almost 
always  by  seeds,  which  ripen  before  midsummer,  even  sooner  than  those  of  the 
Acer  eriocarpum,  and,  if  sown  immediately,  they  will  come  up  the  same  season. 
The  seeds,  however,  do  not  keep  well,  even  when  mixed  with  earth;  and  in 
general,  but  a  small  proportion  of  those  vegetate  which  are  sent  from  the  United 
States  to  Europe. 

Insects.  The  insects  which  attack  this  species  are  the  same  as  those  which 
prey  upon  the  Acer  eriocarpum. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  Acer  rubrum,  when  dry,  weighs  forty- 
four  pounds  to  a  cubic  foot,  and  when  green,  it  is  soft,  full  of  aqueous  matter, 
and  loses  in  drying  nearly  one  half  of  its  weight.  In  this  tree,  as  in  others  which 
grow  in  wet  places,  the  sap-wood  bears  a  large  proportion  to  the  heart-wood,  the 
latter  of  which  consists  of  an  irregular  column,  star-like  in  its  transverse  section, 
and  occupies  the  central  part  of  large  trunks,  with  its  points  projecting  into  the  sap- 
wood.  This  wood  has  but  little  strength,  is  liable  to  injury  from  insects,  and  fer- 
ments, and  speedily  decays,  when  exposed  to  the  alternations  of  moisture  and  dry- 
ness. Yet  it  is  solid,  and  for  many  purposes,  is  preferred  by  workmen,  to  other  kinds 
of  wood.  It  is  harder  than  that  of  the  white  maple,  and  of  a  finer  and  closer  grain ; 
hence  it  is  easily  wrought  in  the  lathe,  and  acquires,  by  polishing,  a  glossy  and 
silky  surface.  It  is  principally  employed  in  the  manufacture  of  chairs,  saddle-trees, 
shoe-lasts,  ox-yokes,  broom-handles,  and  various  other  articles  of  domestic  use.  It 
sometimes  happens  that,  in  very  old  trees,  the  grain  of  the  wood,  instead  of  fol- 
lowing a  perpendicular  direction,  is  undulated;  and  this  variety  bears  the  name 
of  curled-maple.  This  singular  arrangement  is  never  found  in  young  trees,  nor 
even  in  the  branches  of  such  as  exhibit  it  in  the  trunk ;  it  is  also  less  conspicuous 
in  the  centre  of  the  tree  than  near  the  bark.  Trees  offering  this  disposition, 
however,  are  rare.  The  serpentine  direction  of  the  fibres,  which  renders  this 
wood  difficult  to  split  and  to  work,  produces,  in  the  hands  of  a  skilful  mechanic, 
the  most  beautiful  effects  of  light  and  shade.  These  effects  are  rendered  more 
striking,  if,  after  smoothing  the  surface  of  the  wood  with  a  double-ironed  plane, 
it  is  rubbed  with  a  little  sulphuric  acid,  and  afterwards  with  linseed  oil.  Or 
examining  it  attentively,  the  varying  shades  are  found  to  be  owing  entirely  to 
the  inflection  of  the  rays  of  light ;  which  is  more  sensibly  perceived  in  viewing  it 
in  different  directions  by  candle-light.  Before  mahogany  became  generally  fash- 
ionable in  the  United  States,  the  best  furniture  in  use  was  made  of  the  red- 
flowered  maple,  and  bedsteads  are  still  made  of  it,  which  in  richness  of  lustre, 
exceed  those  of  the  finest  imported  woods.  But  one  of  the  most  constant  uses  to 
which  the  curled-maple  is  applied,  is  for  the  stocks  of  rifles  and  fowling-pieces, 
which,  to  elegance  and  lightness,  unite  toughness  and  strength,  the  result  of  the 
tortuous  direction  of  the  fibres.  The  cellular  matter  of  the  inner  bark  is  of  a 
dusky-red.  By  boiling,  it  yields  a  purplish  coloured  liquor,  which,  with  the 
addition  of  sulphate  of  iron,  (copperas.)  acquires  an  intense  dark-blue,  or  black 


RED-FLOWERED    MAPLE.  101 

nd  is  sometimes  employed  as  ink,  by  American  youth  in  village  schools.  For 
lis  purpose,  however,  it  is  very  inappropriate,  as  it  never  dries  properly,  and 
i  damp  weather,  the  writing  becomes  glutinous  and  blots.     A  fluid  prepared  in 

similar  manner,  by  adding  sulphate  of  alumina,  (common  alum,)  instead  of 
Dpperas,  is  also  used  for  dyeing  black.  The  French  Canadians  make  sugar 
om  the  sap  of  this  maple,  which  they  call  plaine ;  but,  as  in  the  preceding 
jecies,  the  product  cf  a  given  measure,  is  not  more  than  one  half  as  great  as 
lat  of  the  sugar  maple. 

In  Britain,  and  throughout  Europe,  the  sole  use  of  the  Acer  rubrum  is  as  an 
:namental  tree ;  and,  whether  it  is  viewed  in  the  beauty  of  its  flowers  and 
Dening  leaves  in  early  spring,  or  admired  for  its  red  fruit  in  the  beginning  of 
immer,  and  its  crimsoned  foliage  in  autumn,  it  deserves  to  be  ranked  as  one  of 
te  most  ornamental  of  hardy  trees. 


Acer  monspessulanum, 
THE   MONTPELLIER    MAPLE. 

Synonymes. 

ILinnjetjs,  Species  Plantaram. 
De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 
Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
Erable  de  Montpellier,  France. 

Franzosischer  Ahorn,  Germans-. 

Acero    minore,    Acero    piccolo,    Albero  )  ttal_ 

lattajolo,  \ 

Montpellier  Maple,  Britain  and  Anglo-America. 

Engravings.    Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  i.,  figure  131,  p.  458;  et  v.,  pi.  41 ;  and  the  figure  below. 

jecific  Characters.    Leaves  cordate,  3-lobed ;  lobes  almost  entire,  and  equal.     Corymbs  few-flowered, 
pendulous.    Fruit  smooth,  with  the  wings  hardly  diverging. — Loudon,  Arboretum. 

Description. 

g^lHE  Acer  monspessulanum  is  a  low  tree  or  shrub, 
g|  thirty  or  forty  feet  in  height;  native  of  France, 
Spain,  and  Italy ;  grows  chiefly  on  rocky,  exposed 
_§X/«SlP  situations;  and  introduced  into  Britain  in  1739. 
lie  trunk  is  covered  with  a  reddish-brown  bark.  The  leaves  are  chiefly  three- 
)bed,  with  an  entire  margin,  of  a  dark-green  colour,  and  bear  a  general  resem- 
lance  to  those  of  the  Acer  campestre,  which  are  about  the  same  size,  but  of  a 
aler  green,  and  five-lobed ;  in  mild  seasons,  they  remain  on  the  trees  a  great 
art  of  the  winter,  more  especially  in  France.  The  flowers  are  produced  just 
efore  the  leaves,  in  May ;  they  are  pendulous,  and  grow  in  corymbs,  one  from 
lmost  every  bud,  and  consist  of  from  six  to  ten  flowers ;  they  are  of  a  pale-yel- 
dw  colour,  and  form  a  great  source  of  attraction  to  bees.  The  wood  is  hard 
nd  heavy,  and  is  used  in  France  by  turners  and  cabinet-makers.  It  is 
auch  planted  in  that  country  for  hedges,  on  account  of  the  persistency  of  the 
eaves.  In  England,  this  tree  may  be  considered  as  purely  one  of  ornament, 
t  is  propagated  either  by  seeds  or  layers,  and  well  deserves  a  place  in  every 
ollection,  both  in  Europe  and  in  America,  wherever  it  will  grow.  In  France,  in 
he  Jardin  des  Plantes,  at  Paris,  there  is  a  tree  of  this  species,  which  had  attained 
he  height  of  fifty-five  feet  in  one  hundred  and  thirty  years  after  planting. 


IT: 


Acer  campestre, 
THE  FIELD  MAPLE. 

Synonymes. 


Acer  campestre, 


Erable  champetre, 

Kleiner  Ahorn,  Feld  Ahorn, 

Galluzzi,  (when  small,)  Loppo,  Pioppo, 

Chioppo,  Stucchio,  Festucchio,  Fistuc- 

chio,  Albero  da  vite, 
Field  Maple, 


C  Linnjeus,  Species  Plantarum. 

I  De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 

J  Don,  Miller's  Dictionary. 

j  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 

^  Selby,  British  Forest  Trees. 

France. 

Germany. 

J  Italy. 
Britain  and  Anglo- America. 


Derivations     The  specific  name,  campestre,  is  derived  from  the  Latin  campus,  a  field,  having  reference  to  this  tree  as 
growing  about 'hedges  and  open  fields.    The  French,  German,  and  English  names  have  the  same  signification. 

Engravings.    Selby,  British  Forest  Trees,  p.  27;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  i.;  figure  132,  p.  458,  et.  v.  pi.  43;  and 

the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.    Leaves  cordate,  with  5-toothed  lobes.    Racemes  erect.    Wings  of  fruit  much  divari- 
cated.— Don,  Miller's  Diet. 


Description. 

aSSSgSjgHE  Field  Maple, 

Oj  i-i  i-J  |£i  when  cultivated 

U?  LI  '1$  under  favoura- 
ufigisdm  D^e  circumstan- 
ces, forms  a  tree  of  the  second  or 
third  order,  with  a  handsome  outline, 
and  picturesque  appearance.  In  its 
natural  habitat,  it  seldom  exceeds  the 
height  of  twenty"  feet,  although  in  a 
state  of  cultivation,  it  often  attains 
more  than  double  that  elevation. 

Varieties.  In  the  Acer  campestre, 
we  recognize  six  forms  or  varieties, 
which  may  be  described  as  follows  : — 

1.  A.  c.  hebecarpum,  Loudon.  Downy-fruited  Field  Maple.  This  variety  is 
the  form  usually  regarded  by  British  authors  as  the  type  of  this  species,  and  is 
characterized  as  rather  a  small  tree,  with  spreading  branches ;  the  bark  corky, 
and  full  of  fissures ;  that  of  the  branches  smooth.  The  leaves  about  one  and  a 
half  inches  broad,  downy  while  young,  as  are  their  footstalks,  obtusely  five- 
lobed,  irregularly  notched,  and  sometimes  quite  entire.  The  flowers  grow  in 
clusters,  which  terminate  the  young  shoots ;  they  are  hairy,  erect,  short,  some- 
what corymbose,  and  of  a  green  colour.  The  anthers  are  hairy  between  the 
lobes.  The  capsules  downy,  spreading  horizontally,  with  smooth,  oblong,  red- 
dish wings. 

2.  A.  c.  foliis  variegatis,  Loudon.  Variegated-leaved  Field  Maple.  This 
variety  is  considered  as  the  handsomest  of  all  the  variegated-leaved  maples. 


FIELD    MAPLE.  103 

| 

The  leaves  are  blotched  and  striped  with  white,  or  whitish-yellow,  and  preserve 
their  vegetation  with  a  healthy  appearance. 

3.  A.  c.  collinum,  Loudon.  Hill-inhabiting  Field  Maple.  This  variety  is  a 
native  of  France.  The  fruit  is  smooth ;  the  lobes  of  the  leaves  obtuse,  and  the 
flowers  small. 

4.  A.  c.  austriacum,  Loudon.  Austrian  Field  Maple.  This  variety,  as  its 
name  imports,  is  a  native  of  Austria  ;  also  of  Podolia  and  Tauria.  It  is  larger 
in  all  its  parts  than  the  Acer  campestre  hebecarpum,  and  is  of  much  freer 
growth.  The  trunk  rises  erect  and  straight,  and  sends  out  its  branches  regu- 
larly on  every  side,  so  as  to  form  a  cone,  almost  like  a  fir-tree.  The  lobes  of 
the  leaves  are  somewhat  acuminated,  and  the  fruit  is  smooth. 

5.  A.  c.  LvEvigatum,  Loudon.     Smooth-leaved  Field  Maple. 

6.  A.  c.  nanum,  Loudon.     Dwarf  Field  Maple. 

Geography  and  History.  The  Acer  campestre  is  found  throughout  th^ 
middle  states  of  Europe,  and  in  the  north  of  Asia.  According  to  Pallas,  it 
abounds  in  New  Russia,  and  about  Caucasus.  It  is  common  in  hedges  and 
thickets  in  the  middle  counties  and  south  of  England ;  but  in  the  northern  coun- 
ties, and  in  Scotland,  it  is  rare.  It  is  not  indigenous  to  Ireland,  and  perhaps  not 
to  Scotland. 

The  largest  tree  of  this  species  in  Britain,  and  possibly  on  the  globe,  is  at 
Blairlogie,  in  Stirlingshire,  which,  in  1835,  was  three  hundred  and  two  years 
old,  fifty-five  feet  high,  with  a  trunk  four  feet  in  diameter,  and  an  ambitus  or 
spread  of  branches  of  forty-five  feet.  Another  tree  at  Braystock,  in  Essex,  had 
arrived  at  the  height  of  fifty  feet  in  eighty  years. 

In  France,  in  the  botanic  garden  at  Toulon,  there  is  a  tree  of  this  species, 
which  attained  the  height  of  forty-five  feet  at  forty-eight  years  after  planting. 

In  Saxony,  at  Worlitz,  there  is  an  Acer  campestre,  which  attained  the  height 
of  forty  feet,  in  sixty-five  years  after  planting. 

This  species  was  introduced  into  the  United  States  in  1822,  by  the  late  Mr. 
Prince,  of  Flushing,  New  York,  and  may  be  found  in  the  American  nurseries 
and  collections. 

Soil,  Situation,  fyc.  A  dry  soil  suits  the  Acer  campestre  best,  and  an  open 
situation ;  but,  to  attain  a  timber-like  size,  it  requires  a  deep,  free  soil,  and  a 
situation  sheltered  by  other  trees.  In  nurseries,  plants  of  this  species  are  raised 
from  seeds,  most  of  which  often  remain  eighteen  months  in  the  ground  before 
they  come  up,  though  a  few  vegetate  the  first  spring.  The  varieties  are  propa- 
gated by  layers. 

Insects,  $*c.  There  are  but  a  few  insects  or  their  larva?  which  appear  to  feed 
upon  the  leaves  of  this  species,  with  the  exception  of  a  small,  dark-green  aphis  ; 
and  the  tree  is  not  much  liable  to  accidents  and  diseases.  Loudon  observes  that 
the  misletoe  is  sometimes  found  growing  upon  it. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  Acer  campestre,  when  allowed  to  become 
a  tree,  and  of  a  proper  age,  is  very  compact,  possesses  a  fine  grain,  sometimes 
beautifully  veined,  and  is  susceptible  of  a  high  polish.  When  dry,  it  weighs 
fifty-two  pounds  to  a  cubic  foot.  It  makes  excellent  fuel,  and  produces  charcoal 
of  the  best  quality,  which  is  sometimes  employed  in  the  manufacture  of  gun- 
powder. It  was  celebrated  among  the  ancient  Romans  for  tables ;  and  Pliny, 
who  has  treated  at  length  upon  the  hrusca  and  mollusca,  the  names  under  which 
the  knobs  and  excrescences  of  this  tree  were  known,  informs  us  that  cabinet- 
work of  the  most  costly  description  was  fabricated  from  them.  In  France,  and 
Other  European  countries,  it  is  still  extensively  used  by  turners,  carvers,  and 
cabinet-makers,  and  the  wood  of  the  roots,  which  is  often  knotted  and  curiously 
marbled,  is  wrought  into  snuff-boxes,  pipes,  and  various  other  articles  of  fancy. 


104 


ACER    CAMPESTRE. 


The  British  poets  generally  place  a  maple  dish  in  every  hermitage  they  speal, 
of.     Wordsworth,  in  his  "  Ecclesiastical  Sketches,"  says : 


"Methinks  that  to  some  vacant  hermitage 
My  feet  would  rather  turn, — to  some  dry  nook 
Scooped  out  of  living  rock,  and  near  a  brook 
Hurled  down  a  mountain-cave,  from  stage  to  stage, 
Yet  tempering,  for  my  sight,  its  bustling  rage 
In  the  soft  haven  of  a  translucent  pool ; 
Thence  creeping  under  forest  arches  cool, 
Fit  haunt  of  shapes  whose  glorious  equipage 
"Would  elevate  my  dreams.     A  beechen  bowl, 
A  maple  dish,  my  furniture  should  be  ; 
Crisp,  yellow  leaves  my  bed  ;  the  hooting  owl 
My  night-watch ;  nor  should  e'er  the  crested  fowl 
From  thorp  or  vil  his  matins  sound  for  me, 
Tired  of  the  world  and  all  its  industry." 

Wilson  and  Cowper  both  furnish  the  hermit's  cell  with  the  article  so  requisite 
for  such  a  habitation : 

"Many  a  visitant 
Had  sat  within  his  hospitable  cave  ; 
From  his  maple  bowl,  the  unpolluted  spring 
Drunk  fearless,  and  with  him  partook  the  bread 
That  his  pale  lips  most  reverently  had  blessed, 
With  words  becoming  such  a  holy  man, 

His  dwelling  a  recess  in  some  rude  rock, 
Books,  beads,  and  maple  dish  his  meagre  stock. 

#  #  #  #  #  It  seemed  a  hermit's  cell, 

Yet  void  of  hour-glass,  skull,  and  maple  dish." 

The  young  shoots  of  this  tree,  being  tough  and  flexible,  are  employed  by  coachmen, 
in  some  parts  of  France,  instead  of  whips.  In  that  country  it  is  also  much  used 
for  forming  hedges,  and  for  filling  up  gaps  in  old  fences.  It  is  advantageously 
employed  in  topiary  works,  and  in  geometrical  gardens,  being  found  to  bear  the 
shears  better  than  most  other  trees.  The  leaves  and  young  shoots  are  gathered 
green,  and  dried,  for  winter  provender  for  cattle.  The  sap  yields  more  sugar,  in 
proportion  to  the  quantity  taken,  than  that  of  the  sycamore 


Genus   NEGUNDO,  Moench. 


Aceraceae. 

Syst.  Nat. 

Dio3cia  Pentandria. 
Syst.  Lin. 

Synonymes. 

Negundo,  Acer, 

Of  Authors. 

Erable, 

Ahorn,  Eschenahorn, 

Negundo, 

France. 

Germany. 

Britain,  Italy,  and  Anglo-America 

eneric  Characters.  Sexes  dioecious.  Flowers  without  a  corolla.  Calyx  with  4 — 5  unequal  teeth. 
Male  flowers  upon  thread-shaped  pedicels,  and  disposed  in  fascicles ;  anthers  4 — 5  linear,  sessile. 
Female  flowers  disposed  in  racemes.    Leaves  impari-pinnately  divided. — Be  Candolle,  Prodromus 

HIS  genus  was  constituted  by  Moench  from  the  Acer  negundo  of 
Linnseus,  and  comprises  three  species,  one  native  of  Cochin- 
China,  one  of  California,  and  the  other  of  Canada  and  the  United 
States.  The  Dobinea  vulgaris,  a  hardy  shrub,  native  of  Nepal, 
with  elliptical,  oblong,  acutely-serrated  leaves,  belongs  to  the 
same  natural  family.     No  other  genus,  has  hitherto  been  discov- 

red,  or  recorded  as  belonging  to  the  order  Aceracge,  either  of  a  hardy  or  tender 

ature. 

14 


Negundo  fraxinifolium, 

THE  ASH-LEAVED  NEGUNDO. 

Synonymes. 


Acer  negundo, 


Negundo  fraxinifolhcm, 

Ne.vundo  acerbides, 

Erable  a  feuilles  de  frene, 

Eschenblattriger  Ahorn, 

Acero  a  foglie  di  frassino,  Nigundo, 

Erable  a  giguieres 


Michaux,  North  American  Sylva. 

Nuttall,  Genera  of  North  American  Plants. 

De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 

Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 

Torrey  and  Gray,  Flora  of  North  America. 

France. 

Germany. 

Italy. 

French  Illinois. 


Ash-leaved  Maple,  Black  Ash,  Box  Elder,  Other  parts  of  Anglo- America. 

Derivations  The  meaning  of  the  wordNegundo,  is  unknown.  It  is  supposed  by  some  to  have  originated  among  the  Frenco. 
of  Illinois  and'  had  some  connection  with  the  tremulous  and  playful  motions  of  the  long  pinnated  leaves  of  this  tree.  The  Illi- 
nois ame  Erable  d  giguiires,  signifies,  literally,  Romping  or  Frisky  Maple  The '.specific  name ,  acer tides,  is  derived  from 
the  Latin  acer  a  maple,  and  the  Greek  eidos,  resemblance,  and  was  originally  applied  by  Mcench ,  from  the  analogy  this  spe- 
cies bears  to  the  maples.    The  specific  name,  fraxinifolium,  is  derived  from  tae  Latin  fraxinus,  the  ash,  and  folium,  a  leaf. 

Engravings.    Michaux,  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  46 ;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  v.,  pi.  46 ;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific   Characters.    Leaves  of  from  3  to  5  leaflets,  the  opposite  ones  coarsely  and  sparingly  toothed,  the 
odd  one  oftener  3-lobed  than  simple.— De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 


Description. 


HE  Negundo 


fraxinifoli- 
um, in  favourable  situa- 
tions, attains  a  height  of 
i  forty  or  fifty  feet,  with  a 
diameter  of  fifteen  to  twenty  inches.  The  bark  of 
the  trunk  is  brown,  the  inner  portion  of  which  has 
a  disagreeable  odour;  and  that  of  the  young 
branches  is  of  a  smooth,  rush-like  appearance, 
interrupted  only  by  a  few  buds,  and  is  of  a  beautiful 
pea-green,  like  the  shoots  of  the  Jasminum  offici- 
nale, but  on  a  larger  scale.  The  trunk  ramifies  at 
a  small  distance  above  the  ground,  and  forms  a 
loose,  and  wide-spreading  head.  The  leaves  are 
opposite,  and  from  six  to  fifteen  inches  long,  accord- 
ing to  the  vigour  of  the  tree,  and  the  moisture  of 
the  soil  in  which  it  grows.  Each  leaf  is  composed 
of  two  pair  of  leaflets,  with  an  odd  one.  The  leaf- 
lets are  petiolate,  oval-acuminate,  and  sharply 
toothed.  Towards  autumn,  the  common  petiole  becomes  of  a  deep  red.  The 
flowers  are  produced  profusely,  in  April  or  May,  and  appear  with  the  leaves. 
They  occur  in  slender  pendulous  racemes,  are  small,  and  of  a  green  colour, 
which  renders  them  difficult  to  be  seen,  unless  they  be  closely  watched  in  the 
flowering  season.  The  racemes  of  fruit,  that  succeed  the  flowers,  increase 
gradually  to  the  length  of  six  or  seven  inches,  and  as  the  season  advances,  they 
appear  conspicuous  among  the  foliage. 

Variety.     According  to  Loudon,  there  is  a  variety  of  this  species  growing  in 
the  arboretum  of  the  London  Horticultural  Society,  called  Negundo  f.  crispwm, 


ASH-LEAVED   NEGUNDO.  107 

or  Curled-leaved  Ash-leaved  Negundo.  It  is  of  the  male  sex ;  the  inflorescence 
consists  of  pendulous  panicles  of  flowers,  that  are  green,  with  some  redness  from 
the  colour  of  the  anthers ;  and  each  is  placed  upon  a  slender  peduncle  of  about 
an  inch  in  length. 

Geography  and  History.  The  Negundo  fraxinifolium  is  a  native  of  the 
United  States,  and  of  Canada.  According  to  Dr.  Hooker,  it  is  abundant  about 
Red  River,  in  latitude  fifty-four  degrees,  in  the  latter  country,  which  may  be 
considered  as  its  most  northern  limit.  It  is  seldom  found  growing  wild  in  the 
northern  parts  of  the  union,  nor  in  the  maritime  districts  of  the  southern  states. 
It  commences  on  the  banks  of  the  Delaware,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Phila- 
delphia, and  becomes  more  abundant  towards  the  Alleghany  Mountains,  at  the 
west  of  which,  it  is  still  more  multiplied. 

This  species  was  first  introduced  into  England  in  1688,  by  Bishop  Compton, 
at  Fulham  ;  and  since  that  time  it  has  been  cultivated  throughout  Europe.  The 
original  tree,  planted  at  Fulham,  is  believed  still  to  be  in  existence.  In  1793,  it 
measured  six  feet  and  four  inches  in  circumference  three  feet  from  the  ground, 
and  was  computed  to  be  forty-five  feet  in  height.  In  1809,  it  measured  seven 
feet  one  and  a  half  inches  in  girt ;  and  in  1835,  the  dimensions  had  scarcely 
varied.  The  largest  tree  of  this  species  recorded  in  England,  is  at  Kenwood, 
which  had  attained  the  height  of  forty-five  feet  in  thirty-five  years  after  planting. 

The  negundo  was  introduced  into  France  by  Admiral  Gallisoniere,  in  the  time 
of  Du  Hamel.  According  to  Baudrillart,  the  administration  of  forests  at  Paris, 
received  a  quantity  of  seeds  from  the  neighbourhood  of  Lyons,  from  which  a 
number  of  young  plants  were  raised,  and  distributed  through  the  national 
forests.  Hence  it  appears  that  they  had  both  the  male  and  female  trees  in 
France,  at  that  period. 

Michaux  informs  us  that  a  row  of  these  trees  was  planted  in  the  Jardin  des 
Plantes,  in  the  Rue  de  Buffon,  which  gave  an  excellent  idea  of  their  appearance 
in  their  native  forests.  The  largest  of  these  trees  which  remained  in  1835,  esti- 
mated at  upwards  of  sixty  years  of  age,  was  fifty-one  feet  in  height,  with  a  head 
fifty-four  feet  in  diameter. 

At  Briick,  on  the  Leytha,  in  Austria,  there  is  a  tree  of  this  species,  which 
attained  the  height  of  eighty  feet  in  forty-eight  years  after  planting,  with  an 
ambitus,  or  spread  of  branches  of  forty-eight  feet. 

In  the  Bartram  botanic  garden,  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Schuylkill,  there  is  a 
tree  of  this  species,  fifty  feet  in  height,  with  a  trunk  four  feet  in  circumference. 
And  there  is  another  fine  specimen  growing  in  Washington  square,  in  Phila- 
delphia, which  has  been  planted  about  thirty  years. 

Soil,  Situation,  fyc.  In  the  bottoms  which  skirt  the  rivers  in  its  native  coun- 
try, where  the  soil  is  deep,  fertile,  constantly  moist,  and  often  inundated,  the 
Negundo  fraxinifolium  is  most  abundant,  and  attains  its  largest  size.  Even 
here,  however,  it  seldom  exceeds  fifty  feet  in  height,  with  a  trunk  twenty  inches 
in  diameter ;  and  "  trees  of  these  dimensions,"  Michaux  observes,  "  are  found 
only  in  Tennessee,  and  in  the  back  parts  of  Georgia,  which  lie  far  to  the  south." 
At  the  west  of  the  Alleghanies,  instead  of  being  confined  to  the  river  sides,  as  in 
Virginia  and  the  Carolinas,  it  grows  in  the  woods,  with  the  locust,  (robinia,) 
wild  cherry,  (Cerasus  virginiana,)  and  the  coffee-tree  ( gymnocladus. )  But  in 
such  situations,  it  does  not  attain  so  ample  dimensions  as  in  Tennessee  and 
Georgia.  When  cultivated,  the  soil  and  situation  of  this  tree  may  be  the  same 
as  those  of  the  Acer  eriocarpum.  When  raised  from  seeds,  they  should  always 
be  sown,  if  possible,  as  soon  as  practicable  after  gathering,  on  account  of  the 
difficulty  of  keeping  them  until  spring.  The  plants  grow  with  amazing  rapidity 
when  the  soil  is  deep,  and  somewhat  moist ;  but  as  it  is  not  a  long-lived  tree,  it 
should  not  be  placed  in  situations  where  the  permanent  effect  of  wood  is  of 


108 


NEGUNDO   FRAXINIFOLIUM. 


importance.  It  arrives  at  maturity  in  fifteen  or  twenty  years,  and  has  been 
known  to  attain  a  height  of  forty  or  fifty  feet,  when  cultivated  under  favoura- 
ble circumstances. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  Negundo  fraxinifolium  has  a  fine, 
even  grain,  and  is  saffron-coloured,  slightly  mixed  with  violet,  but  is  rather 
tender.  The  proportion  of  the  alburnum  to  the  heart-wood  is  large,  except  in 
very  old  trees,  in  which  the  heart-wood  is  variegated  with  bluish  and  rose-col- 
oured veins.  In  America,  it  is  seldom  employed  for  any  other  purpose  than  that 
of  fuel ;  but  in  Europe,  it  is  used  in  cabinet-making,  particularly  for  inlaying. 
It  works  well,  is  elastic  and  sonorous.  It  has  been  stated  that  sugar  has  been 
extracted  from  the  sap  of  this  tree,  but  this  is  denied  by  Michaux.  He  suggests 
that,  from  its  rapid  growth,  after  being  cut  down  to  the  ground,  it  might  form  a 
valuable  underwood,  to  be  cut  every  three  or  four  years,  for  fuel,  charcoal,  and 
other  purposes.  But  this  has  been  tried  in  France ;  and,  unless  the  soil  be  kept 
constantly  humid,  the  stool  is  found  to  decay  in  a  few  years.  In  England,  it  is 
solely  to  be  considered  as  an  ornamental  tree ;  and  there,  as  well  as  in  the  United 
States,  it  merits  the  attention  of  cultivators  and  amateurs,  in  situations  where 
immediate  effect  is  the  object ;  for  it  is  rapid  in  its  growth,  showy  in  its  appear- 
ance, by  the  fine  green  of  its  shoots,  its  large,  pinnate  leaves  which  move  by 
the  slightest  breeze,  and  its  wide-spreading  summit.  It  also  merits  attention 
from  its  faculty  of  growing  in  almost  any  kind  of  soil. 


Genus  jESCULUS,  Linn. 


iEsculaceae. 
Syst.  Nat. 

Heptandria  Monogynia. 
Syst.  Lin. 

Synonymes. 

JZsculus,  Hippocastanum,  Pavia, 

Of  Authors. 

Marronier  d'Indie, 
Rosskastanie. 
Ippocastano, 
Horse-chesnut,  Buckeye. 

France. 

Germany. 

Italy. 

Britain  and  Anglo-America. 

jJerivations.  The  word  JEsculus,  derived  from  the  Latin  esca,  nourishment,  was  applied  by  Pliny  to  a  species  of  oak  which 
lad  an  edible  acorn.  The  name  Hippocastanum,  derived  from  the  Greek  hippos,  a  horse,  and  castanon,  a  chesnut,  is  sup- 
>osed  to  have  been  given  to  this  tree,  because,  in  Turkey,  the  nuts  were  used  for  curing  horses  of  pulmonary  diseases.  The 
lame,  Pavia,  is  so  called,  in  honour  of  Peter  Paw,  a  Dutch  botanist. 

Distinctive  Characters.  Calyx  campanulate,  5-lobed.  Ovary  roundish,  trigonal.  Seeds  large  and  globose  : 
albumen  wanting.  Embryo  curved,  inverted,  with  fleshy,  thick,  gibbous  cotyledons,  not  produced 
above  ground  in  germination.     Plumule  large,  2-leaved. — Loudon,  Arboretum. 


Y  most  modern  botanists,  the  order  iEsculacese,  is  supposed  to 
embrace  two  separate  genera,  JEjsculus  and  Pavia,  distinguished 
from  each  other  chiefly  by  the  former  having  echinated  capsules, 
and  the  latter  by  having  them  smooth ;  and  also  of  the  compar- 
ative roughness  of  their  leaves.  To  us  it  appears  doubtful, 
whether  these  circumstances  are  a  sufficient  generic  distinction, 
since  they  vary  much  in  different  individuals,  and  since,  in  some  of  the  kinds, 
which  have  apparently  been  produced  between  sesculus  and  pavia,  the  fruit  is 
is  smooth,  or  nearly  as  much  so  as  in  the  pavige  proper.  We  shall,  therefore, 
embrace  them  all  under  four  species,  and  regard  the  others  as  varieties. 

All  the  species,  except  one,  which  is  a  shrub,  are  deciduous  trees,  with  deeply 
:ut  leaves,  and  showy  flowers.  They  are  mostly  natives  of  North  America, 
and  some  of  the  varieties  are  recognized,  in  Brazil,  northern  India,  and  Japan. 
Their  fruit  is  usually  large  and  bitter,  sternutatory,  abounding  in  potash  and 
starch,  and  containing  a  febrifuge  called  cesculine.  Their  bark  is  tonic  and 
astringent. 


JEscidus  hippocastanum , 
THE   COMMON   HORSE-CHESNUT. 

Synonymes. 


jEsculus  hippocastanum, 


'  Linnjeus,  Species  Plantarum. 
Willdenow,  Berlinische  Baumzucht. 
De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 
Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
Selby,  British  Forest  Trees. 
France. 
Germany. 


Marronier  d'Indie, 

Gemeine  Eosskastanie, 

Ippocastano,  Marrone  d'India,  Castagna  )  jTALY> 

cavallina,  ) 

Esculo,  Castana  de  caballo,  Spain. 

Escolo,  Portugal. 

Konskoi  Kastan,  Russia. 

Horse-chesnut  Britain  and  Anglo- America. 

Engravings.     Selby,  British  Forest  Trees,  pp.  31,  35,  et  36 ;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  v.,  pi.  43;  and  the  figures 

oelow. 

Specific  Characters.    Leaflets  1,  obovately  cuneated,  acute,  and  toothed.— Loudon,  Arboretum. 


Description. 


j^^ggHE  Horse-chesnut  is  a 
Rs  h  H  H  tree  of  the  largest  size, 
D?    LI    f^  with  an  erect  trunk,  and 


ife^&M  a  pyramidal  head,  some- 
times attaining  a  height  of  ninety  or  one  hundred 
feet.  The  leaves  are  large,  of  a  deep- green,  and 
singularly  interesting  and  beautiful,  when  first 
developed.  When  enclosed  in  the  bud,  they  are 
covered  with  a  pubescence,  that  falls  off,  as  they 
become  expanded,  which  occurs  sooner  or  later, 
according  to  the  dryness  or  moistness  of  the  season. 
The  buds  are  covered  with  a  gummy  substance, 
which  protects  their  downy  interior  from  the  wet. 
The  growth,  both  of  the  tree  and  of  the  leaves,  is 
very  rapid,  sometimes  the  young  shoots  and  leaves 
being  perfected  in  three  weeks  from  the  time  of 
their  first  unfolding.  The  flowers  appear  a  short 
time  after  the  leaves,  and  are  white,  variegated  with  red  and  yellow;  and  in 
Britain  and  the  northern  parts  of  the  United  States,  they  expand  in  May,  and 
the  fruit  ripens  about  the  end  of  September  or  early  in  October. 

Varieties.  The  following  varieties  are  recognized  under  this  species,  and  may 
be  described  as  follows : — 

1.  M.  h.  flore  pleno,  Loudon.  Double-floivered  Horse-chesnut.  This  vari- 
ety is  recorded  in  nurserymen's  catalogues,  but  it  is  not  common. 

2.  IE.  h.  variegata,  Loudon.  Variegated-leaved  Horse-chesnut.  The  leaves 
of  this  variety  arc  blotched  with  yellow,  or  yellowish-white  ;  but  they  have  a 
ragged  and  unhealthy  appearance,  and  are  by  no  means  ornamental. 

3.  M.  h.  ohioensis,  Loudon.  Ohio  Horse-chesnut  or  Fcetid  Buckeye.  This 
variety  is  found  on  the  banks  of  rivers  in  Pennsylvania,  Virginia,  Ohio,  and 


COMMON  HORSE-CHESNUT.  11] 

Lentucky.  It  is  a  low  tree,  with  a  rough,  blackish  bark,  the  cellular  integu- 
lent  of  which,  emits  a  disagreeable,  fetid  odour.  The  ordinary  stature  is  ten 
r  twelve  feet,  but  it  sometimes  attains  a  height  of  thirty  or  thirty-five  feet, 
rith  a  diameter  of  twelve  or  fifteen  inches.  The  leaflets  are  glabrous,  une- 
ual  in  size,  oval-acuminate,  irregularly  toothed,  and  of  a  fine  green  colour, 
^e  flowers  are  white,  about  half  the  size  of  the  iEsculus  hippocastanum,  and 
ppear  in  May  or  June.  The  fruit  is  also  about  half  the  size,  of  the  same  colour, 
nd  is  contained  in  fleshy,  prickly  capsules,  and  matures  early  in  autumn. 

4.  M.  h.  rubicunda,  Loudon.  Scarlet-flowered  Horse-chesnut ;  Marronier  rubi- 
>md  of  the  French ;  and  Scharlachr  other  Rosskastanienbaum  of  the  Germans. 
The  colour  of  the  flowers  of  this  variety  is  scarlet.  The  leaves  are  of  a  deeper 
reen  than  those  of  any  other  kind.  It  is  distinguished  from  the  iEsculus  hippo- 
istanum  by  the  leaves  being  fuller  and  more  uneven  on  the  surface,  and  of  a 
eeper  green ;  and  from  the  iEsculus  rubra,  by  its  larger  and  rougher  leaves. 
t  is  doubtful  whether  this  tree  is  a  native  of  America,  or  originated  in  British 
urseries.  It  was  first  cultivated  in  England  in  1820 ;  and  a  tree  at  Endsleigh 
lottage,  in  Devonshire,  attained  the  height  of  thirty  feet  in  eighteen  years  after 
lanting. 

5.  M.  h.  glabra,  Loudon.  Smooth-leaved  Horse-chesnut.  This  variety  is  a 
>w  tree,  native  of  North  America,  and  introduced  into  Britain  in  1822.  Its 
;aflets  are  of  a  pale-green,  very  smooth,  and  fall  in  autumn  sooner  than  those 
f  most  other  varieties.  The  flowers  are  of  a  greenish-yellow,  and  appear  in 
une.  The  whole  plant  is  comparatively  glabrous,  and  even  the  fruit  partakes 
f  that  quality. 

6.  JE.  h.  pallida,  Loudon.  Pale-flowered  Horse-chesnut ;  Gelblicher  Rosskas- 
inienbaum  of  the  Germans.  This  variety  is  a  native  of  the  forests  of  Kentucky, 
nd  was  introduced  into  Britain  in  1812.  It  closely  resembles  the  preceding  vari- 
ty,  but  is  somewhat  more  robust  in  its  growth.  Its  flowers  are  paler,  being  of  a 
rhitish,  or  greenish-yellow,  and  its  leaves  are  not  quite  so  smooth. 

7.  M.  h.  aspleniifolia.  Fernlike-leaved  Horse-chesnut.  This  is  a  French 
ariety,  having  leaves  resembling  those  of  ferns. 

8.  iE.  h.  foliis  argenteis,  Loudon.  Silver-leaved  Horse-chesnut,  the  leaves  of 
mich  are  blotched,  or  striped  with  white,  instead  of  yellow. 

Geography  and  History.  The  native  country  of  the  common  horse-chesnut, 
Ir.  Royle  observes,  "  is  yet  unknown,  though  stated,  in  some  works,  to  be  the 
orth  of  India."  He  says  that  he  never  met  with  it,  though  often  visiting  the 
lountains  of  that  country,  where,  if  anywhere,  it  was  likely  to  be  found,  and 
rhere  the  Indian  horse-chesnut  was  found  in  abundance. 

According  to  M.  Bon  de  Saint-Hilaire,  the  horse-chesnut  passed  from  the 
lountains  of  Thibet  to  England  in  1550,  and  thence  to  Vienna,  by  Clusius,  and 
fterwards  to  Paris  by  Bachelier.  It  is  also  stated  by  Clusius,  in  his  "  Rariorum 
'lantarnm  Historia,"  that  there  was  a  plant  of  this  species  at  Vienna,  in  1588, 
diich  had  been  brought  there  twelve  years  before,  but  which  had  not  then 
owered.  It  has  also  been  said  that  this  tree  was  first  raised  in  France,  from 
3eds  procured  from  the  Levant,  in  the  year  1615,  by  one  Bachelier.  Parkinson, 
l  1629,  says,  "  Our  Christian  world  had  first  a  knowledge  of  it  from  Constanti- 
ople."  The  same  author  placed  it  in  his  orchard,  as  a  fruit-tree,  between  the 
ralnut  and  the  mulberries.  We  afterwards  find  it  mentioned  in  Johnson's  edi- 
ion  of  Gerard's  "  Herbal,"  in  1633,  as  then  growing  in  Mr.  Tradescant's  garden, 
t  South  Lambeth.  From  this  period  till  the  time  of  Miller,  it  appears  to  have 
ttracted  great  attention,  and  acquired  a  high  reputation  as  an  ornamental  tree, 
s  he  represents  it  in  i731,  as  being  very  common  in  England,  and  extensively 
mployed  in  the  formation  of  avenues  and  public  walks. 

The  largest  horse-chesnut,  supposed  to   exist  in    Britain,    is   at  Nocton,    in 


112  jESCULUS  hippocastanum. 

Lincolnshire  It  is  represented  as  being  a  most  magnificent  tree,  fifty-nine  feet 
high,  with  immense  branches,  spreading  over  a  space  of  three  hundred  and  five 
feet  in  circumference.  The  branches  are  supported  by  props,  so  that  at  a  little 
distance,  the  tree  appears  like  an  immense  Indian  banian.  At  Coombe  Abbey, 
in  Warwickshire,  there  is  another  tree  of  this  species,  which  attained  the  height 
of  seventy  feet  in  one  hundred  years  after  planting,  and  had  a  trunk  seven  feet 
three  inches  in  diameter,  with  an  ambitus,  or  spread  of  branches,  of  one  hundred 
and  three  feet.  Sir  T.  Dick  Lauder,  speaking  of  horse-chesnuts  in  Scotland, 
says,  "  The  horse-chesnuts  on  the  lawn,  which  was  formerly  the  garden  of 
Dawick,  the  seat  of  Sir  John  Murray  Nasmyth,  Bart.,  a  few  miles  from  Peebles, 
in  Tweeddale,  are  certainly  the  oldest  and  finest  in  Scotland ;  or,  perhaps,  we 
should  say  there  are  none  equal  to  them  in  Britain.  They  stand  twelve  feet 
from  each  other ;  but  they  support  a  mass  of  foliage  that  appears  to  be  but  one 
head,  which  takes  a  beautiful  form,  and  covers  an  area  of  ground,  the  diameter 
of  which,  is  ninety-six  feet.  The  larger  of  the  two  is  in  girt,  immediately  above 
the  root,  sixteen  and  a  half  feet.  The  smaller  tree  is  twelve  and  a  half  feet  in 
circumference  at  the  base,  and  ten  feet  at  three  feet  high."  The  age  of  these 
trees  was  estimated  by  him  to  be  from  one  hundred  and  eighty  to  one  hun- 
dred and  ninety  years.  Mr.  Loudon  has  recorded  another  tree  of  this  species, 
as  growing  at  Enfield,  near  London,  which,  in  1835,  had  attained  the  height  of 
one  hundred  feet. 

The  largest  horse-chesnut  in  France,  and  which  was  considered  as  the  parent 
stock  from  which  all  others  have  been  propagated  in  that  country,  formerly 
existed  in  the  garden  of  the  Temple.  The  'second  tree  of  this  species  introduced 
into  that  kingdom,  was  planted  in  the  Jardin  des  Plantes,  in  1650,  and  died  in 
1767.  A  section  of  its  trunk  is  still  preserved  in  the  Museum  of  Natural  History. 
There  is  a  tree  of  this  kind  existing  in  the  garden  of  the  Tuileries,  which  is  dis- 
tinguished, even  in  summer,  from  all  others  in  the  same  garden,  by  the  profusion 
of  flowers  with  which  it  is  covered,  and  also  by  the  earliness  of  their  putting 
forth.  It  is  said  to  unfold  its  leaves  always  a  fortnight  earlier  than  any  others, 
which  is  exemplified  by  the  following  historical  incident.  On  Napoleon's  entry 
into  Paris,  on  the  20th  of  March,  1815,  after  his  return  from  the  island  of  Elba, 
this  tree  furnished  to  him  and  his  friends,  foliage  for  their  personal  decoration, 
l  eing  the  only  tree  in  the  leaf  in  the  garden  of  the  Tuileries. 

In  Germany,  the  horse-chesnut,  after  having  been  planted  at  Vienna,  soon 
tound  its  way  to  Baden,  where  it  was  planted  about  the  end  of  the  XVIth  cen- 
tury, and  where  some  of  the  trees  are  said  to  be  still  in  existence. 

The  introduction  of  the  common  horse-chesnut  into  the  United  States  probably 
dates  back  to  about  the  middle  of  the  XVIIth  century.  The  tree,  supposed  to  be 
the  first  brought  to  this  country,  is  still  standing  on  the  estate  of  Mr.  Lemuel  W. 
Wells,  of  Yonkers,  (formerly  Phillipsburgh,)  New  York,  and  is  ten  feet  in  cir- 
cumference at  a  yard  above  the  ground,  sixty-five  feet  in  height,  with  an  ambi- 
tus, or  spread  of  branches  of  fifty  feet.  It  is  in  a  flourishing  condition,  and  bears 
a  profusion  of  fruit,  from  which  the  New  York  nurseries  and  seed-stores  are 
annually  supplied.  It  is  said  to  have  been  planted  by  Frederick  Philipse,  the 
founder  of  Phillipsburgh,  who  formerly  lived  on  the  place  of  its  present  proprietor. 
In  the  vicinity  of  this  tree  there  are  numerous  others  of  nearly  the  same  magni- 
tude, which  were  raised  from  its  nuts,  and  from  the  accounts  of  the  oldest  resi- 
dents of  Yonkers,  they  have  not  increased  materially  in  size  within  their  recol- 
lection. 

Poetical  and  Legendary  Allusions.  The  horse-chesnut,  when  allowed  to  attain 
its  proper  shape  on  a  lawn,  has  been  compared  by  some  authors  to  an  immense  "  lus- 
tre or  chandelier,"  its  long  racemes  of  flowers  tapering  up  from  its  drooping  foli- 
age like  light;  a  "giant's  nosegay;"  a  "  gigantic  hyacinth  ;"  a  "  Brobdignagian 


COMMON   HORSE-CHESNUT.  113 

lupine ;"  and,  from  the  manner  in  which  it  scatters  its  flowers  on  the  grass,  and 
the  comparative  uselessness  of  its  fruit  and  timber,  it  is  regarded  by  poets  as  a 
symbol  of  ostentation. 

In  Paris,  the  magnificent  trees  in  the  garden  at  the  Luxembourg  have  been 
celebrated  by  Castel. 

"  L4  de  marroniers  les  hautes  avenues 
S'arrondissent  eii  voiite,  et  nous  cachent  les  nues." 

Soil,  Situation,  fyc.  The  horse-chesnut  requires  a  deep,  free,  loamy  soil,  and 
will  neither  attain  an  ample  size,  nor  flower  freely,  except  in  a  situation  rather 
sheltered  than  exposed.  It  is  always  propagated  by  the  nut,  sown  in  autumn  or 
spring,  and  covered  with  from  two  to  three  inches  of  soil.  The  cotyledons  do 
not  rise  to  the  surface,  as  in  the  oak,  the  beech,  and  some  other  trees.  "Some 
nurserymen,"  says  Loudon,  "cause  the  nuts  to  germinate  before  sowing  them, 
in  order  to  have  an  opportunity  of  pinching  off  the  extremity  of  the  radicle  ;  by 
which  means  the  plants  are  prevented  from  forming  a  taproot ;  or,  at  least,  if  a 
taproot  is  formed,  it  is  of  a  much  weaker  description  than  it  would  otherwise  be. 
and  the  number  of  lateral  fibres  is  increased ;  all  of  which  is  favourable  for 
transplanting.  When  the  tree  is  intended  to  attain  the  largest  size,  in  the 
shortest  time,  the  nut  ought  to  be  sown  where  the  tree  is  finally  to  remain ; 
because  the  use  of  the  taproot  is  mainly  to  descend  deep  into  the  soil,  to  secure 
a  supply  of  water,  which,  in  dry  soils  and  seasons,  can  never  be  obtained  in 
sufficient  quantities  by  the  lateral  roots,  which  extend  themselves  near  the  sur- 
face in  search  of  nourishment  and  -air."  This  is  admitted,  by  Selby,  to  be  the 
case  for  a  certain  number  of  years,  but  he  doubts  whether  a  transplanted  tree 
will  not  ultimately  attain  as  large  a  size  as  one  reared  in  the  manner  recom- 
mended above.  He  cites  an  instance  of  a  tree  at  Twizell,  eighteen  years  planted, 
which  measured,  at  two  feet  from  the  ground,  four  feet,  two  inches  in  circumfer- 
ence, with  a  height  of  thirty-eight  feet. 

Insects.  The  foliage  of  the  iEsculus  hippocastanum  is  rarely  eaten  by  the 
larvae  of  insects,  except  by  those  of  several  species  of  the  Geometrise,  some  of 
which  indiscriminately  attack  every  tree  within  their  reach,  and  persist  in  their 
devastations,  unless  the  qualities  of  the  leaves  are  disagreeable  to  them  in  the 
extreme.  Among  the  trees,  in  which  the  leaves  are  unpleasant  to  them,  are  the 
Ailantus  glandulosa,  Catalpa  syringsefolia,  and  Broussonetia  papyrifera  ( paper 
mulberry.) 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  horse-chesnut  is  white  and  very  soft, 
and  according  to  Loudon,  when  dry,  weighs  from  thirty-five  to  thirty-seven 
pounds  to  a  cubic  foot.  It  is  unfit  for  use  where  much  strength  and  durability 
in  the  open  air  are  required ;  nevertheless,  there  are  many  purposes  for  which  it 
is  applicable,  when  sawn  into  boards ;  such  as  for  flooring,  lining  to  carts, 
packing-cases,  &c.  In  France,  sabots,  or  wooden  shoes  are  made  from  it ;  and 
it  is  said  to  be  used  by  carvers,  turners,  &c.  Boutcher  says,  that  it  is  suitable 
for  water-pipes  that  are  to  be  kept  constantly  under  ground ;  and  it  is  also  recom- 
mended for  this  purpose  by  Du  Hamel.  The  charcoal  made  of  this  species  may 
be  used  in  the  manufacture  of  gunpowder ;  and  the  ashes  of  every  part  of  the 
plant,  more  especially  of  the  fruit,  afford  potash  in  considerable  quantity.  The 
bark,  which  is  very  bitter,  is  employed  for  tanning,  and  also  for  dyeing  yellow ; 
and  it  has  been  used  medicinally  as  a  substitute  for  Jesuit's  bark.  In  Turkey, 
the  nuts  are  ground,  and  mixed  with  horse-food,  especially  when  the  animals  are 
broken  winded ;  and  in  their  crude  state,  they  are  eaten  by  goats,  sheep,  deer, 
and  hogs.  They  are  used  in  Ireland  to  whiten  linen,  and  for  this  purpose  are 
rasped  into  water,  in  which  they  are  allowed  to  macerate  for  some  time.  The 
saponaceous  juice,  which  they  contain,  is  very  useful,  not  only  in  bleaching,  but  in 

15 


114  .ESCULUS   HIPPOCASTANUM. 

washing  linens  and  other  stuffs.  The  nuts  must  be  peeled  and  ground,  and  the 
flour  of  twenty  of  them  is  sufficient  for  ten  quarts  of  water ;  and  either  linens  or 
woollens  may  be  washed  with  the  infusion,  without  any  soap,  as  it  effectually 
eradicates  spots  of  all  kinds.  The  clothes,  however,  should  afterwards  be  rinsed 
in  clean  water.  The  nuts,  when  ground  into  flour,  and  mixed  in  the  propor- 
tion of  one  third  with  the  flour  of  wheat,  are  said  to  add  to  the  strength  of  book- 
binder's paste;  and  when  steeped  in  hot  water,  and  mixed  with  an  equal  pro- 
portion of  bran,  it  makes  a  nutritious  food  for  pigs  and  poultry.  M.  Vergaud 
has  proposed  to  change  the  starch  contained  in  the  flour,  into  sugar,  and  after- 
wards employ  it  in  distillation. 

In  Europe  and  America,  the  horse-chesnut  can  only  be  considered  as  an  orna- 
mental tree.  It  produces  a  splendid  effect  when  in  flower,  either  singly,  in  ave- 
nues, or  on  the  margins  of  plantations.  Gilpin  objects  to  this  tree,  as  being 
"  lumpish  in  its  form ;"  but  in  saying  this,  he  evidently  judged  of  the  tree  merely 
with  reference  to  picturesque  beauty,  to  which  it  has  but  few  pretensions  till  it 
becomes  very  old ;  whereas  in  point  of  floral  beauty,  it  is  unequalled  by  few 
other  trees.  "  To  the  painter  the  magnificence  of  its  stature"  and  the  richness 
of  its  drapery,  especially  when  clothed  in  the  beauty  of  its  broad  palmated  leaves, 
and  embroidered  with  its  profusion  of  silver  flowers,  "scarcely  atone  for  the 
exceeding  regularity  of  its  form,  terminating,  as  it  invariably  does,  when  left  to 
the  hand  of  nature,  in  an  exact  parabola."  And  in  addition  to  these  beauties, 
its  massive  and  luxuriant  summit  contrasts  well  with  those  of  trees  of  a  more 
airy  character,  and  thus  produces  that  breadth  of  light  and  shade  so  essential  to 
landscape  scenery. 


JEsculus  pavia, 
THE  SMALL  BUCKEYE. 

Synonymes. 


JSsculus  pavia, 


Pavia  rubra. 


Marronier  pavie,  Pavie  a  fleurs  rouges, 
Rothe  Rosskastanie, 
Pavia,  Marrone  di  Paw, 
Red-flowered  Pavia,  Small  Buckeye, 


Linn^us,  Species  Plantarum. 

Elliott,  Flora  of  South  Carolina. 

Torrev  and  Gray,  Flora  of  North  America. 

De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 

Don,  Miller's  Dictionary. 

Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 

France. 

Germany. 

Italy. 

Britain  and  Anglo-America. 


Engravings.    Audubon,  Birds  of  America,  pi.  lxxxviii. ;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  v.,  pi.  51 ;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.  Fruit  smooth.  Corolla  4  petals,  that  are  longer  than  the  stamens.  Leaflets  5,  ellip- 
tic-oblong, tapered  at  both  ends,  and  smooth,  as  is  the  petiole ;  axils  of  the  nerves  hairy  on  the  under 
surface  of  the  leaf. — De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 

Description. 

Hg^jgHE  Small  Buckeye  is 
3  t~Tp  H>  a  slender-growing  tree 
J  'H '  or  shrub,  varying  in 
s\^§§1|  height  from  two  to 
twenty  feet,  in  its  natural  habitat,  and  some- 
times thirty  feet  when  in  a  state  of  cultivation. 
The  leaves  are  oblong-lanceolate,  cuneate-ob- 
long,  or  oval,  slightly  acuminate,  unequally 
serrulate,  minutely  pubescent,  or  nearly  gla- 
brous, except  along  the  veins  beneath.  The 
racemes  are  lax,  and  generally  with  ternate 
flowers;  the  corollas  are  tetrapetalous,  with 
their  connivent  claws  of  the  length  of  the 
calyx ;  the  stamens  are  seven,  and  shorter 
than  the  corolla.  The  flowers  appear  in  Geor- 
gia and  Carolina  in  March,  and  a  month  or  six 
weeks  later  near  Philadelphia  and  New  York ; 
and  according  to  Mr.  Audubon,  they  are  scent- 
less, but  much  sought  after  by  humming-birds. 
The  fruit  resembles  that  of  the  common  horse-chesnut,  but  is  much  smaller. 

Varieties.  The  variations  which  are  recognized  under  this  form  may  be  de- 
scribed as  follows : 

1.  JE.  p.  arguta  (P.  r.  arg-uta,  of  Loudon.)  Sharp-toothed  Small  Buckeye. 
This  variety  was  introduced  into  the  garden  of  the  London  Horticultural  Society 
from  the  nursery  of  M.  Castros,  of  Bordeaux,  under  the  name  of  Msculus  pavia 
parviflora.  It  is  said  to  be  a  handsome  small  tree,  with  dark,  brownish-red  flow- 
ers, differing  but  little  from  the  iEsculus  pavia.  The  tree  in  the  Society's  gar- 
den attained  the  height  of  fifteen  feet  in  ten  years. 

2.  JE.  p.  sublaciniata  (P.  r.  sublaciniata,  of  Loudon.)  Slightly-cutleaved 
Small  Buckeye.  The  leaflets  of  this  variety  are  acutely  serrated ;  in  other  re- 
spects it  differs  but  little  from  the  species. 


116  .ESCULUS    PA  VIA. 

3.  M.  p.  humilis  (P.  r.  humilis,  of  Loudon.)  Dwarf  Small  Buckeye.  This 
is  a  diminutive,  weak,  straggling  recumbent  bush,  only  from  two  to  three  feet  in 
height. 

4.  M.  p.  discolor  (Pavia  discolor,  of  Loudon.)  Two-colour ed-flovwred  Small 
Buckeye.  The  whole  plant  of  this  variety,  when  young,  is  covered  with  pubes- 
cence. The  leaflets  are  often  somewhat  doubly-serrate,  sometimes  smooth,  and 
a  little  shining  above.  The  inflorescence  resembles  that  of  the  JEseulus  flava, 
but  the  flowers  are  decidedly  those  of  the  tEscuIus  pavia.  They  are  large,  showy, 
being  yellow,  white,  pale,  dull-red,  or  purple-variegated,  continuing  a  long  time 
expanding,  and  numerous,  though  they  are  but  sparingly  succeeded  by  fruit.  This 
plant  varies  in  height  from  three  to  ten  feet,  and  when  raised  from  seed,  it  is  re- 
markable for  its  thick,  fleshy,  carrot-like  roots,  which,  in  free  soil,  penetrate  per- 
pendicularly to  the  depth  of  eight  or  ten  feet,  as  was  the  case  in  the  Hammer- 
smith nursery,  in  England. 

5.  iE.  p.  hybrida  (Pavia  hybrida,  of  Loudon.)  The  leaves  of  this  variety  are 
clothed  beneath  with  velvety  pubescence,  the  petioles  are  smooth,  and  the  flowers 
yellow.  The  leaves  and  flowers  of  this  form  bear  some  resemblance  to  those  of 
the  iEsculus  pavia  discolor,  but  its  flowers  are  more  sparingly  produced. 

6.  iE.  p.  neglecta  (Pavia  ncglecta,  of  Loudon).  The  leaves  of  this  variety 
have  rufous  down  on  the  veins  on  their  upper  sides,  are  smooth  beneath,  and  rather 
plicate.  The  flowers  are  pale-yellow,  and  veined  with  red.  This  is  a  tree  re- 
sembling the  preceding  variety,  and,  like  it,  is  apparently  a  hybrid  between  the 
iEsculus  pavia  and  JE.  pavia  discolor. 

7.  JEa.  p.  macrocarpa  {Pavia  macrocarpa,  of  Loudon.)  This  variety  appears 
to  be  intermediate  between  some  variety  of  ./Esculus  hippocastanum  and  ^Esculus 

pavia.  The  leaves  are  large,  smooth  on  the  upper  surface,  and  shining.  The 
flowers  are  nearly  as  large  as  those  of  the  common  horse-chesnut,  but  with  the 
petals  less  spreading,  and  of  a  pale-red  colour,  mixed  with  yellow.  The 
branches  are  spreading  and  loose ;  and  the  whole  tree  has  an  open,  graceful 
appearance,  and  quite  different  from  that  compactness  of  form  and  rigidity  of 
branches  which  characterize  most  of  the  larger  trees  of  this  genus. 

Geography  and  History.  The  small  buckeye  is  found  in  fertile  valleys  and 
on  mountains,  from  Virginia  to  Georgia,  Louisiana,  and  Arkansas ;  and  is  said 
also  to  be  a  native  of  Brazil  and  of  Japan.  It  was  introduced  into  Britain 
by  Thomas  Fairchild,  in  1711,  and  since  that  time  it  has  been  generally  culti- 
vated as  an  ornamental  shrub  throughout  Europe. 

In  England,  at  Ham  House,  in  Essex,  in  1835,  it  had  attained  the  height  of 
twenty-one  feet,  with  an  ambitus  or  spread  of  branches  of  thirty-two  feet.  At 
Wardour  Castle,  in  Wiltshire,  in  twenty  years  after  planting,  it  had  arrived  at 
a  height  of  thirty  feet.  A  plant  of  the  dwarf  variety  was  engrafted  on  the  com- 
mon horse-chesnut  by  Messrs.  Loddiges,  at  Hackney,  and  produced  a  beautiful, 
pendulous,  low  tree. 

In  France,  at  Paris,  in  the  Jardin  des  Plantes,  a  tree  of  this  species  attained 
the  height  of  thirty  feet  in  twenty-three  years  after  planting. 

In  Hanover,  at  Schwobber,  there  is  a  small  buckeye  over  forty  feet  in  height. 

At  Philadelphia,  in  the  garden  of  Mr.  D.  Landreth,  there  is  a  tree  of  this  spe- 
cies, thirty  years  planted,  which  is  twenty-five  feet  high,  with  a  trunk  three  and 
a  half  feet  in  circumference. 

Properties,  Uses,  fyc.  The  wood  of  the  iEsculus  pavia  resembles  that  of  the 
common  horse-chesnut,  but  is  of  no  particular  use,  thus  far,  in  the  arts.  On  the 
authority  of  Elliott,  the  bruised  branches,  or  powdered  seeds  of  this  tree  are 
sometimes  employed  to  stupify  fish.  When  the  water  of  small  ponds  is  impreg- 
nated with  them,  the  fish  rise  to  the  surface  almost  lifeless,  and  may  readilv  bf 


SMALL    BUCKEYE. 


117 


taken  with  the  hand.     The  root,  he  says,  is  used  as  a  substitute  for  soap  in 
washing  woollen  clothes. 

It  has  been  recommended  to  engraft  this  species  into  the  points  of  the  shoots 
of  the  common  horse-chesnut,  of  twenty  or  thirty  years'  growth,  care  being 
taken  afterwards,  once  or  twice  every  year,  to  rub  off  all  the  buds  from  the  stock 
as  soon  as  they  appear,  so  that  the  entire  force  of  the  plant  may  be  directed  to 
the  nourishment  of  the  scions. 


JEscutus  /lava, 
THE  LARGE  BUCKEYE. 

Synonymes. 

{  Aiton,  Hortus  Kewensis. 
JEsculus  flava,  j  Torrey  and  Gray,  Flora  of  North  America. 

Pavia  lutea,  Michaux,  North  American  Sylva. 

IDe  Candolle,  Prodromus. 
Don,  Miller's  Dictionary. 
Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
Pavie  a  fleurs  jaunes,  France. 

Gelbe  Rosskastanie,  Germany. 

Pavia  gialla,  Marrone  d'India  gialla,  Italy. 

Yellow  Pavia,  Britain. 

Large    Buckeye,    Big    Buckeye,   Sweet  )  United  States. 
Buckeye,  ) 

Engravings.    Michaux,  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  91 ;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  v.,  pi.  55;  and  the  figures  below 

Specific  Characters.    Petioles  pubescent,  flattish  towards  the  tip.    Leaflets  5 — 7,  pubescent  beneath,  and 
above  upon  the  nerves. — De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 


Description. 

!K2§j|HE  Large  Buckeye,  in  fa- 
^  '"Tr1  ci  vourable situations,  some- 

J  j£€  times  attains  an  elevation 
^i^m  of  seventy  or  eighty  feet, 
with  a  trunk  three  or  four  feet  in  diameter ;  but 
in  the  southern  states  it  often  dwindles  down  to 
a  small  shrub,  not  more  than  four  or  five  feet 
in  height.  The  leaves  are  much  paler  than 
those  of  the  iEsculus  pavia,  are  lanceolate, 
pointed  at  the  summit, 
rowed,  and  pubescent, 
appear  in  April  and 
able    yellow,    and 


serrate,   slightly  fur- 
The   flowers,   which 
May,  are  of  a  light,  agree- 
are    disposed    in    upright 


in 
bunches  at  the  ends  of  the  shoots  of  the  same 
season.  The  fruit  is  contained  in  a  fleshy, 
oval  capsule,  about  two  inches  in  diameter, 
which  is  often  gibbous,  and  the  surface  of 
which,  unlike  that  of  the  common  horse-ches- 
nut,  is  smooth.      Each  capsule  contains  two 

seeds  or  nuts,  of  an  equal  size,  flat  upon  one  side  and  convex  on  the  other. 
They  are  larger,  and  lighter  coloured  than  those  of  the  common  horse-chesnut, 
and,  like  them,  unfit  to  eat. 

Variety.  M.  f.  aurantia.  Orange-coloured-flowered  Large  Buckeye.  This 
variety  diners  from  the  species  in  the  deep-orange  and  yellow  hue  of  its  flowers, 
in  its  smooth,  irregularly-toothed  leaves,  and  more  acute  divisions  of  the  calyx. 
It  grows  in  the  vicinity  of  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 

Geography  and  History.  The  natural  habitat  of  the  iEsculus  flava  is  near 
the  large  rivers  in  the  western  states,  and  along  the  Alleghanies,  from  the  thirty- 
ninth  degree  of  latitude,  in  Virginia,  to  their  termination  in  Georgia.  It  may  be 
considered  as  a  stranger,  east  of  these  mountains,  with  the  exception  of  a  tract 
thirty  or  forty  miles  wide,  situated,  as  it  were,  beneath  their  shadow 


LARGE    BUCKEYE.  119 

This  species  was  introduced  into  Britain  in  1764,  and  has  since  been  culti- 
vated in  many  gardens  on  the  continent.  The  largest  tree  in  England  is  at 
Syon,  which,  in  1835,  was  forty  feet  in  height. 

At  Paris,  in  the  Jardin  des  Plantes,  there  is  a  tree,  which  attained  the  height 
of  forty-four  feet  in  fifty-five  years  after  planting. 

In  Hanover,  at  Schwobber,  there  is  also  a  tree  forty  feet  in  height. 

In  the  Bartram  botanic  garden,  at  Kingsessing,  near  Philadelphia,  there  is  a 
large  buckeye,  ninety  feet  in  height,  with  a  trunk  six  feet  and  a  half  in  circum- 
ference. 

Soil,  Situation,  &fc.  In  its  native  country,  the  iEsculus  fiava  prefers  the  decliv- 
ities of  mountains,  where  the  soil  is  loose,  deep,  and  fertile.  It  is  commonly 
propagated  by  budding,  because  the  colour  of  the  flowers  is  found  to  vary  much  in 
plants  raised  from  seeds.  It  may  also  be  grafted,  like  the  iEsculus  pavia,  on 
the  common  horse-chesnut.  This  species  is  not  quite  so  free  a  flowerer  as  the 
last-named  species,  and  it  is  one  of  the  first  trees  of  the  genus  to  drop  its  leaves. 

The  wood  of  this  tree,  from  its  softness,  and  want  of  strength  and  durability, 
can  subserve  to  but  few  useful  purposes. 

Although  the  iEsculus  fiava  is  much  inferior  to  the  common  horse-chesnut 
both  in  point  of  grandeur  and  floral  beauty,  and  besides,  has  the  disadvantage  of 
losing  its  leaves  late  in  summer  or  very  early  in  autumn,  it  well  deserves 
place  in  every  collection. 


Alscidus  macrostachya, 
THE  EDIBLE  BUCKEYE. 

Synonymes. 


JSsculus  macrostachya, 
Pavia  macrostachya, 

Pavia  edulis, 

Pavier  a  longs  epis,  Pavier  nain, 

Langahrige  Rosskastanie, 

Pavia  bianca, 

Edible  Buckeye,  Long-racemed  Pavia, 


Michaux,  Flora  Boreali- Americana. 

Torre y  and  Gray,  Flora  of  North  America. 

De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 

Don,  Miller's  Dictionary. 

Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
(  Poiteau  et  Turpin,  Traite  des  Arbres  fruitiers  de  Du 
|      Hamel. 

France. 

Germany. 

Italy. 

Britain  and  Anglo- America. 


Derivations.  The  specific  name,  macrostachya,  is  derived  from  the  Greek  macros,  large,  and  stachus,  a  spike  or  raceme, 
in  aliusion  to  the  long  racemes  of  flowers.  The  French  name,  Pavier  nain,  signifies  Dwarf  Pavia,  from  the  small  size  of  the 
plant.    The  other  French  name  signifies  Long-spiked  Pavia,  and  the  German  name  has  the  same  signification. 

Engravings.  Poiteau  et  Turpin,  Traite  des  Arbres  fruitiers  de  Du  Hamel,  pi.  88 ;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  i., 
figure  137 ;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.    Stamens  much  longer  than  the  corolla;   racemes  very  long.    Root  stoloniferous. 
Flowers  white. — De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 


Description. 


!HE  Edible  Buckeye,  in  its 
natural  habitat,  is  a  low  ever- 
green shrub,  seldom  exceeding 
a  height  of  three  or  four  feet ; 
but  in  a  state  of  cultivation,  with  proper  man- 
agement, it  partakes  the  character  of  a  large 
shrub  or  small  tree.  The  shoots  are  slender, 
spreading,  and  rooting  at  the  joints  where  they 
happen  to  rest  on  the  soil,  with  ascendant  extrem- 
ities. The  leaflets  are  from  five  to  seven,  oval- 
obovate,  acuminate,  serrate,  and  velvety-canescent 
beneath.  They  are  supported  on  long  slender  petioles,  which,  from  their  graceful 
disposition,  combined  with  the  feathery  lightness  of  the  racemes  of  flowers,  give 
the  whole  plant  an  air  of  elegance,  unlike  that  of  any  of  the  dwarf  races  of  this 
genus.  The  flowers,  which  put  forth  in  its  native  country  in  April  and  May, 
appear  in  England,  and  in  the  middle  and  northern  parts  of  the  United  States,  a 
month  or  six  weeks  later  than  those  of  the  common  horse-chesnut.  In  large 
plants,  however,  situated  in  a  moist  soil,  it  continues  in  bloom  for  three  months 
or  longer,  forming  one  of  the  greatest  floral  ornaments  of  the  shrubbery,  at  a 
season  too,  when  very  few  trees  or  shrubs  are  in  flower. 

Geography  and  History.  The  iEsculus  macrostachya  is  a  native  of  the  west- 
ern parts  of  South  Carolina  and  Georgia,  usually  growing  on  the  banks  of  rivu- 
lets or  streams.  It  was  introduced  into  Britain  in  1786,  by  Mr.  John  Fraser, 
and  has  since  been  cultivated  in  most  of  the  gardens  on  the  continent. 

The  largest  recorded  plant  of  this  species  in  England,  and  perhaps  on  the 
globe,  is  in  Berkshire,  at  White  Knight's,  near  Reading,  which  had  attained  a 
height  of  fifteen  feet  in  twenty-five  years  after  planting.     Several  other  plants, 


EDIBLE   BUCKEYE. 


121 


n  England,  are  mentioned  by  Mr.  Loudon,  varying  from  six  to  twelve  feet  in 
leight. 

Propagation,  fyc.  This  species  may  be  propagated  either  by  layers  or  from 
:eeds.  When  plants  are  to  be  raised  from  the  nuts,  they  should  be  sown  imme- 
liately  after  gathering;  for,  if  kept  exposed  to  the  air,  they  shrink,  and  soon 
ose  their  power  of  vitality.  The  fruit  is  small,  and  seldom  ripens  in  Britain , 
mt  in  its  native  country,  it  may  be  eaten,  boiled  or  roasted,  in  the  same  manner 
is  the  chesnuts  in  the  south  of  France  and  Spain. 
16 


Genus   MELIA,  Linn. 


Meliacese. 

Syst.  Nat. 


Decandria  Monogynia. 

Syst.  Lin. 


Derivation.    The  word  Melia  is  derived  from  the  Greek  meli,  honey,  and  is  the  name  in  that  language  for  the  manna  ash, 
which  one  species  of  this  genua  is  thought  to  resemble. 

Generic  Characters.  Calyx  small ;  sepals  5,  united  below.  Petals  oblong,  spreading.  Stamen-tube  10- 
cleft  at  the  apex,  with  10  anthers  in  the  throat ;  the  segments  2 — 3-parted.  Ovary  seated  on  a  short 
disk,  5-celled,  with  2  ovules  in  each  cell,  one  above  the  other.  Style  columnar,  breaking  off  from  the 
top  of  the  ovary.  Stigma  5-lobed.  Drupe  ovate,  with  a  5-celled  bony  nut ;  cells  1-seeded.  Embryo 
enclosed  within  a  thin,  fleshy  albumen.  Cotyledons  foliaceous.  Trees,  with  bipinnate  leaves.  Leaf- 
lets toothed.    Flowers  in  axillary  panicles. — Torrey  and  Gray,  Flora. 

^HE  species  of  the  genus  Melia  are  few,  and  mostly  natives  of  Per- 
sia, India,  and  Japan.  The  half-hardy  kinds  are  all  deciduous 
trees,  without  visible  buds,  and  appear  to  be  peculiarly  eligible 
for  growing  in  the  southern  states  of  Europe  and  America,  or  for 
training  against  conservatory  walls  in  the  more  northern  parts 
of  these  countries.  The  species  most  worthy  of  culture,  besides 
the  Azedarach,  are  the  Melia  australis,  a  native  of  New  Holland,  and  is  said  to 
grow  to  the  height  of  twenty  feet ;  the  Melia  japonica,  indigenous  to  Japan,  and 
growing  to  the  height  of  thirty  feet;  and  the  Melia  buckayun,of  Nepal.  A  tree 
described  by  some,  under  the  name  of  Melia  sem.pervirens,  or  Ever-green  Melia, 
and  known  in  the  West  Indies  by  the  name  of  Indian  Lilac,  is  said  to  grow 
sometimes  to  a  height  of  twenty  or  thirty  feet ;  but  others  consider  it  as  only  a 
variety  of  the  Melia  azedarach. 


Melia  azedarach, 

THE  PRIDE  OF  CHINA. 

Synonymes. 


Melia  azedarach, 


Azedarach, 

Zederach,  Paternosterbaum, 

Azadarac,  Azarac,   Azabrack,   Zaccheo, 

Sicornoro  falso,  Albero  de'  Paternostri 

di  San  Domenico, 
Arbol  de  Paraiso,  Cinamomo, 
Amargoseira, 
Zamzalacht, 
Dek, 
Indian  Lilac,  Persian  Lilac,  Bead-tree, 

Neem-tree,  Hill  Margosa, 
Pride    of  China,  Pride  of  India, 


(Linnjeus,  Species  Plantarum. 
De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 
Michaux,  North  American  Sylva. 
I  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
\  Torrey  and  Gray,  Flora  of  North  America. 
France. 
Germany. 

> Italy. 

Spain  and  Spanish  America. 

Portugal. 

Arabia. 

Northern  Provinces  of  India. 

|  Britain. 

United  States. 


Derivations.  The  specific  name  is  derived  from  the  Persian,  azad-i-durukht,  which  signifies  the  tree  of  pre-eminence.  The 
German  name  signifies  Paternoster-tree,  in  allusion  to  the  nuts  of  this  tree  being  used  for  rosaries.  The  Spanish  name,  Arbol  de 
^araiso,  signifies  tree  of  Paradise. 

Engravings.  Michaux,  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  102;  Audubon,  Birds  of  America,  pi.  lxiii. ;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britan- 
icum,   i.  figure  138 ;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.    Leaves  deciduous;   leaflets  about  5-together,  glabrous,  obliquely  ovate-lanceolate, 
acuminate  ;  petals  (lilac)  nearly  glabrous. — Torrey  and  Gray,  Flora. 


Description. 

!HE  Melia  azedarach,  in 

favourable    situations, 

often  attains  a  height 
_  H^ESH  of  thirty  or  forty  feet, 
with  a  trunk  fifteen  or  twenty  inches  in  diam- 
eter ;  but  when  standing  alone,  it  usually 
rests  at  a  smaller  elevation,  and  diffuses  itself 
into  a  spreading  summit,  with  a  stem  six  or 
eight  feet  in  circumference.  Its  leaves  are  of 
i  dark-green,  large,  doubly-pinnate,  and  com- 
posed of  smooth,  acuminate,  or  obliquely-acu- 
minate, denticulated  leaflets.  The  leaves 
3hange  colour,  and  fall,  with  the  slightest 
cold,  almost  without  frost,  which  usually 
takes  place  in  the  southern  states  in  Novem- 
ber or  December.  When  in  bloom,  it  has 
some  resemblance  to  the  lilac.  The  flowers, 
which  appear  in  March,  April,  or  May,  form 
beautiful  axillary  clusters  at  the  extremity  of 
the  shoots,  and  exhale  a  delicious  odour.  The  fruit  is  round,  or  oblong,  of  a 
yellowish  colour  when  ripe,  and  about  the  size  of  a  common  cherry.  The  nut, 
or  kernel  of  the  fruit,  is  of  a  brownish  colour,  and  is  surrounded  by  a  sweetish 
pulp,  which  is  sought  after  with  avidity  by  some  species  of  birds,  particularly 


124  MELIA   AZEDARACH. 

by  the  red-breasts,  which,  in  their  annual  migrations  to  Florida  and  the  southern 
states,  often  glut  themselves  to  such  an  inordinate  degree,  that  they  are  sometimes 
found  stupified  by  its  narcotic  power. 

Geography  and  History.  The  Melia  azedarach  is  supposed  to  have  been 
originally  a  native  of  Persia,  where  it  was  known  as  long  ago  as  the  year  980, 
by  Avicenna,  an  Arabian  physician,  who  noticed  the  venomous  principle 
which  resides  in  its  fruit ;  but  some  botanists  are  of  the  opinion  that  it  is  also 
indigenous  to  Florida  and  the  United  States,  or  at  least  has  become  so  from 
habit ;  for  it  is  found  there,  growing  wild  in  the  forests,  and  attains  its  fullest 
magnitude.  It  is  propagated  for  ornament  or  use,  in  all  the  warm  countries  of 
the  civilized  world.  It  is  also  cultivated  in  conservatories  in  the  temperate  and 
colder  parts  of  Europe  and  America,  and  even  there  it  often  flowers,  and  ripens 
its  fruit. 

The  largest  recorded  tree  of  this  species  in  Europe,  is  in  the  garden  of  Count 
Mellerio,  at  Brianza,  near  Milan,  in  Italy.  It  attained  the  height  of  forty  feet  in 
twenty-six  years  after  planting,  and  flowers  and  seeds  freely  every  year.  The 
species  is  planted  as  an  ornamental  tree  in  Spain,  Portugal,  the  south  of  France, 
and  Italy ;  but  there  are  few  places  in  those  countries  where  it  attains  so  large 
a  size  as  at  Brianza.  There  are  trees  of  it  in  the  public  walks  at  Montpellier,  at 
Toulon,  and  the  various  cities  of  Italy. 

In  Greece,  and  along  the  shores  of  the  Archipelago  and  the  Mediterranean, 
the  azedarach  is  always  planted  in  the  area  of  monasteries,  for  the  sake  of  the 
nuts  contained  in  the  fruit,  which  are  made  into  rosaries  by  the  monks. 

This  species  has  been  found  growing  in  British  green-houses  since  the  year 
1656,  where  it  was  introduced  under  the  name  of  Indian  lilac.  It  has  been 
tried  in  that  country  in  the  open  air,  both  as  a  standard  and  against  a  wall,  and 
has  stood  through  several  winters,  in  the  open  air,  at  Biel,  in  East  Lothian.  At 
Bungay,  in  Suffolk,  a  plant,  which  had  been  nine  years  planted  against  a  wall, 
was,  in  1834,  nine  and  a  half  feet  high,  with  a  trunk  nine  inches  in  diameter, 
and  an  ambitus  of  thirty-six  feet. 

In  the  southern  cities  of  the  United  States,  as  well  as  on  plantations,  this  tree 
is  planted  near  houses,  and  is  highly  esteemed  for  the  beauty  of  its  flowers,  the 
elegance  of  its  foliage,  and  for  the  medical  uses  to  which  it  is  applied. 

In  the  public  square  in  Savannah,  there  are  numerous  trees  of  this  species, 
which  have  nearly  attained  their  fullest  magnitude,  after  being  planted  about 
fifty  years. 

Propagation  and  Culture,  The  azedarach  is  propagated  from  seeds,  which 
should  be  sown  in  a  similar  manner  as  those  of  most  other  kinds  of  stone  fruit. 
It  prospers  either  in  a  warm  loamy,  or  a  dry  sandy  soil,  and  hence  is  peculiarly 
adapted  for  planting  worn-out  and  exhausted  fields,  which  have  been  abandoned 
in  Florida  and  the  southern  states.  It  grows  with  such  rapidity  there,  that  from 
the  seed,  it  attains  a  height  of  twelve  or  fifteen  feet  in  four  or  five  years.  This 
surprising  vegetation  is  chiefly  observed  in  plants  less  than  ten  years  of  age,  in 
which  the  concentric  circles  are  more  distant  than  in  any  other  tree.  It  pos- 
sesses the  valuable  property  of  converting  its  sap-wood  into  perfect  wood,  in  the 
earliest  stages  of  its  growth.  In  a  stock  six  inches  in  diameter,  there  is  often  to 
be  found  not  more  than  one  inch  in  thickness  of  sap. 

Insects,  Casualties,  fyc.  The  only  insect  recorded  as  feeding  upon  this  tree  in 
this  country,  is  the  yellow-underwing  cooper  moth  or  Phalana  amasia,  of 
Abbot,  which,  in  Georgia,  spun  among  the  leaves  May  2d,  and  came  out  the  28th. 
The  common  food,  however,  of  the  same  insect,  is  the  leaves  of  various  kinds  of 
oak. 

At  St.  Mary's,  Georgia,  January  7th,  1813,  Dr.  William  Baldwin  took  from 


PRIDE    OF    CHINA.  125 

e  Melia  azedarach,  a  specimen  of  Epidendrum  magnolise,  where  it  had  been 
anted  the  spring  before.  What  was  remarkable,  it  had  continued  to  flower  all 
e  winter  on  the  azedarach,  while  in  the  woods  no  flowers  were  to  be  found  ! 
Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  azedarach  is  of  a  reddish  colour,  and 
organized  in  the  distribution  of  its  fibres  similar  to  those  of  the  ash.  It  is  suffi- 
mtly  strong  and  durable  to  be  employed  in  civil  architecture,  and  is  adapted 
various  uses  in  the  mechanic  arts.  It  has  already  been  employed  for  pulleys, 
liich  in  Europe  are  usually  made  of  elm,  and  in  America  of  ash.  It  is  said 
make  good  fuel.  The  fleshy  part  of  the  fruit,  like  that  of  the  olive,  yields  a 
zed  oil,  which  is  bitter,  and  is  considered  as  anthelmintic,  and  a  narcotic  stim- 
ant.  The  leaves  are  universally  used  in  India  for  poultices,  and  both  the 
>wers  and  seeds  are  stimulant.  The  berries,  though  said  by  the  Arabian  phy- 
jian,  Avicenna,  to  be  poisonous,  and  the  pulp  of  which  was  mixed  with  grease, 
r  the  purpose  of  killing  rats  and  dogs,  are  often  eaten  by  children  in  the  south, 
ithout  injurious  effects.  According  to  Mr.  Royle,  however,  the  fruit  is  consid- 
ed  as  poisonous  when  used  in  large  doses.  The  bark  of  the  root,  when  green, 
is  a  bitter,  nauseous  taste,  yielding  its  virtues  to  boiling  water,  and  may  be 
iployed  as  a  cathartic  or  emetic,  and  is  considered  as  an  efficient  vermifuge, 
id  also  may  be  used  with  advantage  in  intermittents.  In  Persia,  an  ointment 
made,  for  the  cure  of  some  cutaneous  eruptions,  by  mulling  the  leaves  with 
rd.  It  is  also  said  that  a  kind  of  toddy  is  obtained  by  fermenting  the  sap  of 
mng  and  vigorous  trees.  The  nuts  are  often  bored,  as  before  stated,  by  monks, 
id  strung  into  beads.  Hence  the  names  of  Bead-tree,  and  Paternostri  di  San 
omenico. 


Genus    SWIETENIA,    Linn. 

Cedrelaceae.  Decendria  Monogynia. 

Syst.  Nat.  Syst.  Lin. 

Derivation.    This  genus  was  named  in  honour  of  the  illustrious  Gerard  L.  B.  Van  Swieten,  a  celebrated  naturalist  and  physi- 
cian of  the  last  century. 

Generic  Characters.  Calyx  short,  obtusely  5-cleft.  Petals  5,  reflexed.  Filaments  10,  united  into  a  sub- 
campanulate,  10-toothed  tube;  anthers  included  in  the  tube,  alternate  with  the  teeth,  attached  by  the 
middle,  apiculate.  Style  short ;  stigma  discoid,  5-radiate.  Ovary  ovoid,  surrounded  at  the  base  by  aa 
annular  disk,  5-celled,  with  about  12  ovules  in  each  cell.  Capsule  ovoid,  5-celled,  dehiscing  from  the 
base  upward,  with  5  septifragal  valves ;  the  very  thick  and  woody  sarcocarp  at  length  separable  from 
the  endocarp ;  the  axis  large,  persistent,  5-angled  above,  5-winged  below,  with  the  dissepiments.  Seeds 
suspended  from  the  summit  of  the  axis,  about  12  in  each  cell,  imbricated  in  two  rows,  rather  flat ;  the 
thickened  and  spongy  integument  expanded  above  into  an  oblong  wing,  which  is  traversed  by  the  filiform 
funiculus.  Embryo  transverse ;  radicle  very  short,  looking  towards  the  side  of  the  cell.  Cotyledons 
conferruminate  and  confounded  with  the  fleshy  albumen.  Leaves  abruptly  pinnate ;  leaflets  small, 
somewhat  inequilateral.  Panicles  axillary,  or  somewhat  terminal,  loosely  flowered. — Torrey  and  Gray, 
from  Ad.  Jussieu. 

^HE  genus  Swietenia  of  Linnaeus  has  been  subdivided  by  modern 
botanists,  and  at  present,  comprises  but  one  species.  The  Swie- 
tenia febrifuga  has  been  formed  into  the  Soymida ;  Swietenia 
senegalensis,  or  African  mahogany  of  Sierra  Leone,  has  been 
changed  into  Khaya  ;  Swietenia  chloroxylon,  or  East  India  satin- 
wood,   has  been   formed  into    Chloroxylon   swietenia ;    and   the 

Swietenia  chikrassia,  a  light-coloured,  compact   East   India  wood,  has   been 

changed  into  Chikrassia  tabidaris. 


Sivietenia  mahogoni, 
THE   MAHOGANY-TREE. 

Synonymes. 


Swietenia  mahogoni, 


Acajou,  Mahagon, 

Mahagonyholz,  Mahagonybaum, 

Albero  di  acajou, 

Caoba, 

Pao  magno, 

Mahogany-tree, 


LiNNjEtrs,  Species  Plantarum. 

Woodville,  Medical  Botany. 

Torrey  and  Gray,  Flora  of  North  America. 

France. 

Germany. 

Italy. 

Spain  and  Spanish  America. 

Portugal  and  Brazil. 

Britain  and  Anglo- America. 


Derivation.     The  specific  name,  mahogoni,  is  derived  from  the  Arrowauk  Indian  name  of  this  tree,  which  is  variously 
written,  as  mahogony,  mahagon,  mahagony,  and  mahony. 

Engravings.    Catesby,  Natural  History  of  Carolina,  pi.  81 ;  Woodville  and  Hooker,  Medical  Botany,  pi.  220 ;  and  the  figures 
below. 

Specific  Characters.    Leaves  pinnate  in  4  pairs.    Leaflets  ovate  lanceolate,  equal  at  the  base.    Panicles 
axillary. 


Description. 


HE 


Swietenia  mahog- 
oni is  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  among  inter- 
tropical trees.  Its  trunk 
is  often  forty  feet  in  height,  and  six  feet  in  diam- 
eter ;  and  it  divides  into  so  many  massy  arms, 
and  throws  the  shade  of  its  glossy  foliage  over  so 
great  an  extent  of  surface,  that  few  more  magnifi- 
cent objects  are  to  be  met  with  in  the  vegetable 
world.  Its  summit  is  wide  and  spreading,  sub- 
evergreen,  and  adorned  with  abruptly-pinnate, 
shining  leaves.  The  flowers,  which  are  produced 
in  handsome  spikes  not  unlike  those  of  the  lilac, 
are  whitish,  sometimes  reddish  or  saffron  colour, 
and  are  succeeded  by  fruit  or  capsules  of  an  oval 
form,  about  the  size  of  a  turkey's  egg.  The  fruit 
ripens  in  early  summer,  bursts  into  five  parts, 
and  discloses  its  winged  seeds,  which  are  soon  after  dispersed  by  the  winds ; 
some,  falling  into  the  crevices  of  rocks,  strike  root,  then  creeping  out  on  the  sur- 
face, seek  other  chinks  or  crevices,  re-enter,  and  swell  to  such  a  size  and  strength, 
that  at  length,  the  rocks  are  forced  asunder,  to  admit  the  deeper  penetration  of 
the  roots,  and  in  this  manner,  in  process  of  time,  increase  to  large  trees. 

Geography  and  History.  The  mahogany  is  a  native  of  the  warmest  parts  of 
America,  and  grows  plentifully  in  Cuba,  Jamaica,  and  Hayti  or  St.  Domingo. 
There  are  also  many  trees  found  on  other  West  India  Islands,  on  the  Bahamas, 
and  in  South  Florida.  It  was  formerly  very  abundant  in  Jamaica,  but  the  best 
trees  are  mostly  cut  down  in  all  accessible  situations ;  and  the  same  thing  holds 
good  in  the  other  islands.  The  principal  importations  into  Europe  and  the 
United  States  are  made  from  Brazil,  Campeachy,  and  Honduras.  That  which 
is  brought  from  the  islands  is  usually  called  Spa?iish  mahogany,  but  it  is  not 


128  SWIETENIA  MAHOGONI. 

so  large  as  that  from  Honduras  and  Brazil.     The  trees  are  seldom  found  in 
clusters  or  groups,  but  single,  and  often  much  dispersed. 

The  mahogany  nourishes  as  well  in  India  as  in  its  native  country.  Dr.  Rox- 
burgh, in  the  "Transactions  of  the  Society  of  Arts,"  at  London,  for  1806,  states 
that  two  plants  were  sent  from  Jamaica,  in  1795,  to  the  court  of  directors  of  the 
botanic  garden  at  Calcutta,  and  that  in  1804,  about  five  hundred  trees  had  been 
grown  from  them.  And  according  to  Mr.  Royle,  in  his  "  Essay  on  the  Produc- 
tive Resources  of  India,"  published  in  1840,  this  tree  thrives  so  luxuriantly  in 
Bengal,  that  many  thousands  of  them  are  growing  there,  and  even  small  pieces 
of  furniture  have  already  been  made  of  the  wood. 

The  excellency  of  the  wood  of  mahogany,  for  all  domestic  purposes,  has  long 
been  known.  It  was  used  by  the  Spaniards  in  the  XVIth  century,  in  the  con- 
struction of  ships,  for  which  purpose  it  is  better  adapted  than  most  other  kinds 
of  timber,  being  very  durable,  resisting  gun  shots,  and  admitting  the  balls  without 
splintering ;  nor  is  it  so  liable  to  be  attacked  by  marine  insects  as  that  of  the  oak, 
and  hence  is  preferable  for  the  construction  of  ships  intended  to  sail  in  inter- 
tropical seas.  It  was  used  in  repairing  some  of  Sir  Walter  Raleigh's  ships,  at 
Trinidad,  in  1597,  but  was  not  brought  into  use  in  Britain  till  1724.  Accord- 
ing to  Mr.  Burrowes,  the  first  use  to  which  it  was  applied  in  England,  was  to 
make  a  box  for  holding  candles.  "  Dr.  Gibbons,  an  eminent  physician  in  the 
beginning  of  the  last  century,  had  a  brother,  a  West  India  captain,  who  brought 
over  some  planks  of  this  wood  as  ballast.  As  the  doctor  was  then  building  a 
house  in  King  street,  Covent  Garden,  his  brother  thought  they  might  be  useful 
to  him ;  but  the  carpenters  finding  the  wood  too  hard  for  their  tools,  they  were 
laid  aside  as  useless.  Soon  after,  Mrs.  Gibbons  wanting  a  candle-box,  the  doc- 
tor called  on  Wollaston,  his  cabinet-maker,  in  Long  Acre,  and  requested  him  to 
make  one  of  some  wood  that  lay  in  his  garden.  Wollaston  also  complained  that 
it  was  too  hard ;  the  doctor  said  that  he  must  get  stronger  tools  ;  the  candle-box 
at  last  was  made,  and  so  highly  approved  of,  that  the  doctor  insisted  on  having 
a  bureau  made  of  the  same  wood,  which  was  accordingly  done ;  and  the  fine 
colour,  polish,  etc.,  were  so  pleasing,  that  he  invited  all  his  friends  to  come  and 
see  it.  Among  them  was  the  Duchess  of  Buckingham,  who  begged  some  of  the 
wood  of  Dr.  Gibbons,  and  employed  Wollaston  to  make  a  similar  bureau." 
From  this  introduction  it  came  into  general  use  throughout  the  civilized  world. 

The  largest  log  of  mahogany  on  record  was  cut  in  Honduras,  and  shipped  to 
England.  Its  length  was  seventeen  feet;  breadth,  fifty-seven  inches;  depth, 
sixty- four  inches ;  cubic  contents,  four  hundred  and  thirty  feet ;  and  weight, 
eight  tons.  The  next  largest  log  we  have  on  record,  was  a  few  years  since  sold 
by  auction,  at  the  docks,  in  Liverpool.  It  was  purchased  for  £378,  and  after- 
wards sold  for  £525.  It  is  believed  to  have  realized,  to  its  final  owners,  £1000. 
It  is  likewise  stated  that  the  cost  of  labour,  in  the  process  of  sawing  into  veneers, 
was  £750.  The  weight,  on  the  king's  beam,  was  six  tons,  thirteen  hundred 
weight.  According  to  Mr.  M'Culloch,  a  few  years  ago,  Messrs.  Broadwood, 
the  distinguished  piano-forte  manufacturers,  in  London,  gave  the  enormous  sum 
of  £3000  for  three  logs  of  mahogany,  all  the  product  of  a  single  tree  !  They  were 
each  about  fifteen  feet  long,  thirty-eight  inches  square,  and  contained,  all 
together,  about  four  hundred  and  fifty  cubic  feet.  They  were  cut  into  veneers 
of  an  eighth  of  an  inch  in  thickness.  The  wood  was  peculiarly  beautiful,  capable 
of  receiving  the  highest  polish,  which,  when  done,  reflected  the  light  in  the  most 
varied  manner,  like  the  surface  of  a  crystal ;  and  from  the  wavy  form  of  the 
fibres,  offered  a  different  figure  in  whatever  direction  it  was  viewed. 

Seaso?i  for  Felling,  fyc.  The  cutting  of  mahogany  at  Honduras  takes  place 
at  two  different  seasons  of  the  year,  one  soon  after  Christmas,  or  at  the  end  of 
the  "  wet  season,"  and  the  other  early  in  August.     At  the  last-named  period  the 


MAHOGANY-TREE.  129 

colour  of  the  foliage  of  the  mahogany  is  of  a  reddish-yellow,  and  is  an  unerring 
guide  to  the  woodman  in  distinguishing  it  from  that  of  other  trees.  At  these 
periods  the  labourers  are  actively  employed  in  felling  the  trees,  conveying  them 
on  wheels  to  the  rivers,  or  precipitating  them  into  the  streams  which  are  to  for- 
ward them  to  their  places  of  shipment.  The  trees  are  usually  cut  about  twelve 
feet  above  the  ground,  and  a  stage  is  erected  for  the  axeman  to  stand  upon  to 
perform  this  work.  The  trunk  of  the  tree,  from  its  size,  is  deemed  the  most  val- 
uable ;  but  for  ornamental  purposes,  the  branches  or  limbs  are  generally  pre- 
ferred, being  of  a  much  closer  grain,  and  the  veins  are  more  rich  and  variegated. 
Hence,  to  avoid  injury  by  the  fall  of  the  whole  tree  at  once,  they  are  removed 
separately.  The  wood  felled  between  February  and  September  is  very  liable  to 
crack  in  seasoning ;  but  to  avoid  this  it  should  be  immersed  as  soon  as  possible 
into  deep  water,  and  remain  until  it  is  ready  to  be  shipped-. 

The  billes  or  logs  of  mahogany  which  are  shipped  from  Campeachy  and  Hon- 
duras are  usually  from  ten  to  fifteen  feet  in  length,  and  three,  four,  or  five  feet 
deep ;  those  from  St.  Domingo  are  from  seven  to  ten  feet  long,  and  fifteen  to 
twenty-five  inches  deep ;  and  those  from  Cuba  are  from  twelve  to  eighteen  feet 
long,  and  the  same  number  of  inches  deep. 

To  test  the  soundness  of  mahogany,  closely  examine  the  ends  of  the  logs  by  cut- 
ting into  them  with  an  axe,  or  some  other  instrument,  and  if  there  be  any  signs 
of  decay,  it  will  at  once  be  detected.  The  following  mode  has  also  been  resorted 
to  with  success.  Let  one  individual  place  his  ear  close  to  the  end  of  the  log  to 
be  examined,  and  another  person  slightly  touch  the  opposite  end  with  the 
point  of  a  pin  or  needle.  If  the  wood  be  sound,  the  touch  of  the  needle  will  be 
distinctly  heard  by  the  person  with  his  ear  at  the  log,  while  the  individual  at  the 
opposite  end,  who  performs  with  the  needle,  may  not  hear  it.  If  the  wood  be  in 
a  state  of  decay,  the  touch  of  the  needle  will  not  be  heard. 

Properties,  Uses,  <fy*c.  The  wood  of  the  mahogany-tree  varies  in  its  weight, 
texture,  and  grain,  according  to  the  nature  of  the  soil  and  situation  in  which  it 
grows.  On  rocky  and  mountainous  places  it  is  of  a  smaller  size,  heavy,  of  a 
close  grain,  and  beautifully  shaded ;  while  the  product  of  low  and  rich  lands  is 
observed  to  be  more  light  and  porous,  of  a  paler  colour  and  open  grain ;  and  that 
of  mixed  soils  holds  a  medium  between  the  two.  The  mahogany  which  is 
accessible  in  Honduras  grows  upon  moist  land,  and  is,  generally  speaking,  de- 
cidedly inferior  to  that  of  Cuba  and  St.  Domingo,  being  soft,  coarse,  spongy, 
and  weighing,  when  dry,  only  thirty-five  to  forty  pounds  to  a  cubic  foot,  while 
the  other  is  hard,  close-grained,  of  a  darker  colour,  sometimes  strongly  figured, 
and  weighs,  when  dry,  from  fifty-four  to  sixty-six  pounds  to  a  cubic  foot.  Hon- 
duras mahogany  has,  however,  the  advantage  of  holding  glue  admirably  well,, 
and  for  this  reason  is  frequently  used  as  a  ground  on  which  to  lay  veneers  of 
finer  woods.  The  trees  which  are  grown  on  the  Bahama  Islands  are  not  so 
large  as  those  of  the  warmer  parts  of  America,  but  are  more  curiously  veined,  or 
mottled,  and  are  known  in  England  by  the  name  of  Madeira-wood. 

The  colour  of  mahogany  is  a  reddish-brown,  of  different  shades,  and  various 
degrees  of  brightness ;  sometimes  yellowish-brown,  often  much  veined  and  mot- 
tled with  darker  shades  of  the  same  colour.  The  texture  is  not  uniform,  and  the 
concentric  layers  are  not  always  distinct.  It  has  not  much  taste  nor  smell, 
shrinks  but  a  very  little,  and  warps  and  twists  less,  perhaps,  than  any  other  kind 
of  timber.  It  is  durable,  when  kept  dry,  but  does  not  last  long  when  exposed 
to  the  alternations  of  moisture  and  dryness.  There  are  several  varieties  of 
mahogany,  much  admired,  and  sought  after,  for  the  beauty  of  their  figures,  and 
the  gradations  of  their  colours,  which  may  be  described  as  follows  : — 

1.  Plain  Mahogany.  Acajou  uni  of  the  French,  the  wood  of  which  is  of  one. 
colour,  and  equal  throughout. 

17 


130  SWIETENIA   MAHOGONI. 

2.  Vein*  Mahogany.  Acajou  veine,  French.  The  wood  of  this  variety  is 
veined  longitudinally  with  the  grain,  displaying  alternately  dark  and  light 
streaks,  continuous,  interrupted,  or  re-appearing. 

3.  Watered  Mahogany.  Acajou  moire,  French.  This  variety  is  known  by 
the  transverse  waves  which  exhibit  to  the  eye  an  effect  similar  to  those  of  a 
watered  riband. 

4.  Velvet-cord  or  Caterpillar  Mahogany.  Acajou  chenille,  French.  This 
variety  is  distinguished  by  its  whitish  lines,  accompanied  by  a  figured  shade  of 
fragments  of  roseate  sprigs,  here  and  there  disposed  diagonally,  longitudinally, 
interrupted,  or  crossing  one  another. 

5.  Bird's-eye  Mahogany.  Acajou  mouchete,  French.  This  variety  is  be- 
sprinkled with  little  oval  knots,  which,  when  duly  proportioned,  render  the 
wood  half  light  and  half  dark. 

6.  Festooned  Mahogany.  Acajou  ronceux,  French.  This  variety  offers  in  its 
colour  a  mixture  of  light  and  shade  usually  resembling  sheaves  of  wheat,  feath- 
ers, wreathes,  festoons,  or  figures  of  shrubs. 

As  the  wood  of  mahogany  is  generally  hard  and  takes  a  fine  polish,  it  is  found 
to  serve  better  than  that  of  any  other  tree  for  cabinet-making,  for  which  pur- 
pose it  is  universally  admired.  It  is  very  strong,  and  answers  well  for  beams, 
joists,  planks,  boards,  and  shingles,  for  which  it  was  formerly  much  used  in 
Jamaica.  Its  adaptation  to  ship-building  we  have  already  mentioned  in  the 
history  of  this  tree. 


Genus  VITIS,  Linn. 

Vitacese.  Pentandria  Monogynia. 

$yst.  Nat.  St/st.  Lin. 

Synonymes. 
Vitis,  Cissus,  Ampelopsis,  Of  Authors. 

Vigne,  France. 

Weinstock,  Rebe,  Germany. 

Vite,  Italy. 

Vid,  Spain. 

fideira,  Portugal. 

JVinograd,  Russia. 

iEneeb,  Arabia. 

Grape-vine,  Britain  and  Anglo-America. 

Derivaticns.  The  Latin  word  Vitis,  from  which  are  derived  nearly  all  the  European  names,  comes  from  the  Celtic  gteya,  a 
tree  or  shrub ;  the  letter  g  being  suppressed  in  the  pronunciation,  according  to  the  usage  of  the  Celtic  nations.  Cissus,  the 
Greek  name  of  the  ivy,  was  applied  to  this  genus  by  LinnEeus,  from  the  supposed  resemblance  of  some  of  the  species  to  that 
plant.  Ampelopsis  is  derived  from  the  Greek  ampelos,  a  vine,  and  opsis,  appearance,  and  was  applied  by  Michaux  to  several 
species  of  American  grape-vines,  from  the  resemblance  of  their  habits,  leaves,  and  flowers  to  those  of  the  Virginian-  creeper 
(Ampelopsis  quinquefolia.) 

Generic  Characters.  Flowers  hermaphrodite,  dioecious  or  trioecious.  Calyx  commonly  5-toothed.  Petals 
5,  cohering  at  the  top,  separating  at  the  base,  and  deciduous.  Stamens  5.  Climbing  shrubs,  decidu- 
ous, with  leaves  simple,  lobed,  or  serrated,  sometimes  compound,  and  small  greenish-yellow  flowers 
in  thyrsoid  racemes. — Be  Candolle,  Prodromus. 

|HE  genus  Vitis  is  found  indigenous  in  the  equinoctial  regions  of 
both  continents,  and  extends  into  the  temperate  zones  as  far  south- 
ward as  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  and  New  Holland;  and  north- 
ward, to  Japan  and  North  America,  as  well  as  from  the  plains  of 
India  to  the  denies  of  Caucasus.  The  VJtis  vimfera  or  wine-bear- 
ing vine  of  Europe,  has  long  been  celebrated  in  the  old  world, 
and  may  be  traced  back  to  remote  antiquity.  Its  cultivation  was  probably 
among  the  earliest  efforts  of  human  industry ;  for  we  read  that  one  of  the  first 
acts  of  Noah,  after  being  saved  from  the  deluge,  was  to  plant  a  vineyard. 

"  And  Noah  began  to  be  an  husbandman,  and  he  planted  a  vineyard ;" 

Genesis,  ix.  20. 

thus  plainly  indicating  that  the  planting  of  a  vineyard,  even  at  that  early  day, 
was  deemed  one  of  the  primary  and  most  important  acts  of  him  who  tilled  the 
earth.  The  grape,  among  fruits,  is  what  wheat  is  among  the  cereal  grains,  or 
the  potato  among  farinaceous  roots ;  and  like  them,  in  every  country  where  it 
will  grow,  is  cultivated  with  pre-eminent  care. 

The  Vitis  vinifera  is  generally  considered  to  have  originated  in  Persia ;  and 
Dr.  Sickler,  in  his  "  Geschichte  der  Obst-Cultur,"  has  given  an  interesting 
account  of  its  migration  to  Egypt,  Greece,  and  Sicily.  From  the  latter  country, 
which  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  oldest  seats  of  civilization  in  Europe,  it  is  said 
to  have  found  its  way  into  Italy,  Spain,  and  France.  It  is  supposed  to  have 
been  introduced  into  Britain  by  the  Romans,  but  during  what  reign  is  uncertain. 
There  were  vineyards,  however,  in  England,  according  to  the  venerable  Bede, 
towards  the  close  of  the  Hid  century.  This  species  has  existed  for  ages,  in  a 
wild  state,  in  the  woods  and  hedges  of  Provence,  LaLguedoc,  and  Guienne,  in 
France,  where  it  differs  from  the  cultivated  vine,  in  having  smaller  and  more 
cottony  leaves,  and  very  small  fruit,  rather  austere  than  sweet.  These  wild 
vines,  which  were  called  by  the  ancients  labrusca,  are  still  known  in  the  south 


132  vitis. 

of  France  by  the  names  of  lambrusca  and  lambresquiero.  The  wine-bearing 
grape  is  successfully  cultivated  in  France  as  far  north  as  latitude  forty-nine 
degrees ;  but  in  Britain  it  seldom  arrives  at  maturity  unless  protected,  when 
grown  in  the  open  air.  The  most  northern  limit  in  Prussia  where  it  can  ripen, 
is  at  Konigsberg,  in  latitude  fifty-four  degrees  and  forty-two  minutes ;  and  even 
at  Berlin,  more  than  two  degrees  farther  south,  the  fruit  is  very  poor.  It  is  also 
successfully  cultivated  in  Hindoostan,  along  the  borders  of  the  Euphrates,  in 
Syria,  Lower  Egypt,  Abyssinia,  Barbary,  the  Azores,  Madeiras,  Canaries,  and 
Sandwich  Islands.  In  South  America,  it  is  cultivated  at  Buenos  Ayres,  and 
various  parts  of  Brazil,  Guayaquil,  Pisco,  northern  Chili,  Valparaiso,  and  Valdi- 
via,  in  latitude  forty  degrees  south.  In  North  America,  it  perfects  its  fruit,  in  the 
open  air,  in  Jamaica,  Cuba,  Mexico,  the  United  States,  as  far  north  as  New  York, 
in  latitude  forty  degrees  and  forty-two  minutes,  and  at  San  Francisco,  on  the 
north-west  coast,  in  latitude  thirty-eight  degrees  north.  In  comparing  the  cli- 
mates of  the  above-named  places,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  successful  culture  of  the 
grape  does  not  so  much  depend  upon  mean  annual  temperature,  as  upon  the  par- 
allels of  latitude  under  which  they  lie.  For  instance,  the  fruit  will  not  arrive  at 
maturity  in  the  latitude  of  Edinburgh  or  Copenhagen,  where  the  mean  annual 
temperature  is  somewhat  higher  than  at  New  York,  although  the  latter  place  is 
situated  more  than  fifteen  degrees  farther  south.  This  is  owing  almost  entirely 
to  the  increased  length  of  summer,  in  low  latitudes,  which  arises  from  the  fact 
that,  although  the  heats  of  June  and  July  may  be  as  great  in  higher  latitudes, 
they  are  several  degrees  lower  in  August  and  September,  than  in  places  situated 
nearer  the  equator.  Nor  does  elevation  above  the  level  of  the  ocean  retard  the 
maturation  of  the  grape  like  an  increased  degree  of  latitude,  for  the  summers  are 
equally  long  at  high  altitudes,  as  in  low  places  situated  under  the  same  paral- 
lels. In  central  Germany,  the  vine  is  cultivated  at;  an  elevation  of  one  thousand 
to  fifteen  hundred  feet  above  the  sea ;  on  the  south  side  of  the  Alps,  at  two  thou- 
sand feet ;  on  the  Apennines  and  Sicily,  five  thousand  feet ;  and  on  the  Hima- 
layas, at  an  elevation  of  ten  thousand  feet. 

The  history  of  the  vine,  as  a  fruit-bearing  shrub,  and  all  that  relates  to  its 
varieties,  have  been  described  at  length,  by  Du  Hamel,  of  France,  Dr.  Sickler, 
of  Germany,  and  Don  Roxas  de  Clemente  y  Rubio,  librarian  to  the  royal  botanic 
garden  at  Madrid,  in  Spain. 

Of  the  North  American  species  and  varieties,  more  than  one  hundred  have 
already  been  described,  and  from  the  proneness  of  this  genus  to  change  from 
original  differences,  through  the  effects  of  soil,  climate,  and  hibridization,  many 
more  will  doubtless  be  found  to  exist.  As  varieties  without  end  may  be  propa- 
gated from  seeds,  it  has  been  recommended  to  sow  those  of  some  of  our  native 
grapes  of  several  successive  generations,  in  order  to  produce  fruit  of  a  better  and 
a  milder  quality.  A  seedling  vine  of  the  wine-bearing  species  of  Europe,  care- 
fully treated,  will  show  blossoms  in  its  fourth  or  fifth  year ;  and  if  it  would  pro- 
duce perfect  fruit  the  next  year  after  flowering,  a  new  generation  might  be 
obtained  every  sixth  year. 


Vitis  labnisca, 


THE   AMERICAN   WILD   VINE. 

Synonymes. 


Vitis  labrusca, 


Vigne  cotonneuse,    Vigne    sauvage    de 

l'Amerique, 
Filziger  Weinstock,  Baumartige  Rebe, 
Vite  lambrusca,  Uva  labrusca, 
Wild  Vine,  Grape-vine,  Fox  Grape, 
Shominawtig, 


'  Linnjetjs,  Species  Plantarum. 
Michaux,  Flora  Boreali- Americana. 
De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 
Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
Torrey  and  Gray,  Flora  of  North  America. 

France. 

Germany. 

Italy. 

Britain  and  Anglo- America. 

Ojibway  Indians. 


Derivations.  The  specific  name  labrusca,  according  to  Loudon,  is  derived  from  the  Hebrew  busca,  a  grape,  and  was  applied 
to  this  species  by  Linnaeus,  from  a  supposed  resemblance  which  it  bore  to  the  wild  vine  of  Europe;  hence  the  Italian  names. 
The  French  and  German  appellations  have  reference  to  the  down  on  the  under  side  of  the  leaves.  It  is  called  Fox  Grape,  (or 
rather  Northern  Fox  Grape,  in  contradistinction  to  the  Fox  Grape  of  the  southern  states,  or  the  Vitis  vulpina  of  Linnaus,) 
because  the  whole  plant  has  sometimes  a  disagreeable,  foxy  smell.  The  Indian  name  is  derived  from  shomin,  a  grape,  and 
awtig,  a  tree. 

Engravings.  Plumier,  Description  des  Plantes  de  l'Amerique,  t.  259,  figure  1 ;  Hoffy,  Orchardist's  Companion,  ii.,  pi.  — 
Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  i.,  figure  141 ;  and  the  figure  below. 

Specific  Characters.      Sexes   dioecious  or  polygamous.     Leaves   heart-shaped,  rather  3-lobed,  acutely 
toothed,  downy  beneath,  with  the  peduncles  tomentose  and  rather  rusty. — De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 


Description. 


"The  vine  too,  her  curling  tendrils  shoots, 
Hangs  out  her  clusters  glowing  to  the  south, 
And  scarcely  wishes  for  a  warmer  sky." 


IISSS^flHE  Vitis  labrusca  is  a  tendriled  climber, 
Sa  SH  Is  growing  to  about  the  same  height  as 
£5  U  M>  the  wine-bearing  vine  of  Europe.  The 
g|<^*Mi  stem  is  very  long,  sometimes  running 
to  the  top  of  the  highest  trees,  and  the  branches 
are  clothed  with  a  brownish  pubescence.  The 
leaves  are  much  larger  than  those  of  the  Euro- 
pean species,  being  usually  from  four  to  six  inches 
in  diameter,  distinctly  three-lobed  in  some  varie- 
ties, short,  mucronate,  and  densely  covered  on 
their  under  sides  with  a  whitish,  or  rusty  down, 
particularly  of  the  latter  colour  on  the  veins. 
The  flowers,  which  appear  in  June,  are  of  a  yel- 
lowish-green, and  are  borne  on  somewhat  com- 
pound racemes,  with  short,  umbelliferous  branches.  The  berries,  which  usually 
arrive  at  maturity  in  October,  are  half  an  inch  or  more  in  diameter,  globose  or 
oblong,  and  are  generally  of  a  dark  purple,  when  ripe,  and  of  a  pleasant  flavour, 
particularly  when  cultivated ;  but  in  some  varieties,  they  are  of  an  amber-col- 
our, or  greenish-white,  of  a  strong,  musky  taste  in  a  wild  state,  and  are  filled 
with  a  tough  pulp.  A  peculiarity  exists  with  regard  to  several  varieties  of  this 
species,  of  producing  a  second  crop  of  fruit  on  the  shoots  of  the  same  year ;  but 
it  seldom  arrives  at  maturity  except  in  a  warm  season,  with  late  autumnal  frosts. 
Varieties.  Several  attempts  have  been  made  to  classify  the  varieties  of  this 
species,  but  not  with  much  success.     In  most  cases,  the  form  and  colour  of  the 


134  VITIS   LABRUSCA. 

frnit  alone  have  been  considered,  and  in  others,  the  shape  and  clothing  of  the 
leaves ;  but  as  it  will  be  impossible  for  us  to  enter  into  all  of  these  considerations, 
we  shall  only  treat  of  a  few  of  those  that  have  successfully  been  brought  under 
cultivation,  which  are  as  follows  : — 

1.  V.  l.  Isabella,  Prince.  Isabella  Grape-vine.  This  variety  is  distinguished 
by  its  large,  dark-purple  fruit,  of  an  oval  form,  and  of  a  juicy,  musky  flavour. 
It  possesses  great  vigour  of  growth,  is  a  healthy  and  abundant  bearer  of  fruit, 
and  what  renders  it  exceedingly  valuable  in  our  climate  is,  that  it  requires  but 
little  protection  during  winter.  Concerning  its  origin  and  history,  we  are 
indebted  to  General  Joseph  Swift,  of  Geneva,  in  New  York,  for  the  following 
account,  which  we  trust  will  be  no  less  acceptable  in  coming  from  so  respectable 
a  source,  than  in  the  interest  elicited  in  so  valuable  a  production.  It  appears 
that  General  Smith,  of  Smithville,  North  Carolina,  in  1808,  procured  from 
Dorchester,  South  Carolina,  several  roots  and  cuttings  of  a  hybrid  vine,  which, 
it  is  said,  had  been  originated  there  by  some  families  of  Huguenots,  between  the 
Burgundy  grape  of  Europe,  and  the  native  fox  grape  of  that  vicinity.  In  the 
year  1817,  a  vine  produced  from  these  cuttings,  was  transplanted  from  Smith- 
ville, by  Mrs.  Isabella  Gibbs,  in  honour  of  whom  this  variety  was  named,  to  the 
garden  then  owned  by  her  husband,  Colonel  George  Gibbs,  which  was  situated 
along  the  southerly  side  of  Cranberry,  between  Willow  and  Columbia  streets,  in 
Brooklyn,  New  York.  In  1819,  the  garden  was  purchased  by  General  Swift, 
who  very  generously  distributed  roots  and  cuttings  of  this  vine  among  his  neigh- 
bours and  others,  more  especially  to  the  late  William  Prince,  of  Flushing,  Long 
Island,  through  whose  efforts  it  became  widely  disseminated  throughout  the 
union,  and  was  sent  to  several  countries  in  Europe,  Madeira,  &c.  The  garden 
has  since  been  divided  into  lots,  and  occupied  by  buildings,  and  the  original  Isa- 
bella vine,  after  attaining  a  circumference  of  more  than  a  foot,  was  severed  to 
the  ground  in  1838.  Fortunately,  however,  several  vigorous  vines  have  since 
sprung  up  from  the  roots,  which  continue  to  bear  fruit  in  abundance.  From 
other  statements,  it  Avould  seem  that  this  variety  is  not  a  hybrid,  but  was  known 
in  this  country  prior  to  1800. 

2.  V.  l.  bacois  albis,  Loudon.  Bland's  Pale-red  Grape,  Bland's  Fox  Grape, 
Bland s  Virginia  Grape,  Red  Skuppemong  Grape,  Carolina  Grape,  Mazzei 
Grape.  This  variety  may  be  known  by  its  pale-green  leaves,  lengthened  clus- 
ters, with  large  berries,  of  a  roundish  or  oblate  form,  pale-red  colour,  and  sweet, 
juicy  pulp,  of  a  pleasant  flavour;  in  some  cases,  however,  at  full  maturity,  the 
fruit  is  said  to  acquire  a  dark-purple  or  red-wine  colour.  It  is  more  esteemed  by 
some,  as  a  table  fruit,  than  that  of  the  Isabella,  having  a  thinner  skin,  and  con- 
taining a  pulp  of  less  consistency.  It  was  deemed  for  some  time,  as  unsuitable 
for  our  northern  climate ;  but  it  has  been  found  to  succeed  in  maturing  its  fruit 
in  most  seasons,  in  the  neighborhood  of  New  York,  and  may  successfully  be 
cultivated  as  a  wall  fruit  in  a  much  higher  latitude,  both  in  Europe  and  America. 
It  has  been  contended  that  this  variety  was  brought  from  Italy  by  Mazzei ;  but 
it  is  well  known  that  it  was  cultivated  by  Colonel  Bland,  of  Virginia,  long  before 
that  gentleman  visited  this  country.  The  original  vine  is  said  to  have  been  found 
on  the  eastern  shore  of  Maryland,  by  Mr.  Bland,  who  presented  cuttings  of  it  to 
the  late  William  Bartram  and  Samuel  Powel,  of  Philadelphia,  and  some  of  the 
persons  who  received  slips  of  it  from  the  latter  gentleman,  gave  it  the  cognomen 
of  Powel  Grape. 

3.  V.  l.  catawbiensis.  Catawba  Grape-vine.  The  fruit  of  this  variety  occurs 
in  loose  bunches,  of  an  inconsiderable  size,  and  of  a  beautiful  appearance.  The 
berries  are  large,  and  much  varied  in  their  flavour  and  colour,  according  to  their 
exposure  to  the  rays  of  the  sun.  Those  which  receive  the  full  effect  of  the  sun, 
are  of  a  bluish-purple,  and  a  slight  musky  flavour,  but  when  partially  exposed, 


AMERICAN    WILD    VINE.  135 

they  are  of  a  lilac  hue ;  and  those  which  grow  entirely  in  the  shade,  are  of  a 
translucent  white,  sweet,  and  devoid  of  musk  in  their  taste.  The  fruit  is  earlier 
in  ripening  than  that  of  the  preceding  variety,  and  when  allowed  to  remain  on 
the  vine  until  perfectly  mature,  the  pulp  nearly  disappears.  It  is  esteemed  as  a 
table  grape,  and  has  also  been  manufactured  into  an  excellent  wine.  The  origi- 
nal vine  is  said  to  have  been  procured  from  the  banks  of  the  Catawba,  and 
planted  in  the  garden  of  the  late  Mr.  Schell,  at  Clarksburg,  in  Maryland,  and 
has  been  known  to  bear  nearly  eight  bushels  of  fruit  in  a  single  season 

4.  V.  l.  elsinburgensis,  Prince.  Elscinborough  Grape-vine.  This  variety  is 
noted  for  its  sweet,  juicy  fruit,  which  is  free  from  pulp,  and  musky  taste.  The 
clusters  are  of  a  medium  size,  with  loose  berries  of  a  blue  colour,  which  are  said 
to  make  an  agreeable  wine.  Its  foliage  is  of  a  pale-green,  and  resembles  that  of 
the  wine-bearing  grape  of  Europe,  more,  perhaps,  than  that  of  any  other  American 
variety.  It  somewhat  resembles  the  Isabella,  in  its  bark  and  wood,  but  its  fruit 
is  thought  to  assimilate  more  nearly  to  that  of  the  Meunier,  of  France.  The 
original  vine  was  found  and  brought  under  cultivation  by  Dr.  Hulings,  in  Elsan- 
borough,  in  New  Jersey,  where,  undoubtedly,  it  was  indigenous. 

Geography  and  History.  The  Vitis  labrusca  is  found  in  sheltered  situations 
in  woods  and  thickets,  and  sometimes  near  the  margins  of  waters,  from  Canada 
to  Florida,  Louisiana,  and  Texas.  It  was  introduced  into  Britain  in  1656,  by 
John  Tradescant,  jun. ;  but  it  can  only  be  considered,  in  that  country,  as  an 
ornamental  shrub.  A  plant,  however,  of  the  red-fruited  variety,  placed  against 
a  wall  with  a  western  aspect,  in  the  garden  of  the  London  Horticultural  Society, 
is  said  to  ripen  fruit  every  year,  of  an  agreeable  flavour.  There  are  several  vari- 
eties of  this  species  cultivated  in  North  America,  the  most  celebrated  and  exten- 
sive of  which,  is  the  Vitis  labrusca  isabella.  As  this  variety  is  preferred,  in  the 
middle  and  northern  parts  of  the  United  States  to  all  others,  principally  on 
account  of  the  quality  and  abundance  of  its  fruit,  its  hardihood,  and  the  facil- 
ity with  which  it  is  propagated,  we  shall  chiefly  confine  our  remarks  to  its 
culture,  rather  than  to  those  of  a  less  hardy  nature.  We  would  not  by  any 
means  discourage  the  propagation  and  amelioration  of  the  other  varieties,  where- 
ever  the  soil  and  climate  are  favourable  to  their  growth  and  maturity ;  but  on 
the  contrary,  we  would  recommend  a  successive  reproduction  from  seeds,  by 
grafting,  or  inoculation,  and  if  possible,  by  hibridization ;  and  doubtless  many 
valuable  varieties  would  be  the  result. 

The  manufacture  of  wine  from  the  American  wild  grape  has  long  been  a  sub- 
ject of  contemplation,  and  many  unsuccessful  attempts  were  made  by  the  early 
settlers  of  the  colonies ;  but  the  want  of  success  was  not  so  much  owing  to  the 
qualities  of  the  fruit,  as  in  the  requisite  skill  and  care  in  making  the  wine.  It 
appears,  however,  by  Holmes'  "Annals,"  that,  in  the  year  1769,  the  French 
planters  on  the  Illinois  River,  made  upwards  of  one  hundred  hogsheads  of  strong 
wine  from  the  wild  grapes  of  that  country.  Frequent  mention  is  also  made  in 
Dodsley's  "  London  Annual  Register,"  of  wine  being  manufactured,  in  small 
quantities,  from  the  American  grape,  and  in  some  instances,  of  a  rich  and 
agreeable  flavour.  More  recently,  the  Swiss  and  German  settlers  of  the  west, 
especially  in  the  valley  of  the  Ohio,  have  turned  their  attention  to  this  branch 
of  industry,  and  their  labours  have  been  crowned  with  considerable  success. 
Mr.  Nicolas  Longworth,  of  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  in  a  communication,  published  in 
the  "American  Agriculturist."  in  December,  1842,  says,  "I  have  thirteen 
vineyards,  and  more  under  way.  The  greatest  yield  is  at  the  vineyard  man- 
aged by  Mr.  Mottier,  who  is  well  known  as  an  intelligent,  enterprising  vine- 
dresser. He  made  within  a  fraction  of  fifteen  hundred  gallons.  A  part  of  the 
vineyard  that  did  not  suffer  by  rot,  yielded  six  hundred  gallons  to  the  acre. 
The  next  vineyard  in  its  yield,  is  under  the  charge  of  Mr.  Myers,  an  intelligent 


I'tt)  viris   i  \t;i;i  se.v. 

(.<-riu:ui.  of  much  experience  in   the  cultivation  of  tho  vine.      There  wore  some 

\ui('\arils  m  (in1  country  that  pioduccii  a  moro  abundant  crop,  i>n  the  same 
quantity  of  ground  than  even  Mr.  Mottier's.  Mr.  Hackingex  had  the  finest  crop 
l  have  ivex  seen  The  cropof  Mr.  Eleser,  was  also  abundant  The  vine  cul- 
ture is  yearly  increasing  with  us,  and  the  day  is  not  distant,  when  the  Ohio 
lulls  between  the  two  Miamics,  will  rival  the  same  extent  on  the  Rhine.  Poi 
this,  we  shall  ho  ohioth  indebted  to  our  German  [migrants;  ami  they  are  grati- 
fied in  stating  that  we  can  rival  the  wines  oi  their  own  country.  The  Catawba 
is  destined  to  make  a  dry  wine,  equal  to  hock :  and  one  of  my  German  tenants, 
Mr.  Lock,  has  made  a  sparkling  wine  from  it  equal  to  the  best  champagne. 
But  we  must  not  expect  to  succeed  at  first  The  process  of  fermentation  and 
manufacture  of  wine  requires  both  experience  and  skill,  and  we  shall  not  fox 
years  equal  die  wine-coopers  oi   Europe  in  us  manufacture.     The  dry  hock 

Wines   require    but    little  experience   and   skill,  but    this   is   net    true   in  respect  to 

man)  of  the  finest  wines.  The  cultivation  of  the  vine  has  also  become  an 
object  in  suppb  ins  our  markets  and  tables  w  oh  fruit  Dr.  Et,  T.  Underbill,  of 
New  >  ork,  informs  us  that  he  has  nearly  twenty  acres  ot'  vines,  at  Croton  Point 
on    the    Hudson,  ehieil)   ot    the  Isabella  and  Catawba  varieties,  from  winch 

he  annually  receives   a    profitable  return.      Many  other  vineyards  of  a  greater  or 

less  extent  are  already  in  progress  in  several  states  of  the  onion,  and  one  ox 
more  vines  are  thought  to  be  an  almost  indispensable  appendage  to  every  garden 

and  house  lot  m  (he  countrv. 

IS  s  The   Isabella   grape-vine  flourishes  best  in  a  soil  that  is 

neither  poor  nor  exceedingly  rich,  rather  loose  than  compact,  moderately  moist, 
instead  ^[  being  wet  ox  very  dr\ ,  and  is  free  from  an  excess  o(  salts,  pernicious 
gases,  and  corruption  j  and  in  general,  land  recently  cleared  oi  wood  is  preferable 
to  that  winch  has  been  fox  some  time  under  tillage,  'The  situation  should  be 
chosen  on  moderately  rising  ground  rather  than  on  that  which  is  plain  oi 
abruptly  steep,  and  the  aspect  should  be  inclined  towards  the  south  ox  east, 
sheltered  both  from  the  wmd  and  intense  heat  of  the  sun.  particularly  during 

the  latter  halt  ot  the  da\  .  but  net  so  much  so  as  to  impede  a  free  circulation  01 
air       The   climate1  should   be    rather  dry  than  moist,  and  warm  instead  of  being 

cold.     A  doctrine  advanced  by  various  authors  is,  that  the  region  o(  tho  maize 

and  peach  culture,  is  also  that  oi  tin1  w  me  bearing  grape  ot'  Knropo.  Hy  parity 
ot  reason,  the  Isabella,  and  several  other  varieties,  winch  are  equally  or  more 
hardy  than  the  European  species,  may  be  successfully  cultivated  from  Mexico 
to  those  parts  oi  America  where  the  niai.-e.  or  Indian  corn,  is  to  be  considered  a 
sure  crop;  that  is.  thev  will  SUCCeed  alone,  the  shores  of  the  Atlantic,  m  anv  par- 
allel  Southward  ot'  the    forty  thud   degree  o(  latitude,  and   much   farther  to   the 

northward,  west  ^(  the  Rocky  Mountains.    The  Isabella  will  also  often  prosper 

under  circumstances  considerably  at  variance  with  any  ot"  those  above  staled. 
but  Us  fruit  will  not  be  of  so  tine  a  quality,  nor  so  rich  m  Us  ftaVOUT, 

IK<  M.r:,:^: -".-:  >;;'.      The  \uis  labrusca   Isabella,  like  all  its  con- 

ers,  may  be  propagated  from  seeds,  by  CUttingS  or  lavers.  and  by  grafting  OX 
inoculation;  but  die  mode  almost  universallv  adopted  is  bv  cuttings  from  the 
branches  and  roots  A  Simple,  detailed  account  of  the  growth  Oft  vine  from  us 
-  .iration  from  the  parent  stem  to  the  period  of  perfecting  Us  fruit,  perhaps  will 
.\  c\  the  best  idea  ^i  the  process,  and  we  will  offer  the  following,  as  deduced 
from  experience  :  — 

It  was  the  opinion  ^(  l.  Junius  Moderatus  Columella,  a  distinguished  write] 
en  husbandry,  who  flourished  nunc  than  eighteen  hundred  years  ago,  and  who 
owned  an  extensive  vineyard  in  that  pan  o(  Old  Spain,  now  called  Arragon, 

that  no  kind  o(  land,  whatever,  can  be  fruitful  unless  it  be  diligently,  caret'.. lly. 

and  skilfully  tilled,  more  especially  when  employed  for  vineyards,     "Fox  u 


AMERICAN    WILD    VINE.  137 

vine,"  said  he,  "is  a  delicate,  tender,  and  weak  thing,  and  can  by  no  means 
bear  with  hard  usage;  and,  for  the  most  part,  it  is  consumed  by  too  much 
labour,  and  bearing  too  great  a  quantity  of  fruit;  and,  if  you  do  not  restrain  it 
within  due  bounds,  it  perishes  by  its  own  fruitfulness.  But  when  it  lias,  in 
some  measure,  strengthened  and  hardened  itself,  and  attained,  as  it  were,  to  the 
vigour  of  youth,  it  may  prosper  under  neglect.  But  a  young  vineyard,  while  it 
is  growing  up,  unless  it  receives  due  care  and  attention,  will  be  reduced  to  the 
poorest  and  most  starving  condition,  and  will  pine  and  waste  away,  in  such  a 
manner,  that  it  can  never  afterwards,  by  any  experience  whatsoever,  be  recovered 
and  restored.  Therefore,  the  foundations,  as  it  were,  must  be  laid  with  the 
greatest  care,  and  from  the  first  day  of  planting,  it  must  be  managed  like  infants, 
with  unceasing  attention,  which,  unless  we  do,  all  our  expenses  will  be  laid  out 
to  no  purpose;  nor  can  the  proper  season  of  anything  be  recalled,  when  once 
we  let  it  pass."  First,  then,  let  us  select  a  proper  site  of  ground,  and  proceed  at 
once,  and  trench  it  to  the  full  depth  required.  If  it  be  situated  on  a  plain,  or  in 
a  valley,  it  should  he  dug  two  feet  in  depth,  and  on  rising  ground  three;  but  on 
a  hill-side,  somewhat  steeper,  it  should  be  turned  up  at  least  four  feet,  in 
order  that  the  roots  may  penetrate  beyond  the  reach  of  drought.  If  the  cut- 
tings are  intended  to  be  planted  in  drills  or  rows,  let  there  be  formed  trenches 
three  feet  in  length,  two  feet  in  depth,  and  the  width  of  a  spade,  leaving  inter- 
vals or  baulks,  a  yard  in  length,  between  the  trenches,  till  the  row  is  finished. 
Then,  with  good  virgin  soil,  if  it  be  at  hand,  if  not,  let  it  be  procured  from  the 
woods,  let  us  fill  the  trenches  therewith,  mixing  it  at  the  same  time  with  a  due 
proportion  of  leaf-mould  or  well-rotted  manure,  or  what  is  still  better,  the  leaves 
and  husks  of  vines,  or  grape-seeds,*  in  order  to  quicken  and  strengthen  the 
growth  of  the  plants.  If  a  vineyard  be  the  object  which  we  have  in  view,  let 
the  rows  or  drills  be  trenched  from  five  to  ten  feet  asunder,  according  to  the  sur- 
face of  the  ground  and  the  latitude  of  the  place.  If  the  situation  be  on  a  plain, 
in  a  high  degree  of  latitude,  the  rows  should  be  eight  or  ten  feet  apart;  but  if  it 
be  on  the  side  of  a  very  steep  hill,  or  in  a  low  degree  of  latitude,  five  feet  will 
be  sufficient;  and  on  moderately  inclined  surfaces,  or  in  higher  latitudes,  six  or 
eight  feet  apart  will  be  all  that  is  required.     With  regard  to  the  direction  of  the 

*  This  method  of  manuring  vines  was  known  and  practised  by  the  Carthaginians  long  before  they 
were  conquered  by  the  Romans.  One  Mago,  reputed  among  the  classical  ancients  for  the  princely 
employment  of  delivering  precepts  concerning  the  tilling  of  the  earth,  who  flourished  more  than  two  hun- 
dred years  B.  C,  and  wrote  twenty-eight  books  on  husbandry,  proved  that  the  husks  of  grapes  and  grape- 
seeds,  mixed  with  dung,  and  put  into  the  trenches  with  the  vine-plants,  quickened  their  growth,  strength- 
ened the  stems,  and  drew  forth  new  roots.  This  idea  accords  precisely  with  the  most  enlightened  princi- 
ples of  modern  chemistry  and  vegetable  economy.  It  shows  that  a  vineyard  may  be  made  to  maintain 
perfect  fruitfulness  without  the  application  of  any  manure,  except  the  leaves  and  branches  that  are  pruned 
from  the  vines.  Indeed,  an  instance  is  recorded,  where  a  man,  in  Germany,  had  a  vineyard  which  he 
manured  by  no  other  means,  and  kept  it  in  a  thriving  condition  for  thirty  years.  His  mode  of  applying 
the  vine-leaves  and  branches,  was  to  hoe  them  into  the  soil  after  having  cut  them  into  small  pieces. 
During  this  long  period,  no  carbon  was  conveyed  to  the  soil  nor  to  the  vines  themselves,  except  that 
contained  in  their  pruned  branches,  the  rains,  dews,  and  in  the  atmosphere,  so  that  the  vines  were  placed 
in  exactly  the  same  condition  as  trees  in  a  forest,  which  receive  no  manure  except  from  their  decayed 
branches  and  leaves.  Under  ordinary  circumstances,  a  manure  containing  potash  must  be  used,  other- 
wise the  fertility  of  the  soil  will  decrease.  From  this  it  follows,  that  in  nature  every  vegetable  produces 
its  own  pabulum  or  support,  and  that  the  earth  only  serves  to  bear  the  plant,  and  not  to  aid  or  nourish  it 
in  vegetation.  The  food  of  plants  is  thus  supposed  to  be  derived  from  air  and  water,  heat  and  light,  or 
electricity  in  different  proportions,  adapted  to  the  various  productions  of  the  vegetable  world.  This  doc- 
trine may  further  be  corroborated  by  an  instance  which  occurred  in  France  in  1810.  Messrs.  Poillard 
and  Bernard,  who  date  their  letter  at  Brest,  assert  that  they  succeeded  in  raising  perfect  wheat  upon  a 
pane  of  glass  covered  with  straw.  They  state  that  there  was  not  the  smallest  particle  of  earth  upon  the 
glass,  and  that  the  plants  were  left  entirely  to  themselves,  without  being  watered  or  attended  to  in  any 
way  whatever,  from  the  time  oJ  owing  to  the  time  of  reaping.  And  we  can  aver  that  we  have  seen 
fields  of  sugar-cane,  in  the  island  of  Cuba,  which  have  produced  abundant  crops  from  the  same  roots,  for 
nearly  a  quarter  of  a  century,  without  any  manure,  except  the  tops  and  leaves  of  the  cane  that  have  been 
left  on  the  ground,  and  worked  into  the  soil  by  the  hoe. 

18 


138  VITIS    LABRUSCA. 

rows,  and  the  height  to  which  the  vines  should  be  trained,  they  may  run  in 
a  manner  that  will  allow  them  to  face  any  point  of  the  horizon  between  south 
and  east;  and  they  may  be  supported  on  props,  or  trellises, from  six  to  ten  feet  in 
height,  and  even  more,  according  to  the  vigour  of  the  vines.  But  in  cities,  and 
about  houses  in  the  country,  single  vines  may  be  trained  on  the  sides  and  ends 
of  buildings,  along  the  sides  of  fences,  or  on  the  trunks  and  branches  of  trees. 

The  most  favourable  season  for  planting  the  Isabella  grape-vine  in  the  United 
States,  is  when  the  red-flowered  maple  is  in  bloom,  which  usually  occurs  in 
Georgia  from  the  20th  to  the  last  of  February,  and  five  or  six  weeks  later  near 
Philadelphia  and  New  York.  In  selecting  the  cuttings  for  a  vineyard,  they 
should  be  of  one  variety,  and  taken  from  the  most  fruitful  part  of  the  vine.  Let 
us  not  content  ourselves  with  single  clusters,  but  those  which  are  the  most  pro- 
lific. The  greatest  proportion  of  fruit  grows  from  the  buds  on  the  last  year's 
shoots  next  to  the  old  wood,  with  the  exception  of  the  nearest  eye,  the  top  buds 
being  unfruitful  and  seldom  bearing  at  all.  Some  prefer  to  plant  cuttings  con- 
taining a  considerable  portion  of  the  old  wood ;  but,  as  it  is  not  always  prudent 
nor  economical  to  mutilate  a  favourite  vine  too  much,  it  is  best  to  select  fruitful 
cuttings  of  the  last  year's  growth,  with  the  wood  well  ripened.  They  should  be 
of  a  moderate  size,  short-jointed,  and  containing  from  six  to  eight  eyes  or  buds 
in  each.  They  should  be  cut  off,  transversely  from  the  vine,  with  a  sharp  knife, 
close  to  the  old  wood,  and  not  less  than  two  inches  of  blank  wood  should  be  left 
for  the  protection  of  the  terminal  buds.  The  ends  of  the  cuttings  that  are  to 
remain  above  the  ground  should  be  cut  in  an  oblique  direction,  and  the  sloping 
side  should  be  opposite  the  side  containing  the  uppermost  bud.  If  possible,  they 
should  be  planted  in  calm  weather,  immediately  after  separation  from  the  parent 
vine,  and  be  obtained  from  a  soil,  situation,  and  climate,  similar  to  those  in 
which  they  are  intended  to  grow ;  but  if  any  difference  in  these  respects  should 
unavoidably  occur,  it  will  be  better  to  transplant  from  a  poorer  to  a  richer,  and 
from  a  dryer  to  moister  soil,  as  also  from  a  colder  to  a  warmer  climate.  But 
should  it  be  necessary  to  convey  the  cuttings  from  a  distance,  their  lower  ends 
should  be  immersed  in  a  composition  of  fine  earth,  well  mixed  with  linseed  or 
other  oil,  of  about  the  consistence  of  tar,  as  soon  as  they  are  cut  off  from  the 
parent  stock,  at  the  same  time,  taking  the  precaution  not  to  cut  off  the  top  ends 
till  the  moment  they  are  to  be  used. 

MANAGEMENT    DURING   THE   FIRST    YEAR. 

The  ground  having  been  prepared  in  the  manner  above  described,  the  cuttings 
are  next  to  be  planted  in  the  centres  of  the  trenches,  so  that  each  terminal  bud 
will  be  even  with  the  surface,  and  directed  towards  the  south.  Then  the  earth 
must  be  firmly  pressed  round  each  plant,  and  should  it  subsequently  settle  and 
leave  more  than  one  bud  above  the  ground,  more  earth  or  mould  must  be  added 
to  bury  them  up. 

As  soon  as  the  season  becomes  hot  and  dry,  it  will  be  necessary  to  protect 
the  cuttings  from  the  mid-day  sun,  by  means  of  matting  or  other  materials, 
which  should  be  removed  towards  evening,  and  allow  them  to  remain  uncov- 
ered until  the  next  morning,  at  about  the  time  of  the  disappearance  of  the 
dew.  Strict  attention  must  now  be  observed  in  keeping  the  soil  around  the  cut- 
tings continually  moist,  and  should  not  this  be  effected  by  natural  means,  it 
must  be  done  by  sprinkling  rain  or  river  water  over  them,  or  what  is  still  better, 
soap-suds,  or  other  stimulating  fluids,  specially  prepared  for  the  purpose,  but  not 
too  strong.  Soon  after  the  cuttings  begin  to  take  root,  which  may  be  known  by 
the  swelling  of  the  buds,  above  the  surface,  young  shoots  will  gradually  pro- 
trude, and  the  plants  will  require  but  little  attention  during  the  remainder  of  the 


AMERICAN    WILD   VINE.  139 

« 

season,  except  an  occasional  hoeing,  to  destroy  the  weeds,  and  to  loosen  the  soil 
m  order  to  admit  the  air  and  moisture  about  the  roots.  Should  the  season  prove 
dry,  however,  and  the  earth  around  the  plants  become  parched,  it  will  be  neces- 
sary to  irrigate  them  frequently  with  rain  or  river  water,  or  with  prepared 
liquids  as  suggested  above.  Early  in  autumn,  rub  off  all  the  buds  from  each 
plant,  except  two,  which  are  to  be  reserved  for  training  the  ensuing  year. 

The  method  of  managing  the  vine  from  the  first  to  the  sixth  year,  as  practised 
by  Mr.  B.  E.  Valentine,  of  Philadelphia,  and  published  in  Hoffy's  "  Orchardist's 
Companion,"  for  1841,  is  the  same  as  that  recommended  by  Clement  Hoare,  a 
highly  esteemed  writer  on  the  cultivation  of  the  vine,  and  whose  mode,  with  a 
slight  variation  for  climate  or  seasons,  is  believed  to  be  best  adapted  for  this  spe- 
cies of  culture  of  any  practised  in  the  United  States.  "  On  the  first  of  Decem- 
ber, or  as  long  as  the  weather  remains  open,"  says  he,  "  the  soil  round  the  roots 
should  not  be  covered  over ;  but,  as  soon  as  frost  comes,  a  good  covering  of  lit- 
ter, or  well-rotted  manure  must  be  laid  over  the  ground,  as  far  as  the  roots 
extend ;  and  if  the  weather  be  very  severe,  it  will  be  better  also  to  cover  over 
the  stem  to  the  depth  of  five  or  six  inches  above  the  top  of  it.  The  young  plant 
being  thus  well  protected  from  the  severity  of  the  winter,  may  remain  in  this 
state  till  the  first  of  March. 

SECOND    YEAR. 

March  1st.  Remove  the  covering,  and  fork  up  the  surface  of  the  ground,  to  the 
depth  of  two  or  three  inches,  that  the  sun  and  air  may  freely  penetrate  it.  April 
1st.  Keep  the  soil  round  the  roots  free  from  weeds,  and  the  surface  of  it  loose, 
either  by  raking  or  forking  it  up  as  often  as  necessary.  May  1st.  Now  remem- 
ber that  only  a  single  shoot  is  permanently  to  be  trained  throughout  the  sum- 
mer ;  the  object  of  leaving  two  buds  the  previous  autumn,  being  to  provide 
against  the  loss  of  a  shoot  in  case  of  any  accident.  As  soon,  therefore,  as  the 
strongest  has  grown  sufficiently  to  be  out  of  danger  of  being  accidentally  rubbed 
off,  the  other  is  to  be  cut  out,  as  hereafter  directed.  If  any  other  shoots  have 
pushed  besides  the  two  principal  ones,  rub  them  all  off.  As  soon  as  the  shoots  have 
grown  about  a  foot  in  length,  nail  them  to  the  wall  or  fence,  as  the  case  may  be. 
Do  this  very  carefully,  for  they  are  as  yet  extremely  tender.  When  they  have 
grown  about  six  inches  from  the  last  nailing,  they  must  again  be  nailed,  and 
continually  kept  so,  never  suffering  the  tops  of  the  shoots  to  be  blown  about  by 
the  wind.  As  the  tendrils  and  lateral  shoots  successively  appear  throughout  the 
summer,  pinch  off  the  former  when  they  have  grown  about  three  inches  in 
length,  and  the  latter  to  an  inch  beyond  the  first  eye.  June  1st.  Throughout 
this  month,  and  the  two  following  ones,  whenever  the  ground  appears  parched 
through  by  the  heat  of  the  weather,  give  the  roots,  once  a  day,  about  half  a  gal- 
lon of  soap-suds,  or  dung- water.  Keep  the  ground  free  from  weeds,  and  the  sur- 
face loose  and  open,  by  raking  or  forking  it  up  once  a  week  throughout  the  sum- 
mer. July  1st.  The  young  shoots  being  firmly  united  to  the  preceding  year's 
wood,  and  therefore  past  all  danger  of  being  broken  off  by  any  accident,  unnail 
the  weakest  shoot  of  the  two,  and  cut  it  out  close  to  the  stem,  making  the  sur- 
face of  the  wound  quite  smooth  and  even.  The  remaining  shoot  must  be  kept 
nailed  to  the  wall  as  before  directed.  November  1st.  Cut  the  vine  to  the  two 
lowermost  buds,  and  in  the  winter,  if  the  weather  be  frosty,  cover  the  ground 
over  in  the  same  manner  as  in  the  preceding  winter. 

THIRD   YEAR. 

March  1st.     The  winter  covering  may  now  be  removed,  (provided  there  should 


140 


VITIS   LABRUSCA. 


be  no  hard  frost.)  and  the  surface  of  the  ground  must  he  made  quite  mellow  by 
using  lightly  a  garden  fork  or  trowel,  observing  great  care  to  avoid  disturbing 
the  roots,  as  they  will  now  be  found  very  near  the  surface.  Let  the  subsequent 
treatment  throughout  the  season  be  precisely  the  same  as  in  the  preceding  sum- 
mer. If  any  fruit  be  shown,  pinch  it  off  as  soon  as  it  appears. 
November  1st.  It  is  presumed  the  stem  of  the  vine  will  now  be 
more  than  two  inches  in  girth,  and  therefore  two  leading  shoots  are 
to  be  permanently  retained  the  next  year.  For  this  purpose,  cut 
the  vine  down  now  to  the  three  lowermost  buds,  thus  reserving 
one  to  spare,  in  case  of  accident.  The  vine  will  then  resemble  the  -aa==gJ_. 
adjoining  figure.  The  roots  being  now  sufficiently  strong  to  withstand  the 
severity  of  the  weather, will  not  in  future  require  covering. 

FOURTH   YEAR. 

March  1st.  Clean  the  surface  of  the  ground,  and  fork  it  up  lightly,  and  let  tne 
subsequent  management  throughout  the  season  be  the  same  as  before.  May  1st. 
As  soon  as  the  shoots  have  grown  a  sufficient  length,  nail  or  tie  them  carefully 
to  the  wall  or  trellis,  and  rub  off  all  the  others,  if  any  should  have  pushed.  If 
fruit  be  shown,  pinch  it  off  as  in  the  preceding  year.  July  1st.  Unnail  and  cut 
out  the  weakest  of  the  three  shoots,  and  train  the  two  remaining  ones  carefully 
during  the  remainder  of  the  season.  September  1st.  Pinch  off  the  tops  of 
the  shoots.  November  1st.  As  the  girth  of  the  stem  will  not  be  less  now 
than  three  inches,  the  vine  may  be  permitted  to  mature  fruit  the  next  year, 
not  exceeding  five  pounds  weight ;  for  this  purpose,  cut  down  the  two  shoots  to 
the  seven  lowermost  buds  each.  Prune  away  the  remaining  portion  of  the  ten- 
drils and  dead  wood  close  to  the  shoots ;  and  cut  out  carefully  all  the  lateral 
shoots  close  to  the  base  of  the  buds,  whence  they  have  sprung.  If  the  outer 
bark  of  the  stem  be  decayed,  rub  it  off  clean ;  and  then  nail  or  tie  the  shoots  to 
the  wall  or  trellis  in  a  temporary  manner. 


FIFTH    YEAR. 


February  1  st.  As  soon  after  this  time  as  the  weather  is  open,  cut  out  of  each 
shoot  the  first,  second,  fourth,  fifth,  and  sixth  buds ;  then  bend  the  two  shoots 
carefully  down,  and  secure  them  in  a  horizontal  position,  similar  to  that  repre-. 
sented  by  the  shoots  in  the  adjoining 
figure.  March  1st.  Clean  the  sur- 
face of  the  ground,  and  fork  it  up  as 
in  the  preceding  year.  May  1st. 
Train  the  shoots  that  push  from  the 
buds  3  and  7,  in  the  manner  repre- 
sented by  the  dotted  lines  1,  2,  3,  4, 
and  if  more  fruit  shows  than  is  equiv- 
alent to  the  weight  before  mentioned,  7  "^  5  4  3 
the  excess  must  be  cut  off  when  the 
berries  are  set.  July  15th.  Continue 
the  same  course  of  management  as  in 
the  preceding  year,  and  when  the  roots  require  watering,  they  are  now  suffi- 
ciently strong  to  have  applied  to  them  for  that  purpose  any  description  of  liquid 
manure  that  can  be  most  conveniently  obtained.  September  1st.  Pinch  off  the 
tops  of  the  shoots,  and  the  sap  will  then  accumulate  in  the  buds."  Here  we 
will  leave  our  author,  and  pursue  a  somewhat  different  treatment.  Early  in 
October,  or  soon  after  the  fruit  is  gathered,  let  the  shoots  numbered  1  and  4,  be 


AMERICAN   WILD    VINE. 


141 


sut  back  to  as  many  buds  as  may  be  deemed  necessary  to  produce  the  quantity 
)f  fruit  which  the  vine  can  mature  the  next  year,  and  let  those  marked  2  and  3, 
)e  cut  back  to  the  three  lowermost  bads.  The  lateral  shoots,  as  also  the  stumps 
>f  the  tendrils,  should  be  cut  out  as  directed  in  the  preceding  year.  Let  the 
oose  and  decayed  bark  be  rubbed  or  scraped  off,  and  the  shoots  fastened  to  the 
vail  or  trellis,  to  protect  them  during  the  winter. 

SIXTH   YEAR. 

Commence  early  in  March,  and  treat  the  ground  in  every  respect,  during  the 
eason,  as  in  the  preceding  year,  taking  care  to.  incorporate  all  the  leaves  or  clip- 
tings  of  the  vines  with  the  earth  about  the  roots.  Early  in  May,  or  as  soon  as 
he  shoots  numbered  2  and  3,  have  grown  a  sufficient  length,  fasten  them  care- 
ully  to  the  wall  or  trellis,  and  let  them  grow  until  the  first  of  July.  Then  cut 
mt  the  weakest  of  the  three  young  shoots,  and  treat  the  two  remaining  ones  (as 
ndicated  in  the  adjoining  . 

igure)  precisely  as  those 
Lumbered  1  and  4  were  the 
rear  preceding,  due  care 
leing  observed  to  deprive 
ill  the  shoots  of  any  super- 
luous  fruit  or  leaves  which 
nay  put  forth.  In  October, 
oon  after  the  fruit  is  gath- 
:red  from  the  shoots  num- 
>ered  1  and  4,  cut  them 
lown  to  the  three  lower- 
nost  buds,  thus  reserving 
>ne  to  spare  in  case  of  ac- 
ident,  in  order  to  produce 
louble  shoots  the  following 
rear.  No  further  treat- 
nent  will  be  required  than 
■ubbing  or  scraping  off  all 
oose  and  decayed  bark 
rom  the  vines,  until  the 
lext  spring. 


SEVENTH   YEAR   AND   SUBSEQUENT    TREATMENT. 


Commence  early  in  the  month  of  March,  and  treat  the  ground  throughout  the 
season  as  directed  for  the  preceding  year.  Early  in  May,  or  as  soon  as  the 
ihoots  numbered  1  and  4  have  attained  a  sufficient  length,  carefully  fasten  them 
o  the  wall  or  trellis,  and  let  them  grow  until  the  first  of  July.  Then  cut  out 
he  weakest  of  the  three  young  shoots,  and  treat  the  two  remaining  ones  (indi- 
cated by  1  and  4  in  the  annexed  figure)  in  every  respect  as  those  numbered  2 
ind  3  were  the  year  before.  By  the  end  of  the  seventh  year,  if  the  plant  belongs 
;o  a  vineyard,  in  which  the  vines  are  grown  at  the  distance  of  six  feet  apart,  it 
ivill  have  acquired  a  sufficient  number  of  leading  shoots  to  bear  fruit  in  abun- 
lance ;  but  if  it  be  an  isolated  vine,  the  horizontal  branches  may  be  allowed  to 
extend  themselves,  and  a  pair  of  new  shoots  added  each  year,  as  long  as  the 
fertility  of  the  soil  and  the  nature  of  the  situation  may  require  it.  During 
wery  subsequent  year,  the  treatment  of  the  ground  during  spring  and  summer 
should  be  the  same  as  in  the  two  seasons  preceding.     Early  in  September,  the 


UX 


VITIS    LABRUSCA. 


tops  of  the  young  shoots  should  be  pinched  off,  in  order  that  the  sap  may  be  as- 
similated into  buds ;  and  in 
October,  or  soon  after  har- 
vesting the  grapes,  cut  back 
the  shoots  of  the  same  year 
and  leave  but  four  eyes  to 
each ;  as,  by  leaving  too 
many,  the  vine  becomes  ex- 
hausted, and  yields  but  little 
fruit,  and  is  soon  destroyed 
by  premature  decay.  The 
shoots  should  be  cut  off  in 
an  oblique  direction,  opposite 
to,  and  about  an  inch  and 
a  half  above,  the  fourth  eye 
from  the  old  wood,  in  such 
a  manner  as  will  shed  the 
rain  and  allow  the  buds  to 
suffer  no  injury  from  the 
wet.  In  the  course  of  the 
month  of  May,  the  vines 
should  be  examined,  and 
all  the  shoots  from  the  old 
wood  rubbed  off;  and  if  an  eye  of  the  last  year's  growth  should  be  found  to  pro- 
duce twin  shoots,  the  weakest  of  the  two  must  be  removed,  in  order  that  the 
remaining  one  may  the  better  thrive.  In  the  course  of  the  season,  the  super- 
fluous leaves  and  twigs  must  often  be  thinned  out ;  and  about  the  first  of  Sep- 
tember, as  in  the  preceding  years,  pinch  off  the  tops  of  the  shoots,  in  order  that 
the  sap  may  assimilate  in  the  buds  that  are  to  be  reserved  for  the  next  year.  If 
the  vines  appear  to  be  too  exuberant,  they  may  be  primed  at  the  roots,  without 
injury,  at  any  season  of  the  year.  The  most  convenient  period,  however,  for 
performing  this  operation,  where  the  climate  is  mild,  is  in  November,  when  the 
roots  should  be  exposed  to  the  light  and  air,  by  drawing  away  the  earth,  and 
letting  them  remain  till  spring ;  but  where  the  winters  are  severe,  and  subject  to 
continued  ice  and  frost,  early  in  December  they  should  be  re-covered  with  earth, 
mixed  with  well-rotted  manure,  leaf-mould,  husks  and  seeds  of  grapes,  or  the 
clippings  and  leaves  of  vines.  If  they  remain  exposed  during  winter,  early  in 
March  the  earth  should  be  restored,  and  mixed  with  the  manure  or  other  sub- 
stances, as  named  above.  This  mode  was  called  "  ablaqueatio,"  by  the  Romans, 
and  is  still  practised  with  advantage  in  some  parts  of  Italy  and  Spain. 

Although  spring  and  summer  pruning  of  the  vine  may  advantageously  be 
adopted  in  all  countries  of  the  globe,  yet  in  places  exposed  to  the  sun,  with  mild 
winters,  pruning  in  autumn  is  thought  to  be  the  best,  the  most  natural,  at  which 
time,  trees  and  shrubs,  by  a  divine  and  eternal  law,  drop  both  their  fruit  and 
leaves.  "  Snag  pruning"  is  thought  to  be  preferable  by  some,  because,  in  "  close 
pruning,"  the  wounds  spread,  and  prevent  the  protrusion  of  buds  near  the 
affected  parts ;  but  if  these  parts  be  covered  at  the  time  of  pruning,  with  a  prep- 
aration of  fine  earth  or  white-lead,  mixed  with  linseed  oil,  they  will  immediately 
heal. 

Mr.  Loudon,  in  treating  of  the  vine,  mentions  three  modes  of  pruning  it  in 
hot-houses,  viz.  : — the  fruit-tree  method,  in  which  the  plant  is  spread  out  in  the 
manner  of  a  fan,  and  trained  like  a  common  fruit-tree ;  the  long  or  young-wood 
method,  in  which  all  the  wood  above  a  year  old  is  cut  out  down  to  the  stool  or 
stock ;  and  the  spurring-in  method,  in  which  the  fruit  is  produced  from  young 


AMERICAN    "WILD    VINE.  143 

wood  grown  annually  from  the  seeds  of  the  main  shoot,  or  shoots  of  old  wood. 
The  two  last  methods  he  regards  as  the  best. 

It  is  customary  with  many  to  cultivate  flowers,  or  vegetables  of  various  kinds 
between  or  near  their  vines,  without  reflecting  that  they  are  doing  them  great 
injury  by  abstracting  their  proper  nourishment  from  the  soil ;  a  practice  not  only 
strictly  guarded  against  by  the  most  intelligent  vine-dressers  of  the  present  day, 
but  condemned  by  all  ancient  writers  on  the  subject ;  and  Moses,  in  exhorting 
the  people  of  Israel,  very  forcibly  elucidated  his  discourse  by  commanding  them 
not  to  defile  their  vineyards  with  the  fruit  of  divers  seeds : 

"Thou  shalt  not  sow  thy  vineyard  with  divers  seeds;  lest  the  fruit  of  thy  seed 
which  thou  hast  sown,  and  the  fruit  of  thy  vineyard,  be  defiled." 

Deuteronomy, xxii.  9. 

thus  plainly  showing  that  the  wisdom  and  prudence  of  this  important  law  was 
well  understood  even  at  that  early  day. 

Insects,  Casualties,  fyc.  The  Vitis  labrusca,  like  most  of  its  congeners,  is  sub- 
ject to  the  attack  of  various  tribes  of  insects  or  their  larvse,  and  requires  the  vigi- 
lant attention  of  the  cultivator  during  all  the  warmer  months  of  the  year. 
Among  the  Coleoptera  we  recognize  the  Pelidnota  punctata,  Anomala  varians, 
Melolontha  subspinosa,  and  the  Haltica  chalybea.  The  former  is  a  large  beetle, 
sometimes  found  in  great  abundance  in  the  months  of  July  and  August,  and  is 
described  by  Dr.  Harris,  as  being  of  an  oval  shape,  about  an  inch  long,  having 
dull,  brownish-yellow  wing-covers,  with  three  distinct  black  dots  on  each ;  the 
thorax  darker,  and  slightly  bronzed,  with  a  black  dot  on  each  side ;  and  the  legs 
and  body  beneath  of  a  deep  bronze-green.  These  beetles  fly  by  day,  and  devour 
the  leaves  of  the  vine,  which  constitute  their  only  food.  They  may  be  destroyed 
in  considerable  numbers,  by  snatching  them  from  the  vines  and  crushing  them 
under  the  foot.  Their  larva?  live  in  decayed  wood,  and  like  those  of  beetles  in 
general,  consist  of  grubs.  The  Anomala  varians,  which  is  said  to  resemble,  in 
its  habits,  the  vine-chafer  of  Europe,  is  found  in  June  and  July,  feeding  upon 
the  leaves  of  the  vine,  as  well  as  upon  those  of  several  species  of  rhus.  Both 
the  males  and  the  females  are  of  a  broad  oval  shape,  and  of*  varied  colours,  mea- 
suring from  four  to  five  lines  in  length,  the  former  being  the  least  in  size.  The 
head  and  thorax  of  the  male  are  greenish-black,  margined  with  dull-ochre  or 
tile-red,  and  thickly  punctured;  the  wing-covers  are  clay-yellow,  irregularly 
furrowed,  and  punctured  in  the  furrows  ;  the  legs  are  pale-red,  brown,  or  black ; 
and  sometimes  the  whole  insect  is  entirely  black.  The  thorax  of  the  female  is 
clay-yellow  or  tile-red,  sometimes  with  two  oblique  blackish  spots  on  the  top, 
and  at  others  nearly  black  ;  the  wing-covers  resemble  those  of  the  male  ;  the  legs 
are  clay-yellow  or  light-red.  The  Melolontha  subspinosa,  or  common  rose-bug, 
is  also  a  diurnal  insect,  and  appeared  for  some  time  to  be  confined  to  its  favour- 
ite food,  the  blossoms  of  the  rose;  but  within  thirty  years,  according  to  Dr. 
Harris,  this  species  has  prodigiously  increased  in  number,  has  attacked  at  ran- 
dom various  kinds  of  plants,  in  swarms,  and  has  become  notorious  for  its  exten- 
sive and  deplorable  ravages.  The  grape-vine  in  particular,  has  annually  suf- 
fered by  its  depredations,  as  well  as  most  of  our  fruit-trees,  garden  and  field 
vegetables,  and  even  the  trees  of  the  forest.  "The  unexpected  arrival  of  these 
insects  in  swarms,"  says  Harris,  "  at  their  first  coming,  and  their  sudden  disap- 
pearance, at  the  close  of  their  career,  are  remarkable  facts  in  their  history.  They 
come  forth  from  the  ground  during  the  second  week  in  June,  or  about  the  time 
of  the  blossoming  of  the  damask  rose,  and  remain  from  thirty  to  forty  days.  At 
the  end  of  this  period,  the  males  become  exhausted,  fall  to  the  ground,  and  per- 
ish, while  the  females  enter  the  earth,  lay  their  eggs,  return  to  the  surface,  and, 
after  lingering  a  few  days,  die  also.     The  eggs  laid  by  each  female  are  about 


144  VITIS    LABRUSCA. 

thirty  in  number,  and  are  deposited  from  one  to  four  inches  beneath  the  surface 
of  the  soil ;  they  are  nearly  globular,  whitish,  and  about  one  thirtieth  of  an  inch 
in  diameter,  and  are  hatched  twenty  days  after  they  are  laid.  The  young  larvae 
begin  to  feed  on  such  tender  roots  as  are  within  their  reach."  *  *  *  *  * 
"  They  attain  their  full  size  in  the  autumn,  being  then  nearly  three-quarters  of 
an  inch  long,  and  about  an  eighth  of  an  inch  in  diameter."  *****  »  In  Octo- 
ber, they  descend  below  the  reach  of  the  frost,  and  pass  the  winter  in  a  torpid 
state.  In  the  spring  they  approach  towards  the  surface,  and  each  one  forms  foi 
itself  a  little  cell  of  an  oval  shape,  by  turning  round  a  great  many  times,  so  as  to 
compress  the  earth,  and  render  the  inside  of  the  cavity  hard  and  smooth.  Within 
this  cell  the  grub  is  transformed  into  a  pupa,  during  the  month  of  May,  by  cast- 
ing off  its  skin,  which  is  pushed  downwards  in  folds  from  the  head  to  the  tail. 
The  pupa  has  somewhat  the  form  of  the  perfect  beetle ;  but  it  is  of  a  yellowish- 
white  colour,  and  its  short,  stump-like  wings,  its  antennas,  and  its  legs  are  folded 
upon  the  breast,  and  its  whole  body  is  inclosed  in  a  thin  film,  that  wraps  each 
part  separately.  During  the  month  of  June,  this  filmy  skin  is  rent,  the  included 
beetle  withdraws  from  it  its  body  and  its  limbs,  bursts  open  its  earthen  cell,  and 
digs  its  way  to  the  surface  of  the  ground.  Thus  the  various  changes,  from  the 
egg  to  the  full  development  of  the  perfect  beetle,  are  completed  within  the  space 
of  one  year.  Such  being  the  metamorphoses  and  habits  of  these  insects,  it  is 
evident  that  we  cannot  attack  them  in  the  egg,  the  grub,  or  the  pupa  state  ;  the 
enemy,  in  these  stages,  is  beyond  our  reach,  and  is  subject  to  the  control  only  of 
the  natural  but  unknown  means  appointed  by  the  Author  of  Nature,  to  keep  the 
insect  tribes  in  check.  When  they  have  issued  from  their  subterranean  retreats, 
and  have  congregated  upon  our  vines,  trees,  and  other  vegetable  productions,  in  the 
complete  enjoyment  of  their  propensities,  we  must  unite  our  efforts  to  seize  and 
crush  the  invaders.  They  must  indeed  be  crushed,  scalded,  or  burned,  to  deprive 
them  of  life,  for  they  are  not  affected  by  any  of  the  applications  usually  found 
destructive  to  other  insects.  Experience  has  proved  the  utility  of  gathering  them 
by  hand,  or  of  shaking  them  or  brushing  them  from  the  plants  into  tin  vessels  con- 
taining a  little  water.  They  should  be  collected  daily  during  the  period  of  their 
visitation,  and  should  be  committed  to  the  flames,  or  killed  by  scalding  water." 
The  Haltica  chalybea  or  steel-blue  fiee-beetle,  as  it  is  sometimes  called,  also 
inhabits  the  vine  and  preys  upon  its  buds  and  leaves,  in  almost  every  part  of  the 
union.  An  interesting  account  of  its  habits  and  ravages  is  given  in  the  xxvith 
volume  of  Silliman's  "  American  Journal  of  Science  and  Arts,"  by  Mr.  David 
Thomas,  of  Cayuga  county,  in  New  York.  The  brilliant  insects  of  this  species, 
were  observed  by  him,  in  the  spring  of  1831,  creeping  on  the  vines,  and  destroy- 
ing the  buds,  by  eating  out  the  central  succulent  parts.  Some  had  burrowed 
even  half  their  length  into  the  buds.  When  disturbed,  they  jump,  rather  than 
fly,  and  remain  where  they  fall  for  a  time,  without  motion.  In  1830  and  1831, 
he  also  found  the  vine-leaves  infested  by  small,  chesnut-coloured,  smooth  worms, 
which  he  fed  in  a  tumbler,  containing  some  moist  earth,  until  they  were  fully 
grown,  when  they  concealed  themselves  below  the  surface.  In  about  two  weeks 
after,  some  beetles  were  found  in  the  tumbler,  which  led  him  to  suppose  that 
their  larvae  undergo  their  transformation  in  the  ground.  These  beetles,  according 
to  Dr.  Harris,  are  exceedingly  variable  in  their  colour,  being  sometimes  of  a  dark- 
purple,  violet,  Prussian  blue,  greenish-blue,  and  deep-green  colour.  The  most 
common  tint  of  the  upper  sides  is  a  glossy,  deep  greenish-blue ;  the  under  sides 
of  a  dark-green ;  and  the  antennae  and  feet  are  of  a  dull  black.  The  body  is 
oblong-oval,  and  the  hinder  part  of  the  thorax  is  marked  with  a  transverse  fur- 
row. It  measures  rather  more  than  three-twentieths  of  an  inch  in  length.  In 
Massachusetts,  these  beetles  begin  to  come  out  of  their  winter  quarters  towards 


AMERICAN   WILD   VINE.  145 

the  end  of  April,  and  continue  to  appear  till  the  latter  part  of  May.  A  second 
hrood  also  make  their  appearance  towards  the  end  of  July.* 

Among  the  Hemiptera,  which  prey  upon  the  vine,  is  the  Tettigonia  vitis,  or 
vine-hopper,  of  Harris,  which  was  for  a  long  time  supposed  to  be  the  vine-fret- 
ter  of  Europe.  In  a  perfect  state,  this  insect  measures  one  tenth  of  an  inch  in 
length,  is  of  a  pale-yellow,  with  two  small  red  lines  on  its  head ;  the  hinder  part 
of  the  thorax,  the  scutel,  the  base  of  the  wing-covers,  and  a  band  across  their 
middle,  are  scarlet;  the  tips  of  the  wing-covers  are  blackish,  between  which 
and  the  above-named  band  there  are  several  small,  red  lines.  The  head  is  cres- 
cent-shaped above,  and  the  eyelets  are  situated  just  below  the  ridge  of  the  front.f 
These  insects,  according  to  Dr.  Harris,  inhabit  both  the  foreign  and  native  grape- 
vines, under  the  surface  of  the  leaves,  among  which  they  may  be  found  during 
the  greater  part  of  the  summer,  where,  also,  they  pass  through  all  their  transform- 
ations. They  make  their  first  appearance  in  June,  when  they  are  wingless,  and 
of  course  in  their  larva  state.  They  remain  perfectly  quiet  for  most  of  the  time, 
with  their  beaks  thrust  into  the  succulent  parts  of  the  leaves,  from  which  they 
derive  their  nourishment.  If  disturbed,  however,  they  leap  with  great  agility 
from  one  leaf  to  another,  from  which  circumstance  they  are  called  vine-hoppers. 
As  they  increase  in  size,  they  frequently  cast  their  skins,  which  may  often  be 
found,  during  summer,  adhering  to  the  leaves,  and  upon  the  ground  beneath  the 
vines.  They  generally  reach  their  perfect  state  in  the  month  of  August,  when 
they  become  still  more  active  by  the  aid  of  their  legs  and  wings,  and  are  enabled 
to  leap  and  fly  from  tree  to  tree.  They  do  great  injury  to  the  vines  by  depriv- 
ing their  leaves  of  sap,  which  not  only  causes  them  to  turn  yellow  and  fall,  even 
at  mid-summer,  but  by  this  exhaustion,  their  most  important  functions  are  inter- 
rupted, the  fruit  becomes  stunted  and  diseased,  and  if  the  evil  be  suffered  to  con- 
tinue, the  plant  itself,  in  a  few  years,  is  rendered  barren,  and  consequently  of  no 
value.  In  autumn,  these  insects  quit  the  vines,  shelter  themselves  beneath  the 
fallen  leaves  or  decayed  tufts  of  grass,  where  they  remain  till  the  following 
spring,  when  they  emerge  from  their  winter  retreats,  and  in  due  time  deposite 
their  eggs  upon  the  leaves  of  the  vine,  and  then  die.  The  Vitis  labrusca  is  also 
attacked  by  a  species  of  bark-louse,  of  a  globular  form,  nearly  half  the  size  of  a 
pea,  and  of  about  the  colour  of  the  bark  itself.  It  sometimes  occurs  in  great 
numbers,  which  imbed  themselves  in  the  furrows  of  the  bark,  abstract  large 
quantities  of  its  sap,  and  thereby  impoverish  the  vine.  The  most  efficacious 
means  employed  for  the  destruction  of  the  vine-hopper  or  bark-lice,  are  fumiga- 
tions of  red-pepper  seeds,  tobacco,  or  other  hot,  acrid  plants,  which  require  fre- 
quent repetition,  and  much  precaution  to  kill  the  insects  and  to  prevent  injury  to 
the  vines. 

Among  the  Lepidoptera,  which  feed  upon  the  vine,  there  are  several  species 
of  Sphinx,  the  Procris  americana,  and  the  Eudryas  grata.  As  it  would  occupy 
too  much  space  to  enter  at  length  into  the  characters  and  habits  of  all  these 
insects,  we  must  refer  the  reader  to  Dr.  Harris'  "  Report,"  from  which  much 
valuable  and  practical  information  may  be  gained  on  this  subject,  that  cannot 
be  found  in  any  other  work.  From  the  sphinges  he  has  selected  a  group  to 
which  he  has  applied  the  name  of  Philampelus,  signifying  literally,  "I  love  the 
vine,"  from  the  circumstance  that  their  larvae  live  upon  the  grape-vine.  When 
young,  they  have  a  long  and  slender  tail,  recurved  over  the  back  like  that  of  a 
dog,  which,  after  one  or  two  changes  of  the  skin,  disappears.  Some  of  these 
caterpillars  are  of  a  pale-green,  and  others  are  brown,  having  the  sides  of  their 
bodies  ornamented  by  six  cream-coloured  spots,  of  a  broad,  oval  shape.  They 
have  the  power  of  withdrawing  the  head  and  the  first  three  segments  of  the  body 

*  See  Harris'  Report,  p.  104.    f  Encyclopedia  Americana,  viii.,  p.  43. 

19 


146  VITIS    LABRUSCA. 

within  the  fourth  segment,  which  gives  them  a  short  and  blunt  appearance  wnen 
at  rest.  As  they  attain  a  length  of  three  inches  or  more,  and  are  of  a  propor- 
tionable thickness,  they  devour  great  quantities  of  leaves,  which  is  often  evinced 
by  the  long,  leafless  branches  of  the  grape-vine,  as  well  as  those  of  the  Virgin- 
ian creeper  (Ampelopsis  quinquefolia.)  They  arrive  at  full  growth  in  the 
month  of  August,  enter  the  earth,  where  they  undergo  their  transformations,  and 
appear  in  the  perfect  or  moth  state,  in  June  and  July,  of  the  following  year. 
The  vine  suffers  still  more  severely  from  another  species  of  sphinx  caterpillar, 
smaller  in  size  than  the  preceding,  and,  like  them,  solitary  in  their  habits.  Ac- 
cording to  Dr.  Harris,  they  are  not  content  with  eating  the  leaves  alone,  in  their 
progress  from  leaf  to  leaf  down  the  stem,  but  stop  at  every  cluster  of  fruit,  and, 
either  from  stupidity  or  disappointment,  nip  off  the  stalks  of  the  half-grown 
grapes,  and  allow  them  to  fall,  untasted,  to  the  ground.  These  caterpillars  are 
fleshy  and  naked,  generally  of  a  pale-green,  but  sometimes  brown,  with  a  row 
of  orange-coloured  spots  on  the  top  of  the  back,  and  six  or  seven  oblique  lines, 
of  a  brown  or  dark-green,  on  each  side.  The  head  and  fore  part  of  the  body  are 
somewhat  retractile,  but  less  so  than  those  of  the  preceding  species ;  and  on  the 
hinder  extremity  of  the  body  there  is  a  short  horn  or  spine.  When  fully  grown, 
they  conceal  themselves,  early  in  autumn,  under  the  fallen  leaves,  which  they 
draw  together  by  a  few  threads,  form  themselves  a  cocoon,  or  cover  themselves 
with  grains  of  earth  and  rubbish,  by  a  similar  process,  where  they  transform, 
and  finally  appear  in  a  winged  state  in  the  month  of  July  of  the  succeeding  year. 
The  larva?  of  the  Procris  americana  are  gregarious  in  their  habits,  and  congre- 
gate side  by  side  on  the  same  leaf,  and  only  disperse  when  they  are  about  to 
form  their  cocoons.  They  are  represented  as  being  slightly  hairy,  of  a  greenish 
colour,  with  black  bands ;  their  cocoons  of  an  oblong-oval,  very  tough,  and  fas- 
tened by  one  side  to  the  leaves  or  stems  of  the  plants  on  which  they  feed.  The 
winged  insects  make  their  appearance,  in  Massachusetts,  towards  the  end  of  July. 
They  are  of  a  bluish-black,  with  a  saffron-coloured  collar,  and  a  notched  tuft  on 
the  extreme  end  of  their  bodies.  Their  wings  are  very  narrow,  and  expand 
about  an  inch.  The  larvae  of  the  Etidridas  grata,  when  fully  grown,  are  an 
inch  and  a  half  or  more  in  length,  of  a  blue  colour,  transversely  banded  with 
deep-orange  across  the  middle  of  each  ring,  with  the  bands  dotted  with  black. 
The  head  and  feet  are  also  of  an  orange,  the  top  of  the  eleventh  ring  somewhat 
bulging,  and  the  fore  part  of  the  body  hunched  up  when  the  insect  is  at  rest. 
They  occur  in  the  greatest  abundance  in  the  months  of  July  and  August,  and 
none  will  be  found  on  the  vines  after  September.  They  devour  all  parts  of  the 
leaves  of  the  grape-vines,  as  well  as  those  of  the  Virginian  creeper,  even  to  the 
mid-rib  and  stalks.  When  at  rest,  they  generally  cling  to  the  under  sides  of  the 
leaves ;  although  many  may  be  found  on  the  same  plant,  they  do  not  associate 
with  each  other.  When  they  quit  the  vines,  they  bury  themselves  in  the  ground, 
to  a  depth  of  three  or  four  inches,  and  change  to  dark-brown  chrysalides  with- 
out cocoons.  The  moths,  which  sometimes  appear  towards  the  last  of  June,  are 
small  in  size,  expanding  from  an  inch  and  a  half  to  an  inch  and  three-fourths, 
and  outvie  all  its  congeners  in  delicacy  of  colouring  and  beauty  of  design.* 

Among  the  Hymenoptera,  we  recognize  but  one  species  which  attacks  the 
grape-vine,  the  Selandria  vitis,  or  saw-fly,  of  Harris.  The  perfect  insect  is 
described  by  him  as  being  of  a  jet-black  colour,  except  the  upper  side  of  the 
thorax,  which  is  red,  and  the  fore  legs  and  the  under  side  of  the  other  legs, 
which  are  whitish  or  pale-yellow.  The  wings  are  semi-transparent,  of  a  smoky 
colour,  with  dark-brown  veins.  The  body  of  the  female  measures  one  fourth  of 
an  inch  in  length,  and  that  of  the  male  somewhat  less.     These  flies  rise  from 

*  See  Harris'  Report,  p.  310. 


AMERICAN    WILD    VINE.  147 

the  ground  in  the  spring,  not  all  at  one  time,  but  at  irregular  intervals,  and  lay 
their  eggs  on  the  lower  side  of  the  terminal  leaves  of  the  vine.  In  the  month  of 
July  the  false  caterpillars,  hatched  from  these  eggs,  may  be  seen  on  the  leaves, 
in  little  swarms,  of  various  ages,  some  very  small,  and  others  fully  grown. 
They  feed  in  company,  side  by  side,  beneath  the  leaves,  each  swarm  or  fraternity 
consisting  of  a  dozen  or  more  individuals,  and  they  preserve  their  ranks  with  a 
surprising  degree  of  regularity.  Beginning  at  the  edge,  they  eat  the  whole  of 
the  leaf  to  the  stalk,  and  then  go  to  another,  which,  in  like  manner,  they  devour, 
and  thus  proceed  from  leaf  to  leaf,  down  the  branch,  till  they  have  grown  to 
their  full  size.  At  this  period,  they  are  about  five-eighths  of  an  inch  in  length, 
somewhat  slender  and  tapering,  and  thickest  before  the  middle,  having  twenty- 
two  legs.  The  head  and  the  tip  of  the  tail  are  black ;  the  body,  above,  is  light- 
green,  paler  before  and  behind,  with  two  transverse  rows  of  minute  black  points 
across  each  ring ;  and  the  lower  side  of  the  body  is  yellowish.  After  their  last 
moulting  they  become  almost  entirely  yellow,  and  then  leave  the  vine,  burrow 
into  the  ground,  and  form  themselves  small  oval  cells  of  earth,  which  they  line 
with  a  slight  silken  film.  In  about  two  weeks  after  entering  the  ground,  having 
in  the  mean  time  passed  through  the  chrysalis  state,  they  come  out  of  their 
earthen  cells,  take  wing,  pair,  and  lay  their  eggs  for  another  brood.  The 
young  of  the  second  brood  are  not  transformed  to  flies  before  the  following 
spring,  but  remain  at  rest,  in  the  mean  time,  in  their  cocoons.*  A  solution  of 
one  pound  of  whale-oil  soap  in  six  or  seven  gallons  of  soft  water  has  been 
recommended  to  be  thrown  upon  the  vines  in  order  to  destroy  these  flies ;  but 
should  this  prove  ineffectual,  fumigation  with  tobacco,  red-pepper  seeds,  or  other 
hot,  acrid  substances  may  be  tried. 

The  Vitis  labrusca  is  sometimes  attacked  by  several  species  of  the  Geometridse, 
such  as  span-worms,  loopers,  measurers,  etc. ;  but  not  often  to  very  great  injury. 
When  the  wounds,  made  by  pruning  the  branches,  the  roots,  or  the  ends  of  the 
cuttings,  are  not  protected  by  a  coat  of  fine  earth,  white-lead  mixed  with  oil,  or 
some  other  substance,  the  soft  pith  and  decayed  wood  are  also  liable  to  be 
attacked  by  ants,  centipeds,  and  other  wood-eating  insects,  (Xylophagidse,) 
which  sometimes  perforate  an  inconsiderable  portion  of  the  stem,  thus  secretly 
destroying  its  vigour,  and  eventually  its  life,  without  any  visible  external  cause. 

This  species  of  vine  is  not  subject  to  any  other  accidents  of  importance,  except 
in  some  of  its  varieties,  which  are  sometimes  killed  or  greatly  injured  by  the 
rigours  of  winter,  or  by  vernal  northerly  winds.  To  guard  against  these  evils,  it 
is  only  necessary  to  bend  down  the  vines  from  the  trellis  even  with  the  ground, 
late  in  autumn,  and  cover  them  over  with  earth  to  the  depth  of  eight  or  ten  inches, 
and  let  them  remain  until  early  in  the  following  spring,  when  the  covering  must 
be  removed,  and  the  shoots  readjusted  to  the  trellis  as  in  the  year  before ;  and 
to  protect  them  in  situations  exposed  to  the  northern  blast,  they  may  be  sheltered 
by  walls,  buildings,  or  by  hedges  of  other  trees. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  Vitis  labrusca,  from  its  diminutive 
size,  open  texture,  and  comparative  scarcity,  is  very  limited  in  its  use  in  the 
arts.  When  reduced  to  charcoal,  it  may  be  employed  by  painters  for  drawing 
outlines,  or  may  be  used  as  a  tooth-powder.  It  has  been  suggested  that  the 
primings  of  this  species  may  be  cut  into  small  pieces,  bruised,  put  into  a  vat, 
and  boiling  water  poured  upon  them,  which,  on  being  fermented  like  malt, 
would  make  a  fine  beverage,  either  strong  or  weak;  and  on  being  distilled, 
would  produce  a  spirit  analogous  to  brandy.  The  green  twigs,  or  fresh  cuttings, 
have  been  recommended,  as  a  substitute  for  rape,  in  flavouring  vinegar.  The 
fruit,  when  ripe  and  fresh,  is  considered  as  wholesome,  nutritious,  refrigerant, 

*  Harris'  Report,  p.  378. 


148 


VITIS    LABRUSCA. 


and  if  taken  freely,  is  diuretic  and  laxative.  The  husks  and  seeds  are  indiges- 
tible, and  should  be  rejected,  although  the  latter  may  be  substituted  for  coffee, 
and  treated  in  the  same  manner  for  a  beverage.  If  taken  without  the  husks, 
this  grape  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  most  safe  and  nutritious  of  our  summer  fruits. 
Although  it  is  apt  to  disagree  with  dispeptics  and  children,  medicinally  consid- 
ered, it  proves  invaluable  in  febrile  and  inflammatory  diseases,  in  which  it  allays 
the  thirst,  and  diminishes  the  heat.  It  is  said,  also,  to  have  been  found  service- 
able in  dysentery,  phthisical  complaints,  as  well  as  in  affections  of  the  lungs. 

Our  fruiterers  have  a  considerable  tjade  in  importing  preserved  grapes,  princi- 
pally from  Europe,  packed  in  saw-dust,  in  large  earthen  jars,  closely  sealed. 
Although  the  American  grapes  are  preserved  in  a  similar  manner  to  a  consider- 
able extent,  which  add  much  to  the  luxury  of  our  winter  desserts,  and  afford 
great  relief  to  the  infirm  and  sick,  there  is  not  enough  of  this  rare  and  excellent 
fruit  to  supply  a  ten-millionth  part  of  what  our  population  would  demand,  if  it 
were  sold  at  a  reasonable  price. 

This  art  of  preserving  grapes  was  well  known  to  the  Romans,  and  was  among 
the  first  objects  of  their  care.  Columella  recommends  them  to  be  put  into  small 
jars,  that  will  contain  only  one  bunch  in  each ;  and  that  the  fruit  should  be 
made  quite  dry  by  the  sun,  and  after  being  cooled  in  the  shade,  to  be  suspended 
in  the  jars,  and  the  spaces  around  them  to  be  filled  with  clean  oat  chaff.  The 
jars,  he  says,  must  be  well  baked  or  burnt,  and  not  such  as  will  imbibe  mois- 
ture ;  and  the  openings  at  the  tops  must  be  closed,  and  pitched,  to  exclude  the 
air.  The  American  grapes  may  be  preserved  for  several  months,  by  packing 
them  in  tin  cases,  of  any  convenient  size,  in  clean  chaff,  bran,  saw-dust,  pow- 
dered charcoal,  or  in  clean  sand,  all  of  which  must  be  well  baked  and  perfectly 
dry,  when  to  be  used.  As  soon  as  the  cases  are  filled,  they  must  be  sealed  or 
soldered  up,  air-tight,  and  kept  in  a  place  of  uniform  temperature,  from  40°  to 
60°  F.,  until  they  are  required  for  use.  This  may  be  done  by  burying  them  in 
dry  earth  to  a  depth  of  four  or  five  feet ;  or  a  room  or  cellar  may  be  specially 
prepared  for  their  reception,  by  being  surrounded  with  a  layer  of  charcoal-dust, 
or  any  other  materials  known  to  be  bad  conductors  of  heat.  The  preservation  of 
grapes  may  also  be  prolonged  by  allowing  them  to  remain  upon  the  vines ;  but 
in  being  thus  exposed,  they  soon  lose  their  flavour,  are  liable  to  drop,  or  to  be 
devoured  by  vermin  or  birds. 

The  cultivation  of  this  species,  independent  of  the  profits  arising  from  its 
fruit  and  wine,  is  highly  ornamental  as  a  climbing  shrub.  No  person  who  pos- 
sesses two  square  yards  of  unoccupied  ground,  sheltered  from  the  cold  northerly 
winds,  and  half  of  the  day  from  the  intense  heat  of  the  sun,  can  apply  it  to  a 
more  valuable  purpose  than  planting  it  with  a  vine.  But  let  it  be  remembered 
that,  if  ornament  and  shade  are  the  objects  in  view,  the  vine  must  be  left  to  pur- 
sue its  natural  vigour,  and  is  not  to  be  primed  more  than  is  required  to  give  it  a 
graceful  form. 

s/ 


Genus  XANTHOXYLUM,   Linn. 

Xanthoxylacese.  Dioecia  Tri-Pentandria. 

Syst.  Nat.  Syst.  Lin. 

Synonymes, 

Xanthoxylum,  Zanthoxylum,  Of  Authors. 

Clavalier,  France. 

Zahnwehholz,  Germans'. 

Santossilo,  Italy. 

Toothache-tree,  Britain  and  Anglo-America. 

Derivations.    The  word  Xanthoxylum  is  derived  from  the  Greek  xanthos,  yellow,  and  xulon,  wood,  from  the  yellowness 
if  the  wood,  more  especially  of  the  roots.    The  French  name  means  Club-tree,  and  the  German  one,  Toothache-tree. 

Generic  Characters.  Sepals  5  or  more,  petaloid,  with  a  minute  glandular  beard  at  the  apex.  Petals  none. 
Ovaries  as  many  as  sepals,  and  opposite  to  them.  Styles  terminating  in  clavate  stigmas,  which  are 
at  first  connate. — Colden,  Plantcc. 

jSf^ANTHOXYLUM  is  a  genus  belonging  to  the  same  natural  family 
as  the  Ptelea  and  Ailantus.  There  are  at  least  two  species  indi- 
genous to  North  America,  the  Xanthoxylum  fraxineum  and  tricar- 
pum,  and  several  varieties,  some  of  which  are  much  valued  for 
their  medicinal  qualities.  The  Xanthoxylum  clava  herculis,  of 
the  West  Indies,  is  esteemed  as  a  good  timber-tree,  and  an  infu- 
sion of  its  leaves,  as  well  as  of  those  of  the  Xanthoxylum  fraxineum,  is  used  to 
:ure  the  toothache.  Mr.  Royle,  in  his  excellent  work  entitled  "  Illustrations  of 
the  Botany  and  other  Branches  of  Natural  History  of  the  Himalayan  Mountains, 
and  of  the  Flora  of  Cashmere,"  mentions  two  species,  the  Xanthoxylum  hostile 
and  alatum.  Several  other  trees  of  this  genus  are  enumerated  in  Loudon's 
"  Hortus  Britannicus,"  as  natives  of  China  and  Japan,  but  they  are  not  consid- 
sred  as  very  ornamental.  All  the  species  may  be  propagated  by  ripened  cut- 
tings of  the  branches  or  of  the  roots. 


Xanthoxylum,  fraxi?ieum, 
THE   ASH-LEAVED  XANTHOXYLUM. 


Zanthoxylum  clava  herculis, 
Zanthozylum  fraxineum, 
Zanthoxylum  americanum, 

Xanthoxylum  fraxineum, 

Clavalier  a  feuilles  de  frene, 
Eschenblattriger  Zahnwehholz, 
Frassino  spinoso, 
Prickly  Ash,  Thorny  Ash, 
Toothache-tree,  Great  Prickly  Yellow 


Synonymes. 

Linn-eds,  Species  Plantarum. 

Bigelow,  Medical  Botany. 

Tokrey  and  Grat,  Flora  of  North  America. 

IWilldenow,  Linnaei  Species  Plantarum. 
De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 
Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
France. 
Germany. 
Italy. 
New  York. 
•wood,  Other  parts  of  Anglo-America. 


Derivations.  The  specific  name,  fraxineum,  is  derived  from  the  Latin  fraxinus,  the  ash,  from  the  resemblance  of  the 
leaves  of  this  tree  to  those  of  the  ash.  The  French  name  signifies  Ash-leaved  Club-tree ;  and  the  German  one,  Ash-leaved 
Toothache-tree. 

Engravings.  Bigelow,  Medical  Botany,  pi.  59;  Catesby,  Natural  History  of  Carolina,  vol.  i.,  pi.  26.  ;  Loudon,  Arboretum 
Britannicum,  vol.  i.,  figure  153;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.  Leaves  pinnate,  of  4  to  5  pairs  of  leaflets,  and  an  odd  one ;  the  leaflets  ovate, 
obscurely  sawed,  equal  at  the  base  ;  the  petiole  round  and  devoid  of  prickles ;  prickles  in  the  situation 
of  stipules.    Flowers  in  axillary  umbels  without  petals.    The  sexes  dioecious.— De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 

Description. 

"  That  unpitying  pain 
Which  plucks  the  nerves,  close-sealing  with  a  frown 
Ev'n  beauty's  lips,  which  the  bold  Ayrshire  bard 
Wish'd  in  his  patriot  vengeance  to  entail 
On  Caledonia's  foes,  yielded  its  rage 
To  the  rough  genius  of  that  lofty  tree, 
Whose  yellow  armour  bears  in  countless  studs 
The  horrid  thorn." 

Traits  of  the  Aborigines, 

HE  Xanthoxylum  frax- 
jjjil  ineum  usually  grows  to  a 
height  of  twelve  or  fifteen 
feet,  and  sometimes  to  more 
than  double  that  height.  Its  trunk  ramifies 
some  distance  above  the  ground,  and  then 
branches  out  into  a  regular  head.  The  whole 
tree,  when  young,  is  armed  with  powerful 
prickles,  which  are  thick  at  the  base,  andi 
angular  and  sharp  at  the  point,  but  become 
less  so  when  old.  The  leaves  are  pinnate,  a; 
foot  in  length,  often  nearly  glabrous  when 
mature,  and  sometimes  tomentose  beneath; 
and  in  the  place  of  stipules,  there  are  straight 
thorns  a  third  of  an  inch  in  length.  The 
flowers,  which  appear  in  April,  May,  or  June, 
are  of  a  greenish  or  yellowish  colour,  with 
red  anthers,  and  are  succeeded  by  capsules 
containing  large  black  seeds. 

Variety.  A  tree  is  recognized  by  botanists  as  belonging  to  this  genus,  grow- 
ing in  North  America,  which  does  not  differ  from  the  present  species,  except  in 
being  thornless,  and  may  bear  the  name  of  Xanthoxylum  fraxineum  mite. 


ASH-LEAVED   XANTHOXYLUM. 


151 


Geography  and  History.  The  Xanthoxylum  fraxineum  is  usually  found  on 
the  borders  of  rivers  and  other  waters,  from  Canada  to  Virginia,  and  as  far  west 
as  the  Mississippi.  It  was  introduced  into  Britain  in  1740,  and  is  common  in 
European  collections,  but  is  never  seen  there  of  any  great  size. 

Properties,  Uses,  fyc.  The  bark  and  capsules  of  this  species  are  of  a  hot, 
acrid  taste,  and  when  taken  internally,  act  as  a  powerful  stimulant.  They  are 
sometimes  used  for  relieving  the  pains  of  toothache,  and  for  the  curing  of  inter- 
mittents  and  rheumatism. 

The  medicinal  virtues  of  this  tree  were  also  well  known  to  the  American  abori- 
gines. Lawson  remarks,  that  "they  extracted  from  its  berries  the  salivating 
power  of  mercury,  and  made  use  of  decoctions  of  the  plant,  as  strong  perspira- 
tives." 

No  other  particular  use  is  made  of  this  tree  except  for  ornament.  It  is  gene- 
rally propagated  by  seeds  or  by  cuttings  of  the  roots,  and  usually  attains  a  height 
of  six  feet  in  ten  years  after  planting. 


Genus  PTELEA,  Linn. 


Xanthoxylaceae. 
Syst.  Nat. 


Ptelea,  Belinda, 

Orme  de  Samarie, 
Lederblume, 
Ptelea, 
Trefoil, 


Synonymes. 


Moncecia  Tetra-Pentandria. 
Syst.  Lin. 


Of  Authors. 

France. 

Germany. 

Italy. 

Britain  and  Anglo-America. 


Derivations.    Ptelea  is  the  Greek  name  of  the  elm.    It  is  derived  from  ptao,  to  fly,  in  allusion  to  the  winged  seed-ressels  *! 
this  tree. 

Generic  Characters.  Polygamous.  Sepals  3 — 6,  commonly  4,  small.  Petals  much  longer  than  the  sepals, 
spreading.  Stamens  alternate  with  and  longer  than  the  petals  ;  filaments  thickened  below  and  hairy 
on  the  inside;  in  the  fertile  flowers  very  short  and  with  sterile  anthers.  Ovary  of  2  united  carpels, 
placed  on  a  convex  torus ;  ovules  2  in  each  carpel,  situated  one  above  the  other  ;  styles  short,  united, 
or  none ;  stigmas  2.  Fruit  a  2-celled  samara,  turgid  in  the  centre,  the  margin  expanded  into  a  broad, 
orbicular  membranaceous  and  reticulated  wing.  Seeds  oblong,  solitary  in  each  cell.  Leaves  pinnately 
3-  (rarely  5-)  foliate,  with  pellucid  dots,  the  lateral  leaflets  inequilateral.  Flowers  whitish,  cymose ; 
cvmes  corymbed  or  panicled. — Torrey  and  Gray,  Flora. 

HE  genus  Ptelea  embraces  at  least  five  species,  four  of  which  are 
indigenous  to  North  America,  and  one  to  Cochin-China.  The 
Ptelea  monophylla,  having  simple,  ovate,  lanceolate  leaves,  is  a 
native  of  Carolina,  and  grows  to  the  height  of  four  feet.  The 
Ptelea  pentandra  and  podocarpa  are  indigenous  to  Mexico,  and 
grow  to  a  height  of  six  to  ten  feet.  The  Ptelea  ovata  is  a  simple- 
leaved  species,  native  of  Cochin-China.  The  other  species,  and  the  only  one 
that  has  been  cultivated  with  success,  or  has  attained  much  size,  is  the  Ptelea 
trifoliata,  which,  as  appears  by  its  history,  well  deserves  a  place  in  collections, 
both  on  account  of  the  singularity  of  its  leaves  and  fruity  and  the  general  beautv 
of  the  tree. 


Ptelea  trifoliata, 

THE  THREE-LEAFLETED-LEAVED  PTELEA. 

Synonymes. 


Ptelea  trifoliata, 


Orme  de  Samarie  a  trois  feuilles, 
Dreyblattrige  Lederblume, 

Shrubby  Trefoil,  Tree  Trefoil, 


'  Linn-eus,  Species  Plantarum. 
De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 
Don,  Miller's  Dictionary. 
Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
Torre  y  and  Gray,  Flora  of  North  America. 
France. 
Germany. 
Italy. 
Britain  and  Anglo-America. 


Engravings.    Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  v.,  pi.  59 ;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.    Leaf  of  three  leaflets  that  are  ovate  acute,  the  middle  one  much  tapered  towards  the 
base.    Flowers  in  corymbs,  usually  tetrandrous. — De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 

Description. 

HE  Ptelea    trifoliata,  in    its 

natural      habitat,      usually 

grows  to  a  height  of  six  or 

eight  feet;  but,  when  cul- 
tivated under  favourable  circumstances,  it  some- 
times attains  an  elevation  of  forty  feet  and 
upwards.  When  the  plant  is  pruned  up  with 
a  single  stem,  it  forms  a  handsome  low  tree, 
with  a  hemispherical  head ;  but  it  is  more  fre- 
quently cultivated  as  a  large  shrub,  with  nume- 
rous stems  proceeding  from  the  same  basal  point. 
The  leaflets  are  sessile,  ovate,  mostly  acumi- 
nate, obscurely  crenulate,  the  terminal  one  cune- 
iform, and  attenuate  at  the  base.  The  flowers, 
which  appear  in  June  and  July,  are  of  a  green- 
ish-white, grow  in  corymbose  clusters,  and  have  a  disagreeable  odour.  They 
are  succeeded  by  flattened  winged  capsules,  somewhat  resembling  those  of  the 
elm ;  whence  the  French  name  orme. 

Varieties.  The  varieties  which  have  come  under  the  notice  of  botanists  are 
as  follows : — 

1.  P.  t.  pentaphylla,  Munch.  Five-leaflet-leaved  Shrubby  Trefoil.  This  vari- 
ety can  generally  be  distinguished  in  having  five  leaflets. 

2.  P.  t.  pubescens,  Pursh.  Pubescent-leajlet-leaved  Shrubby  Trefoil.  This 
variety  is  described  as  having  its  branchlets,  petioles,  and  lower  surface  of  its 
leaves  clothed  with  a  soft  tomentose  pubescence,  even  when  old. 

Geography,  History,  fyc.  This  species  is  found  in  moist,  shady  hedges,  and 
on  the  bordersof  woods  among  rocks,  from  Lake  Ontario  to  Florida,  and  as  far 
west  as  Kentucky  and  Texas.  It  was  originally  sent  to  England  by  Banister, 
and  plants  of  it  were  raised  by  Bishop  Compton,  at  Fulham ;  but  they  were  lost, 
and  the  species  was  re-introduced  from  Carolina  by  Catesby,  in  1724.  Being 
hardy,  and  of  easy  culture,  in  any  ordinary  soil,  this  tree  is  not  uncommon  in 
the  collections  of  Europe,  and  it  well  deserves  a  place  there,  as  well  as  in  those 
of  the  United  States,  both  on  account  of  the  beauty  of  its  leaves  and  fruit,  and 
its  general  appearance. 
20 


154 


PTELEA    TRIFOLIATA. 


The  largest  tree  of  this  species,  existing  in  Britain,  and  probably  on  the  globe, 
is  at  Gordon  Castle,  in  Bamffshire,  Scotland.  In  1835,  it  had  attained  the  height 
of  forty-five  feet,  with  a  trunk  fifteen  inches  in  diameter,  and  an  ambitus  or 
extent  of  branches  of  twenty-seven  feet.  It  was  grown  in  a  loamy  soil  and  in  a 
sheltered  situation. 

In  France,  at  Paris,  in  the  Jardin  des  Plantes,  there  is  another  tree  of  this  spe- 
cies, which  attained  the  height  of  thirty-seven  feet  in  sixty  years  after  planting, 
with  a  head  forty  feet  in  diameter. 

In  Saxony,  at  Worlitz,  there  is  also  a  tree  of  this  species,  which  attained  the 
height  of  twenty-five  feet  in  forty-five  years  after  planting ;  and  another  tree  of 
the  variety  Ptelea  trifoliata  pentaphylla,  that  reached  the  height  of  fifteen  feet  at 
thirty-four  ye*iis  planted. 


Genus    AILANTUS,  Deaf. 


Xanthoxylaceae 
Syst.  Nat. 


Ailantus,  Ailanthus,  Rhus, 


Monoecia  Polygamia. 
Syst.  Lin. 


Synonymes. 


Aylante,  Aylanthe,  Verne  du  Japon,  An- 

gik,  Angika,  Langit, 
Gotterbaum, 
Ailanto, 

Tong-yen-tsao,  Tchean-theum, 
Ailanto,  Ailantus, 


Of  Authors. 


France. 


Germany. 

Italy  and  Molucca  Islands 

China. 

Britain  and  Anglo-America. 


•  Derivations.  The  word  Ailantus  (sometimes  improperly  written  Ailanthus)  was  given  to  this  genus  by  Desfontaines,  wno 
Ormed  it  from  the  Molucca  name,  ailanto.  For  a  long  time  this  tree  was  considered  as  a  species  of  rhus,  whence  the  French 
name,  Verne.  Angik  or  Angika,  it  is  said,  signifies  the  Tree  of  Heaven  ;  hence  the  German  name,  Gotterbaum,  Tree  of  the 
Gods. 

Generic  Characters.  Male  Flower.  Calyx,  1-leafed,  5-parted,  very  small.  Corolla,  5-petals,  acute, 
convolute  at  the  base.  Stamina,  filaments  10,  compressed,  the  length  of  the  corolla. — Female  Flow- 
er. Calyx,  as  in  the  male.  Pistils,  germs  3 — 5.  Styles  lateral.  Capsules  compressed.  Seeds 
solitary,  and  lens-shaped.    Bisexual  flowers  as  in  the  above. 

ONG  before  this  genus  was  rightly  named  and  its  characters  well 
understood,  one  of  its  species  was  cultivated  in  the  gardens  of 
Europe  and  America,  and  was  thought  to  be  a  kind  of  sumach ; 
but  as  the  tree,  in  general,  bore  only  male  flowers,  much  doubt 
and  many  conjectures  were  entertained,  until  it  was  accurately 
described  by  Desfontaines,  in  1786.  There  are  several  species  in 
this  genus,  all  natives  of  China,  India,  or  the  adjacent  islands,  but  none  are 
very  hardy  except  the  Ailantus  glandulosa,  indigenous  to  the  northern  prov- 
inces of  China,  and  cultivated  as  an  ornamental  tree  in  nearly  every  country 
of  the  civilized  globe. 


Ailantus  glandulosa, 
THE   GLANDULOUS-LEAVED   AILANTUS. 

Synonymes. 


Atlantut,  gianauMsa, 

Ailantus  procera, 
Aylante  glanduleux,  Tilou, 
Driisiger  Gotterbaum, 
Ailanto,  Albero  di  Paradiso, 
Ailantus,  Tree  of  Heaven, 


Desfontaines,  Actes,  etc.,  Paris,  1786. 

De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 

Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicuui. 

Salisbury,  Prodromus. 

France. 

Germany. 

Italy. 

Britain  and  Anglo- America. 


wards, 
from  two 


erect, 


Engravings.    L'Heritier,  Stirpes,  pi.  84  ;  Du  Hamel,  Traite  des  Arbres  et  Arbustes,  i.,  pi.  35 ;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britanni- 
cum,  I.,  figure  159,  et  v.,  pi.  60 ;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.    Leaves  impari-pinnate  ;  the  leaflets  coarsely  toothed  at  the  base ;  the  teeth  glandu- 
lous  on  the  under  side. — De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 

Description. 

iHE  Ailantus  glan- 
dulosa is  a  decid- 
uous tree  of  the 
first  rank,  grow- 
ing to  a  height  of 
sixty  feet  and  up- 
column-like  trunk, 
diameter,  its  gigantic 
boughs  and  shoots,  clothed  with  large,  pendulous 
leaves,  give  it  a  noble  appearance,  and  seem  to 
justify  the  oriental  appellation,  "  Tree  of  Hea- 
ven." The  leaves  are  from  one  and  a  half  to 
six  feet  in  length,  pinnated,  with  an  odd  one, 
and  having  leaflets  with  coarse,  glandular  teeth 
near  the  base.     On  the  first  approach  of  frost, 

the  leaflets  begin  to  fall,  without  having  previ-  + 

ously  shown  much  change  of  colour,  displaying, 

in  this  respect,  a  striking  difference  from  the  leaves  of  most  species  of  rhus,  to 
which  those  of  this  tree  bear  a  general  resemblance.  The  flowers,  which  appear 
in  June  and  July,  occur  in  rather  large,  compact  panicles,  of  a  whitish-green 
colour,  and  exhale  a  disagreeable  odour.  The  keys,  or  fruit,  resemble  those  of 
the  ash,  but  are  much  smaller  and  more  numerous.  In  some  years,  the  tree  is 
said  to  bear  only  male  flowers;  and  L'Heritier  states  that  only  twice  in  ten 
years  it  bore  both  male  and  female  blossoms  at  the  same  time,  in  France.  In 
his  time,  it  had  produced  fruit  in  the  Jardin  des  Plantes,  at  Paris,  and  in  the 
botanic  garden  at  Leyden ;  but  in  both  cases  it  was  immature.  It  has  since, 
however,  produced  perfect  fruit,  from  which  plants  have  been  raised.  It  has 
also  ripened  seeds  at  White  Knight's,  near  Reading,  in  England.  At  Philadel- 
phia and  New  York,  the  seeds  of  this  tree  ripen  freely  in  October,  and  plants  are 
raised  from  them  in  abundance. 

Geography  and  History.  The  Ailantus  glandulosa  is  a  native  of  the  northern 
provinces  of  China,  more  particularly  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Pekin.  Mr.  Lou- 
don states  that  seeds  were  first  sent  to  England,  to  the  Royal  Society  of  London, 


GLANDULOUS-LEAVED  AILANTUS.  157 

>y  the  Jesuit  missionary,  D'Incarville,  in  1751 ;  and  that  they  were  sown  by  Mil- 
er,  in  the  Chelsea  botanic  garden,  and  by  Philip  Carteret  Webb,  at  Bushbridge,  in 
5urry,  the  same  year.  As  the  tree  produced  suckers  freely,  it  was  soon  gene- 
ally  propagated,  and  there  are  many  fine  specimens  of  it  growing  in  different 
>arts  of  that  country. 

The  largest  tree  of  this  species  in  Britain,  is  at  Syon,  near  London.  In  1835, 
t  had  attained  the  height  of  seventy  feet,  with  a  trunk  three  feet,  ten  inches  in 
Liameter,  and  an  ambitus,  or  spread  of  branches,  of  forty  feet.  Its  trunk  formed 
in  erect  column  about  thirty  feet  high,  before  it  ramified,  and  its  head  was  hem- 
spherical.     This  tree  is  said  to  flower,  and  occasionally  to  produce  fruit. 

The  Ailantus  glandulosa  was  introduced  into  France  in  1780,  by  M.  Blaikie, 
:nd  the  oldest  specimens  are  at  St.  Leu,  and  at  Paris.  At  St.  Leu,  there  is  a  tree, 
>lanted  by  M.  Blaikie,  in  1794,  which  attained  the  height  of  eighty  feet  in  forty 
rears,  with  a  trunk  from  three  to  three  and  a  half  feet  in  diameter.  In  the 
ardin  des  Plantes,  at  Paris,  there  is  another  tree,  which,  in  1835,  had  attained 
he  height  of  sixty-eight  feet,  with  a  head  forty-four  feet  in  diameter,  flowering 
nost  years,  and  occasionally  ripening  seeds. 

At  Geneva,  in  Switzerland,  at  the  entrance  of  the  botanic  garden,  there  is  a 
ree  of  this  species,  fifty  or  sixty  feet  in  height,  which,  when  in  flower,  emits  so 
>owerful  an  odour  that  it  may  be  perceived  at  a  distance  of  nearly  a  quarter  of 
l  mile  (cinq  minutes  de  distance.)  The  suckers  from  this  tree  shoot  from  the 
;round  in  every  direction,  for  forty  or  fifty  feet. 

Many  other  interesting  specimens  are  to  be  met  with  in  the  chief  gardens  and 
Elections  in  Britain,  Ireland,  and  continental  Europe,  and  the  tree  is  generally 
:ultivated  for  ornament  in  all  the  temperate  countries  of  the  civilized  world.  It 
s  not  destined  to  thrive,  however,  in  a  very  rigorous  climate,  for  it  dwindles 
town  to  a  mere  shrub,  no  farther  north  than  Montreal,  in  Lower  Canada. 

The  Ailantus  glandulosa  found  its  way  into  the  United  States  from  two  dis- 
inct  sources.  It  was  first  introduced  from  Europe,  in  1784,  by  Mr.  William 
lamilton,  at  the  Woodlands,  near  Philadelphia,  and  a  sucker,  planted  from  the 
>riginal  tree,  in  1809,  is  at  present  standing  in  the  Bartram  botanic  garden, 
vhich  is  sixty  feet  in  height,  with  a  trunk  nearly  two  feet  in  diameter. 

On  the  authority  of  Governor  Charles  Collins,  of  Newport,  this  species  was 
>rought  from  South  America,  in  about  the  year  1804,  and  was  presented  to 
jreneral  Andrew  McCorrie,  of  Portsmouth,  in  Rhode  Island,  by  a  master  of  a  ves- 
sel.  From  this  tree  there  were  numerous  others  produced  by  cuttings,  and  six 
»r  eight  of  them  were  planted  in  1807,  by  Governor  Collins,  at  Bristol,  several 
»f  which  were  felled  and  sawn  into  boards  about  twenty  years  after.  In  about 
he  year  1810,  Rev.  Henry  Wight,  of  the  last-named  place,  procured  a  young 
ihoot,  and  planted  near  his  house,  which  has  grown  to  a  magnificent  tree,  fifty- 
ive  feet  in  height,  with  a  trunk  seven  feet  in  circumference,  at  a  yard  above  the 
pound,  and  an  ambitus  or  spread  of  branches  of  fifty  feet.  In  Portsmouth, 
Bristol,  and  Providence,  there  are  numerous  other  trees  of  this  species  with 
runks  nearly  two  feet  in  diameter. 

In  about  the  year  1820,  Mr.  William  Prince,  of  Flushing,  Long  Island,  imported 
he  ailantus  from  Europe,  and  from  this  source,  most  of  the  plants  of  this  species 
n  New  York  and  vicinity,  have  been  supplied.  It  may  here  be  remarked,  that 
)oth  male  and  female  trees  grow  in  abundance  in  the  last-named  places,  and 
hat  the  male  may  generally  be  distinguished  by  its  more  graceful  leaves  and 
landsome  form. 

Propagation,  Culture,  $*c.  The  Ailantus  glandulosa  may  readily  be  propagated 
'rom  seeds,  or  by  cuttings  of  the  roots ;  but  the  former  mode  is  far  more  prefer- 
ible,  as  the  tree  is  not  so  liable  to  throw  up  suckers  as  when  produced  by  cut- 
ings.     The  seeds  should  be  sown,  if  possible,  as  soon  as  they  are  gathered;  and 


158 


AILANTUS  GLANDULOSA. 


if  they  are  to  be  transported  any  great  distance,  they  may  be  sown  in  boxes  of 
light  earth,  or  sand  and  peat,  protected  under  glass.  It  will  grow  in  any  soil, 
though  one  that  is  light  and  somewhat  humid,  and  in  a  sheltered  situation,  is 
considered  the  best.  In  France,  it  is  said  to  thrive  on  chalky  soils,  and  attain  a 
large  size,  where  scarcely  any  other  tree  will  prosper.  It  grows  with  great  rapid- 
ity for  the  first  ten  or  twelve  years,  producing  annual  shoots  from  three  to  six  feet 
in  length,  and  under  favourable  circumstances,  it  often  attains  a  height  of  fifteen 
or  twenty  feet  in  five  or  six  years.  Afterwards,  its  growth  is  much  slower, 
which  renders  it  very  valuable  as  a  shade-tree,  in  situations  of  limited  space ; 
although  there  is  the  disadvantage  of  the  unpleasant  odour  of  its  flowers.  The 
leaves  are  not  liable  to  be  attacked  by  insects,  which  is  a  very  great  desidera- 
tum, and  as  we  before  remarked,  they  continue  on  the  tree,  and  retain  their 
verdure  till  the  coming  of  the  autumnal  frosts,  when  the  leaflets  drop  suddenly 
off  and  often  leave  the  petioles  on  the  tree  some  weeks  longer. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  this  species  is  very  hard,  compact,  of  a 
deep-red  colour,  when  old,  resembling  newly-wrought  mahogany,  and  is  often 
beautifully  veined  with  deep-gold  colour  and  red.  It  is  susceptible  of  the  finest 
polish,  and  has  a  fine,  satin-like  lustre,  which  renders  it  well  suited  for  the  pur- 
poses of  cabinet-making.  From  its  capability  of  being  raised  on  meagre  and 
worn-out  soils,  and  the  rapidity  of  its  growth,  it  is  thought  that  this  tree  might 
be  profitably  cultivated  for  cabinet-wood,  or  to  be  treated  as  a  coppice,  to  be  cut 
every  third  year  for  fuel.  In  France  and  Italy,  it  is  much  valued  for  shading 
public  walks,  and  is  planted  for  that  purpose  along  with  the  American  tulip-tree, 
(Liriodendron,)  the  horse-chesnut,  the  oriental  plane,  and  other  large-leaved  exotic 
trees.  It  also  graces  lawns  and  avenues  in  various  parts  of  the  United  States, 
and  succeeds  equally  well  as  in  its  native  country. 


Genus  ILEX,  Linn. 

Aquifoliaceae.  Tetrandria  Tetragynia. 

Syst.  Nat.  Syst.  Lin. 

Derivation,    The  name  Ilex  was  given  to  this  genus  by  Bauhin  and  Loureiro,  on  account  of  the  resemblance  of  its  leaves  to 
lose  of  the  Quercus  ilex,  or  the  true  Ilex  of  Virgil. 

kncric  Characters.  Sexes  hermaphrodite,  very  rarely,  by  defect,  dioecious  or  polygamous.  Calyx  4 — 5- 
toothed.  Corolla  4 — 5-cleft.  Stamens  4 — 5,  inserted  into  the  tube  of  the  corolla.  Fruit  including  4 
or  5  nuts.  Evergreen  shrubs,  with,  mostly,  coriaceous  leaves.  Flowers  many  on  a  peduncle. — De 
Candolle,  Prodromus. 

LEX  is  a  genus  very  abundantly  diffused  in  the  warm  and  colder 
climates  of  both  continents,  and  in  many  islands  in  the  ocean. 
Besides  the  Ilex  aquifolium,  which  constitutes  so  beautiful  a  fea- 
ture in  the  winter  scenery  of  many  parts  of  England,  there  are 
also  worthy  of  note,  the  Ilex  opaca  of  the  United  States,  and  the 
Ilex  dipyrena  of  the  Himalayas,  which  is  nearly  allied  to  it ;  the 
lex  balearica,  or  broad-leaved  holly  of  Minorca;  the  Ilex  canariensis,  with 
lack  berries ;  the  Ilex  vomitoria  or  yaupon  of  the  southern  Indians ;  the  Ilex 
iaraguariensis,  or  Paraguay  tea ;  the  Ilex  dahoon  of  Florida,  which  may  be  con- 
idered  as  one  of  the  most  ornamental  of  the  whole  family ;  and  the  Ilex  cassine 
r  broad-leaved  dahoon  holly  of  Carolina  and  the  Floridas. 


Ilex  aquifolium, 


Hex  aquifolium, 

THE  EUROPEAN  HOLLY. 

Synonymes. 


Linn.eus,  Species  Plantarum. 
De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 
Don,  Miller's  Dictionary. 
Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
Selby,  British  Forest  Trees. 
France. 


Houx,  grand  Housson,  Agron  grand  pardon, 

Stechpalme,  Stechpalmenbaum,  Stech-  ^ 
baum,  Stecheiche,  Stechlaub,  Stechap- 
fel,  Stechwinde,  Htilse,  Hiilsenbaum, 
Hiilsenstrauch,  Hiillgenholz,  Myrten- 
dom,  Christdorn,  Mausedorn,  Zwiesel- 
dorn,  Kleezbusch,  Walddistel, 

Agrifoglio,  Allora  spinoso,  Leccio  spinoso, 

Acebo,  Acer  vino,  Agri  folio, 

Azevinho,  Agrifolio, 

Schubbig  Hardkelk, 

Waefoscheld,  Ostrokof,  Padub, 

Holly,  Hulver,  Hulfere,  Holm, 


-  Germany. 


Italy. 

Spain. 

Portugal. 

Holland. 

Russia. 

Britain  and  Anglo- America. 


Derivations.  The  specific  name,  aquifolium,  is  derived  from  the  Latin  acutum,  sharp,  and  folium,  a  leaf,  in  allusion  m 
the  sharp  points  of  the  leaves.  The  Greek  authors  called  this  species  agria,  that  is,  wild,  or  of  the  fields ;  whence  some  of  the 
French,  Spanish,  Italian,  and  Portuguese  names.  The  English  name,  holly,  is  probably  a  corruption  of  the  word,  holy,  from 
its  being  used  to  commemorate  the  holy  time  of  Christmas,  not  only  in  houses,  but  in  churches.  The  German  name,  Christ- 
dorn, the  Danish  name,  Christom,  and  the  Swedish  name,  Christtorn,  would  seem  to  justify  the  same  conjecture. 

Engravings.    Selby,  British  Forest  Trees,  pp.  37  et  47 ;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  v.,  pi.  64 ;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.  Leaves  shining,  wavy,  ovate,  spiny-toothed,  and  sometimes  entire.  Peduncles  axil- 
lary. Flowers  nearly  umbellate.  Fruit  a  4-celled  berry,  globose,  and  containing  four  solitary,  horny, 
Oblong  seeds,  rounded  on  one  side,  and  cornered  on  the  other. 

Description. 

*****  "et  ilium  nemo  impune  lacessit." 
"Touch  me,  I'll  prick." 


zB&ggHE  European  Hol- 
tTp  rcl  ty  is  a  handsome 
LJ  {(€  conical,  evergreen 
$®£gm  tree,  growing  to  a 
height  of  twenty  or  thirty  feet,  in  a  wild 
state,  with  a  trunk  from  eighteen  inches 
to  two  feet  in  diameter,  and  to  double 
these  dimensions  in  a  state  of  cultivation. 
In  viewing  it  as  a  hedge-plant,  or  as  an 
ornamental  tree  or  shrub,  it  is  not  sur- 
passed by  any  other  evergreen  whatever, 
whether  we  look  upon  it  in  its  native 
woods,  with  its  shining,  deep-green  leaves 
and  coral -red  berries,  which  persist  for 
half  the  year,  or  in  its  numerous  variega- 
tions of  silver  or  golden  leaves,  and  its 
white  or  yellow  fruit. 

Varieties.  In  general,  the  deviation 
from  the  common  form  and  colour  observ- 
able in  wild  plants,  or  in  those  in  a  state 
of  cultivation,  more  especially  in  trees  and 


EUROPEAN    HOLLY.  161 

hrubs,  is  accompanied  by  a  ragged,  or  otherwise  unhealthy  appearance  in  the 
saves :  but  the  holly  is  one  of  the  very  few  exceptions  to  this  rule.  Its  variega- 
ions  are  chiefly  confined  to  the  modifications  of  white  and  yellow  in  the  leaves ; 
iut  there  are  some  kinds  in  which  the  deviation  results  from  the  size,  form,  and 
irickly  state  of  the  leaves ;  and  others  consist  of  differences  in  the  colour  of 
tie  fruit,  which  is  red,  yellow,  black,  or  white.  The  following  varieties  are 
,11  that  are  regarded  as  truly  distinct ;  but  the  shades  of  difference  under  each 
ame  are  almost  innumerable : — 

1.  I.  a.  heterophyllum,  Loudon.      Various-leaved  Holly. 

2.  I.  a.  angustifolium,  Loudon.     Narrow-leaved  Holly. 

3.  I.  a.  latifolium,  Loudon.     Broad-leaved  Holly. 

4.  I.  a.  altaclerense,  Loudon.     High  Clere  Holly.     Leaves  broad,  thin,  flat. 

5.  I.  a.  marginatum,  Loudon.      Thick-mar gined-leaved  Holly.     Leaves  broad, 
ntire. 

6.  I.  a.  laurifolium,  Loudon.     Laurel-leaved  Holly.     Leaves  small,  entire. 

7.  I.  a.  ciliatum,  Loudon.     Ciliated-leaved  Holly.     Leaves  small,  with  prickles 
long  the  margin  like  hairs. 

8.  I.  a.  ciliatum  minus,  Loudon.    Smaller-ciliated-leaved  Holly.     Leaves  smaller 
han  the  preceding. 

9.  I.  a.  recur vum,  Loudon.     Recarved-leaved  Holly. 

10.  I.  a.  serratifolium,  Loudon.     Serrated-leaved  Holly. 

11.  I.  a.  crispum,  Loudon.     Curled-leaved  Holly. 

12.  I.  a.  ferox,  Loudon.     Fierce-spine-leaved,  or  Hedgehog  Holly.     Leaves 
oiled  and  covered  with  spines. 

13.  I.  a.  crassifolium,  Loudon.     Thick-leaved  Holly. 

14.  I.  a.  senescens,  Loudon.     Aged  or  Spineless  Holly. 

15.  I.  a.  albo  marginatum,  Loudon.      White  edged-leaved  Holly.     Margins  of 
saves  white,  or  pale-yellow. 

16.  I.  a.  aureo  marginatum,  Loudon.      G  olden- edged-leaved  Holly.     Margins 
f  leaves  light  and  dark  yellow. 

17.  I.  a.  albo  pictum,  Loudon.     White-spotted-leaved  Holly,  Milk-maid  Holly. 
Margins  of  leaves  green,  middle  white. 

18.  I.  a.  aureo  pictum,  Loudon.     Gold-spotted-leaved  Holly. 

19.  I.  a.  ferox  argenteum,  Loudon.     Silver --blotched  Hedgehog  Holly. 

20.  I.  a.  ferox  aureum,  Loudon.     Gold-blotched  Hedgehog  Holly. 

21.  I.  a.  fructu  luteo,  Loudon.      Yellow- fruited  Holly. 

22.  I.  a.  fructu  albo,  Loudon.      White- fruited  Holly. 

23.  I.  a.  fructu  nigro,  Host.     Black-fruited  Holly. 

Geography  and  History.  The  Ilex  aquifolium  is  indigenous  to  most  parts  of 
tie  middle  and  south  of  Europe,  and  it  is  said  to  be  found  in  China  and  Japan, 
t  does  not  appear  to  be  a  native  either  of  America  or  of  India,  unless  the  Ilex  opaca 
f  the  United  States,  and  the  Ilex  dipyrena  in  the  Himalayas,  should  prove,  by 
ultivation,  to  be  varieties  of  it.  According  to  Pallas,  it  scarcely  occurs  within 
he  ancient  limits  of  the  Russian  empire,  though  frequent  on  the  southern  side 
f  Caucasus,  where  it  forms  a  low,  branching  shrub,  about  ten  feet  high.  In 
•'ranee,  it  is  abundant,  more  particularly  in  Brittany.  In  Germany,  it  abounds 
a  many  forests,  especially  in  the  southern  and  middle  states;  where,  when 
heltered  by  lofty  trees,  it  attains  the  height  of  twenty  feet ;  but  in  exposed  situ- 
.tions,  it  does  not  exceed  a  height  of  six  or  eight  feet.  This  tree  appears  to 
.ttain  a  larger  size  in  England  than  in  any  other  part  of  the  globe.  It  abounds 
a  that  country,  more  or  less,  in  the  remains  of  all  aboriginal  forests,  and  per- 
laps,  at  present,  it  prevails  nowhere  to  a  greater  extent  than  in  Needwood  For- 
st,  in  Staffordshire.  In  Scotland  it  is  found  in  most  natural  woods,  as  an 
21 


162  ILEX    AQUIFOLIUM. 

undergrowth  to  the  oak,  the  ash,  and  the  pine.  In  Ireland,  the  holly  is  not  very 
common ;  but  about  the  lakes  of  Killarney  it  attains  a  large  size. 

The  holly  has  been  much  admired  from  the  earliest  periods.  Its  use  for  orna- 
menting churches  and  dwellings,  at  Christmas,  is  well  known,  though  the  origin 
of  the  practice  is  uncertain.  The  custom  of  putting  evergreens  in  places  of  reli- 
gious worship  prevailed  long  before  the  birth  of  Christ ;  and  several  passages  in 
Holy   Writ    have  reference  to  it : — 

"  And  they  found  written  in  the  law  which  the  Lord  had  commanded  by  Moses,  that 
the  children  of  Israel  should  dwell  in  booths  in  the  feast  of  the  seventh  month  : 

"And  that  they  should  publish  and  proclaim  in  all  their  cities,  and  in  Jerusalem, 
sayin?,  Go  forth  unto  the  mount,  and  fetch  olive  branches,  and  pine  branches,  and 
myrtle  branches,  and  palm  branches,  and  branches  of  thick  trees,  to  make  booths, 
as  it  is  written." 

Nehemiah,  viii.  14,  15. 

The  holly  appears  to  have  been  first  employed  for  this  purpose  by  the  early 
Christians,  at  Rome ;  and  was  probably  adopted  for  decorating  the  churches  at 
Christmas,  because  it  was  used  in  the  great  festival  of  the  Saturnalia,  which 
occurred  about  that  period.  It  was  the  policy  of  the  Christians  to  assimilate  the 
festivals  of  the  Pagans  as  nearly  as  possible  in  their  outward  forms,  to  avoid 
exciting  unnecessarily  their  prejudices ;  and  it  was  customary  among  the 
Romans  to  send  boughs  of  holly,  during  the  Saturnalia,  as  emblems  of  "  peace 
and  good-will,"  with  the  gifts  they  presented  to  their  friends  at  that  season.  It 
was  for  this  reason,  independently  of  any  desire  to  conciliate  the  Pagans,  well 
adapted  to  be  an  emblem  of  the  principal  festival  of  a  religion  which  professes, 
more  than  any  other,  "to  preach  peace  and  good-will  to  man."  Whatever  may 
have  been  the  origin  of  the  practice,  it  appears  to  have  been  a  very  ancient 
usage;  for  Bourne,  in  his  "Antiquities  of  the  Common  People,"  cites  an  edict 
of  the  Council  of  Bracara,  forbidding  Christians  to  begin  to  decorate  their  houses 
at  Christmas,  with  green  boughs,  at  the  same  time  that  the  Pagans  decorated 
theirs  at  the  Saturnalia,  which  commenced  about  a  week  earlier.  Dr.  Chandler, 
in  his  "  Travels  in  Greece,"  supposes  that  this  custom  was  derived  from  the 
Druids,  who,  he  says,  decorated  their  dwellings  with  evergreens  during  winter, 
"  that  the  sylvan  spirits  might  repair  to  them,  and  remain  unnipped  with  frost 
and  cold  winds,  until  a  milder  season  had  renewed  the  foliage  of  their  darling 
abodes."  The  earliest  record  of  this  custom  in  England,  perhaps,  is  in  a  carol 
in  praise  of  the  holly,  written  in  the  time  of  Henry  VI.,  and  preserved  in  the 
Harleian  MSS.,  in  illustration  of  which,  it  must  be  observed,  that  the  ivy,  being 
dedicated  to  Bacchus,  was  used  as  a  vintner's  sign  in  winter,  and  hung  outside 
of  the  door. 

"  Nay,  Ivy,  nay,  it  shall  not  be  I  wys; 
Let  Holy  hafe  the  maystry  as  the  maner  ys. 
Holy  stond  in  the  halle,  fayre  to  behold ; 
Ivy  stond  without  the  dore;  she  ys  full  sore  a  cold." 

Stow,  in  his  "Survey  of  London,"  in  1598,  says  that,  in  his  time,  "every  man's 
house,  the  parish  churches,  the  corners  of  the  streets,  conduits,  market-crosses. 
&c,  were  decorated  with  holme,  ivy,  and  the  bayes,  at  Christmas."  Formerly, 
in  England,  when  it  was  customary  to  enclose  and  subdivide  gardens  by  hedges, 
the  holly  was  employed  by  all  who  could  afford  to  procure  the  plants,  and  wait 
for  them  to  grow.  Evelyn  had  a  magnificent  hedge  of  this  kind,  at  his  gardens 
at  Say's  Court,  which  he  thus  rapturously  describes  : — "  Is  there  under  heaven 
a  more  glorious  and  refreshing  object  of  the  kind  than  an  impregnable  hedge,  of 
about  four  hundred  feet  in  length,  nine  feet  high,  and  five  in  diameter,  which  I 
can  show  in  my  now  ruined  gardens,  at  Say's  Court,  at  any  time  of  the  year, 
glittering  with  its  armed  and  varnished  leaves,  the  taller  standards,  at  orderly 
distances,  blushing  with  their  natural  coral?"    Other  holly  hedges,  famous  in 


EUROPEAN    HOLLY.  163 

ieir  day,  were  those  of  Lord  Dacre,  at  his  park  in  Sussex,  and  of  Sir  Matthew 
)ecker,  at  Richmond.  "I  have  seen  hedges,"  observes  Evelyn,  "or,  if  you 
/•ill,  stout  walls  of  holly,  twenty  feet  in  height,  kept  upright ;  and  the  gilded 
ort  budded  low,  and  in  two  or  three  places  one  above  another,  shorn  and  fash- 
med  into  columns  and  pilasters,  architecturally  shaped,  and  at  due  distance ; 
sian  which  nothing  can  possibly  be  more  pleasant,  the  berry  adorning  the  interco- 
.imniations  with  scarlet  festoons,  and  encarpa."  In  Scotland,  the  most  celebrated 
oily  hedges  were  those  of  the  Earl  of  Haddington,  at  Tyningham,  and  those  at 
/ollington  House,  and  at  Moredun,  near  Edinburgh.  Those  at  Tyningham 
fere  chiefly  planted  in  1712,  and  are  two  thousand  nine  hundred  and  fifty-two 
ards  in  length,  from  ten  to  twenty-five  feet  in  height,  and  from  nine  to  thirteen 
set  wide  at  the  base.  Most  of  the  hedges  are  regularly  clipped  in  April,  and 
re  carefully  protected,  by  ditches  on  each  side,  from  the  bite  of  cattle,  and 
lore  particularly  of  sheep,  which  are  very  fond  of  the  bark,  shoots,  and  young 
saves  of  this  tree. 

Pliny  tells  us  that  there  was  a  holly-tree,  in  his  time,  growing  near  the  Vati- 
an,  in  Rome,  on  which  was  fixed  a  plate  of  brass,  with  an  inscription  engraven 
i  Tuscan  letters ;  and  that  this  was  older  than  Rome  itself,  which  must  have 
een  more  than  eight  hundred  years.  The  same  author  notices  a  holly-tree,  in 
^usculum,  the  trunk  of  which  measured  thirty-five  feet  in  circumference,  and 
/■hich  sent  out  ten  branches,  of  such  magnitude,  that  each  might  pass  for  a  tree 
;self.     He  says,  that  this  single  tree  alone,  resembled  a  small  wood. 

Cole  informs  us,  in  his  "  Paradise  of  Plants."  that  he  knew  a  tree  of  this  kind 
rhich  grew  in  an  orchard,  and  "  the  owner,"  he  says,  "  cut  it  down,  and  caused 
;  to  be  sawn  into  boards,  and  made  himself  thereof  a  coffin ;  and,  if  I  mistake 
ot,  left  enough  to  make  his  wife  one  also.  Both  the  parties  were  corpulent; 
nd,  therefore,  you  may  imagine  the  tree  could  not  be  small."  Evelyn  men- 
ons  some  large  holly-trees  near  his  own  place,  at  Wooton,  in  Surry,  in  the 
eighbourhood  of  which  was  once  a  fort  called  "  Holmsdale  Castle,"  from,  as  he 
upposes,  the  number  of  holms  or  hollies,  which  once  grew  there.  The  names 
f  "  Holmsdale,"  "  Holmwood,"  and  "  Holme  Castle,"  occur  in  various  parts  of 
Icotland,  and  are  generally  supposed  to  have  been  applied  in  consequence  of  the 
bundance  of  hollies  at  these  places  at  the  times  the  names  were  given.  Hayes 
lentions  a  variegated  silver  holly  at  Ballygannon,  in  Ireland,  twenty-five  feet 
igh,  with  a  trunk  five  feet  in  circumference  ;  and  another,  on  Innisfallen  Island, 
a  the  lake  of  Killarney,  with  a  trunk  fifteen  feet  in  circumference,  and  of  about 
he  same  height  before  it  began  to  branch  out. 

The  largest  holly  in  England,  is  at  Claremont,  in  Surry.  It  grows  in  a  sandy 
3am  or  gravel,  and  in  1835,  measured  eighty  feet  in  height,  with  a  trunk  two 
jet,  two  inches  in  diameter,  and  an  ambitus,  or  spread  of  branches,  of  twenty- 
ive  feet. 

At  Paris,  in  the  Jardin  des  Plantes,  there  is  a  tree  of  this  species,  which 
ttained  the  height  of  thirty  feet  in  fifty  years  after  planting.  And  Baudrillart 
peaks  of  holly  hedges,  in  France,  that  are  upwards  of  two  hundred  years  old. 

In  Prussia,  the  holly  grows  wild  in  a  forest  twenty  miles  from  Berlin,  never- 
tieless,  in  the  botanic  garden  of  that  city,  it  requires  protection  during  winter. 

In  Italy,  at  Monza,  there  is  a  tree  of  this  species,  which  attained  the  height  of 
wenty  feet  in  thirty  years  after  planting. 

The  European  holly  was  probably  among  the  first  trees  introduced  into  North 
Lmerica  by  the  early  settlers,  but  owing  to  the  severity  of  our  climate  in  winter, 
t  appears  not  to  have  thrived  north  of  the  Potomac.  There  are  several  fine 
pecimens  of  this  tree  in  Virginia,  which  have  long  been  standing  there,  and 
•robably  were  planted  soon  after  the  settlement  of  Jamestown,  in  1607. 

Poetical  and  Legendary  Allusion?      In  the  language  of  poets,   this  tree  is 


164  ILEX    AQUIFOLIUM. 

regarded  as  a  symbol  of  foresight,  and  was  considered  by  the  ancient  Romans 
as  an  emblem  of  "peace  and  good-will."  The  disciples  of  Zoroaster  believed 
that  the  sun  never  shadows  the  holly-tree ;  and  the  followers  of  that  philosopher, 
who  still  remain  in  Persia  and  India,  are  said  to  throw  water  impregnated  with 
the  bark  of  this  tree  in  the  face  of  a  newly-born  child.  A  number  of  curious 
carols,  and  other  verses,  ancient  and  modern,  in  reference  to  the  holly,  will  be 
found  in  Forster's  "Calendar;"  and  an  elegant  poem  by  Southey,  alluding  to 
the  circumstance  of  the  lower  leaves  of  large  plants  being  spinous,  while  the 
upper  ones  are  entire,  is  printed  in  Johnston's  "  Flora  of  Berwick  upon  Tweed," 
from  which  we  make  the  following  extract : — 

O  reader !  hast  thou  ever  stood  to  see 

The  holly-tree? 
The  eye  that  contemplates  it  well  perceives 

Its  glossy  leaves, 
Ordered  by  an  Intelligence  so  wise, 
As  might  confound  the  atheist's  sophistries. 

Below,  a  circling  fence,  its  leaves  are  seen, 

Wrinkled  and  keen ; 
No  grazing  cattle   through  their  prickly  round 

Can  reach  to  wound; 
But,  as  they  grow  where  nothing  is  to  fear, 
Smooth  and  unarmed  the  pointless  leaves  appear. 

In  ancient  times,  Pliny  tells  us  that  "  Tiburtus  built  the  city  of  Tibur  near 
three  holly-trees ;  over  which  he  had  observed  the  flight  of  birds  that  pointed 
out  the  spot  whereon  the  gods  had  fixed  for  its  erection;"  and  that  these  trees 
were  standing  in  his  own  time,  and  must,  therefore,  have  been  upwards  of 
twelve  hundred  years  old. 

Soil  and  Situation.  The  holly,  according  to  Loudon,  attains  its  largest  size 
in  a  rich,  sandy  loam ;  but  it  will  grow,  and  even  thrive,  in  almost  any  soil, 
provided  it  is  not  overcharged  with  moisture.  Cook  says,  it  does  best  on  soils 
somewhat  gravelly ;  Miller,  that  it  prospers  on  gravel  over  chalk ;  and  Boutcher, 
that  it  refuses  not  almost  any  sort  of  barren  ground,  hot  or  cold ;  in  short,  it  is 
found  on  all  soils,  except  in  bogs  or  marshes.  The  largest  hollies  at  Surry  and 
Kent,  are  in  loam  or  chalk ;  those  at  Tyningham  are  on  a  deep,  alluvial  sand ; 
and  those  in  Aberdeenshire,  on  granitic  clay.  The  most  favourable  situation  for 
the  holly,  in  England,  is  said  to  be  a  thinly  scattered  wood  of  oaks,  in  the  inter- 
vals of  which,  it  grows  up  at  once  sheltered  and  partially  shaded.  Yet  it  will 
thrive  completely  beneath  the  shade  and  drip  of  other  trees ;  for  which  reason  it 
is  surpassed,  as  undergrowth,  by  no  other  evergreen  shrub  or  tree,  except  the  box. 

Propagation  and  Culture.  The  holly  may  be  propagated  by  seeds,  by  cut- 
tings, or  by  budding  and  grafting.  As  the  seeds,  like  those  of  the  hawthorn,  do 
not  come  up  the  first  year,  the  berries,  in  England,  are  commonly  buried  in  the 
soil,  or  kept  mixed  up  in  a  heap  of  earth  for  one  year.  Mr.  Loudon  recommends 
mixing  the  berries  as  soon  as  gathered,  in  a  heap  of  earth,  which  should  be 
turned  over  several  times  in  the  course  of  the  season,  to  facilitate  the  decompo- 
sition of  the  pulp  and  husks.  This  will  generally  be  effected  by  the  autumn 
succeeding  that  in  which  they  are  gathered  from  the  tree ;  and  they  may  then 
be  taken,  and  separated  from  the  earth,  with  which  they  are  mixed,  by  sifting, 
and  sown  in  beds  of  finely  prepared  soil,  and  covered  to  a  depth  of  about  a 
quarter  of  an  inch.  Thus  prepared,  when  sown  in  autumn,  they  will  come  up 
the  June  following.  A  covering  of  half-rotten  leaves,  or  of  straw,  placed  over 
the  seed-beds,  will  protect  the  soil  from  extreme  heat  and  drought,  and  will 
greatly  facilitate  the  progress  of  the  germination.  As  the  holly  is  liable  to  suffer 
from  transplanting,  it  should  never  be  kept  in  the  nursery  longer  than  two  years 
in  one  place.  When  the  seeds  are  to  be  sown  immediately  after  gathering, 
Boutcher  directs  that  the  berries  should  remain  on  the  trees  till  December;  or, 
if  they  could  be  kept  out  of  the  reach  of  birds,  till  February  or  March.     As  soon 


EUROPEAN    HOLLY.  165 

5  they  are  gathered,  he  says,  "  throw  them  into  a  tub  with  water,  and  rub  them 
3tween  your  hands  till  the  seeds  are  divested  of  their  thick,  glutinous  covering ; 
our  off  the  water,  with  the  light  seeds  that  swim,  the  mucilage,  &c,  and  spread 
le  sound  seeds  on  a  cloth,  in  a  dry,  airy  place,  rubbing  them  often,  and  giving 
lem  a  fresh  cloth  daily  till  they  are  quite  dry.  If  this  be  done  in  autumn  or 
rinter,  mix  them  with  sand,  and  keep  them  dry  till  spring ;  but,  if  they  have 
3en  gathered  in  spring,  let  them  be  sown  immediately."  When  cuttings  are 
lade  choice  of  for  the  propagation  of  the  holly,  they  are  selected  in  autumn,  of 
le  ripened  summer  shoots.  They  are  planted  in  a  sandy  soil,  in  a  shady  bor- 
er, and  covered  with  hand-glasses ;  and  they  generally  strike  root  the  following 
oring.  It  has  been  found  by  experience,  that  cuttings  of  trees  and  shrubs  gene- 
illy,  which  are  grown  nearest  the  ground,  or  on  the  north  side  of  the  tree,  and 
)  planted  as  to  be  kept  moist  and  shaded,  always  take  root  more  readily  than 
lose  which  have  been  taken  from  the  summit,  and  more  exposed  to  the  influ- 
ice  of  light  and  air,  the  moisture  and  shade  being  the  predisposing  causes  of 
le  production  of  the  roots.  The  operations  of  budding  and  grafting  may  be 
erformed  at  the  usual  times  and  in  the  usual  manner ;  but  it  has  been  observed 
y  Tschoudi,  that  cleft-grafting  does  not  succeed  nearly  so  well  with  the  holly 
3  whip-grafting.  In  England,  the  stocks  budded  or  grafted,  are  generally  of 
>ur  or  five  years'  growth ;  and  the  grafting  is  performed  in  March,  and  the  bud- 
ing  in  July.  No  plant  requires  less  care  than  the  holly,  when  it  is  once  estab- 
shed.  This  species  rarely  needs  pruning;  and  the  varieties  which  have  been 
rafted  or  budded  require  little  more  than  the  removal  of  shoots  from  the  stock, 
'o  prepare  them  for  removal,  however,  whether  of  a  large  or  small  size,  they 
Light  to  be  taken  up  and  replanted  every  other  year.  The  seasons  most  usually 
iopted  for  the  transplanting  of  evergreens,  are  the  spring,  and  in  mild  weather 
l  winter,  although  summer  and  autumn  are  generally  stated  to  be  the  proper 
mes  for  performing  that  work.  The  principle  which  justifies  the  practice  of 
mioving  them  in  winter  or  spring  is,  that  most  plants  are  more  safely  removed 
rhen  they  are  in  a  comparatively  dormant  state,  and  when  the  weather  is  tem- 
erate,  the  air  moist  and  still,  rather  than  dry  and  in  motion.  It  is  well  known 
lat  the  greatest  degree  of  torpidity  in  plants  or  trees  exists  a  short  time  before 
ley  begin  to  germinate  or  push  out  shoots ;  consequently,  as  evergreens  begin 
)  grow  only  a  week  or  two  later  than  deciduous  trees  of  the  same  climate,  the 
roper  time  for  transplanting  them  must  be  nearly  the  same.  The  chief  dif- 
;rence  to  be  observed  is,  the  circumstance  of  evergreen  trees  being  at  no  time 
matever  in  so  completely  a  dormant  state  as  deciduous  ones ;  and  hence,  such 
feather  in  winter,  autumn,  or  spring,  must  be  chosen  for  removing  them,  as 
rill  least  affect  their  fibrous  roots  and  leaves  by  evaporation.  When  the  holly 
i  to  be  planted  as  a  hedge,  if  it  is  desirable  that  the  growth  shall  be  rapid,  the 
til  ought  to  be  trenched  to  the  depth  of  three  or  four  feet.  If  the  subsoil  be 
oor,  it  is  recommended  to  dig  a  trench,  in  the  direction  of  the  intended  hedge, 
iree  or  four  feet  wide,  and  as  many  deep,  and  to  fill  up  the  space  with  good 
urface  soil  taken  from  the  neighbouring  ground  or  elsewhere.  The  soil  in  the 
:ench  should  be  raised  at  least  a  foot  above  the  adjoining  surface,  to  allow  for 
sttling ;  and  along  the  middle  of  this  ridge,  the  plants  should  be  set  from  one 
oot  to  eighteen  inches  apart.  According  to  Miller,  holly  hedges  should  never 
e  clipped,  because,  when  the  leaves  are  cut  through  the  middle,  they  are  ren- 
ered  unsightly ;  and  the  shoots  should  therefore  be  cut  with  a  knife  close  to  a 
saf.  This  mode,  undoubtedly,  is  more  appropriate  for  hedges  in  gardens  and 
•leasure-grounds,  where  it  is  desirable  to  preserve  an  effect  more  pleasing  to  the 
ye ;  but,  as  this  method  leaves  a  rougher  exterior  surface,  and  involves  a  much 
reater  expense  than  clipping,  it  is  unsuitable  where  the  object  is  to  prevent 
irds  from  building  in  the  hedges,  and  to  maintain  effective  fences  at  the  least 


166 


ILEX   AQUIFOLIUM. 


expense.  The  proper  time  for  clipping  appears  to  be  just  after  the  leaves  have 
arrived  at  maturity ;  because  at  that  season,  in  the  holly,  as  in  the  box,  the 
wound  is  repaired,  in  a  measure,  by  the  healing  over,  produced  by  the  remain- 
ing sap,  still  in  circulation.  When  it  is  desired  to  cultivate  the  holly  for  timber, 
it  should  be  grown  in  the  same  manner  as  in  close  plantations,  either  with  or 
without  nurse-trees,  according  to  the  situation ;  and  the  stems  should  be  deprived 
of  their  side  branches,  when  they  are  less  than  half  an  inch  in  diameter,  to  a 
certain  height,  say  one  fourth  of  the  entire  height  of  the  tree,  in  order  to  have  a 

clean  trunk. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  holly  is  almost  of  an  ivory  whiteness, 
except  near  the  centre  of  very  old  trunks,  where  it  is  of  a  brownish  hue.  It  is 
very  hard  and  compact,  with  a  fine  grain,  and  susceptible  of  a  high  degree  of 
polish,  which  renders  it  well  adapted  for  many  purposes  in  the  arts.  When 
dry,  it  weighs  forty-seven  and  a  half  pounds  to  a  cubic  foot,  and  is  very  reten- 
tive of  its  sap,  in  consequence  of  which,  it  is  liable  to  warp,  unless  it  is  well 
dried  and  seasoned  before  being  used.  It  readily  takes  a  durable  colour  of 
almost  any  shade,  and  hence  it  is  much  used  by  cabinet-makers  in  forming  what 
are  technically  called  :'  strings  and  borders,"  in  ornamental  works.  When  prop- 
erly stained  black,  its  colour  and  lustre  are  little  inferior  to  those  of  ebony.  It 
may  be  applied  to  a  great  number  of  purposes  by  joiners,  cabinet-makers, 
turners,  engineers,  mathematical  instrument-makers,  and,  next  to  the  box  and 
pear-tree,  it  is  the  best  wood  for  engraving  upon,  as  it  is  compact,  and  stands 
the  tool  well.  Among  its  principal  uses  in  England,  at  present,  is,  when  dyed 
black,  to  be  substituted  for  ebony,  in  the  handles  of  metallic  teapots,  &e.  In 
France,  the  young  shoots  and  the  branches  are  given  to  sheep  and  deer,  during 
winter ;  and  the  stronger  straight  shoots,  deprived  of  their  bark,  are  made  into 
whip-handles  and  walking-canes.  The  bark  of  the  holly  contains  an  abundance 
of  viscid  matter ;  and,  when  macerated  in  water,  fermented,  and  then  separated 
from  the  fibres,  it  forms  bird-lime.  Medicinally,  the  bark  of  this  tree  is  muci- 
laginous, emollient,  and  solvent,  and  is  said  to  possess  strong  febrifugal  powers. 
The  berries  are  purgative,  and  six  or  eight  of  them,  when  swallowed,  will  cause 
violent  vomiting;  though  they  are  considered  as  poisonous  to  men,  they  form 
the  food  of  some  birds,  more  especially  of  the  thrushes. 

As  a  hedge  plant,  in  temperate  climates,  the  holly  forms,  perhaps,  the  most 
impenetrable  and  the  most  durable  of  all  live  fences ;  and  it  has  this  superior 
advantage  over  deciduous-leaved  trees,  that  it  is  seldom  attacked  by  insects,  and 
will  well  endure  the  shears.  Its  chief  objection  is  the  very  indifferent  progress 
which  it  makes  for  the  first  few  years  after  planting ;  but,  after  it  becomes  estab- 
lished in  a  suitable  soil,  or  aboiu  its  third  or  fourth  year,  there  are  but  few  hedge- 
plants  that  will  surpass  it  in  their  growth.  It  may  be  carried  to  a  great  height, 
and,  consequently,  is  well  adapted  for  situations  where  strength  and  shelter  are 
required,  especially  during  winter,  when  most  other  hedges  are  deprived  of  thei* 
leaves. 


Ilex  opaca, 

THE  AMERICAN   HOLLY. 

Synonymes. 


Ilex  opaca, 


Houx  de  l'Amerique, 
Amerikanischer  Stechpalmenbaum, 
Agrifoglio  a  foglio  di  quercia, 
Agrifolio  americano, 
American  Holly, 


'  Aiton,  Hortus  Kewensis. 

De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 
-  Michaux,  North  American  Sylva. 

Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
(  Torrey  and  Gray,  Flora  of  North  America 

France. 

Germany. 

Italy. 

Spain  and  Portugal. 

Britain  and  Anglo-America. 


Derivation.    The  specific  name,  opaca,  is  derived  from  the  Latin  opacus,  thick,  bushy,  as  if  giving  shade. 

Engravings.    Michaux,  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  84;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  v.,  pi.  66;  and  the  figures  beiow. 

vecific  Characters.    Leaves  ovate,  flat,  coriaceous,  acute,  toothed  in  a  scolloped  manner,  spiny,  and  gla 
brous,  but  not  glossy.     Flowers  scattered  at  the  base  of  only  those  branches  that  are  a  year  old.    Teeth 
of  the  calyx  acute.     Sexes  dioecious. — De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 


trunk 
eight, 


Description. 

Ilex  opaca  is  a  beau- 
tiful evergreen  tree,  some- 
times   growing     to     the 
height  of  eighty  feet,  with 
four  feet  in  diameter;  but  its  ordinary 
in  favourable  situations,  is  not  more  than 


lirty  or  forty  feet,  with  a  diameter  of  twelve  or  J 
fteen  inches ;  and  near  its  northernmost  limits 
;  is  seldom  found  to  exceed  ten  feet  in  height. 
1he  bark  of  the  trunks  of  old  trees  is  smooth,  and 
f  a  whitish-gray ;  but  on  the  young  shoots  and 
ranches  it  is  green  and  shining.  The  leaves  are 
vate,  acute,  spinous,  glabrous,  and  flat ;  and  are 
f  a  light-green  colour.  The  flowers,  which  ap- 
ear  in  the  months  of  May  and  June,  are  whitish, 
ut  not  conspicuous,  and  are  succeeded  by  hand- 
ome,  round,  scarlet  berries,  that  remain  long 
ttached  to  the  branches,  often  during  the  winter. 

Varieties.  The  only  distinct  variety  of  this  species  is  the  Ilex  opaca  laxi- 
rolia,  which  is  found  in  Carolina,  with  loose,  whitish  flowers,  and  yellowish-red 
erries.  The  following  variations,  however,  are  mentioned  by  Loudon,  on  the 
uthority  of  Rafinesque,  but  it  may  be  questioned  whether  they  were  not  mostly 
educed  from  leaves  of  trees  of  different  ages,  or  in  the  early  period  of  their 
rowth : — 

Long-toothed-leaved  variety. 
Broad-leaved  variety. 
Sharp  -pointed-leaved  variety. 
Round-leaved  variety. 

Geography  and  History.  The  northernmost  limits  of  this  species  may  be  con- 
idered  as  duincy  and  Cohasset,  in  Massachusetts;  and  it  is  found  more  or  less 


1. 

I. 

o. 

MACRODON. 

2. 

I. 

0. 

LATIFOLIA. 

3. 

I. 

0. 

ACUMINATA 

4. 

I. 

0. 

GLOBOSA. 

168 


ILEX    OPACA. 


abundantly  along  the  maritime  parts  of  the  United  States,  to  the  Floridas,  and 
also  in  lower  Louisiana,  and  western  Tennessee ;  but  it  is  observed  to  become 
rare  in  approaching  the  mountains.  It  was  introduced  into  Britain  in  1744,  and 
is  cultivated  in  many  of  the  European  gardens  and  collections.  The  largest  trees 
of  this  kind  recorded  in  England  are  in  the  gardens  at  the  Walton  House,  at 
Syon,  and  at  White  Knights,  near  Reading.  The  height  of  those  at  Syon 
exceed  twenty-five  feet. 

There  are  several  fine  specimens  of  the  Ilex  opaca  on  the  farm  of  Colonel  Minott 
Thayer,  in  Braintree,  Massachusetts,  which  are  about  a  foot  in  diameter,  a  yard 
above  the  ground,  and  twenty-five  feet  in  height.  They  have  maintained  their 
present  dimensions  for  more  than  fifty  years,  and  probably  are  several  centuries 
old. 

Soil,  Situation,  fyc.  In  New  Jersey,  and  on  the  eastern  shore  of  Maryland, 
and  in  certain  parts  of  Virginia,  where  it  is  particularly  abundant,  this  species 
grows  almost  exclusively  on  open  grounds,  and  in  dry,  gravelly  soils ;  while  in 
South  Carolina,  Georgia,  and  lower  Louisiana,  it  is  seen  only  in  shady  places, 
on  the  edges  of  swamps,  where  the  soil  is  cool  and  fertile.  In  Massachusetts, 
Rhode  Island,  and  Connecticut,  it  usually  grows  in  a  warm,  sandy  loam,  and  in 
sheltered  situations.  It  may  be  propagated  in  the  same  manner  as  the  Euro- 
pean holly,  and  formed  into  hedges,  or  cultivated  as  an  ornamental  tree  in  gar- 
dens. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  American  holly  resembles  that  of  the 
European  species,  except  that  it  is  rather  browner  at  the  heart.  It  is  compact, 
heavy,  of  a  fine  grain,  and  is  susceptible  of  a  brilliant  polish.  Its  principal  use 
is  for  inlaying  mahogany  furniture,  and  for  turning  into  small  boxes  for  drug- 
gists, and  for  small  screws.  When  perfectly  seasoned,  it  is  very  hard  and 
unyielding,  which  renders  it  well  adapted  for  pulleys  used  in  ships.  It  may  be 
dyed  of  various  colours,  so  as  to  resemble  many  foreign  woods.  The  bark  may 
be  employed  for  making  bird-lime,  in  a  similar  manner  as  that  of  the  preceding 
species.  Medicinally,  it  is  emetic  and  cathartic.  The  berries,  taken  to  the  num- 
ber of  fifteen  or  twenty,  will  excite  vomiting,  and  will  also  act  as  a  purgative. 


Ilex  vomitoria, 
THE  EMETIC  HOLLY. 

Synonymes. 


Hex  vomitoria, 


Bex  cassena, 

Hex  cassene  vera, 

Houx  apalachine, 

The  americano,  The  Peragua,  The  apa- 
lachina, 

Cassene,  Cassena,  True  Cassena,  Ever- 
green Cassena,  Cassioberry-bush, 

Yaupon,  Yapon, 


Aiton,  Hortus  Kewensis. 
De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 
Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
Michadx,  Flora  Boreali- Americana. 
"Walter,  Flora  Caroliniana. 
France. 

Italy. 

Britain  and  Anglo-America. 
Southern  Indians. 


Engravings.    Catesby,  Natural  History  of  Carolina;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  ii.,  figure  186;   and  the  figures 
lelow. 

Specific  Characters.    Leaves  oblong  or  elliptic,  obtuse  at  both  ends,  crenately  sawed,  and,  with  the  branch- 
lets,  glabrous.    Flowers  in  subsessile  lateral  umbels. — De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 

Description. 

"The  firm  Cassine,  endures  the  wrecking  storm, 
And  changeful  season,  by  Tradition  styl'd 
The  boon  of  Heaven,  and  round  Hygeia's  fane 
Wreaths  a  bright  garland,  when  her  priestesses, 
Clad  in  their  meek  and  unpretending  skill, 
Its  aid  demand." 

Tkaits  op  the  Aborigines. 


1HE  Ilex  vomitoria  is 
an  elegant  evergreen 
tree  or  shrub,  usually 
growing  to  a  height 
>f  twelve  or  fifteen  feet  in  its  natural  habitat, 
ind  somewhat  higher  in  a  state  of  cultivation, 
rhe  flowers,  which  put  forth  in  June. 


are 


vhitish,  and  are  succeeded  by  smooth,  red 
)erries,  that  are  ripe  in  October,  and  like 
hose  of  the  European  holly,  remain  upon  the 
ranches  during  the  winter. 

Geography,  History,  fyc.  The  emetic  holly 
s  found  in  moist,  shady  places,  from  Virginia 
o  the  Floridas,  and  was  introduced  into  Brit- 
lin  in  1770.  It  was  cultivated  by  Miller  in 
he  physic  garden  at  Chelsea,  and  in  several 
)ther  collections  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Lon- 
lon,  till  the  severe  winter  of  1789,  when  most 
)f  the  plants  were  destroyed.  Other  plants 
vere  afterwards  raised  from  seeds  in  that  country,  and  have  ever  since  resisted 
he  cold  of  ordinary  winters  without  protection. 

In  France,  it  has  been  cultivated  for  a 
lis  garden  at  the  Barriere  Chaillot.  at  Paris 

Legendary  Allusions.  It  is  said  that  the  true  cassena  is  regarded  by  many  of 
;he  southern  tribes  of  the  American  Indians,  as  a  holy  plant,  being  used  by  them 
luring  their  religious  rites  and  solemn  councils,  to  clear  the  stomach  and  the 

22 


long  time  by  the  Chevalier  Jansen, 


in 


170  ILEX    VOMITORIA. 

head.  It  was  an  annual  custom  for  a  chief  to  give  notice  to  the  inhabitants  of 
a  town,  in  spring,  to  assemble  at  the  public  house,  which  was  previously  purified 
by  fire.  After  they  had  convened,  the  chief  was  first  served  with  a  bowl  or 
conch-shell,  never  before  used,  of  their  emetic  broth ;  and  next  to  him  were 
served  each  individual  of  the  company,  according  to  his  rank,  till  at  last  they 
came  to  the  women  and  children.  They  had  a  belief  that  this  beverage  restored 
lost  appetite,  strengthened  the  stomach,  and  gave  them  agility  and  courage  in 
war.  Lawson,  in  recording  a  tradition  of  this  tree,  says:  "The  savages  of 
Carolina  have  it  in  veneration  above  all  the  plants  they  are  acquainted  withal, 
and  tell  you  the  discovery  thereof  was  by  an  infirm  Indian,  who  laboured  under 
the  burden  of  many  rugged  distempers,  and  could  not  be  cured  by  all  the  doc- 
tors ;  so,  one  day  he  fell  asleep,  and  dreamt  that  if  he  took  a  decoction  of  the  tree 
that  grew  at  his  head,  he  would  certainly  be  cured ;  upon  which  he  awoke,  and 
saw  the  Yaupon  or  Cassine-tree,  which  was  not  there  when  he  fell  asleep.  He 
followed  the  direction  of  his  dream,  and  became  perfectly  well  in  a  short  time." 
Among  some  of  the  tribes,  it  was  held  in  such  high  esteem,  that  the  decoction 
of  its  toasted  leaves,  called  "black  drink,"  was  forbidden  to  be  used  by  their 
women. 

Properties,  Uses,  fyc.  The  leaves  and  young  shoots  of  the  cassena  are  inodo- 
rous, the  taste  sub-aromatic  and  fervid,  being  useful  in  stomach  fevers,  diabetes, 
small-pox,  &c.,  as  a  mild  emetic ;  but  the  "  black  drink"  of  the  Indians  is  a  strong 
decoction,  and  a  violent,  though  harmless  vomitive.  At  a  certain  season  of  the 
year  they  often  travel  a  distance  of  some  hundred  miles,  from  parts  where  this 
tree  does  not  grow,  to  procure  a  supply  of  the  leaves.  They  make  a  fire  on  the 
ground,  and  putting  a  kettle  of  water  on  it,  filled  with  leaves,  place  themselves 
around  it,  and  with  a  wooden  vessel  holding  about  a  pint,  commence  by  taking 
large  draughts,  which,  in  a  short  time,  cause  them  to  vomit  freely.  Thus  they 
continue  drinking  and  vomiting  for  two  or  three  days,  until  they  are  sufficiently 
purified,  when  they  return,  with  large  quantities  of  the  leaves  and  boughs,  to 
their  homes.  The  leaves  and  young  shoots  of  the  Ilex  cassena  and  dahoon,  and 
of  many  other  shrubs,  appear  to  be  substituted  indiscriminately  by  the  Indians 
for  making  their  "  black  drink."  In  North  Carolina,  it  is  said,  the  inhabitants  of 
the  sea-side  swamps,  having  no  good  water  to  drink,  disguise  its  taste  by  boiling 
in  it  a  little  cassena,  or  other  plants  of  a  similar  nature,  and  use  it  constantly 
warm,  as  the  Chinese  do  their  daily  tea.  This  circumstance  gave  rise  to  the 
opinion  that  this  species  was  the  Ilex  paraguariensis,  and  was  erroneously  called 
"Paraguay  Tea." 

This  tree  may  be  cultivated  by  seeds  or  by  layers,  in  a  similar  manner,  and 
in  the  same  kind  of  soil  as  the  Ilex  opaca ;  but  its  situation  should  be  more  shel- 
tfirecL 


Ilex  paraguariensis, 

THE  PARAGUAY  TEA. 


Synonymes. 


Bex  paraguayensis, 

Ilex  paraguariensis, 

Mate, 

The  Peragua,  Mate, 

Yerba  mate,  Yerba  de  palos, 

Gongonha, 

Caa, 

Paraguay  Tea,  Mate, 


Lambert,  Monograph  of  the  Genus  Pinus. 

St.  Hilaire,  Histoire  des  Plantes  du  Bresn 

De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 

France. 

Italy. 

Spain  and  Spanish  America. 

Brazil. 

Guarani  Indians. 

Britain  and  Anglo-America. 


Derivations.    The  word  Mali,  is  applied  by  the  South  American  Spaniards,  to  the  cup  or  vessel  from  which  the  hot  liquid  is 
imbibed;  whence  the  name  of  the  herb.    The  Spanish  name,  Yerba  de  palos,  signifies  Tree-herb. 

Engravings.    Lambert,  Monograph  of  the  Genus  Pinus,  pi.  ii. ;  Hooker,  London  Journal  of  Botany,  vol.  i.,  pi.  1  ;  Loudon, 
Arboretum  Britannicum,  vol.  ii.,  figure  189;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.    Evergreen.     Leaves  glabrous,  lanceolately-cuneated,  oblong-oval,  obtuse,  remotely 
serrated.     Drupes  with  persistent  calyxes  crowned  with  4-lobed  stigmas. 


Description. 


HE 


Ilex  paragua- 
riensis, when  un- 
obstructed in  its 
growth,  usually"  at- 
tains a  height  of  twenty  or  thirty  feet,  with  a 
trunk  sometimes  a  foot  or  more  in  diameter. 
In  places,  however,  where  the  leaf  is  regu- 
larly gathered,  it  becomes  stunted,  from  the 
branches  being  cut  every  two  or  three  years, 
but  not  oftener,  owing  to  an  opinion  that  this 
time  is  requisite  to  season  the  leaves,  which 
remain,  during  winter,  upon  the  trees.  The 
bark  of  the  trunk  is  smooth,  shining,  and 
whitish;  and  the  boughs,  which  spring  up- 
wards like  those  of  the  laurel,  are  leafy  and 
tufted.  The  leaves  are  elliptic,  cuneiform, 
from  four  to  five  inches  long;  thick,  glossy, 
crenated,  of  a  dark-green  above,  and  paler 
below.  The  petioles  are  of  a  dark-red,  and 
about  half  an  inch  in  length.  The  flowers, 
which  appear  in  October  and  November,  in  its  native  country,  are  produced  in 
umbels  of  thirty  or  forty  florets  each,  with  four  whitish  petals,  and  with  the 
same  number  of  stamens.  The  berries  are  red,  very  smooth,  about  the  size  of 
small  peas,  and  containing  four  nuts  or  seeds. 

Varieties.  The  two  following  races  usually  considered  as  species,  and 
described  under  the  name  of  Ilex  gongonha,  may  be  regarded  only  as  varieties 
of  the  same  plant : — 

1.  I.  p.  parvifolium.     Small-leaved  Paraguay  Tea. 

2.  I.  p.  angustifolium.  Narroiv-leaved  Paraguay  Tea.  Both  of  these  varieties 
are  cultivated  in  the  botanic  garden  at  Rio  Janeiro,  and  are  somewhat  exten- 


172  ILEX     PARAGUARIENSIS. 

sively  used  there  for  tea.  Their  leaves  are  much  longer  and  narrower  than 
those  of  the  trees  of  Paraguay  and  the  Organ  Mountains,  and  their  under  surfaces 
are  invariably  dotted  with  minute  black  glands. 

Geography  and  History.  The  Ilex  paraguariensis  is  found  growing  spontane- 
ously, intermingled  with  other  trees,  in  the  forests  which  cover  the  banks  of  the 
rivers  and  streams  that  fall  into  the  Parana  and  Uruguay,  as  well  as  the  sources 
of  the  Ipane  and  Jejui.  Its  principal  harvest  is  made  in  the  eastern  part  of  Para- 
guay, and  about  the  mountains  of  Maracaja,  as  well  as  in  the  marshy  valleys 
which  intervene  between  the  hills.  It  also  grows  abundantly  in  Brazil,  near 
Curutiba,  and  about  the  Organ  Mountains,  in  the  country  adjacent  to  Rio  Ja- 
neiro. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  XVIIth  century,  an  infusion  of  this  plant  was  a  gene- 
ral beverage  of  the  inhabitants  throughout  the  provinces  of  Paraguay,  and  there 
can  be  no  doubt  but  the  aborigines  of  that  country  taught  its  use  to  their  Span- 
ish conquerors ;  for,  among  the  Creoles  and  mestizoes  of  the  present  day,  there  are 
many  who  charge  the  Paraguayanos  with  having  exterminated  their  Indian 
slaves  by  hard  labour,  in  gathering  the  leaves  of  this  tree.  In  no  country  in  the 
world  is  the  Chinese  tea  more  extensively  drank,  in  proportion  to  the  population, 
than  is  the  yerba  male,  throughout  a  great  portion  of  South  America.  Large  plan- 
tations of  it  are  owned  by  the  Jesuits  of  Paraguay,  who  derive  a  large  revenue 
from  its  harvest,  the  annual  product  being  estimated  at  five  million  six  hundred 
thousand  pounds,  more  than  thirty  thousand  of  which  are  carried  to  Chili,  Ecua- 
dor, whence  Lima  and  Quito  are  supplied,  and  the  remainder  is  consumed  in 
the  Argentine  and  Cisplatine  republics. 

This  species  was  introduced  into  Britain  in  1828,  and  plants  are  growing  in 
the  botanic  garden  at  Glasgow,  and  in  the  garden  of  the  Horticultural  Society  of 
London. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  people  of  South  America  attribute  innumerable 
virtues  to  this  tree ;  but  most  of  the  qualities  ascribed  to  it  are  doubtful.  It  is 
certainly  aperient  and  diuretic,  and  like  opium,  produces  some  singular  and  con- 
trary effects.  It  is  said  to  give  sleep  to  the  restless,  and  spirit  to  the  torpid ;  and 
like  that  drug,  when  a  habit  is  once  contracted  of  using  it,  it  is  difficult  to  leave 
it  off;  its  effect  on  the  constitution  being  similar  to  that  produced  by  an  immod- 
erate use  of  spirituous  liquors.  There  are  three  kinds  of  the  herb  in  the  prepared 
state,  though  produced  by  one  plant,  and  are  called  by  the  Indians,  caa-cuys, 
caa-mini,  and  caa-guazu ;  the  prefix  caa,  signifying  the  tree  or  leaf  itself.  The 
former  consists  of  the  half-expanded  buds,  which  will  not  keep  long,  and  is 
entirely  consumed  in  Paraguay.  The  caa-mini,  is  the  leaf  as  prepared  by  the 
Jesuits,  carefully  picked  and  stripped  from  the  nerves  before  roasting ;  while  the 
third  is  made  by  roasting  without  any  preparation,  and  is  denominated  by  the 
Spaniards,  yerba  de  pahs.  The  amount  daily  gathered  by  a  labourer  is  usually 
from  one  hundred  to  three  hundred  pounds.  In  preparing  the  leaves  for  market, 
a  bundle  of  long  poles  is  constructed,  in  the  form  of  a  cylindrical  vault,  under 
which  a  large  fire  is  made,  and  upon  which  the  branches  are  placed,  and  remain 
there  till  the  leaves  are  sufficiently  dry.  After  this,  the  fire  is  removed ;  and  on 
the  hard  and  hot  platform,  after  being  swept  clean,  they  throw  the  branches, 
which  they  give  a  thorough  beating.  In  this  manner  the  leaves  are  separated 
from  the  boughs,  which,  after  being  sufficiently  manipulated,  are  next  densely 
packed  into  large  bags  made  of  hides ;  and  in  this  state,  without  further  prepa- 
ration, they  are  fit  for  use ;  but  they  are  not  considered  as  seasoned  till  they  are 
a  few  months  old,  as  the  aromatic  bitterness  which  they  possess,  when  newly 
prepared,  is  partially  dissipated  by  age.  The  leaves  are  used  by  infusions,  in 
Paraguay,  Uruguay,  the  Argentine  republic,  Chili,  Peru,  and  Ecuador,  by  all 
classes  of  persons,  and  at  all  hours  of  the  day.     The  Creoles  drink  the  infusion 


PARAGUAY    TEA.  173 

in  a  pot,  called  mate,  from  the  spout  of  which  the  tea  is  drunk,  with  or  without  a 
little  burnt  sugar,  cinnamon,  or  lemon  juice.  They  drink  it  at  every  meal,  and 
seldom  eat  before  they  have  taken  some  of  it.  The  more  wealthy  and  refined 
portion  of  the  population  partake  of  the  infusion  from  a  mate  or  teapot,  formed  of 
silver  or  other  materials,  by  means  of  a  tin  or  silver  pipe,  called  bombilla,  per- 
forated with  holes  at  one  end,  to  prevent  swallowing  the  pulverized  herb  which 
floats  on  the  surface.  The  quantity  of  leaves  used  by  a  person  who  is  fond  of  it, 
is  an  ounce.  It  is  customary,  in  good  society,  to  supply  each  of  the  party  with 
a  mate  and  pipe,  with  the  infusion  as  near  as  possible  to  a  boiling  temperature, 
which,  those  who  are  habituated  to  its  use,  can  swallow  without  inconvenience ; 
but  often  "the  whole  household  and  their  visitors  are  supplied  by  handing  the 
mate  from  one  to  another,  filling  it  up  with  hot  water  as  fast  as  it  becomes 
exhausted.  If  the  water  is  suffered  to  remain  long  on  the  leaves,  the  decoction 
becomes  of  an  inky  blackness.  The  taste  of  the  leaves,  when  green,  somewhat 
resembles  that  of  the  mallows,  or  the  inferior  kinds  of  green  tea  from  China. 
Mr.  Stenhouse,  of  Glasgow,  has  recently  detected  an  alkali  in  them,  not  dissim- 
ilar to  theine,  a  bitter  tonic  substance,  which  is  found  in  the  leaves  of  the  tea  of 
China,  and  the  Paulliania  sorbilis  of  the  banks  of  the  Amazon,  and  which  is  also 
identical  with  caffeine,  obtained  from  the  seeds  of  coffee,  and  theobromine,  the 
principle  yielded  by  chocolate.  On  this  subject  Liebig  remarks,  "  We  shall 
never,  certainly,  be  able  to  discover  how  mankind  were  led  to  the  use  of  the  hot 
infusion  of  the  leaves  of  a  certain  shrub,  (tea,)  and  of  a  decoction  of  certain 
roasted  seeds  (coffee.)  Some  cause  there  must  be  which  would  explain  how 
the  practice  has  become  a  necessary  of  life  to  whole  nations.  But  it  is  still 
more  remarkable  that  the  beneficial  effects  of  both  plants,  on  the  health,  must 
be  ascribed  to  one  and  the  same  substance,  the  presence  of  which,  in  two  vege- 
tables, belonging  to  different  natural  families,  and  the  products  of  different  quar- 
ters of  the  globe,  could  hardly  have  presented  itself  to  the  boldest  imagination."* 
The  Ilex  paraguariensis  is  highly  ornamental,  and  doubtless  would  flourish  in 
any  soil  and  situation  where  the  Magnolia  grandhiora  would  thrive.  Hence,  its 
introduction  into  the  middle  and  southern  sections  of  the  union  is  well  worthy 
of  the  attention  of  all  who  have  proper  conveniences  for  cultivating  it. 

*  While  on  this  subject  it  may  be  interesting  to  notice  incidentally,  the  plants  employed  as  tea  in  vari- 
ous countries  of  the  globe.  In  China,  Then  bohea  and  viridis  mixed  with  the  leaves  of  Camelia  sasanqua 
and  oleifera,  and  sometimes  with  those  of  Olea  fragrans ;  also  Rhamnus  theezans ;  New  Holland  and 
Kurile  Isles,  Corrcea  alba ;  Kamtschatka,  Pedicularis  lanata ;  Argentine  Republic,  Paraguay,  &c,  Ilex 
paraguariensis ;  Brazil,  Thea  bohea,  Bex  paraguariensis,  and  Paulliania  sorbilis,  from  which  the  people  on  the 
banks  of  the  Amazon  make  a  beverage  called  guarana  ;  New  Granada,  Alstonia  the&formis,  which  is  said 
to  be  equal  to  the  tea  of  China ;  Chili  and  Mexico,  Psoralia  glandulosa  or  "  culen  ;"  Carolina,  Georgia, 
and  Florida,  Ilex  vomitoria,  or  cassena ;  Virginia,  Pennsylvania,  &c,  Gaultheria  procumbens,  or  mountain 
tea,  which,  when  properly  cured,  is  much  esteemed ;  also,  Ceanothus  americanus,  or  New  Jersey  tea, 
(having  actually  been  used  in  the  revolut:onary  war  as  a  substitute  for  tea,)  and  Sididago  odora  or 
golden-rod,  the  flowers  of  which,  gathered  when  fully  expanded,  and  carefully  dried,  afford  a  most 
agreeable  substitute  for  tea,  and  in  former  times  were  exported  to  China,  where  they  brought  a  high 
price ;  and  in  Canada,  Labrador,  &c,  Ledum  latifolium,  Indian  or  Labrador  tea. 


Genus   RHAMNUS,    Lam. 

Rhamnaceae.  Pentandria  Monogynia. 

Syst.  Nat.  Si/st.  Lin. 

Derivation.    The  name  Rhamnus  was  derived  from  the  Celtic  word,  ram,  signifying  a  tuft  of  branches;  which  the  Greeks 
Changed  to  rhamnos,  the  Romans  to  ramus,  and  the  French  to  rame,  or  in  old  French,  reim. 

Generic  Characters.  Calyx  urceolate,  4 — 5-cleft.  Petals  4 — 5,  emarginate  or  2-lobed,  usually  more  or 
less  convolute.  Torus  thin,  lining  the  tube  of  the  calyx.  Ovary  free  from  the  calyx,  not  immersed  in 
the  torus,  2 — 4-celled ;  styles  2 — 4,  distinct  or  more  or  less  connected.  Fruit  drupaceous,  containing 
2 — 4  cartilaginous  nuts.  *****  Leaves  alternate  or  rarely  opposite,  on  short  petioles.  Flow- 
ers minute,  usually  in  short,  axillary  clusters. — Torrey  and  Gray,  Flora. 

^HIS  genus  is  composed  of  deciduous  and  evergreen  shrubs,  one  or 
more  of  them  with  the  habit  of  low  trees,  and  some  of  them  sub- 
procumbent,  or  procumbent ;  and  all  of  them,  except  the  latter,  are 
distinguished  by  an  upright,  stiff  mode  of  growth,  with  numerous 
strong  thorns  in  their  wild  state.  Many  of  those  described  by 
botanical  writers  as  species,  are  doubtless,  only  varieties ;  but  till 
\u<s  whole  are  brought  together  and  cultivated  in  one  garden,  this  cannot  be 
determined.  The  flowers  in  all  are  inconspicuous  ;  but  the  Rhamnus  alaternus 
and  its  varieties  are  most  valuable  evergreen  shrubs,  and  several  of  the  other 
species  are  ornamental,  both  from  their  foliage  and  their  fruit,  the  latter  of 
which  is  also  useful  in  dyeing.  The  article  of  commerce,  known  under  the 
names  of  French  or  yellow  berries,  graine  dejaune,  graine  d 'Avignon,  graine  de 
Perse,  graine  d ]  Espagne,  graine  du  Levant,  &c,  are  produced  by  the  Rhamnus 
infectorius,  oleoides,  amygdalinus,  and  saxatilis.  The  Rhamnus  frangula, 
known  in  France  by  the  name  of  bourdaine,  is  preferred  to  all  other  kinds  of 
wood  for  making  charcoal  employed  in  the  manufacture  of  gunpowder.  The 
leaves  of  the  Rhamnus  theezans  are  substituted  in  China  for  those  of  tea.  The 
fruit  of  the  Rhamnus  ziziphus  is  employed  throughout  the  southern  or  temperate 
parts  of  Europe,  in  the  manufacture  of  jujubes.  The  species  procurable  in  nur- 
series, and  well  deserving  of  cultivation,  are  the  Rhamnus  alaternus,  hybridus, 
alpinus,  frangula,  saxatilis,  latifolius,  and  catharticus,  the  latter  of  which,  from 
its  medicinal  qualities,  and  utility  for  live  fences,  is  worthy  of  particular  consid- 
eration. 


Rhamnus  catharticus, 
THE  PURGING  BUCKTHORN. 

Synonymes. 


Rhamnus  catharticus, 


Nerprun  cathartique, 
Abfiihrender  Kreuzdorn, 
Ramno  catartico, 
Ramno  purgativo, 
White  Thorn, 
Buckthorn, 


'  LiNNiEUS,  Species  Plantarum. 

De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 
-  Don,  Miller's  Dictionary. 
|  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
\  Torkey  and  Gray,  Flora  of  North  America. 

France. 

Germany. 

Italy. 

Spain. 

Modern  Greece. 

Britain  and  Anglo- America. 


Derivation.    The  specific  name,  catharticus,  is  derived  from  the  Greek  kathairo,  to  purge,  from  the  medicinal  nature  of  the 
berries  of  this  tree. 

Engravings.    Woodville,  Medical  Botany,  pi.  114;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  ii.,  figure  198,  etv.,  pi.  70,  and  the 

figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.    Erect.    Leaves  ovate,  toothed.    Flowers  in  fascicles,  polygamo-dioecious.    Berries 
4-seeded,  rather  globose. — Don,  Miller's  Diet. 


Description. 

HE  Rhamnus  catharti- 
cus is  a  deciduous  shrub 
or  low  tree,  growing, 
I0&SSH  when  wild,  to  a  height  of 
eight  or  ten  feet,  and  from  twelve  to  fifteen  feet 
in  a  state  of  cultivation.  It  naturally  partakes 
the  character  of  a  bush,  unless  it  is  carefully- 
trained  to  a  single  stem.  Its  branches  are 
numerous  and  irregular,  the  young  shoots  of 
which  have  a  smooth,  grayish-brown  bark ; 
but  the  older  branches  are  rough  and  armed 
with  short  thorns.  The  leaves  on  old  trees  are 
ribbed,  smooth,  about  an  inch  in  length,  and 
from  half  an  inch  to  three-fourths  of  an  inch 
in  width,  and  of  a  bright-green  colour ;  but  on 
young  plants,  or  in  hedges,  they  are  often  found 
from  two  inches  to  two  inches  and  a  half  in 
length,  and  nearly  as  broad  as  they  are  long. 
The  flowers,  which  appear  in  May  and  June,  are  of  a  yellowish-green  colour. 
They  are,  for  the  most  part,  hermaphrodite,  clustered  when  grown  wild,  but 
fewer  and  nearly  solitary  in  a  state  of  cultivation.  The  berries  are  of  a  bluish- 
black,  globular  in  their  form,  with  four  cells,  and  as  many  seeds,  and  are  ripe  in 
Britain  and  the  northern  parts  of  the  United  States  in  October.  It  often  remains 
on  the  tree  after  the  leaves  have  fallen. 

Geography  and  History.  The  Rhamnus  catharticus  is  indigenous  to  Europe 
and  the  north  of  Asia.  In  Britain  it  is  found  native  in  the  woods,  and  according 
to  Pallas,  it  is  common  in  the  southern  parts  of  Siberia.  It  has  also  become 
indigenous  in  the  vicinity  of  Boston,  in  Massachusetts,  and  near  West  Point, 


176  RHAMNUS    CATHARTICUS. 

New  York,  and  is  cultivated  for  use  and  ornament  in  the  various  countries  of 
Europe  and  of  North  America. 

The  first  cultivated  tree  of  this  species  in  the  United  States,  of  which  we 
have  any  record,  stood  in  the  garden  of  the  venerable  Dr.  Holyoke,  in  Salem, 
Massachusetts.  It  bore  an  abundance  of  fruit,  which  was  long  used  by  him,  in 
his  practice,  as  a  cathartic.  On  the  estate  of  Mr.  E.  Hersey  Derby,  in  that 
town,  there  are  several  buckthorn-trees,  from  thirty  to  forty  years  planted,  which 
have  attained  a  height  of  twelve  or  fifteen  feet,  and  bear  an  abundance  of  berries 
every  year. 

Propagation,  Culture,  Uses,  fyc.  The  Rhamnus  catharticus,  in  common 
with  most  plants  of  its  genus,  may  be  easily  propagated  by  seeds,  or  by  cuttings 
and  layers.  It  prefers  a  rich,  moist  soil,  in  rather  a  shady  situation ;  but  it  will 
thrive  in  any  place  where  the  current  or  gooseberry  will  succeed.  It  is  culti- 
vated in  Europe  as  an  ornamental  shrub,  and  is  becoming  of  great  utility  in 
America  as  a  hedge-plant,  as  will  be  seen  by  the  following  extract  from  Mr.  Der- 
by's paper  in  the  "Transactions  of  the  Essex  Agricultural  Society."  "In  the 
year  1808,  I  happened  to  have  some  young  plants  which  had  come  up  from  the 
chance-scattered  seeds  of  the  American  buckthorn,^  and  finding  they  had  made 
a  good  growth  in  the  nursery  to  which  they  had  been  removed,  I  determined  to 
try  to  form  a  hedge  of  them,  and  I  have  been  well  pleased  with  the  result.  They 
were  set  out  in  1809,  and  very  soon  became  a  fine  hedge,  of  about  twenty  rods 
in  length,  which  has  remained  so  until  the  present  time,  [Sept.  1842]  not  a  sin- 
gle plant  having  failed  from  it,  nor  have  I  ever  known  it  to  be  attacked  by  any 
insect.  This  hedge  being  my  first  experiment  with  the  buckthorn,  I  did  not 
keep  it  down  so  closely  as  I  have  since  found  it  expedient  to  do,  and  conse- 
quently it  is  not  quite  so  impervious  at  the  bottom  as  some  of  my  younger  hedges, 
which  have  been  more  severely  pruned.  Being  fully  satisfied  that  I  had  at  last 
found  the  plant  I  wanted,  I  have,  since  that  time,  set  out  various  hedges  of  it,  at 
different  periods,  until  I  can  now  measure  one  hundred  and  sixty  rods  of  them, 
all,  in  my  opinion,  good  hedges ;  and  I  do  not  hesitate  to  pronounce  the  buck- 
thorn the  most  suitable  plant  for  the  purpose  that  I  have  ever  met  with.  It  veg- 
etates early  in  the  spring,  and  retains  its  verdure  late  in  autumn.  I  have  often 
seen  it  green  after  the  snow  had  fallen.  Being  a  native  plant,  it  is  never  injured 
by  our  most  intense  cold,  and  its  vitality  is  so  great  that  the  young  plants  may 
be  kept  out  of  the  ground  for  a  long  time,  or  transported  any  distance  without 
injury.  It  never  sends  up  any  suckers,  nor  is  disfigured  by  any  dead  wood  ;  it  can 
be  clipped  into  any  shape  which  the  caprice  or  ingenuity  of  the  gardener  may 
devise ;  and  being  pliable,  it  may  be  trained  into  an  arch,  or  over  a  passage-way, 
as  easily  as  a  vine ;  it  needs  no  plashing  or  interlacing,  the  natural  growth  of  the 
plants  being  sufficiently  interwoven.  It  is  never  cankered  by  unskilful  clipping, 
but  will  bear  the  knife  to  any  degree.  During  the  last  winter,  I  found  one  of 
my  hedges  had  grown  too  high,  casting  too  much  shadow  over  a  portion  of  my 
garden,  and  wishing  to  try  how  much  it  would  endure,  I  directed  my  gardener 
to  cut  it  down  within  four  feet  of  the  ground.  This  was  done  in  mid-winter, 
and  not  without  some  misgivings  on  my  own  part,  and  much  discouraging 
advice  from  others ;  but  it  leaved  out  as  early  in  the  spring  as  other  hedges,  and 
is  now  a  mass  of  verdure.  I  have  been  applied  to  for  young  plants  by  persons 
who  have  seen  and  admired  my  hedges,  and  have  sent  them  to  various  states  in 
the  union,  and  I  have  never,  in  any  instance,  heard  of  their  failure. 

"  My  method  of  forming  a  hedge  is  to  set  the  young  plants  in  a  single  row, 
about  nine  inches  apart,  either  in  the  spring  or  autumn ;  if  the  latter,  I  should 
clip  it  in  the  folloAving  spring,  within  six  inches  of  the  ground;  this  will  cause 

*  The  writer  believing  it  to  be  a  native  plant. 


PURGING   BUCKTHORN. 


177 


the  hedge  to  be  thick  at  the  bottom,  which  I  regard  as  a  great  point  of  excel- 
lence ;  after  this,  all  that  remains  to  be  done  is  to  keep  it  from  weeds,  and  clip  it 
once  a  year.  I  consider  June  as  the  best  time  to  trim  it,  as  it  soonest  recovers 
its  beauty  at  that  season.  The  clipping  may  be  done  either  with  the  garden- 
shears,  a  hedge-knife,  or  even  with  a  common  scythe." 

The  adjoining  figure  will  show  a  pleasing  mode  of  growing  a  hedge  of  this 
species  in  front  of  a  dwelling,  or  in 
enclosing  ornamental  grounds.  As 
the  plants  will  attain  a  considerable 
height,  they  may  be  trained  over  an 
arch  or  trellis,  and  form  a  beautiful, 
densely-shaded  arbour  or  walk. 

It  appears  from  the  above  that  this  species  is  very  eligible  for  forming  hedges, 
in  consequence  of  its  robust  and  rigid  habit  of  growth.  Although  it  does  not 
make  much  show,  when  in  flower,  yet  in  autumn  and  early  winter,  when  pro- 
fusely covered  with  black  berries,  it  becomes  highly  ornamental. 

The  wood  of  the  Rhamnus  catharticus  is  hard,  compact,  and  of  a  reddish  hue. 
The  juice  of  the  unripe  berries  has  the  colour  of  saffron,  and  is  used  for  staining 
paper  and  maps.  They  are  known  in  commerce  under  the  name  of  French  ber- 
ries. The  juice  of  the  ripe  berries,  evaporated  to  dryness  with  lime  or  alum,  is 
the  sap-green  of  painters ;  but  if  the  berries  are  gathered  late  in  autumn,  their 
juice  is  purple.  They  are  strongly  purgative,  if  eaten  to  the  number  of  twenty- 
five  or  thirty,  while  an  ounce  of  the  expressed  juice  is  required  to  produce  the 
same  effect.  They  were  formerly  much  employed  as  a  cathartic,  but  the  violent 
operation,  and  the  sickness,  griping  and  thirst  occasioned  by  them,  have  led  to 
their  disuse.  The  syrup  of  buckthorn,  (syrupus  rhamni,)  is  the  only  preparation 
at  present  employed  in  Pharmacy.  The  inner  bark  of  this  tree  affords  a  beautiful 
yellow  die,  and  like  that  of  the  common  elder,  is  a  strong  cathartic,  when  taken, 
and  excites  vomiting. 

23 


Genus    PISTACIA,   Linn. 


Anacardiacese. 
Syst.  Nat. 


Synonymes, 


Pistacia,  Terebinthus, 


Dioecia  Pentandria. 
Syst.  Lin. 


Of  Authors. 


Derivations.    The  word  Pistacia,  is  derived  from  the  Greek  pistakia,  or,  according  to  some,  from  the  Arabic  foustaq,  the 
name  of  the  true  pistachio.    Terebinthus  is  derived  from  the  Greek  terebintnos,  the  name  of  the  Turpentine-tree. 

Generic  Characters.  The  sexes  are  dioecious,  and  the  flowers  without  petals.  In  the  male  plants,  the 
flowers  are  disposed  in  racemes  that  resemble  catkins ;  every  flower  is  bracteated  by  a  scale ;  the 
calex  is  5-cleft ;  and  the  stamens  are  5,  inserted  into  a  calycine  disk,  or  into  a  calyx,  and  have  4-cor- 
nered,  almost  sessile  nnthers.  In  female  plants,  the  flowers  are  disposed  in  a  raceme,  less  closely  than 
in  the  male ;  the  caiyx  is  3 — 4-cleft ;  the  ovary  is  1 — 3-celled ;  the  stigmas  are  three,  and  thickish  ; 
and  the  fruit  is  a  dry,  ovate  drupe,  the  nut  of  which  is  rather  bony,  and  usually  1-celled,  though  some- 
times it  shows  two  abortive  cells  at  the  side  ;  the  cell  contains  a  single  seed,  which  is  affixed  to  the 
bottom.  The  cotyledons  of  the  seeds  are  thick,  fleshy,  and  oily,  and  bent  back  upon  the  radicij.  The 
species  are  trees  with  pinnate  leaves. — De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 

HE  genus  Pistacia  is  chiefly  confined  to  western  Asia,  southern 
Europe,  and  northern  Africa.  The  four  principal  species  are  the 
Pistacia  vera  or  true  pistacia ;  the  Pistacia  terebinthus  or  Venetian 
turpentine-tree,  which  produces  the  Venetian  and  Chian  turpen- 
tine, used  for  manufacturing  sealing-wax ;  the  Pistacia  lentiscus, 
or  mastic  tree,  which  produces  the  mastic  of  commerce ;  and  the 
Pistacia  atlantica,  or  Mount  Atlas  turpentine-tree.  Mastic  and  turpentine  are 
regarded  as  astringent  and  diuretic;  although  they  retain  a  place  in  Materia 
Medica,  they  are  not  much  used  by  modern  practitioners.  Mastic  is  employed 
by  the  Turkish  and  Armenian  women  as  a  masticatory  for  cleaning  their  teeth, 
and  for  imparting  an  agreeable  odour  to  their  breath.  It  is  also  used  to  fill  the 
cavities  of  carious  teeth. 


Pistacia  vera, 
THE   TRUE   PISTACHIO   NUT-TREE. 

Synonymes. 


Pistacia  vera, 


Pistacia  officinarum, 

Pistachier, 

Pistazienbaum, 

Pistacchio,  Pistacchio  verde, 

Alfocigo,  Alhocigo, 

Alfostigo, 

Pistacia,  Pistachio  Nut-tree, 


'  Linn-eus,  Species  Plantarum. 

De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 

Michaux,  North  American  Sylva. 

Don,  Miller's  Dictionary. 
k  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 

Aiton,  Hortus  Kewensis. 

France. 

Germany. 

Italy. 

Spain. 

Portugal. 

Britain  and  Anglo- America. 


Engravings.    Michaux,  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  103;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  ii.,  figure  221  ;  and  the  figures 
below. 

Specific  Characters.    Leaves  deciduous,  impari-pinnate,  of  3 — 5  leaflets,  rarely  of  1 ;  the  leaflets  ovate,  a 
little  tapered  at  the  base,  indistinctly  mucronate  at  the  tip. — De  Candolle,  ProdrorriMS. 

Description. 

SHE  True  Pistachio,  in 

favourable    situations, 

attains  a  height  of 
<m  fifteen  or  twenty  feet, 
and  often,  when  a  mere  shrub,  produces  fruit 
in  five  or  six  years  after  planting.  The  trunk 
is  clothed  with  a  grayish  bark.  The  branches 
are  spreading,  but  not  very  numerous,  and  are 
garnished  with  winged,  alternate  leaves,  on 
long  petioles.  The  inflorescence  takes  place 
in  April  and  May.  The  male  flowers,  which 
appear  first,  shoot  out  from  the  side  of  the 
branches  in  loose  panicles,  and  are  of  an  herba- 
ceous colour.  The  female  flowers  put  forth  in 
clusters,  in  the  same  manner.  The  fruit  is  oval, 
and  about  the  size  of  an  olive.  It  is  furrowed, 
of  a  reddish  colour,  and  contains  an  oily  kernel, 
mild  and  agreeable  to  the  taste. 

Varieties.  According  to  some  authors,  the 
following  races  are  regarded  as  species ;  but  Du  Hamel  says  that  they  are  by  no 
means  entitled  to  be  so  considered.  They  differ  only  in  the  size,  shape,  and 
consistency  of  their  leaflets. 

1.  P.  v.  trifolia,  Loudon.     Three-leafleted-leaved  Pistachio-tree. 

2.  P.  v.  narbonensis,  Loudon.  Narbonne  Pistachio-tree.  This  variety  has 
pinnate  leaves,  with  leaflets  having  prominent  veins. 

Geography  and  History.  The  Pistacia  vera  is  a  native  of  Syria,  Barbary, 
Persia,  and  Arabia.  It  was  brought  from  Syria  to  Italy  by  the  Emperor  Vitel- 
lius,  in  the  lid  century,  and  afterwards  found  its  way  into  the  south  of  France, 
where  it  is  so  far  naturalized,  as  to  appear  in  some  places  as  indigenous.     It  was 


180  PISTACIA    VERA. 

introduced  into  Britain  in  1770,  where,  in  sheltered  situations,  it  will  bear  the 
cold  of  ordinary  winters  without  covering ;  but,  in  severe  frosts,  they  are  often 
destroyed.  Miller  observes  that  this  tree  flowers  and  produces  fruit  freely  in 
England ;  but  the  summers  are  not  warm  enough  to  ripen  the  nuts.  He  men- 
tions a  tree  in  Dr.  Compton's  garden,  at  Fulham,  upwards  of  forty  years  old, 
planted  against  a  wall ;  and  another  which  had  been  planted  as  a  standard,  in 
the  Duke  of  Richmond's  grounds,  at  Goodwood,  in  Sussex,  where  it  had  stood 
many  years  without  the  slightest  protection. 

Soil,  Culture,  fyc.  This  species  will  grow  in  any  common  garden  soil,  and 
may  be  propagated  either  from  nuts,  specially  put  up  abroad,  or  even  from  those 
of  commerce,  and  by  cuttings.  It  is  cultivated  in  the  south  of  France  and  in 
Italy  for  its  fruit.  As  the  male  flowers  appear  before  those  of  the  female,  the 
Sicilian  gardeners,  when  the  trees  stand  far  asunder,  pluck  bunches  of  the  former, 
ready  to  blow,  plant  them  in  pots  of  moist  mould,  and  cause  them  to  remain  sus- 
pended on  the  female  trees  till  they  have  done  flowering.  This  operation  is 
called  tuchiarare,  and  never  fails  to  produce  fructification.  Sometimes  the  male 
buds  are  ingrafted  upon  the  female  trees,  in  order  to  produce  the  same  effect. 
This  tree  resists  a  greater  degree  of  cold  than  either  the  olive  or  the  almond,  and 
hence  is  adapted  to  the  climate  of  many  parts  of  the  United  States,  and  doubt- 
less could  be  cultivated  with  profit. 

Properties  and  Uses.  In  commerce,  the  fruit  of  this  tree  is  known  under 
the  following  names  and  qualities  : — 

1.  Aleppo  Pistachio-nuts,  which  may  be  distinguished  by  their  large  size,  yel- 
low interior,  and  usually  are  shipped  with  the  external  shell  or  husk  on.  When 
obtained  fresh,  these  are  unquestionably  of  the  best  quality  known. 

2.  Tunis  Pistachio-nuts.  These  are  small,  with  a  delicate,  rose-coloured  pulp, 
and  of  a  clear  green  interior.  They  are  much  sought  after  by  the  French  con- 
fectioners, who  manufacture  them  into  sugar-plums,  by  covering  them  with 
sugar  or  with  chocolate,  and  sell  them  under  the  name  of  diablotins.  Creams 
and  ices  are  also  composed  of  them,  coloured  green  with  the  juice  of  spinach. 

3.  Sicily  Pistachio-nuts.  These  vary  much  in  their  size,  and  may  be  known 
by  their  violet-coloured  pulps,  and  rich,  green  kernels.  They  are  much  used 
in  France  in  the  preparation  of  sausages  and  other  seasoned  meats. 

In  general,  the  fruit  of  this  species,  is  thought  to  be  a  fortifier  of  the  stomach, 
and  is  taken  to  ameliorate  coughs  and  rheums.  It  is  frequently  used  as  a  dessert, 
sometimes  eaten  raw,  but  oftener  in  a  dried  state,  like  almonds. 

As  an  ornamental  shrub  or  low  tree,  this  species  is  highly  deserving  of  culti- 
vation in  the  middle  and  southern  sections  of  the  union ;  and  from  its  singular 
and  beautiful  foliage,  no  conservatory  wall  should  be  without  it. 


Genus  RHUS,   Linn. 

Anacardiacae.  Pentandria  Trigynia. 

Syst.  Nat.  Syst.  Lin. 

Synonymes. 

Rhus,  Rhamnus,  Cctinus,  Zizyphus,  Myrica,  Toxicodendron,  Of  Authors. 

Derivations.  The  name,  Rhus,  is  derived  from  the  Greek  rhous,  or  more  remotely,  from  the  Celtic  word,  rhudd,  a  syno- 
nyme  of  rud,  red;  in  allusion  to  the  colour  of  the  fruit  and  leaves  of  some  of  the  species  in  autumn.  Cotinus  is  the  name  of 
a  tree  with  red  wood,  described  by  Pliny,  as  growing  on  the  Apennines.  The  other  names  belong  to  genera  which  were  sup- 
posed by  some  botanists  to  include  species  more  properly  coming  under  the  head  of  rhus. 

Generic  Characters.  Sexes  hermaphrodite,  dioecious,  or  polygamous.  Calyx  small,  5-parted,  persistent. 
Petals  ovate,  and  inserted  into  a  calycine  disk ;  all  of  them  in  the  flowers  of  the  male  and  hermaphro- 
dite sexes  bearing  anthers.  Ovary  single,  perhaps  from  defect,  sub-globular,  of  1  cell.  Styles  3,  short, 
or  not  any.  Stigmas  3.  Fruit  an  almost  dry  drupe  of  1  cell,  with  a  bony  nut,  which  includes  a  single 
seed ;  and,  in  some  instances,  2 — 3  seeds  ;  when  one,  perhaps,  by  defect.  Each  seed  is  pendulous  by  a 
thread,  (the  raphe,)  that  rises  from  the  bottom  of  the  cell.    Cotyledons  leafy,  their  edges,  on  one  side, 

'  and  the  radicle,  in  contact. — Be  Candolle,  Prodromus. 

^HE  genus  Rhus  chiefly  consists  of  deciduous  shrubs,  generally 
with  alternate  compound  leaves,  and  are  natives  of  Europe,  Asia, 
and  North  and  South  America.  The  foliage  widely  varies,  both 
in  form  and  size ;  and,  in  autumn,  before  it  falls,  it  changes  to  a 
yellow,  dark-red,  or  scarlet,  on  which  account,  at  that  season, 
it  is  highly  ornamental.  Don,  in  "  Miller's  Gardeners'  Dic- 
tionary," describes  ninety-seven  species  of  this  genus;  but  Mr.  Loudon  was  of 
the  opinion  that,  if  it  were  possible  to  bring  them  all  together,  and  cultivate  them 
in  the  same  garden,  he  questioned  much  whether  there  would  be  found  more 
than  a  fourth  part  of  them  entitled  to  be  considered  specifically  or  permanently 
distinct.  Most  of  them  are  poisonous,  some  of  which  are  highly  so,  and  probably 
they  all  may  be  used  in  tanning,  and  dyeing  yellow  and  black.  The  species 
most  worthy  of  note,  and  which  have  been  cultivated  for  ornament,  or  have  been 
applied  to  useful  purposes  in  the  arts,  are  the  Rhus  typhina,  venenata,  aromat- 
ica,  and  copallina,  for  ornament ;  and  the  Rhus  radicans,  for  medicine,  in  North 
America ;  the  Rhus  cotinus  and  coriaria,  for  tanning  and  dyeing,  of  the  shores 
of  the  Mediterranean ;  and  the  Rhus  vernicifera,  or  varnish-producing  sumac;  of 
Japan  and  Nepal. 


Rhus  cotinus, 
THE  VENETIAN  SUMACH. 

Synonymes. 


LiNNiEus,  Species  Plantarum. 

De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 

Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 

Ito  Hamel,  Traite  des  Arbres  et  Arbustes. 

France. 

Germany. 

Italy. 

Spain. 

Britain  and  Anglo- America. 


Rhus  cotinus, 

Cotinus  coriacea. 

Sumac  fustet,  Arbre  aux  perruques, 
Periicken  Sumach, 
Cotino,  Scotino,  Roso,  Ruoso, 
Zumaque  cabelloso, 

Venice   Sumach,  Venus   Sumach,  Wild 
Olive-tree,  Fringe-tree, 

Derivations.  The  French  name,  Arbre  aux pirruques,  signifies  Wig-tree ;  on  account  of  the  large  shaggy  hairs  which  grow 
on  the  elongated  pedicels.  The  Italian  name,  Scotino,  is  derived  from  the  Greek  skotios,  obscure,  or  happening  in  the  dark  ; 
probably  in  allusion  to  the  pedicels  being  clothed  or  concealed  by  hairs. 

Engravings.  Du  Hamel,  Traite  des  Arbres  et  Arbustes,  pi.  178;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  ii.,  figure  223;  and  the 
figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.  Leaves  obovate,  sessile,  entire,  very  narrow  at  the  base,  and  smooth  on  both  sides  ; 
a  great  part  of  the  flowers  abortive,  the  pedicels  at  length  elongated,  and  clothed  with  shaggy  hairs. 
Corymbs  axillary. 

Description. 

|HE  Venetian  Sumach,  in  a  wild  state,  is  seldom 
found  higher  than  five  or  six  feet ;  but  when 
cultivated,  it  often  attains  more  than  double 
i  that  height,  and  forms  a  highly  ornamental 
shrub,  more  especially  when  garnished  with  its  large,  loose  pani- 
cles of  elongated  pedicels.  It  is  easily  distinguished  from  all  other 
species  of  rhus  by  its  simple,  obovate,  smooth,  stiff,  lucid,  green 
leaves,  rounded  at  their  points,  and  supported  by  long  footstalks, 
which  do  not  fall  till  they  are  killed  by  frost,  so  that  the  plant  is 
almost  sub-evergreen.  The  flowers,  which  appear  in  June  and 
July,  are  produced  at  the  ends  of  the  branches,  and  are  of  a  pale 
purple,  or  flesh  colour.  They  are  composed  of  five  small  oval 
petals  each,  which  spread  open ;  and  the  sexes  are  hermaphrodite. 
The  drupes  are  half-heart-shaped,  smooth,  and  veiny,  containing  a  triangular  nut. 

Geography  and  History.  The  Rhus  cotinus  is  native  of  sunny  places  in 
western  Asia,  and  in  southern  Europe,  from  Spain  to  Caucasus ;  and,  according 
to  Mr.  Nuttall,  it  is  truly  indigenous  on  the  high  rocky  banks  of  Grand  River,  in 
Arkansas,  North  America. 

This  plant  appears  to  have  been  known  to  Pliny,  who  mentions  it  as  an  Apen- 
nine  shrub,  under  the  name  of  coggygria.  It  was  introduced  into  Britain  in 
1656,  and  was  cultivated  by  Tradescant,  and  is  described  by  Gerard  as  an 
excellent  and  most  beautiful  plant,  "  with  leaves  of  the  capparis,  and  the  savour 
of  the  pistachia."  Mr.  Loudon  observes  that  there  are  old  plants  of  it  at  Syon ; 
and  a  very  fine  one  at  Deepden,  the  diameter  of  the  head  of  which  is  nearly 
twenty  feet ;  but  the  largest  specimen  in  England  is  at  Enville,  in  Staffordshire, 
where  it  has  attained  more  than  double  that  size. 

This  shrub  was  introduced  into  the  United  States  by  the  late  William  Prince, 
of  Flushing,  New  York,  in  about  1790,  and  may  be  found  in  most  of  the  nur- 
series and  collections  in  various  parts  of  the  country. 


VENETIAN  SUMACH.  183 

Soil  and  Culture.  This  shrub  prospers  best  in  a  dry  loam,  though  it  will 
grow  in  any  common  garden  soil.  It  may  be  propagated  by  seeds,  or  by  peg- 
ging down  the  branches  flat  to  the  ground,  in  the  spring,  and  strewing  earth 
over  them.  Young  shoots  will  rise  and  take  root  at  the  base,  which  may  be 
severed  from  the  parent  stock  in  autumn,  and  planted  in  pots  or  in  the  site  where 
they  are  intended  to  remain.  As  an  ornamental  shrub,  this  species  deserves  a 
place  in  every  garden  and  collection  where  there  is  room  for  it  to  extend  itself. 
And  there  is  but  little  doubt  but  it  might  be  profitably  cultivated  in  many  parts 
of  the  United  States,  for  the  purposes  of  tanning  and  dyeing. 

Uses,  fyc.  In  Greece,  and  in  the  south  of  Russia,  the  whole  plant  is  used  for 
tanning,  and  for  dyeing  leather,  wool,  and  silk,  yellow.  In  Italy,  particularly 
about  Venice,  it  is  used  for  dyeing  black.  In  Syria,  Palestine,  France,  Spain, 
and  Portugal,  this  species,  as  well  as  the  Rhus  coriaria,  are  cultivated  with  care, 
if  they  do  not  grow  naturally,  and  the  shoots  are  cut  down  every  year  quite  to 
the  ground,  which,  on  being  dried,  are  reduced  to  powder  by  mills,  and  thus  pre- 
pared for  use.  In  the  commerce  of  the  south  of  France,  there  is  another  plant 
employed  as  sumach,  called  redoul,  and  known  by  botanists  under  the  name  of 
Coriaria  myrtifolia.  When  reduced  to  a  powder,  it  somewhat  resembles  the 
Sicilian  sumach  in  colour,  but  may  be  readily  distinguished  from  it  by  an 
unpleasant  herbaceous  odour,  while  that  of  the  latter  is  fragrant,  penetrating, 
and  agreeable. 


Rhus  lyphina, 
THE  ANTIFEBRILE   RHUS. 

Synonymes. 


Rhus  typhina, 


Sumac  de  Virginie, 

Virginischer  Sumach,  Farberbaum, 

Sommacco  peloso,  Sorbo  salvatico, 

Zumaque  de  Virginia, 

Stag-horn  Sumach,  Virginian  Sumach, 


[  Linn-eus,  Species  Plantarum. 

De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 
-  Don,  Miller's  Dictionary. 

Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
k  Torrey  and  Gray,  Flora  of  North  America. 

France. 

Germany. 

Italy. 

Spain. 

Britain  and  Anolo- America. 


Derivations.    The  specific  name,  typhina,  is  derived  from  the  Greek  tuphos,  stupor  or  senselessness,  on  account  of  the  roots 
of  this  shrub  being  used  in  medicine  as  a  febrifuge.    The  German  name,  Farberbaum,  signifies  Dyer's-tree. 

Engravings.    Du  Hamel,  Traite  des  Arbres  et  Arbustes,  ii.,  pi.  47 ;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  ii.,  figure  224 ;  and  the 

figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.    Leaf  of  8—10  pairs  of  leaflets,  and  the  odd  one,  that  are  lanceolate,  acuminate,  ser- 
rated, hairy  beneath.    Petiole  and  branches  hairy.— De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 

Description. 

\  |p^^||HE  Rhus  typhina,  in  its  arbo- 
h  H  ^  rescent  form,  attains  a  height 

J    M,  of  ten   to   twenty-five   feet, 

n^m  although  under  some  circum- 
stances it  dwindles  down  to  a  mere  shrub,  from 
ten  to  two  feet  in  height.  Its  stem  is  woody,  with 
a  summit  composed  of  numerous  irregular  branches, 
generally  crooked  and  deformed.  The  young 
shoots  are  covered  with  a  soft,  velvet-like  down, 
resembling  that  of  the  new  horns  of  the  stag, 
both  in  colour  and  texture.  The  leaves  are  large, 
slightly  downy  beneath,  and  are  distinguished  in 
autumn,  before  they  fall,  by  changing  to  a  purplish 
or  yellowish-red.  The  flowers  appear  in  June, 
and  are  of  a  greenish-yellow.  They  are  produced 
in  close  spikes  at  the  ends  of  the  branches,  and  are 
succeeded  by  drupes  or  berries,  densely  clothed 
with  crimson  hairs,  which  soon  become  conspicu- 
ous, and  remain  upon  the  tree  during  winter. 

Varieties.  There  are  many  varieties  of  this  species  in  North  America,  and 
from  the  confusion  existing  in  botanical  works,  it  is  often  difficult  to  decide 
which  are  species  or  which  are  varieties  in  this  genus.  The  following  races, 
however,  appear  to  be  sufficiently  distinct,  to  be  classed  under  the  present  head. 

1 .  R.  t.  viridiflora.  Green-flowered  Sumach,  with  green  flowers  in  upright 
racemes. 

2.  R.  t.  glabra.  Glabrous  Rhus,  or  Scarlet  Sumach,  with  glabrous  leaves, 
and  fruit  covered  with  red,  silky  hairs. 

3.  R.  t.  hermaphrodita,  with  hermaphrodite  sexes,  glabrous  leaves,  and  green- 
ish flowers. 

4.  R.  t.  dioica,  with  dioecious  sexes,  glabrous  leaves,  and  greenish  flowers. 


VIRGINIAN  SUMACH.  185 

5.  R.  t.  coccinea.  Scarlet-flowered  Sumach,  with  dioBcious  sexes,  leaves  glau- 
cous beneath,  flowers  red,  and  fruit  of  a  rich,  velvety  crimson. 

Geography  and  History.  The  Rhus  typhina  is  found  in  a  wild  state  in 
almost  every  part  of  North  America,  from  Canada  to  Texas,  and  even  west  of 
the  Rocky  Mountains.  It  was  cultivated  in  England,  by  Parkinson,  in  1629, 
and  is  now  common  in  most  of  the  European  gardens  and  collections. 

Soil,  Culture,  fyc.  This  species,  or  its  varieties  under  notice,  grows  abun- 
dantly, both  in  cultivated  and  in  uncultivated  tracts.  In  woodlands,  it  is  found 
near  the  margins  of  open  glades ;  and,  in  arable  fields,  suitable  for  growing  corn, 
it  is  more  common  than  in  low  meadows.  In  some  parts  of  the  country  it  flour- 
ishes like  a  weed,  and  a  field  left  uncultivated  for  a  few  years,  becomes  overrun 
with  it  from  berries  which  have  been  disseminated  by  birds,  or  other  natural 
causes;  and,  when  the  ground  is  again  brought  into  tillage,  the  roots  prove  a 
great  impediment  to  the  plough.  This  shrub,  like  all  others  of  the  genus,  is 
easily  propagated  by  seeds  or  by  cuttings  of  the  roots.  As  it  is  of  an  open,  irreg- 
ular growth,  and  of  not  many  years'  durability,  it  should  never  be  placed  where 
it  is  intended  to  serve  as  a  screen.  The  most  striking  situation  in  which  it  can 
be  placed,  is  when  standing  alone  on  a  lawn.  If  trained  to  a  single  stem,  it 
forms  an  interesting  little  tree,  and  well  deserves  to  be  cherished,  from  its  large 
and  beautiful  foliage,  its  varied  colours  in  autumn,  and  its  spikes  of  dark-red 
fruit,  which  diversify  the  scenery  of  a  northern  winter. 

Properties  and  Uses.  On  cutting  the  stem  of  this  shrub,  a  yellowish,  resinous 
juice  flows  out  from  between  the  bark  and  wood.  One  or  two  of  the  outer  cir- 
cles of  the  wood  are  white,  but  those  innermost,  are  of  a  yellowish-green,  or 
orange-colour,  having  a  strong  aromatic  odour.  It  contains  a  soft  pith,  of  a 
brownish  colour,  and  is  frequently  more  than  half  of  an  inch  in  diameter.  The 
wood  and  leaves  are  used  in  tanning  the  finer  kinds  of  leather,  and  the  roots  are 
prescribed  as  a  febrifugal  medicine.  The  branches,  boiled  with  the  berries, 
afford  a  black,  ink-like  tincture ;  and  the  berries  may  be  employed  alone  for 
dyeing  red.  They  are  eaten  by  children  with  impunity,  though  they  are  very 
sour.  Professor  Rogers,  in  "  Silliman's  Journal,''  observes  that  they  contain  a 
large  portion  of  malic  acid,  and  are  used  as  a  substitute  for  lemons  in  various 
preparations  of  domestic  economy,  and  in  medicine. 

24 


Rhus  venenata, 
THE   POISONOUS  RHUS. 

Synonymes. 

f  De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 
Hooker,  Flora  Boreali  Americana. 
Don,  Miller's  Dictionary. 
Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
Torrey  and  Gray,  Flora  of  North  America. 
Bigelow,  Medical  Botany. 
France. 
Germany. 
Italy. 
Poison  Sumach,  Swamp  Sumach,  Poison  j  Britmn  ^  Asoij0.AxZjLKJi. 
Elder,  Poison- wood, 


Rhus  venenata, 


Rhus  vernix, 
Sumac  veneneux, 
Giftiger  Sumach, 
Albero  del  veleno, 


Derivation,    The  specific  name,  venenata,  is  derived  from  the  Latin  venerium,  poison,  on  account  of  the  poisonous  nature 
of  this  shrub  to  most  persons. 

Engravings.    Bigelow,  Medipal  Botany,  i.,  pi.  19 ;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  ii.,  figure  226 ;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.    Leaf  rather  glabrous  than  pubescent,  of  5 — 6  pairs  of  leaflets,  and  the  odd  one,  which 
are  ovate-lanceolate,  acuminate,  entire,  and  beneath  reticulately  veined. — De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 


Description. 

HE  Rhus  venenata,  in  its 
*  natural  habitat,  is  a  de- 
ciduous shrub,  or  low 
•iSNW  tree,  growing  to  a  height 
of  ten  to  twenty  feet;  but  when  cultivated  on 
more  elevated  grounds,  it  does  not  attain  so  great 
an  elevation.  The  leaves  are  divided  like  those 
of  the  Rhus  typhina,  but  differ  in  being  smooth 
and  shining;  the  leaflets  are  very  entire,  nar- 
row, and  pointed,  with  purplish-red  veins;  and 
in  autumn  they  change  to  an  intense  red,  or  pur- 
ple. The  flowers,  which  appear  in  May,  June, 
and  July,  are  mostly  dioecious,  small,  and  of  a 
greenish  colour.  The  drupes  are  whitish,  and 
about  the  size  of  peas ;  and  the  nuts  are  rather 
broader  than  long,  compressed  and  furrowed. 

Geography  and  History.     The  Rhus  venenata 
is   indigenous  to   North  America,   and  may  be 
found  in  swamps,  and  moist,  shady  situations, 
from  Canada  to  Louisiana.     It  was  introduced  into  Britain  in  1713,  and  is  culti- 
vated in  several  of  the  European  collections. 

Properties,  Uses,  fyc.  Every  part  of  this  shrub,  even  when  reduced  to  charcoal, 
is  in  a  high  degree  poisonous  to  most  persons,  either  by  touching  or  smelling  any 
part  of  it.  It  operates  somewhat  differently  upon  different  constitutions;  and 
some,  it  is  said,  are  incapable  of  being  poisoned  by  it  at  all.  This  may  be  true 
under  some  circumstances,  but  is  liable  to  fail  under  others.  A  few  years  since, 
in  a  hot  day  in  the  month  of  August,  while  prosecuting  a  public  survey,  we 
directed  a  number  of  men  to  cut  a  pathway  through  a  swamp,  densely  filled  with 
this  poisonous  plant.     As  most  of  us  had  never  suffered  any  inconvenience  from 


POISON  SUMACH.  187 

it  before,  and  had  frequently  handled  it  with  impunity,  we  fearlessly  went  to 
work,  and  after  a  few  hours'  excessive  toil,  made  our  way  through.  In  about 
two  days  afterwards  we  were  all  more  or  less  affected  by  it,  and  several  were  so 
badly  swollen  in  their  faces  and  limbs  that  they  were  unable  to  work.  After 
repeatedly  moistening  the  parts  inflamed  with  a  solution  of  borax  (sub-borate  of 
soda)  and  water,  in  five  or  six  days,  the  eruptions  mostly  disappeared.  Kalm,  in 
his  travels,  states  that  this  plant  had  no  effect  upon  him,  except  once,  on  a  hot 
day,  when,  being  in  some  perspiration,  he  cut  a  branch,  and  carried  it  in  his 
hand  for  half  an  hour,  occasionally  smelling  it.  During  a  week,  his  eyes 
were  very  red,  and  the  eyelids  very  stiff,  but  the  disorder  went  off  by  washing 
the  parts  in  cold  water.  The  persons  most  susceptible  to  the  effects  of  this  poison, 
are  usually  of  irritable  and  unstable  habits.  In  about  forty-eight  hours  after  being 
exposed  to  it,  inflammation  appears  on  the  skin,  in  large  blotches,  principally  on 
the  face  and  extremities,  and  on  the  glandulous  parts  of  the  body ;  soon  after, 
small  pustules  appear  in  the  inflamed  parts,  and  become  filled  with  watery  mat- 
ter, attended  with  an  almost  insupportable  itching  and  burning.  In  two  or  three 
days,  the  eruptions  suppurate ;  after  which,  the  inflammation  subsides,  and  in  a 
short  time  the  ulcers  heal. 

It  appears,  from  a  notice  in  "  Nicholson's  Journal,"  vol.  xxiii.,  that  this  poison  is 
sometimes  fatal  to  bees.  A  large  swarm  having  settled  on  a  branch,  in  the  county 
of  West  Chester,  New  York,  was  taken  into  a  hive  at  three  o'clock  in  the  after- 
noon, and  removed  to  the  place  where  it  was  to  remain,  at  nine.  About  five  the 
next  morning,  the  bees  were  found  dead,  swollen  to  double  their  natural  size,  and 
turned  black,  except  a  few,  which  appeared  torpid  and  feeble,  and  soon  died,  on 
exposure  to  the  air. 

Between  the  wood  and  bark  of  this  shrub,  there  exists  a  milky  juice,  having 
a  nauseous  smell,  which  stains  linen  of  a  dark-brown.  Were  it  not  for  its  poi- 
sonous qualities,  this  juice  might  be  advantageously  employed  as  a  varnish,  like 
that  of  the  Rhus  vernicifera,  the  plant  from  which  the  real  Japan  varnish  is 
extracted. 

Loudon  remarks  that  this  species  is  not  very  common  in  British  gardens ;  but 
it  well  deserves  culture,  on  account  of  the  beauty  of  its  smooth,  shining  foliage, 
at  all  seasons,  and  of  its  almost  unparalleled  splendour  in  the  autumn,  from  the 
time  that  the  leaves  begin  to  change  colour,  till  they  ultimately  drop  off  with  the 
first  frost.  He  recommends  that  the  plant  should  always  have  a  label  attached 
to  it,  indicating  the  poisonous  quality  of  the  leaves,  even  when  touched  or 
smelled. 


Genus  BURSERA,   Jacq. 

Burseraceae.  Dioecia  Polygamia. 

Syst.  Nat.  Syst.  Lin. 

Derivation.    This  genus  was  named  in  honour  of  Joachim  Burser,  professor  of  botany  at  Sara,  in  Naples. 

Generic  Characters.    Hermaphrodite.     Calyx  5-toothed.    Petals  5.     Stamens  10.     Style  0.    Capsules.  • 
valved,  1-seeded. — Male.    Calyx  5-toothed.    Petals  5.    Stamens  10. — Loudon,  Encyc.  Plants. 

URSERA  is  a  genus  embracing  but  one  species,  a  native  of  the 
warmer  parts  of  America.  It  abounds  in  a  copious,  watery,  bal- 
samic fluid,  resembling  in  its  qualities,  the  gum-elemi  of  the  shops, 
the  history  of  which  is  involved  in  great  obscurity.  Linnaeus, 
and  the  London  and  Dublin  colleges  after  him,  describe  this  sub- 
stance as  the  resin  of  Amyris  elemifera ;  but  that  distinguished 
botanist  confounded,  under  one  name,  two  distinct  plants,  namely,  the  Icica  icica- 
riba,  a  tree  of  Brazil,  and  the  Amyris  plumieri,  of  the  Antilles,  both  of  which  yield 
similar  gum.  From  some  accounts,  it  would  appear  that  it  came  from  Ethiopia, 
by  way  of  the  Levant.  Possibly  it  may  be  the  product  of  the  Canarium  zephyr- 
inum  sive  sylvestre primum  Conari  Barat,  of  Rumphius,  (Herb.  Amb.,  lib.  hi.,  c.  ii., 
p.  153,)  which  he  says  yields  a  resin  so  much  like  elemi,  that  it  may  be  taken  for 
it,  and  he  puts  a  query,  whether  this  tree  may  not  be  the  source  of  it.  The  Cana- 
rium  balsamiferum  of  Ceylon,  is  said  to  produce  a  resin  which  strongly  resembles  it, 
both  in  odour  and  in  general  appearance.  There  are  at  least  three  kinds  of  elemi 
met  with  in  commerce,  viz.: — 1st.  Elemi  in  flag-leaves  ;  Risine  elemi  en  pains, 
Guibourt ;  Resina  Elemi  orienlalis,  Martius.  This  occurs  in  the  commerce  of 
Holland,  in  triangular  masses,  weighing  from  one  to  two  pounds  each,  enveloped 
in  a  palm-leaf,  and  probably  is  brought  from  some  of  the  Dutch  colonies  in  the 
East  or  West  Indies,  or  in  South  America.  Martius  ascribed  it  to  the  Amyris 
zeylandica,  (Balsamodendron  zeylandicum,  Kunth,)  of  Ceylon.  2d.  Brazilian 
Elemi,  Resine  elemi  du  Bresil,  Guibourt.  This  variety  is  believed  to  be  obtained 
from  the  Icica  icicariba,  by  making  incisions  in  the  stem,  and  gathering  the  gum 
twenty-four  hours  afterwards.  It  is  imported  in  cases  containing  two  or  three 
hundred  pounds  in  each,  is  soft  and  unctuous,  but  becomes  hard  and  brittle  by 
cold  and  age.  It  is  translucent,  of  a  yellowish-white,  mixed  with  greenish  specs ; 
its  odour  is  strong,  agreeable,  analogous  to  that  of  fennel.  3d.  Elemi  in  the  lump, 
This  differs  from  the  preceding  variety  in  being  of  a  much  paler  yellow.* 

*  See  Pereira's  Materia  Medica,  ii.,  p.  609. 


Bursera  gummifera, 
THE  GUM-BEARING  BURSERA. 


Synonymes. 


Bursera  gummifera, 


Gommart  gommiiere,  Gommier  blanc, 

Gummitragender  Bursere, 

Almacigo, 

West-India  Birch, 

Gumbo-limbo, 


Von  Jacquin,  Stirpium  Americanarum. 

Lunan,  Hortus  Jamaicensis. 

Nuttall,  North  American  Sylva. 

France. 

Germany. 

Spain  and  Spanish  America. 

British  West  Indies. 

Southern  Florida  and  Bahama  Islands. 


Engravings.    Nuttall,  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  — ;  Loudon,  Encyclopaedia  of  Plants,  figure  143S9  ;  and  the  figures  below 

Specific  Characters.     Leaves  pinnate.     Leaflets  ovate-acute,  entire,  opposite,  and  slightly  circinate.    Ra- 
cemes axillary. 


Description. 

PSS5£&S|HE  Bursera  gummifera  is 

?2  '"Tp  M  an  evergreen  tree,  attaining 

f/|  U  M>  a  height  of  fifty  or  sixty  feet, 
**>«*  p**^  ^^^^^  with  a  trunk  from  three  to 
five  feet  in  diameter.  In  open  situations  its  trunk  is 
often  short,  and  divides  itself  into  a  number  of  large 
limbs,  so  divergent  that  they  form  a  spacious  head. 
The  bark  of  the  trunk  and  branches  is  of  a  reddish- 
brown,  and  has  a  loose  epidermis,  resembling  that 
of  the  yellow  birch  (Betula  excelsa.)  The  leaves 
are  pinnate,  from  six  to  twelve  inches  in  length,  and 
somewhat  drooping.  The  leaflets  are  from  three  to 
four  inches  long,  ovate-acute,  opposite,  and  are  borne 
on  short  footstalks.  They  are  of  a  dark-green,  and 
shining  on  their  ii^per  sides,  and  light  beneath,  with 
numerous  veins,  connected  in  a  singular  manner. 
The  flowers,  which  appear  in  November  or  Decem- 
ber, are  of  a  yellowish  colour,  occur  in  clusters,  and  are  situated  on  separate 
stalks.  The  fruit,  which  ripens  in  January  or  February,  is  roundish,  or  slightly 
oblong,  with  a  sharp  protuberance  at  the  end,  and  is  about  one  fourth  of  an 
inch  in  diameter.  It  is  of  a  purplish  colour,  hangs  in  clusters,  and  is  joined  to 
the  axil  by  a  footstalk  about  one  fourth  of  an  inch  long.  Each  berry  contains 
a  hard,  white  seed,  of  a  triangular  form,  which  is  surrounded  by  a  clear,  bal- 
samic fluid,  much  sought  after  by  various  species  of  birds. 

Geography  and  History.  This  species  is  particularly  abundant  on  the  islands 
of  Cuba  and  Jamaica,  and  is  also  found  in  considerable  quantities  on  the  Baha- 
mas and  in  southern  Florida,  and  along  the  coast  to  the  Spanish  Maine.  It  was 
introduced  into  Britain  in  1690,  and  can  only  be  reared  there  as  a  hot-house 
plant. 

Several  large  trees  are  growing  in  the  suburbs  of  Havana,  in  the  island  of 
Cuba,  and  in  the  town  of  Key  West,  in  Florida. 
Soil,  Culture,  fyc.     In  its  natural  habitat,  the  Bursera  gummifera  prefers  a 


190  BURSERA  GUMMIFERA. 

dry,  rocky  soil,  covered  with  a  rich,  vegetable  mould  or  peat ;  but  it  will  grow 
in  any  situation  where  the  sugar-cane  will  succeed.  It  may  be  readily  propa- 
gated from  seeds,  or  by  cuttings,  but  the  latter  mode  is  far  preferable  where  a 
large  growth  is  soon  required.  When  employed  for  live  fences,  it  is  only  neces- 
sary to  cut  truncheons  of  any  size,  at  the  commencement  of  the  rainy  season, 
and  plant  them  in  a  continuous  row,  ten  or  twelve  inches  apart,  with  the  but- 
ends  downward,  buried  from  a  foot  to  a  foot  and  a  half  deep.  For  ordinary  fence 
they  may  not  be  cut  more  than  six  or  eight  feet  in  length,  and  three  or  four  inches 
in  diameter.  When  thus  planted,  they  immediately  take  root,  and  in  a  short  time 
become  a  durable  barrier.  This  tree  is  of  a  rapid  growth,  and  consequently  will 
not  live  to  a  great  age. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  Bursera  gummifera  is  white,  soft,  full 
of  juices,  and  rapidly  decays.  It  is  appropriated  to  no  particular  use,  except  in 
forming  live  fences  in  the  countries  where  it  abounds,  for  which  it  answers  an 
admirable  purpose.  The  fruit,  when  cut,  discharges  a  clear  balsamic  fluid, 
esteemed  in  Jamaica  as  a  good  vulnerary,  particularly  for  horses.  On  wound- 
ing the  bark,  a  thick,  milky  liquor,  of  a  peculiar  odour,  is  obtained,  which  con- 
cretes into  a  resin,  not  materially  different  from  gum-elemi.  The  bark  of  the 
root  is  very  bitter,  and  is  said  to  possess  the  same  properties  as  quassia.  The 
inner  bark  of  the  trunk  and  branches  is  yellow,  and  has  been  employed  on  the 
island  of  Cuba  in  the  manufacture  of  muscovado  sugar.  When  boiled  in  the 
syrup  of  cane  it  imparts  to  the  sugar  a  yellowish  tinge. 


Genus  CLADRASTIS,  Raf. 

Leguminacea?.  Decandria  Monogyma. 

Svst.  Nat.  Syst.  Lin. 

Synonymes. 

Cladrastis,  Virgilia,  Sophora,  Of  Authors. 

Derivations.  The  name  Cladrastis,  is  derived  from  the  Greek  dados,  a  branch,  aud  rasso,  to  break  in  pieces,  having  refer- 
ence to  the  brittleness  of  the  branches  of  this  genus.  It  was  called  Virgilia  by  Lamarck,  in  honor  of  the  poet  Virgil,  whose 
"Georgics"  entitle  him  to  botanic  commemoration.  The  name  Sophora,  was  derived  from  the  Arabic  sophero,  a  papilionaceous 
flowering  tree. 

Generic  Characters.  Calyx  protuberant,  campanulate,  unequally  5-lobed.  Petals  5,  unequal,  unguiculate, 
superior,  larger  obovate  notched,  4-oblong,  obtuse,  subcordate  at  the  base.  Stamens  10,  free,  unequal, 
filiform.  Pistils  stipitate,  oblong.  Style  curved,  compressed.  Stigma  acute.  Legume  stipitale,  linear, 
flat,  membranaceous,  4 — 6-seeded.    Leaves  oddly  pinnate.     Flowers  racemose  without  bracts. 

HE  genus  Cladrastis  embraces  but  one  species,  a  native  of  the 
United  States,  It  was  classed  by  Michaux  among  the  African 
Virgilias,  from  which  it  differs  in  having  the  calyx  bilabiate, 
two  of  the  petals  cariniform,  the  stigma  obtuse,  and  the  seeds 
lenticular.  To  the  same  natural  family  belong  the  Spanish  broom, 
(Spartium  junceum,)  from  the  fibres  of  which  a  very  good  cloth 
is  manufactured,  in  the  south  of  Europe ;  the  Laburnum,  (Cytisus  laburnum,) 
so  much  admired  in  ornamental  plantations;  and  the  Furze,  (Ulex  europsea,) 
celebrated  among  the  classical  ancients,  and  cultivated  in  modern  times  for 
Hedges,  fodder  for  cattle,  underwood,  and  the  protection  of  game.  As  a  shelter 
to  young  trees,  furze  is  sometimes  sown  where  acorns,  beech,  masts,  or  chesnuts 
are  to  be  sown,  or  where  young  trees  are  to  be  planted,  in  order  to  protect  them 
for  a  few  years,  till  they  are  grown  up,  and  have  sufficient  strength  to  shelter 
me  another,  when  they  will  overtop  the  furze,  and  destroy  it. 


Cladrastis  tinctoria, 
THE  VIRGILIA,  OR   YELLOW-WOOD. 

Synonymes. 


Virgilia  lutea, 

Cladrastis  tinctoria, 
Virgilia, 
Yellow  Locust, 
Virgilia,  Yellow-wood, 


Michaux,  North  American  Sylva. 
De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 
Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
Torrey  and  Gray,  Flora  of  North  America. 
Britain,  France,  Germany,  and  Italy. 
Kentucky,  Tennessee,  and  Alabama. 
Other  parts  of  the  United  States. 


Derivations.    The  specific  names  tinctoria  and  lutea,  have  reference  to  the  yellow  colour  which  the  wood  of  this  tree  'mparts 
to  water. 
Engravings.    Michaux,  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  78;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  v.,  pi.  78;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.  Leaves  pinnate.  Leaflets  9 — 11,  petiolate,  alternate,  ovate-acuminate,  entire,  glau- 
cous beneath,  the  odd  one  larger,  ovate-rhomboidal,  base  acute.  Flowers  in  simple,  lax,  nodding 
racemes,  white,  odorous.    Pods  smooth. 


Description. 

[HE  Cladrastis  tinctoria,  in 
favourable  situations,  at- 
tains a  height  of  thirty 
93  to  fifty  feet,  and  a  diame- 
ter of  ten"  to  twelve  inches.  The  trunk  is  covered 
with  a  greenish  bark,  which  is  smooth,  instead  of 
being  furrowed,  like  that  of  most  other  trees.  The 
branches  are  brittle,  and  like  the  petioles  and 
nerves  of  the  leaves,  are  of  a  yellowish  hue.  The 
leaves  on  young  and  thrifty  stocks  are  from  a  foot 
to  a  foot  and  a  half  in  length,  and  on  old  trees  they 
are  not  more  than  half  of  that  size.  They  are 
composed  of  two  rows  of  leaflets,  which  are  petio- 
lulate,  broadly  oval,  entire,  smooth,  the  terminal 
one  rhomboid-ovate,  acuminate,  an  inch  and  a 
half  to  two  inches  broad,  and  from  three  to  four 
inches  long.  As  in  the  Platanus  bccidentalis,  (syca- 
more,) the  lower  part  of  the  common  footstalk 
contains  an  embryo  bud,  which  becomes  visible  in  removing  the  leaf.  The  flow- 
ers, which  appear  in  April  and  May,  form  elegant  white,  pendulous  racemes, 
from  six  to  ten  inches  long,  resembling  those  of  the  Robinia  pseudacacia, 
(locust,)  but  less  odoriferous.  The  seeds  are  contained  in  flat,  even  pods,  from 
three  to  four  inches  long,  and  about  one  fourth  of  an  inch  wide,  the  margins  of 
which  are  often  somewhat  undulate  by  the  abortion  of  a  portion  of  the  seeds.  In 
the  United  States  the  seeds  mature  in  the  month  of  August ;  but  in  Britain,  the 
tree  is  seldom  seen  in  flower,  which  is  probably  owing  more  to  the  age  of  th* 
trees  than  to  the  effects  of  the  climate. 

Geography  and  History.  The  Cladrastis  tinctoria  is  a  native  of  Kentucky, 
western  Tennessee,  and  northern  Alabama,  where  it  is  sparingly  produced.  It 
is  successfully  cultivated  as  an  ornamental  tree  in  many  parts  of  the  United 
States,  and  is  perfectly  hardy  as  far  north  as  Massachusetts. 


YELLOW-WOOD.  193 

This  tree  was  discovered  by  Michaux,  the  younger,  and  was  sent  by  him  to 
France,  previous  to  the  year  1809.  It  was  first  introduced  into  England  by  Mr. 
John  Lyon,  in  1812,  and  seeds  having  since  been  frequently  sent  to  Europe,  it  is 
low  to  be  met  with  in  all  the  chief  collections. 

The  largest  recorded  tree  of  this  species  in  England,  is  at  White  Knights,  near 
Reading,  which  attained  the  height  of  twenty-three  feet  in  twenty- five  years  after 
planting,  with  a  trunk  five  inches  in  diameter,  and  an  ambitus,  or  spread  of 
branches,  of  twenty  feet. 

In  Ireland,  near  Dublin,  in  the  Cullenswood  nursery,  there  is  another  tree, 
which  attained  the  height  of  twenty-five  feet  in  seventeen  years  after  planting. 

At  Cambridge,  in  Massachusetts,  in  the  botanic  garden,  there  is  a  Virgil ia 
about  thirty  feet  in  height,  with  a  trunk  ten  or  twelve  inches  in  diameter.  In 
the  Bartram  botanic  garden,  at  Kingsessing,  near  Philadelphia,  there  is  also  a 
tree  of  this  species  of  about  the  same  dimensions,  and  another  in  the  garden  of 
Mr.  D.  Landreth,  of  Philadelphia,  twenty-five  feet  high,  with  a  trunk  six  feet  in 
circumference,  and  about  thirty-five  years  planted. 

Soil,  Situation,  fyc.  In  its  natural  habitat,  the  Virgilia  grows  on  gentle  decliv- 
ities, in  a  loose,  deep,  and  fertile  soil,  and  is  usually  associated  with  the  Morus 
rubra,  Gymnocladus  canadensis,  Gleditschia,  Juglans,  and  other  trees  which 
delight  in  a  good  soil.  When  cultivated,  an  open,  airy  situation  is  desirable,  in 
order  that  it  may  ripen  its  wood ;  and,  to  promote  the  same  purpose  in  a  cold 
climate,  the  soil  should  be  dry,  rather  than  rich.  It  is  readily  propagated  by 
seeds,  in  the  same  manner  as  the  common  locust. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  Cladrastis  tinctoria  is  soft,  fine-grained, 
and  is  remarkable  for  the  deep-yellow  colour  of  its  heart,  which  speedily  imparts 
this  hue  to  cold  water.  But  the  colour  is  fugitive,  even  when  the  wood  is  boiled 
with  alum.  There  is  but  very  little  use  made  of  this  tree  either  in  Europe  or 
America,  except  for  the  purposes  of  ornament  and  botanical  interest.  It  is  rather 
late  in  coming  into  leaf,  and  its  leaves  fall  very  early,  previously  becoming  of 
a  fine  yellow.  Independent  of  its  beautiful  vegetation,  the  brilliant  colour  of  its 
heart  would  appear  to  be  a  sufficient  inducement  for* cultivating  the  species  for 
the  purpose  of  dyeing. 

25 


Genus   ROBINIA,  Linn. 


Leguminacese. 
Sys:.  Nat. 


Synonymes. 


Robitiia,  JEschynomene,  Pseudacacia, 


Diadelphia  Decandria. 

Syst.  Lin. 


Of  Authors. 


Derivations.  The  genus  Robinia  was  named  in  honour  of  Jean  Robin,  a  French  botanist,  once  herbalist  to  Henty  IV.,  ol 
Fnnce.  jEschynomene  is  a  name  given  by  Pliny  to  a  plant,  resembling  the  locust  in  its  character,  which  contracted  its  leaves 
from  the  touch  of  the  hand.  It  was  derived  from  the  Greek  aischtinomai,  which  signifies  to  be  modest.  Pseudacacia  is 
derived  from  the  Greek  pseudos,  false,  and  acacia,  from  the  resemblance  of  trees  of  this  genus  to  the  Acacia  vera,  or  true  Egyp- 
iia.l  acacia. 

Generic  Characters.  Calyx  short,  and  somewhat  campanulate,  5-toothed  or  5-cleft ;  the  two  upper  seg- 
ments shorter,  approximated  or  cohering.  Vexillum  broad  and  large  ;  keel  obtuse.  Stamens  diadel- 
phous,  deciduous.  Style  bearded  along  the  inside  (next  the  free  stamen.)  Legume  many-seeded, 
compressed,  nearly  sessile,  the  seminiferous  suture  margined ;  valves  flat  and  thin.  Seeds  fiat. 
Leaves  unequally  pinnate ;  leaflets  petiolulate,  stipellate.  Flowers  showy,  white,  or  rose-colour,  in 
simple,  usually  pendant  axillary  racemes. —  Torrey  and  Gray,  Flora. 


HE  trees  of  the  genus  Robinia  are  chiefly  natives  of  North  Amei- 
ica,  and  are  highly  prized  for  their  use  and  beauty.  They  are  all 
readily  propagated  from  seeds,  by  cuttings  of  the  branches  and 
roots,  or  by  grafting ;  and  they  will  grow  in  any  kind  of  soil  that 
is  not  too  wet.  They  are  generally  rapid  in  their  growth,  and  of 
a  corresponding  longevity.  In  common  with  most  trees  and 
plants  of  rapid  growth,  they  have  the  property  of  extending  the  principal  roots 
close  under  the  surface  where  the  soil  is  usually  the  richest.  But  the  same  cause 
that  produces  this  luxuriance  at  first,  ultimately  occasions  the  tree  to  grow  more 
slowly,  unless  the  roots  are  allowed  ample  space  on  every  side;  since,  as  they 
seldom  penetrate  deep,  they  soon  exhaust  all  of  trTeir  proper  pabulum  from  the 
soil  within. their  reach.  For  this  reason,  also,  such  trees  are  objectionable  in 
hedge-rows,  or  scattered  in  groups  in  arable  lands,  where  their  roots  prove  a 
serious  impediment  to  the  plough,  and  shoot  up  in  suckers,  which  injure  the 
crops.  On  the  other  hand,  roots  which  penetrate  the  earth  perpendicularly,  as 
well  as  horizontally,  belong  to  trees  more  slow  and  uniform  in  their  growth,  and 
attain  a  larger  size  in  proportion  to  the  extent  of  ground  they  occupy.  It  does 
not  appear,  however,  that  a  -rich  soil  is  particularly  injured  by  the  Robinia? ; 
for,  it  is  remarked  that  in  Kentucky  and  western  Tennessee,  where  the  Robinia 
pseudacacia  attains  its  largest  size,  and  produces  excellent  timber,  the  land,  when 
cleared,  will  yield  from  thirty  to  sixty  bushels  of  maize  to  an  acre,  for  several 
years  in  succession,  without  manure.  And  it  has  been  asserted  that  mode- 
rately poor  and  worn-out  lands  in  America  may  be  restored  to  fertility  by 
planting  them  with  the  locust,  from  the  deposition  of  its  leaves,  bark,  seeds,  &c.. 
which  undergo  rapid  decomposition,  and  are  thereby  converted  into  vegetable  f 
mould. 


Robinia  pseudacacia, 

THE   COMMON   LOCUST-TREE. 

Synonymes. 


Robinia  pseudacacia, 


Robinia  pseudo-acacia, 

Robinier  faux-acacia,  Acacia  blanc,  Aca-  ) 
cia  commun,  Acacia  des  jardiniers,  > 
Carouge  des  americains,  ) 

Gemeine  Acacie,  Schotendorn, 

Acacia  falsa,  Acacia,  Pseudacacia,  Robinia, 

Acacia  falsa,  Algarrobo  americano, 

Acacia  bastarda, 

Virginian  Acacia,  False  Acacia,  Bastard 
Acacia,  Locust-tree, 

Yellow  Locust, 

Black  Locust, 

Red  Locust,  Green  Locust,  White  Locust, 


Linn^us,  Species  Plantarum. 

De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 

Lamarck,  Illustration  des  Genres. 

Du  Hamel,  Traite  des  Arbres  et  Arbustes. 

Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 

Selby,  British  Forest  Trees. 

Torrey  and  Gray,  Flora  of  North  America. 

Michaux,  .itforth  American  Sylva. 

France. 

Germany. 
Italy. 
Spain. 
Portugal. 

Britain. 

State  of  Maine. 

Western  States. 

Other  parts  of  the  United  States. 


Derivations.  This  species,  when  first  introduced  into  Europe,  was  supposed  to  be  the  Egyptian  acacia,  (Acacia  vera,)  but 
was  afterwards  contradistinclively  named  False  Acacia.  It  was  named  Locust-tree  by  the  missionaries,  who  were  among  the 
early  collectors  of  trees,  and  who  fancied  that  it  was  the  tree  that  supported  St.  John  in  the  wilderness.  The  word  Carouge,  is 
the  French  name  for  carob  bean,  the  locust-tree  of  Spain ;  which,  being  also  indigenous  to  Syria,  is  probably  the  true  locust, 
mentioned  in  the  New  Testament.  The  German  name,  Schotendorn,  is  compounded  of  schote,  a  pod  or  legume,  and  dorn, 
a  thorn,  having  reference  to  the  pods  and  spines  which  this  species  bears. 

Engravings.  Michaux,  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  76 ;  Audubon,  Birds  of  America,  pi.  cix. ;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britan- 
nicum,  v.,  pi.  83;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.  Prickles  stipular.  Branches  twiggy.  Racemes  of  flowers  loose  and  pendulous ;  and 
smooth,  as  are  the  legumes.  Leaflets  ovate.  The  flowers  are  white,  and  sweet-scented ;  the  roots 
creeping,  and  their  fibres  sometimes  bearing  tubercules. — De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 


Description. 

Robinia  pseudaca- 
from  the  valuable 
properties  of  its  wood, 
and   the   beauty  of  its 
foliage  and  flowers, 
of  the  American  forests, 
tions,  it  attains  a  height 
feet, 


IHE 

cia. 


ranks  among  the  first  trees 


,,  it 
and 


In 
of 


favourable  situa- 
eighty  or  ninety 


sometimes  exceeds  four  feet  in  diam- 
eter ;  but  ordinarily,  it  does  not  surpass  half  of 
these  dimensions.  On  the  trunks  and  large 
limbs  of  old  trees,  the  bark  is  very  thick,  and 
deeply  furrowed,  but  on  young  trees,  not  more 
than  two  or  three  inches  in  diameter,  it  is 
armed  with  strong,  hooked  prickles,  which  dis- 
appear altogether  as  they  grow  old;  and  in 
some  varieties  they  are  wanting  even  when 
young.     These  prickles  are  only  attached  to 


the  bark,  like  those  of  the  common  rose,  or  the 


196  ROBINIA    PSEUDACACIA. 

bramble ;  but  do  not  proceed  from  the  wood,  like  the  spines  of  the  hawthorn, 
cockspur,  and  other  thorns.  The  branches  have  a  general  tendency  upwards 
when  the  tree  is  young,  but  as  it  grows  old,  they  partake  more  of  a  horizontal 
direction;  and  like  the  trunk,  become  somewhat  contorted.  The  foliage  is 
light  and  agreeable  to  the  eye,  each  leaf  being  composed  of  opposite  leaflets, 
eight,  ten,  or  twelve,  and  sometimes  more  in  number,  surmounted  by  an  odd 
one.  The  leaflets  are  nearly  sessile,  oval,  thin,  with  a  texture  so  fine  and  a  sur- 
face so  smooth,  that  the  dust  which  falls  on  them  will  scarcely  adhere ;  which 
last  circumstance  renders  this  tree  particularly  eligible  for  planting  along  road- 
sides, in  the  neighbourhood  of  cities  and  towns,  or  in  great  thoroughfares.  The 
flowers,  which  open  in  March,  at  St.  Mary's,  in  Georgia,  and  two  months  later 
in  Pennsylvania,  sometimes  appear  at  the  former  place  late  in  autumn.  They 
are  disposed  in  pendulous  bunches,  from  three  to  five  inches  long,  perfectly  white, 
and  sometimes  yellowish,  and  diffuse  an  agreeable  odour.  They  are  succeeded 
by  narrow,  flat  pods,  from  two  to  three  inches  long,  and  about  half  of  an  inch 
wide ;  each  of  which  contains  five  or  six  small,  brown,  or  black  seeds,  that  ripen 
in  the  middle  and  northern  states  in  the  month  of  October. 

Varieties.  We  are  inclined  to  believe  that  there  are  but  two  forms  of  the 
Robinia  indigenous  to  North  America,  that  may  be  regarded  as  distinct,  and  that 
the  several  varieties  or  races  commonly  treated  as  species,  are  the  result  of  soil, 
climate,  or  cross  fecundation.  For,  the  common  locust  varies  much  in  its  differ- 
ent native  localities,  and  also  has  long  been  cultivated  from  seeds  in  Europe, 
which  has  brought  forth  numerous  varieties,  the  foliage  of  which  is  tolerably 
distinct  when  the  plants  are  young.  By  carefully  comparing  the  descriptions  of 
various  authors,  we  recognize  the  following  varieties  or  races,  which  may  be 
classed  under  this  species  : — 

1.  R.  p.  intermedia,  Soulange-Bodiii.  This  kind  is  thought  to  be  a  hybrid 
between  the  Robinia  pseudacacia  and  viscosa.  The  branches,  petioles,  &c.,  are 
furnished  with  but  few  glands,  and  are  rarely  clammy.  The  flowers  are  sweet- 
scented,  and  of  a  pale  rose-colour.  The  pods  are  sometimes  thickly  set  with 
short  prickles. 

2.  R.  p.  hispida,  Lin.  The  Hispid  Rose  Acacia.  The  leaves  of  this  race  are 
obovate,  and  are  nearly  twice  the  size  of  the  Robinia  pseudacacia.  The  branches 
and  legumes  are  hispid.  The  flowers  are  large,  of  a  dark  rose-colour,  and  inodo- 
rous. 

3.  R.  p.  rosea,  Pursh.  Rose  Acacia.  This  variety  differs  from  the  R.  p.  his- 
pida in  not  having  the  branches  and  petioles  hispid,  and  in  growing  to  an  incon- 
siderable shrub. 

4.  R.  p.  grandiflora,  Loudon.  The  Large-floivered  Rose  Acacia.  The  leaves 
of  this  variety  are  large,  and  ovate-roundish.  The  branches  and  peduncles  are 
glabrous,  and  without  prickles.  The  flowers  are  large,  of  a  rose-colour,  and 
inodorous. 

5.  R.  p.  flore  luteo,  Dumont  de  Courset.      ^Yellow -flowered  Robinia. 

6.  R.  p.  inermis,  De  Candolle.  The  Unarmed  Robinia.  Leaves  flat.  Prickles 
wanting,  or  nearly  obsolete. 

7.  R.  p.  crispa,  De  Candolle.  The  Crisp-leafleted  Robinia.  The  prickles  of 
this  variety  are  wanting.     The  leaflets,  for  the  most  part,  are  undulately  curled. 

8.  R.  p.  tortuosa,  De  Candolle.  The  Twisted-trnnked Robinia.  The  branches 
of  this  variety  are  much  crowded  and  twisted.  Flowers  small,  and  not  abun- 
dant. 

9.  R.  p.  umbraculifera,  De  Candolle.  The  Parasol  Acacia.  The  branches  of 
this  variety  are  much  crowded,  and  smooth ;  its  head  orbicular ;  and,  according 
to  Dumont  de  Courset,  its  flowers  are  yellow. 


COMMON   LOCUST-TREE.  197 

10.  R.  p.  pendula,  De  Candolle.  The  Pendulous  Robinia.  The  shoots  of  this 
variety  are  somewhat  drooping,  but  not  decidedly  so. 

11.  R.  p.  sophor^folia,  Loddiges.  This  variety  has  leaves  somewhat  like 
those  of  the  Sophora  japonica. 

12.  R.  p.  amorph^folia,  Link.  This  variety  has  leaves  resembling  those  of 
the  Amorpha  fruticosa. 

Geography  arid  History.  The  common  locust  naturally  abounds  in  the  coun- 
try west  of  the  Alleghanies,  as  far  as  Arkansas.  It  is  also  plentiful  in  the  Can- 
adas,  but  is  not  found  indigenous  in  the  United  States  east  of  the  river  Dela- 
ware, nor  does  it  grow  spontaneously  in  the  maritime  parts  of  the  middle  and 
southern  states,  within  the  distance  of  fifty  to  one  hundred  miles  from  the  sea. 
It  is  planted,  however,  for  purposes  of  utility  and  ornament,  from  Maine  to  Geor- 
gia. It  was  observed  by  Michaux,  that  "  the  locust  forms  a  much  smaller  por- 
tion of  the  American  forests  than  the  oaks  and  walnuts,  and  that  it  is  nowhere 
found  occupying  tracts,  even  of  a  few  acres  exclusively."  Hence  the  tree,  where 
it  is  met  with,  is  often  spared  by  settlers,  as  being  ornamental,  and  comparatively 
rare,  and  old  specimens,  which  formerly  belonged  to  the  aboriginal  forests,  are 
frequently  seen  growing  in  the  midst  of  cultivated  fields. 

Of  all  American  trees  that  have  been  cultivated  in  Europe,  there  is  no  one, 
of  which  so  much  has  been  said  and  done,  as  the  locust.  It  was  among  the  first 
plants  that  were  carried  to  that  country,  and  it  has  been  more  extensively  propa- 
gated than  any  other,  both  in  Britain  and  in  France,  where  it  has  been  alter- 
nately extolled  and  neglected ;  and  even  at  the  present  day,  though  the  beauty 
of  its  foliage  and  flowers  is  universally  admired,  and  the  valuable  properties  of 
its  wood  have  enthusiastically  been  praised  and  acknowledged,  it  is  not  consid- 
ered as  holding  a  high  rank  as  a  timber-tree,  or  as  being  generally  planted  with 
a  view  to  profit. 

The  seeds  of  this  tree,  it  is  stated  by  some,  were  first  sent  to  Europe  to  Jean 
Robin,  gardener  to  Henry  IV.,  of  France,  in  1601 ;  but  according  to  others,  they 
were  sent  to  Vespasian  Robin,  (son  to  the  preceding,)  who  was  arborist  to  Louis 
XIII.,  and  was  planted  by  him  in  the  Jardin  des  Plantes,  in  1635.  In  England, 
it  appears  to  have  been  first  cultivated  by  Tradescant,  the  elder ;  but  whether 
he  obtained  it  from  France,  or  direct  from  Virginia,  is  uncertain.  Parkinson,  in 
his  "  Theatre  of  Plants,"  published  in  1640,  first  mentions  this  tree,  as  having  been 
grown  in  England  by  Tradescant,  "to  an  exceeding  height,"  which  renders  it 
possible  that  he  received  it  from  America  before  either  of  the  Robins.  Evelyn, 
in  the  first  edition  of  his  "  Sylva,"  published  in  1664,  says,  "The  French  have 
lately  brought  in  the  Virginia  acacia,  which  exceedingly  adorns  their  walks.  The 
tree  is  hardy  against  all  the  invasions  of  our  sharpest  seasons ;  but  our  high 
winds,  which,  by  reason  of  its  brittle  nature,  it  does  not  so  well  resist ;  and  the 
roots,  (which  insinuate  and  run  like  liquorice  under  ground,)  are  apt  to  emaciate 
the  soil,  and,  therefore,  haply  not  so  commendable  in  our  gardens  as  they  would 
be  agreeable  for  variety  of  walks  and  shade."  Miller,  in  his  "  Dictionary," 
published  in  1731,  speaks  of  the  Robinia  as  being  very  common  in  gardens  near 
London,  where  there  were,  in  his  time,  several  large,  old  trees.  He  says  that 
they  were  very  hardy,  but  would  not  endure  exposure  to  high  winds,  which 
break  their  branches,  and  render  them  unsightly.  "Many  people,"  he  adds, 
"  have  neglected  to  cultivate  them  on  that  account ;  but  they  will  do  well  if 
planted  in  wilderness  among  other  trees,  where  they  will  be  sheltered,  and  make 
a  beautiful  variety."  In  another  edition  of  the  same  work,  published  in  1752, 
he  remarks  that,  "  These  trees  were  formerly  in  great  request  in  England,  and 
were  frequently  planted  in  avenues,  and  for  shady  walks ;  but  their  branches 
being  generally  broken  or  split  down  by  the  wind,  in  summer,  when  they  are 


198  ROBINIA    PSEUDACACIA. 

clothed  with  leaves,  the  trees  are  rendered  improper  for  this  purpose ;  and  their 
leaves  coming  out  late  in  the  spring,  and  falling  off  early  in  the  autumn,  occa- 
sioned their  being  neglected  for  many  years  ;  but  of  late  they  have  been  much  in 
request  again,  so  that  the  nurseries  have  been  cleared  of  these  trees ;  though  in 
a  few  years  they  will  be  as  little  enquired  after  as  heretofore,  when  those  which 
have  been  lately  planted  begin  to  have  their  ragged  appearance." 

In  Dr.  Hunter's  edition  of  Evelyn's  "  Sylva,"  published  in  1786,  we  have  a 
history  of  the  employment  of  the  locust  in  ship-building,  communicated  by  Mr. 
Joseph  Harrison.  This  gentleman,  who  had  resided  some  time  in  Virginia,  states 
that  in  "about  the  year  1733,  the  first  experiment  was  made  respecting  the 
application  of  the  locust-tree  to  any  purpose  in  ship-building,  by  an  ingenious 
shipwright,  sent  over  to  America  by  some  Liverpool  merchants,  to  build  two 
ships  there.  The  shipwright  thought  that  the  oaks,  elms,  ashes,  and  many 
other  timber-trees  common  to  both  countries,  were  much  inferior  to  the  same  sorts 
in  England ;  but  frequently  spoke  of  the  locust-tree  as  being  of  extraordinary 
qualities,  both  in  strength  and  duration.  He  had  observed  some  very  old  timber 
in  houses  in  New  England,  that  had  been  built  of  the  wood  of  this  tree,  when 
the  country  was  first  settled,  perfectly  firm  and  sound ;  and,  after  having  com- 
pleted his  engagement  for  his  employers,  he  began  to  build  a  small  vessel  for  him- 
self; when,  being  at  a  loss  for  a  sufficient  quantity  of  iron,  and  having  observed 
the  extraordinary  strength  and  firmness  of  the  locust-tree,  he  took  it  into  his  head 
that  trenails,  or  tree-nails,  that  is,  wooden  pins,  of  that  timber,  might  be  substituted 
for  iron  bolts  in  many  places  where  they  would  be  least  liable  to  wrench  or  twist, 
(as  in  fastening  the  floor  timbers  to  the  keel,  and  the  knees  to  the  ends  of  the 
beams,  which  two  articles  take  up  a  large  proportion  of  the  iron  used  in  a  ship,) 
purposing,  when  he  arrived  in  England,  to  bore  out  the  locust  trenails,  and  drive 
in  iron  bolts  in  their  stead.  The  ship,  being  finished  and  loaded,  sailed  for  Liv- 
erpool, and  returned  back  to  Virginia  the  next  year ;  the  builder  himself  being 
the  captain  of  her,  paid  particular  attention  to  see  the  effect  of  the  locust  tre- 
nails. After  the  strictest  examination,  he  found  that  they  effectually  answered 
the  purpose  intended.  It  was,  however,  thought  prudent  to  take  several  of  them 
out,  and  to  put  in  iron  bolts  in  their  room ;  and  this  operation  afforded  another 
proof  of  their  extraordinary  strength  and  firmness,  as  they  required  to  be  driven 
out  with  what  is  technically  called,  a  set  bolt,  (an  iron  punch,)  just  as  if  they 
had  been  made  of  iron ;  whereas  oak  trenails  are  usually  bored  out  with  an 
auger."  The  use  of  the  locust  for  trenails  was  neglected  for  some  years,  till  it 
was  revived  at  the  instance  of  Mr.  Harrison,  by  a  ship-builder  of  eminence,  at 
New  York,  where,  as  in  other  parts  of  the  United  States,  as  well  as  in  Great 
Britain,  it  has  been  in  general  use  ever  since. 

About  the  latter  end  of  the  last  century,  public  attention  was  powerfully 
directed  to  the  locust,  both  in  Europe  and  in  America,  and  various  papers  in  the 
"  Transactions"  of  societies,  and  pamphlets  began  to  be  published  on  the  subject. 
In  1786,  a  "  Memoir  on  the  Common  Acacia"  was  published  at  Paris,  in  which 
it  was  recommended  to  plant  this  tree  on  the  banks  of  rivers,  in  order  to 
strengthen  them  by  its  running  roots.  The  writer  also  recommends  it  for  pea- 
sticks,  hop-poles,  vine-props,  wedges,  cogs  to  wheels,  &c.,  and  even  as  a  substi- 
tute for  saint-foin,  as  a  forage  crop,  to  be  mown  thrice  a  year,  and  either  used 
green,  or  dried,  as  hay,  and  stacked,  mixed  with  straw,  for  winter  use. 

In  the  "  Gentleman's  Magazine"  for  1791,  there  is  a  long  account  of  a  plan  for 
growing  locust-trees,  and  American  oaks,  for  the  use  of  the  royal  navy.  The 
distance  at  which  the  writer  proposes  to  plant  these  trees  is  sixteen  and  a  half 
feet,  so  that  he  calculates  an  acre  will  produce  one  hundred  and  sixty  trees,  of 
about  one  and  a  half  tons  each.  The  locust,  he  says,  will  be  fit  for  ship- 
building in  twenty-five  or  thirty  years,  the  live  oak  in  forty  years,  and  the  white 


COMMON  LOCUST.  H)J 

oak  in  sixty  years,  from  the  time  of  planting.  He  states  that  posts  made  of  the 
locust  wood  have  stood  exposed  to  the  weather,  to  his  certain  knotoledge,  for 
eighty  or  a  hundred  years  before  they  began  to  decay.  He  recommends  the 
locust-tree  to  be  planted  in  a  poor  soil. 

In  February,  1793,  the  national  convention  of  France  decreed  that  an  impres- 
sion of  "  L'Annuaire  du  Cultivateur"  should  be  struck  off,  and  distributed  in  the 
various  departments  of  that  country,  the  committee  of  public  instruction  thinking 
it  worthy  of  a  place  among  the  elementary  books  intended  for  the  use  of  the 
national  schools.  In  this  work,  each  day  in  the  year  is  marked  by  one  or  more 
natural  productions,  or  their  attendant  phenomena;  and  the  6th  of  May,  (14me 
Prairial,)  was  consecrated  to  the  Robinia  pseudacacia,  and  a  notice  given  of  its 
appearance,  propagation,  culture,  and  uses. 

Dr.  Pownal,  in  "Young's  Annals  of  Agriculture,"  remarks  that  "the  locust 
wood  which  is  used  in  America  for  ship-building,  trenails,  and  posts,  has  com- 
monly been  grown  in  barren,  sandy,  or  light  soils ;  and  that  in  England,  where 
it  is  generally  planted  in  rich  soils,  and  in  sheltered  situations,  the  tree  may, 
probably,  outgrow  its  strength ;  and  thus  the  branches  may  become  so  brittle  as 
to  be  easily  broken  by  the  winds ;  while  the  wood  will  be  less  hard  and  tena- 
cious, and  in  all  probability,  much  less  durable  than  in  America."  He  therefore 
recommends  planting  the  locust,  in  England,  only  on  poor  soils,  when  it  is 
intended  to  employ  the  timber  for  useful  purposes. 

In  the  year  1803,  a  work  was  published  in  Paris,  entitled  "  Lettre  sur  le 
Robinier,"  by  M.  Francois  de  Neufchateau,  containing,  in  substance,  all  that 
had  been  previously  published  on  the  subject  in  France,  a  translation  of  which 
occupies  the  first  one  hundred  and  fifty-six  pages  of  Wither' s  "  Treatise  on  the 
Acacia." 

In  the  year  1823,  an  extraordinary  excitement  was  produced  in  England  con- 
cerning this  tree,  by  William  Cobbett,  who  resided  in  America  from  1817  to 
1819,  and  chiefly  occupied  himself  in  farming  and  gardening,  on  Long  Island, 
near  New  York ;  and  during  that  period,  as  he  tells  us  in  his  "  Woodlands,"  pub- 
lished in  1825  to  1828,  that  he  was  convinced  that  nothing  in  the  timber  way 
could  be  of  so  great  a  benefit  as  the  general  cultivation  of  this  tree."  "  Thus 
thinking,"  continues  he,  "  I  brought  home  a  parcel  of  the  seeds  with  me  in  1819, 
but  I  had  no  means  of  sowing  it  till  1823.  I  then  began  sowing  it,  but  upon  a 
very  small  scale.  I  sold  the  plants ;  and  since  that  time  I  have  sold  altogether 
more  than  a  million  of  them  ! "  Elsewhere,  in  the  same  work,  he  more  especially 
directed  attention  to  this  subject,  urging,  in  his  clear  and  forcible  manner,  the 
immense  importance  of  this  tree  in  ship-building ;  and  he  was  the  means  of 
thousands  of  it  being  planted  in  various  parts  of  Britain.  The  name  of  locust, 
as  applied  to  this  tree,  before  Cobbett' s  time,  was  but  little  known  in  England, 
and  many  persons,  in  consequence,  thought  it  was  a  new  tree.  Cobbett  had  a 
large  kitchen-garden  behind  his  house  at  Kensington,  which  he  converted  into  a 
nursery ;  and  he  also  grew  trees  extensively  on  his  farm  at  Barnes,  in  Surry. 
Although  hundreds  of  the  Robinia  pseudacacia  stood  unasked  for  in  the  British 
nurseries,  the  "locust  plants,"  which  every  one  believed  could  only  be  had  gen- 
uine from  Mr.  Cobbett,  could  not  be  grown  by  him  in  sufficient  quantities  to  sup- 
ply the  demand.  He  imported  the  seeds  in  tons ;  but  when  he  fell  short  of  the 
veal  American  ones,  he  procured  others,  as  well  as  young  plants,  from  the  Lon- 
don nurseries,  and  passed  them  off  as  his  own  raising  or  importation.  Had  the 
people  of  England  known  that  locust  seeds  and  locust  plants  were  so  easily  to 
be  obtained,  it  is  probable  that  the  locust  mania  would  never  have  attained  the 
height  it  did.  To  show  the  folly  or  the  knavery  of  this  extraordinary  individual, 
we  quote  the  following  from  Loudon's  "Arboretum  Britannicum,"  which  should 
be  preserved  more  as  a  literary  curiosity  rather  than  a  historical  record.     "It  is 


200  ROBINIA  PSEUDACACIA. 

worthy  of  notice,"  says  Loudon,  "  that  Cobbett,  apparently  without  ever  having 
seen  a  hop-pole  made  of  locust,  boldly  affirms  that  the  tree  is  admirably  adapted  for 
that  purpose  ;  that  trees  from  his  nursery,  after  being  four  years  planted  on  Lord 
Radnor's  estate,  at  Coleshill,  were  '  fit  for  hop-poles,  that  will  last  in  that  capac- 
ity for  twenty  or  thirty  years  at  least ;'  that  '  such  poles  are  worth  a  shilling  each  ' 
(that  is,  nearly  double  what  was  at  that  time  the  price  of  good  ash  hop-poles ;)  that 
'  five  acres  would  thus,  in  five  years,  produce  £529 ;'  and  that  '  each  stump,  left 
after  the  pole  was  cut  down,  would  send  up  two  or  three  poles  for  the  next  crop, 
which,  being  cut  down  in  their  turn,  at  the  end  of  another  five  years,  would,  of 
course,  produce  two  or  three  times  the  above  sum ! '  that  locust  wood  is  '  abso- 
lutely indestructible  by  the  powers  of  earth,  air,  and  water;'  and  that  'no  man 
in  America  will  pretend  to  say  that  he  ever  saw  a  bit  of  it  in  a  decayed  state.' 
After  this,  it  will  not  be  wondered  at,  that  Cobbett  should  call  the  locust  '  the 
tree  of  trees,'  and  that  h'e  should  eulogize  it  in  the  following  passage,  which  is 
so  characteristic  of  the  man,  and  so  well  exemplifies  the  kind  of  quackery  in 
which  he  dealt,  that  we  quote  it  entire : — '  The  time  will  come,'  he  observes, 
'and  it  will  not  be  very  distant,  when  the  locust-tree  will  be  more  common  in 
England  than  the  oak ;  when  a  man  would  be  thought  mad  if  he  used  anything 
but  locust  in  the  making  of  sills,  posts,  gates,  joists,  feet  for  rick-stands,  stocks 
and  axletrees  for  wheels,  hop-poles,  pales,  or  for  anything  where  there  is  liability 
to  rot.  This  time  will  not  be  distant,  seeing  that  the  locust  grows  so  fast.  The 
next  race  of  children  but  one,  that  is  to  say,  those  who  will  be  born  sixty  years 
hence,  will  think  that  the  locust-trees  have  always  been  the  most  numerous  trees 
in  England ;  and  some  curious  writer  of  a  century  or  two  hence,  will  tell  his 
readers  that,  wonderful  as  it  may  seem,  "the  locust  was  introduced  to  a  knowl- 
edge of  it  by  William  Cobbett."  What  he  will  say  of  me  besides,  I  do  not  know ; 
but  I  know  that  he  will  say  this  of  me.  I  enter  upon  this  account,  therefore, 
knowing  that  I  am  writing  for  centuries  and  centuries  to  come.' — (  Woodlands.') 
The  absurdity  of  the  above  passage  renders  it  almost  unworthy  of  comment ;  but 
we  may  remark  that,  even  supposing  all  that  Cobbett  says  in  it  of  the  application 
of  the  locust  were  true,  the  uses  which  he  has  enumerated  do  not  amount  to  a 
hundredth  part  of  those  to  which  timber  is  applied  in  this  country.  Hence, 
were  his  predictions  to  be  verified,  and  were  the  locust  to  become  more  preva- 
lent than  the  oak,  we  should  find  its  wood  a  miserable  substitute,  in  the  con- 
struction of  ships  and  houses,  for  that  of  our  ordinary  timber  trees.  Every 
experienced  planter  or  timber  owner,  both  in  Europe  and  America,  has  felt  this ; 
and  this  is  the  true  reason  why  the  tree  never  has  been,  and  never  will  be, 
extensively  planted." 

M.  Miller,  editor  of  the  "Journal  des  Forets,"  for  1830,  gives  a  very  interest- 
ing memoir  on  the  history  of  this  tree  in  France,  from  its  introduction  up  to  that 
time.  The  result  of  all  that  had  been  said  in  favour  of  the  Robinia  in  France, 
is,  that  it  is  generally  employed  in  that  country  to  decorate  pleasure-grounds ;  but 
no  mention  is  made  of  forest  plantations  of  locust  for  the  express  purpose  of 
raising  timber  for  carpenter's  work,  or  for  ship-timber. 

In  Britain,  the  rage  for  planting  the  locust  has  long  since  subsided ;  but  the 
importance  of  this  tree  in  ship-building,  and  for  other  valuable  purposes,  was 
laid  before  the  public  in  1836,  by  Mr.  W.  Withers,  of  Holt,  in  Norfolk,  Eng- 
land, in  his  "Treatise  on  the  Growth,  Qualities,  and  Uses  of  the  Acacia-tree, 
&c."  He  commences  with  a  translation  of  the  "  Lettre  sur  le  Robinier,"  of  M. 
Francois,  and  some  abstracts  from  the  "  Pieces  relatives  a  la  Culture  et  aux 
Usages  de  cet  Arbre,"  which  the  last-named  gentleman  had  appended  to  his 
work.  He  then  gives  extracts  from  the  writings  of  MM.  F.  C.  Medicus  and  A. 
Michaux,  as  well  as  from  the  various  British  authors  who  had  written  on  the 
subject;  and  concluded,  by  giving  various  original  communications  from  gentle- 


COMMON   LOCUST.  201 

men  in  different  parts  of  Britain,  who  had  cultivated  the  locust,  or  who  had 
applied  it  to  practical  purposes.  The  facts  collected  in  this  work  confirm  the 
rapid  growth  of  this  tree,  in  favourable  soils  and  situations,  and  of  the  "suita- 
bleness and  durability  of  its  timber  for  trenails,  posts,  and  fencing,  and  also  for 
axletrees  of  timber  carriages ;"  but  none  of  them  afford  any  evidence  either  of 
the  tree  attaining  a  large  size,  or  of  its  timber  being  applied  to  the  general  pur- 
poses of  construction. 

Selby,  in  his  "  History  of  British  Forest-trees,"  published  in  1842,  says : 
"  From  our  own  observations  on  this  tree,  we  are  decidedly  of  opinion  that  it 
cannot  be  grown  to  profit,  or  at  least  to  equal  profit,  with  many  other  trees,  even 
for  those  minor  uses  for  which  it  is  stated  to  be  so  well  adapted,  such  as  posts, 
railings,  hop-poles.  &c,  much  less  as  a  timber-tree  applicable  to  general  purposes. 
The  durability  of  the  wood  of  the  locust  we  do  not  deny  or  dispute ;  indeed,  our 
own  experience  has  proved  that  when  mature,  it  possesses  the  quality  of  resist- 
ing decay  in  the  most  trying  situations,  to  an  eminent  degree ;  what  we  contend 
for  is,  that  this  solitary  advantage  of  durability,  (an  advantage  we  believe  pos- 
sessed in  nearly  an  equal  degree  by  the  larch,  and  perhaps  the  wild  cherry,)  is 
not  sufficient  to  counterbalance  the  disadvantages  under  which  it  labours." 
Among  the  various  objections  to  which  the  cultivation  of  the  locust  upon  an 
extensive  scale,  in  England,  and  with  a  view  to  profit,  is  liable,  the  following  are 
mentioned  by  Mr.  Selby,  as  holding  a  prominent  place:  "  1st,  it  requires  a  rich, 
free  soil,  and  a  sheltered  situation,  to  attain  a  size  fit  for  any  useful  purpose,  and 
even  with  these  advantages,  it  seldom  attains  dimensions  to  make  it  generally 
useful ;  2d,  from  the  succulent  and  exhausting  nature  of  its  roots,  it  requires  a 
much  greater  space  to  reach  maturity  than  many  other  trees  producing  timber 
of  a  larger  scantling  and  of  greater  value ;  3d,  it  is  not  a  free  to  plant  in  mixed 
plantations ;  the  surrounding  species,  notwithstanding  the  rapidity  of  its  early 
growth,  generally  overtopping  and  destroying  it  before  it  acquires  size  sufficient 
to  repay  the  planter  for  its  occupancy ;  4th,  trees  equally,  or,  in  some  respects, 
better  qualified  for  the  uses  for  which  the  locust  has  been  recommended,  can  be 
grown  upon  inferior  soil,  in  less  time,  and  in  much  greater  bulk,  both  individu- 
ally and  per  acre ;  such  we  hold  to  be  the  case  with  the  larch,  where  posts,  rail- 
ings, hurdles,  and  other  enduring  articles  are  required ;  and  such  is  the  case  with 
the  ash,  the  Spanish  chesnut,  and  the  gean,  where  hop-poles  are  the  object  in 
view.  Indeed,  with  respect  to  the  fitness  of  the  locust  for  the  latter  purpose,  the 
evidence  adduced  by  Mr.  Loudon  is  pretty  conclusive  against  it ;  as  he  shows, 
that  at  a  hop-pole  size,  it  does  not  last  longer  than  other  woods,  that  the  stools  do 
not  throw  up  shoots  so  freely  as  those  of  many  other  trees,  and  that  the  essential 
requisites  of  a  hop-pole,  viz.,  length  and  straightness.  cannot  be  produced  from 
the  locust  even  in  the  most  favourable  situations,  or  when  drawn  up  in  nursery 
rows.  The  growth  of  the  tree  precludes  the  possibibility  of  a  perfectly  straight 
pole ;  for  as  it  never  ripens  the  whole  length  of  its  young  and  rampant  shoots,  the 
following  year's  growth  being  from  a  side-bud,  is  necessarily  at  an  angle  with 
that  of  the  preceding  year." 

The  largest  tree  of  this  species  recorded  in  England,  is  at  Syon,  near  London, 
which  in  1836,  had  attained  the  height  of  eighty-one  feet,  with  a  trunk  three 
feet,  four  inches  in  diameter,  at  one  foot  above  the  ground,  and  an  ambitus,  or 
spread  of  branches,  of  fifty- seven  feet. 

In  Scotland,  at  Airthrey  Castle,  in  Stirlingshire,  there  is  a  locust-tree,  which 
attained  the  height  of  sixty-two  feet  in  forty-three  years  after  planting,  with  a 
trunk  two  feet  in  diameter,  and  an  ambitus  of  thirty  feet.  It  grows  in  light 
loam  or  gravel,  and  in  a  sheltered  situation. 

In  Ireland,  at  Shelton  Abbey,  in  Wicklow,  there  is  a  locust  which  attained 
26 


202  ROBINIA  PSEUDACACIA. 

the  height  of  sixty-five  feet,  in  fifty  years  after  planting,  with  a  trunk  twenty- 
five  inches  in  diameter. 

In  France,  and  in  the  south  of  Germany,  M.  Baudrillart  informs  us  in  the  "  Dic- 
tionnaire  des  Eaux  et  des  Forets,"  published  in  1825,  that  the  locust  was  first 
received  with  enthusiasm  as  an  ornamental  tree ;  but  was  afterwards  rejected, 
on  account  of  the  late  appearance  of  its  leaves,  its  fragile  branches,  disagreeable 
spines,  and  above  all,  because  it  would  not  bear  the  shears.  Until  the  introduc- 
tion of  the  modern  style  of  gardening,  it  had  almost  become  forgotten,  when  a 
reaction  took  place  in  its  favour,  and  from  the  rapidity  of  its  growth,  and  useful 
qualities,  it  was  preferred  to  all  other  trees.  Many  authors,  who  have  written 
on  this  tree,  in  France,  have  generally  exaggerated  its  merits.  Thus,  M.  Fran- 
cois was  in  favour  of  planting  it  in  particular  soils  and  situations ,  but  others 
recommended  it  to  be  planted  everywhere ;  and,  in  consequence  of  its  not  suc- 
ceeding in  unsuitable  soils,  a  third  class  of  writers  were  for  discontinuing  its  cul- 
tivation altogether.  As  examples  of  want  of  success  in  cultivating  this  tree, 
there  were  several  instances  where  large  tracts  of  land  were  ploughed,  and 
sown  broad-cast  with  locust  seeds,  which  came  up,  but  the  plants  never  attained 
any  magnitude,  owing  to  the  lightness  and  sterility  of  the  soil.  M.  Baudrillart 
refers  to  a  case  on  the  heaths  of  Gondreville,  where  the  tree  was  extensively 
planted  in  a  white  sand,  and  proved  a  complete  failure,  except  on  the  banks  of 
ditches;  although  the  Pinus  maritima  and  sylvestris,  and  the  birch  had  been 
cultivated  there  with  tolerable  success.  He  makes  mention  of  another  instance 
in  the  Bois  de  Boulogne,  where  locusts,  that  were  planted  at  the  same  time  with, 
and  among  masses  of  the  birch,  the  yew,  the  chesnut,  the  perfumed  cherry,  and 
the  common  sallow,  grew  rapidly  for  five  or  six  years,  rising  far  above  them  at 
first,  but  gradually '  disappeared  after  a  certain  time,  the  other  trees  having 
become  more  vigorous,  and  finally  choked  them  out.  He  further  states  that, 
"  M.  Mallet  had  no  better  success  in  the  Forest  of  Mareuil,  in  the  department  of 
Vienne,  where  the  soil  is  moist  and  aquatic ;  nor  in  the  Forest  of  Chatellerault, 
where  it  is  dry  and  sandy."  M.  Baudrillart  concludes,  by  repeating,  after 
Michaux,  that  "it  is  only  in  a  favourable  climate,  and  in  a  good  soil,  that  the 
tree  attains  a  great  size,  even  in  its  native  country." 

In  France,  at  Paris,  in  the  Jardin  des  Plantes,  the  remains  of  the  parent  tree, 
planted  in  1635,  by  M.  Vespasian  Robin,  is  said  still  to  exist,  and  is  nearly 
eighty  feet  in  height.  At  Villers,  there  is  another  tree  of  this  species,  which 
attained  the  height  of  sixty  feet  in  twenty  years  after  planting. 

In  Germany,  at  Schwobber,  in  Hanover,  the  remains  of  an  old  Robinia  still 
exist,  which  has  been  planted  nearly  one  hundred  and  thirty  years.  At  Wor- 
litz,  in  Saxony,  there  is  another  which  attained  the  height  of  sixty  feet  in  sixty- 
four  years  after  planting. 

In  Denmark,  at  Dronengaard,  near  Copenhagen,  there  is  a  locust  which 
attained  the  height  of  sixty  feet  in  forty  years  after  planting. 

In  Russia,  upon  the  foundations  of  the  Palace  of  Yalomensk,  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  Moscow,  there  is  a  hedge  of  acacia,  according  to  Leitch  Ritchie,  planted 
in  such  a  manner  as  to  indicate  the  plan  of  the  building.  This  palace  was  built 
by  Peter  the  Great,  and  at  a  short  distance  from  it  is  another  tree,  surrounded 
by  a  table  and  benches,  under  which  young  Peter  received  his  lessons.  At  Mos- 
cow, the  locust  does  not  attain  any  considerable  size:  but,  according  toDescemet, 
it  thrives  in  the  Crimea  in  all  its  varieties. 

In  Switzerland,  there  are  several  locust-trees,  which  have  attained  a  height  of 
fifty  to  seventy  feet. 

In  Italy,  in  the  palace  gardens  at  Monza.  there  is  a  noble  tree  of  this  species, 
which  attained  the  height  of  seventy-five  feet  in  twenty-nine  years  after  plant- 
ing, with  a  trunk  two  feet  in  diameter,  and  an  ambitus  of  forty  feet. 


COMMON  LOCUST.  203 

In  America,  the  locust  has  been  planted  for  ornament,  in  great  abundance 
about  farm-houses,  and  along  fences  and  avenues,  for  more  than  fifty  years;  and 
since  the  forests  were  in  a  measure  destroyed  by  the  axe  or  fire,  by  the  European 
settlers,  along  the  sea-board  and  navigable  waters  inland,  many  persons  in  the 
middle  and  eastern  states  have  cultivated  this  tree  with  a  view  to  profit,  and 
have  not  only  supplied  timber  and  trenails  to  the  shipwrights  of  the  cities  or 
commercial  towns,  but  have  exported  large  quantities  to  England  and  else- 
where. These  plantations  seldom  exceed  an  area  of  thirty  acres,  notwithstand- 
ing the  agricultural  societies  of  several  states  have  offered  premiums  for  their 
encouragement.  Though  the  Robinia  had  never  been  known  to  be  injured  by 
any  insect,  towards  the  end  of  the  last  century,  in  Massachusetts,  it  was  gener- 
ally attacked  by  the  larvae  of  the  Cossus  robinise,  which  gradually  extended  their 
ravages  to  the  southernmost  points  where  this  tree  has  been  propagated.  In  con- 
sequence of  this  discouragement,  the  locust  has  been  but  little  cultivated  for  the 
last  twenty  years  in  any  part  of  the  United  States,  or  in  Canada,  except  for  the 
purposes  of  ornament  or  shade.  In  a  communication  received  by  us,  from  Mr. 
Stephen  H.  Smith,  of  Smithtleld,  in  Rhode  Island,  dated  on  the  22d  of  November, 
1844,  he  states  that,  in  the  winter  of  1817,  he  cut  from  a  lot  a  heavy  growth  of 
timber,  principally  chesnut.  The  soil  on  which  it  grew,  is  a  rich  loam,  or  a 
slightly  tenacious  subsoil.  In  the  following  spring,  he  set  out,  in  the  same 
ground,  at  equal  distance,  about  one  hundred  good-sized,  yellow  locust-trees  to 
the  acre.  They  kept  pace  with  the  natural  growth  of  the  forest  that  sprang 
up  about  them.  In  1S37,  twenty  years  after,  all  the  wood  was  again  cut  off  the 
same  lot,  producing  twenty  cords  to  the  acre,  the  locusts  measuring  at  the  stump 
from  nine  to  twelve  inches  in  diameter,  each  tree  making  three  posts,  seven  feet 
long.  The  sprouts  and  offsets  now  occupy  one  half  the  ground,  to  the  exclusion 
of  a  portion  of  the  native  timber.  The  borers  have  not  assailed  these  trees  at 
any  time.  It  may  be  reasonable  to  conclude  that,  the  thick  underwood  has  pro- 
tected them  from  this  enemy ;  as  those  standing  near,  in  open,  cultivated  ground, 
of  like  quality,  have  not  escaped. 

Poetical  and  Legendary  Allusions.  No  tree,  perhaps,  possesses  more  themes 
for  the  poet,  yet  less  noticed,  than  the  locust.  The  poetical  ideas  connected  with 
it,  are  said,  by  Philips,  in  his  "Sylva  Florifera,"  to  arise  from  its  being,  when 
planted  in  shrubberies,  the  favourite  resort  of  the  nightingale,  which  probably 
selects  it  for  building  its  nest  from  an  instinctive  feeling  of  the  protection  afforded 
by  its  thorns.  He  also  mentions  an  instance  of  a  child,  who  had  observed  the 
peculiarity  of  the  leaflets  of  this  tree  folding  themselves  up  at  night,  saying  that 
"  it  was  not  bed-time,  for  the  acacia  had  not  begun  its  prayers."  We  are  told 
that  the  American  Indians  make  a  declaration  of  love  by  presenting  a  branch  ot 
this  tree  in  blossom  to  the  object  of  their  attachment. 

Soil  and  Situation.  The  soil  in  which  the  locust  appears  to  grow  best,  is  a 
light,  and  somewhat  sandy  loam,  rich  rather  than  poor ;  and  to  attain  any  consid- 
erable size,  it  requires  much  room,  and  an  airy,  but  at  the  same  time,  a  sheltered 
situation,  free  from  the  fury  of  the  winds.  It  has  the  quality  of  thriving  for  a 
lime  on  poor,  shallow  soils,  which,  no  doubt,  is  owing  to  its  power  of  rapidly 
abstracting  whatever  nourishment  such  soils  may  contain,  by  its  large,  succulent 
roots,  that  run  near  the  surface ;  but  after  a  few  years  it  becomes  stunted  and 
unhealthy,  decays  at  the  heart,  and  never  attains  a  size  sufficient  for  any  useful 
purpose,  except  for  fuel.  The  only  trees  that  will  prosper  on  such  soils,  and  ulti- 
mately become  timber,  are  the  resiniferous,  needle-leaved  kinds,  as  the  pine,  the  fir, 
the  cedar,  and  the  larch.  When  cultivated  for  ornament,  this  tree  generally  looks 
best  planted  separately  on  a  lawn,  or  in  small  groups  in  a  shrubbery,  or  along  the 
confines  of  avenues  and  plantations,  where  it  is  allowed  to  extend  "  its  branches 


204  ROBINIA  PSEUDACACIA. 

freely  on  every  side,  and  to  assume  its  own  peculiar  shape,  feathering,"  as  Gil- 
pin says,  "to  the  ground." 

Propagation  and  Culture.  The  locust  may  readily  be  propagated  in  the  moist 
climate  of  Britain,  by  cuttings  of  the  roots,  and  also  by  large  truncheons,  as  well 
as  by  the  suckers,  which  shoot  up  hi  great  numbers  in  that  country,  and  to  a 
considerable  distance  around  the  trees ;  but,  in  general,  both  in  Europe  and  in 
America,  the  simplest  and  the  best  mode  is  by  seeds.  According  to  M.  Roland, 
the  elder,  a  distinguished  French  agriculturist,  the  most  favourable  time  for 
sowing,  is  late  in  the  year,  when,  he  says,  the  seeds  germinate  best ;  but  they 
may  either  be  sown  as  soon  as  they  are  ripe,  in  October,  or  in  the  March  or  April 
following.  Whether  they  be  sown  in  autumn  or  spring,  they  will  come  up  the 
ensuing  summer,  and  the  plants,  by  the  end  of  the  season,  will  be  fit  either  for 
transplanting  into  nursery  lines,  or  to  the  places  where  they  are  finally  to  remain. 
The  seeds,  if  exposed  to  the  air  two  years  after  being  gathered,  lose  their  power 
of  vitality;  but  if  they  be  kept  in  their  pods,  and  buried  a  considerable  depth  in 
dry  soil,  they  will  remain  good  for  five  or  six  years,  or  perhaps  longer.  As  seed- 
bearing  trees  seldom  produce  two  abundant  crops  in  succession,  a  reserve  should 
be  kept  from  one  year  to  another.  The  great  difficulty  experienced  in  causing 
locust  seeds  to  vegetate,  operates  as  a  discouragement  with  many,  as  they  require 
to  be  prepared  before  sowing,  in  order  to  soften  their  hard  and  shelly  pericarps, 
or  hornlike  envelopes,  in  which  nature  has  deposited  their  germs.  A  writer  in  the 
"  Maine  Cultivator,"  recommends  pouring  water  over  the  seeds,  previously  heated 
to  the  boiling  point,  and  suffering  it  gradually  to  cool.  After  twenty-four  hours, 
to  decant  the  water  from  the  seeds,  and  select  such  as  have  opened,  for  imme- 
diate sowing.  He  also  recommends  another  mode,  and  perhaps  a  somewhat 
more  economical  one,  so  far  as  time  is  concerned,  which  is,  to  subject  the  seeds 
to  the  action  of  nitric  acid,  mixed  in  the  proportion  of  half  an  ounce  to  two  quarts 
of  water.  The  seeds  are  to  be  steeped  in  this  mixture  for  twenty-four  hours  before 
sowing,  and  the  water  kept  tepid,  or  slightly  warm,  by  means  of  a  stove  or  oven. 
By  this  process  the  perfect  seeds  will  at  once  evince  signs  of  vitality  and  germi- 
nation, while  those  which  remain  unaffected  at  the  end  of  twenty-four  hours, 
will  probably  be  unsound,  and  may  be  thrown  away.  An  experiment  is  related 
in  Wither's  "Treatise,"  by  the  results  of  which,  it  appears  that,  "immersion  in 
hot  water  accelerates  germination,  but  tends  to  destroy  or  injure  the  seeds." 
Mr.  Loudon,  in  his  "Arboretum  Britannicum,"  remarks  that,  steeping  Aus- 
tralia and  Cape  acacia  seeds  for  twenty-four  hours,  in  water  which  had  been 
poured  on  them  in  a  boiling  state,  or  nearly  so,  accelerated  their  germination 
nearly  two  years.  Great  caution  should  be  observed,  however,  in  experiments 
of  this  kind,  as  even  a  short  continuation  of  seeds  in  water  at  the  temperature  of 
212°  P.,  must-of  course  destroy  the  vital  principle.  The  seeds  should  be  sown 
in  a  good,  free,  warm  soil,  rather  rich  than  otherwise,  an  inch  or  two  apart  every 
way,  and  covered  with  finely  pulverized  earth,  from  a  quarter  to  three-quarters 
of  an  inch  deep.  In  fine  seasons,  the  plants  will  grow  from  two  to  four  feet  in 
height ;  the  largest  of  which  may  be  removed  in  the  following  autumn,  to  the 
places  where  they  are  finally  to  remain,  and  the  others  may  be  transplanted 
into  nursery  lines.  In  regard  to  the  removal  of  the  locust,  Loudon  observes, 
that  "it  will  transplant  at  almost  every  age,  and  with  fewer  roots  than  almost 
any  other  tree."  The  trees  should  never  be  suffered  to  stand  nearer  than  fifteen 
feet  apart,  in  any  soil,  and  should  they  be  consigned  to  a  soil  thin  and  light,  they 
should  be  planted  at  least  twenty  feet  asunder.  As  they  advance  in  age  and 
growth,  care  should  be  taken  to  clear  out  all  broken  branches  or  dead  wood  from 
their  tops,  and  to  keep  down  their  suckers,  which  will  sometimes  issue  from  their 
roots,  where  the  soil  is  moist  and  rich.     Under  favourable  circumstances,  th 


COMMON  LOCUST.  205 

Dlants  will  sometimes  produce  annual  shoots  from  six  to  eight  feet  long  for  seve- 
■al  years  after  planting ;  whereas,  in  wet  or  poor  soils,  they  will  not  exceed  one- 
mirth  of  this  length.  After  the  first  ten  or  twelve  years,  upon  good  land,  the 
ocust  will  probably  have  attained  a  height  of  fifteen  or  twenty  feet,  with  a  diam- 
eter of  three  or  four  inches ;  and  then  its  growth,  in  general,  becomes  very  slow ; 
ind  few  trees,  at  the  expiration  of  fifty  or  sixty  years,  will  be  found  over  fifty 
feet  in  height,  and  one  foot  in  diameter. 

Insects,  Accidents,  fyc.  The  Robinia  pseud  acacia,  in  Europe,  is  very  free  from 
the  attack  of  insects ;  but  in  those  parts  of  the  United  States  where  this  tree  is  cul- 
ivated,  it  is  preyed  upon  by  three  distinct  species  of  borers,  or  wood-eaters,  the 
.mchecked  operations  of  which  threaten  an  almost  entire  destruction  of  this  valu- 
able tree.  Dr.  T.  W.  Harris,  in  his  "  Report  on  the  Insects  of  Massachusetts 
injurious  to  Vegetation,"  observes  that,  "One  of  these  borers  is  a  little  reddish 
caterpillar,  whose  operations  are  confined  to  the  small  branches  and  to  very  young 
:rees,  in  the  pith  of  which  it  lives ;  and  by  its  irritation  it  causes  the  twig  to 
swell,  around  the  part  attacked.  These  swellings,  being  spongy,  and  also  per- 
forated by  the  caterpillar,  are  weaker  than  the  rest  of  the  stem,  which  therefore 
easily  breaks  off  at  these  places.  My  attempts  to  complete  the  history  of  this 
nsect  have  not  been  successful  hitherto ;  and  I  can  only  conjecture  that  it  belongs 
;o  the  iEgerians,  or  possibly  to  the  tribe  of  Bombyces."  In  the  same  work,  he 
lescribes  a  second  kind  of  borer,  called  Clytus  pictus,  or  the  painted  clytus. 
'  In  the  month  of  September,"  he  says,  "  these  beetles  gather  on  the  locust-trees, 
where  they  may  be  seen  glittering  in  the  sun-beams,  with  their  gorgeous  livery 
)f  black  velvet  and  gold,  coursing  up  and  down  the  trunks  in  pursuit  of  their 
mates,  or  to  drive  away  their  rivals,  and  stopping  every  now  and  then  to  salute 
those  they  meet,  with  a  rapid  bowing  of  the  shoulders,  accompanied  by  a  creak- 
ing sound,  indicative  of  recognition  or  defiance.  Having  paired,  the  female, 
attended  by  her  partner,  creeps  over  the  bark,  searching  the  crevices  with  her 
antennae,  and  dropping  therein  her  snow-white  eggs,  in  clusters  of  seven  or  eight 
together,  and  at  intervals  of  five  or  six  minutes,  till  her  whole  stock  is  safely 
stored.  The  eggs  are  soon  hatched,  and  the  grubs  immediately  burrow  into  the 
bark,  devouring  the  soft,  inner  substance,  that  suffices  for  their  nourishment  till 
the  approach  of  winter,  during  which,  they  remain  at  rest,  in  a  torpid  state.  In 
the  spring,  they  bore  through  the  sap-wood,  more  or  less  deeply  into  the  trunk, 
the  general  course  of  their  winding  and  irregular  passages,  being  in  an  upward 
direction  from  the  place  of  their  entrance.  For  a  time,  they  cast  their  chips  out 
af  their  holes  as  fast  as  they  are  made,  but  after  awhile,  the  passage  becomes 
clogged,  and  the  burrow  more  or  less  filled  with  the  coarse  and  fibrous  fragments 
of  wood,  to  get  rid  of  which,  the  grubs  are  often  obliged  to  open  new  holes 
through  the  bark.  The  seat  of  their  operations  is  known  by  the  oozing  of  tho 
sap  and  dropping  of  the  saw-dust  from  the  holes.  The  bark  around  the  part 
attacked  begins  to  swell,  and  in  a  few  years  the  trunk  and  limbs  will  become 
disfigured  and  weakened  by  large,  porous  tumours,  caused  by  the  efforts  of  the 
trees  to  repair  the  injuries  they  have  suffered."  According  to  the  observations 
of  a  writer  in  the  "  Massachusetts  Agricultural  Repository  and  Journal,"  vol.  vi., 
the  larvae  of  this  insect  attain  their  full  size  by  the  20th  of  July,  soon  after 
which,  they  pass  into  the  pupa  state,  and  are  transformed  into  beetles  early  in 
September.  The  third  class  of  borers  which  attack  this  tree,  is  the  Xyleutes 
robiniae,  or  locust-tree  carpenter  moth,  of  Harris;  or  the  Cossus  robiniae, 
[described  and  figured  by  Professor  Peck,  in  the  Vth  volume  of  the  "  Massachu- 
setts Agricultural  Repository  and  Journal."  According  to  Michaux,  the  ravages 
of  these  insects  were  first  observed  about  sixty  years  ago ;  but  their  habits  were 
lot  generally  known  before  the  year  1803,  when  they  first  attracted  the  atten- 
tion of  Professor  Peck,  of  Harvard  University.     He  observed  several  locust-trees 


206 


ROBINIA  PSEUDACACIA. 


that  had  been  blown  down  by  a  storm,  which  were  much  bored  by  the  larvse  of 
these  insects,  with  their  heart- wood  dead.  In  splitting  some  billets  of  these  trees 
he  found  that  they  contained  several  of  the  cater- 
pillars or  borers,  of  different  magnitudes,  which 
enabled  him  to  watch  them  through  the  various 
stages  of  their  growth.  "  The  furrows  in  the  bark 
of  the  locust,"  says  he,  "are  large  and  deep,  ex- 
tending, in  some  places,  even  to  the  liber  or  inner 
bark.  It  must  be  in  the  deepest  of  these  furrows 
that  the  egg  to  produce  the  caterpillar  is  deposited. 
The  inner  bark  is  thick  and  succulent,  affording  to 
the  young  larvse  a  tender  and  proper  food.  The 
sap-wood  is  harder;  this,  too,  is  perforated  to  theQ*^*^ 
perfect,  or  heart-wood,  on  which  it  is  afterwards  to 
feed.  This  it  bores  in  various  directions,  obliquely, 
upward,  and  downward,  making  them  larger  as  it 
increases  in  bulk.  Some  of  these  perforations  are  ^ 
large  enough  to  admit  the  little  finger.  The  grubs 
of  the  wood-eating  beetles  always  provide  a  path  for  the  escape  of  the  perfect 
insect  out  of  the  wood,  before  they  go  into  the  nympha  or  chrysalis  state'.  In 
the  same  manner  does  the  caterpillar  of  the  locust  form  an  opening  quite  through 
the  bark,  before  it  forms  its  cocoon.  An  inspection  of  the  scene  of  its  labours, 
clearly  discovers  how  everything  is  done."  Professor  Peck  supposed  that  the 
larva  lives  in  the  wood  three  years  or  more,  before  it  attains  its  full  groAvth. 
The  moths,  which  come  forth  about  the  middle  of  July,  have  thick  and  robust 
bodies,  broad,  and  thickly  veined  wings,  two  distinct  feelers,  and  antenna?,  that 
are  furnished  on  the  under  side,  in  both  sexes,  with  a  double  set  of  short  teeth, 
rather  longer  in  the  male  than  in  the  female.  The  larva  of  this  insect  is  said 
also  to  prey  upon  the  wood  of  the  black  oak  (Quercus  tinctoria.)  The  other 
insects  that  attack  the  common  locust-tree,  is  a  species  of  apion,  which  inhabits 
the  pods  and  devours  the  seeds ;  and  the  Eudamus  tityrus,  which  feeds  upon  its 
foliage,  as  well  as  upon  that  of  the  Robinia  viscosa. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  locust,  which  is  commonly  of  a  green- 
ish-yellow colour,  marked  with  brown  veins,  is  very  hard,  compact,  and  suscep- 
tible of  a  brilliant  polish.  It  possesses  great  strength,  with  but  little  elasticity ; 
and  its  most  valuable  property  is  that  of  resisting  decay  longer  than  almost  any 
other  species  of  wood.  When  newly  cut,  it  weighs  sixty-three  pounds,  three 
ounces  to  a  cubic  foot ;  half  dry,  fifty  six  and  a  quarter  pounds,  and  when  quite 
dry,  only  forty-eight  and  a  quarter  pounds,  or  according  to  others,  only  forty- 
six  pounds.  According  to  M.  Hartig,  the  German  dendrologist,  its  value  for  fuel, 
when  compared  with  that  of  the  beech,  (Fagus  sylvatica,)  is  as  twelve  to  fifteen. 
For  duration,  he  places  it  next  below  the  oak,  (Quercus  robur,)  and  next  above 
the  larch,  (Larix  europgea,)  and  the  Scotch  pine  (Pinus  sylvestris.)  Barlow, 
in  Wither's  "Treatise,"  gives  the  strength  of  locust  timber,  as  compared  with 
other  woods,  as  follows  : — 


Teak,  (Tectona  grandis,) 2462 

Ash,  (Fraxinus  excelsior,) 2026 

Locust,  {Robinia  pseudacacia,) 1867 

Oak,  (Quercus  robnr,) 1672 

Beech,  (Fagus  sylvatica,) 1556 

Norway  spar,  (Abies  excelsa,) 1474 

Riga  fir,  (Pinus  sylvestris  rigensis,) 1108 

Elm,  (Ulrnus  campestris,) 1013 


COMMON  LOCUST.  207 

Fvom  some  experiments  made  at  Brest,  in  1823,  the  weight  of  the  locast  wood 
was  found  to  be  one  sixth  heavier  than  that  of  the  English  oak ;  its  strength  as 
one  thousand  four  hundred  and  twenty-seven  to  eight  hundred  and  twenty ;  and 
its  elasticity  as  twenty-one  to  nine.  By  experiments  made  in  the  yard  of  the  royal 
naval  college,  at  Woolwich,  it  appears  that  the  lateral  strength  of  locust  timber,  in 
resisting  fracture,  is  greater  than  that  of  the  British  oak,  in  the  proportion  of  one 
hundred  to  seventy-five.  From  all  these  experiments,  however  widely  they  may 
differ  in  their  results,  we  may  safely  conclude,  that  sound,  well-seasoned  locust 
timber  "  is  heavier,  harder,  stronger,  more  rigid,  more  elastic,  and  tougher,  than 
that  of  the  best  English  oak;"  and  consequently  is  more  suitable  for  trenails. 
Michaux  remarks  that,  "  if  the  trunks  of  the  locust-trees  grown  in  the  north  of 
Pennsylvania,  exceed  fifteen  inches  in  diameter,  when  they  are  cut  down  and 
split  open,  they  are  frequently  found  to  be  decayed  at  the  heart ;  but  that  this  is 
not  the  case  with  trees  that  have  grown  farther  south;"  which  would  tend  to 
show  that  a  poor  soil  and  a  cold  climate  are  not  sufficient  to  produce  good  timber. 
There  are  at  least  three  popular  varieties  of  the  common  locust,  distinguishable 
by  the  colour  of  the  heart-wood,  which  may  be  described  as  follows : — 

1.  Red  Locust,  with  the  heart  red,  and  is  esteemed  as  far  the  most  beautiful 
and  durable  timber.  Posts  of  this  variety,  perfectly  seasoned  before  they  are  set 
in  the  ground,  are  estimated  to  last  forty  years,  or  twice  as  long  as  those  of  the 
white  locust. 

2.  Green  or  Yellow  Locust.  This  is  the  most  common  variety,  being  known 
by  its  greenish-yellow  heart,  and  is  held  next  best  in  quality  to  the  red  locust. 

3.  White  Locust,  with  a  white  heart,  and  is  considered  as  the  least  valuable 
of  them  all. 

All  of  the  above-mentioned  variations  are  supposed  to  be  owing  entirely  to  the 
soil  and  situations  in  which  they  grow,  being  caused  in  a  similar  manner  as  the 
various  colours  of  the  flowers  of  the  hydrangea,  which  depend  on  the  nature  of 
the  earth  in  which  they  are  planted,  and  even  on  the  colour  of  the  water  with 
which  they  are  irrigated. 

In  naval  architecture,  the  timber  of  the  locust  is  much  esteemed  by  American 
shipwrights,  and  enters,  with  the  live  oak,  the  white  oak,  and  the  red  cedar,  into 
the  upper  and  the  lower  parts  of  the  frames  of  vessels,  though  in  very  small  pro- 
portions. It  is  considered  as  durable  as  the  live  oak,  and  the  red  cedar,  with  the 
advantage  of  being  lighter  than  the  former  and  stronger  than  the  latter.  It  is 
used  for  trenails  in  the  dock-yards  of  Europe  and  the  United  States,  in  prefer- 
ence to  any  other  kind  of  wood ;  and  instead  of  decaying,  it  acquires,  in  time, 
an  extraordinary  degree  of  hardness.  In  civil  architecture,  in  this  country,  it 
enters  but  little  into  the  composition  of  houses,  on  account  of  its  scarcity,  and  its 
value  in  ship-building,  and  for  posts  of  rural  fences,  &c.  When  employed  in  the 
construction  of  houses,  it  is  more  particularly  applied  for  the  support  of  the  sills, 
which  usually  consist  of  more  destructible  timber,  and  which,  if  they  were 
placed  immediately  on  the  ground,  would  sooner  decay.  From  the  hardness  of 
the  wood  whtii  seasoned,  the  firmness  of  the  grain,  and  its  lustre  when  polished, 
it  has  been  extensively  used  in  cabinet-making,  and  has  been  substituted  by 
turners  for  the  box-wood,  in  many  species  of  light  work,  such  as  small  domestic 
wares,  toys,  &c.  It  has  also  been  employed  by  mill-wrights  for  cogs,  but  it  is 
less  valuable  for  this  purpose  than  that  of  the  rock  maple. 

The  most  important  use  to  which  the  locust  is  applied  in  Britain,  is  that  of 
forming  trenails  for  ship  fastenings :  and  large  quantities  are  annually  imported 
into  that  country  from  America.  As  long  as  we  can  supply  them  for  the  prices 
which  they  at  present  bear,  it  never  would  repay  the  grower  to  cultivate  them 
in  England  for  this  special  purpose. 

In  France,  the  locust  has  been  extensively  cultivated  in  the  Gironde,  in  copses, 


20S  ROBIXIA    PSEUDACACIA. 

which  are  cut  at  the  age  of  four  years,  for  vine-props  ;  and  these  props  are  said 
to  last  more  than  twenty  years.  In  the  same  district,  old  trees  are  pollarded, 
and  their  branches  lopped  every  third  year,  for  the  same  purpose.  In  Paris, 
many  small  articles  are  made  of  the  wood ;  such  as  salt-cellars,  sugar-dishes, 
spoons,  forks,  sand-boxes,  paper-knives.  &c. 

In  Lombardy,  the  wood  of  the  locust  is  used  for  many  rural  purposes.  Young 
plants  of  it  were  formerly  much  employed  for  live  fences ;  but  this  practice  has 
long  since  been  abandoned,  because  the  tree  was  found  to  impoverish  the  soil ; 
and,  with  age,  lost  its  prickles ;  besides,  from  being  continually  pruned,  to  keep  it 
low,  or  from  being  cropped  by  animals,  the  hedges  became  thin  and  open  at  the 
bottom,  and  eventually  became  mere  stumps.  Italy,  as  well  as  the  southern 
departments  of  France,  Michaux  considers  the  countries  in  which  the  greatest 
advantages  may  be  derived  from  the  rapid  growth  of  this  tree.  In  good  soils,  in 
such  climates,  at  the  end  of  twenty  or  twenty-five  years,  he  says,  that  a  mass  of 
wood  may  be  obtained  from  the  locust,  twice  as  great  as  from  any  other  species 
of  tree. 

In  countries  where  clovers  and  root  crops  are  not  cultivated,  the  leaves  of  the 
locust  may  serve  as  a  substitute  for  these  articles  as  provender  for  animals. 
When  this  species  is  cultivated  for  this  purpose,  it  should  be  mown  every  year; 
or  the  trees  may  be  allowed  to  grow  to  the  height  of  eight  or  ten  feet,  and  treated 
as  pollards,  the  branches  being  cut  off  every  other  year,  which  should  be  done 
at  mid-summer,  when  they  are  succulent,  and  can  be  dried  for  winter's  use.  In 
performing  this  operation,  one  or  two  shoots  should  be  left  on  each  tree,  to  keep 
up  vegetation,  which  may  be  pruned  oft*  the  following  winter  or  spring.  When 
the  shoots  are  to  be  eaten  green,  none  should  be  taken  but  those  of  the  same  sea- 
son ;  because  in  them  the  prickles  are  herbaceous,  and,  consequently,  do  not 
injure  the  mouths  of  the  animals. 

The  roots  of  the  locust  are  very  sweet,  and  afford  an  extract  which  might  be 
substituted  for  licorice.  The  flowers  have  been  employed  medicinally,  as  anti- 
spasmodics, and  have  been  distilled  into  an  agreeable,  refreshing  syrup,  which 
is  drunk  with  water  to  quench  thirst.  The  flowers  retain  their  fragrance  when 
dried :  and  those  of  a  single  tree  are  sufficient  to  perfume  a  whole  garden. 

As  an  ornamental  tree,  the  locust,  with  its  light  and  elegant  foliage,  its  sweetly 
perfumed  flowers,  its  beautiful  pendent  form,  often  "feathering  to  the  ground," 
will  always  be  entitled  to  a  place  in  our  parks,  lawns,  and  pleasure-grounds ;  but, 
as  Gilpin  says,  "  its  beauty  is  frail,  and  it  is  of  all  trees  the  least  able  to  endure  the 
blast.  In  some  sheltered  spot  it  may  ornament  a  garden ;  but  it  is  by  no  means 
qualified  to  adorn  a  country.  Its  wood  is  of  so  brittle  a  texture,  especially  when 
it  is  encumbered  with  a  weight  of  foliage,  that  you  can  never  depend  upon  its  aid 
in  filling  up  the  part  you  wish.  The  branch  you  admire  to-day  may  be  demol- 
ished to-morrow.  The  misfortune  is,  the  acacia  is  not  one  of  those  grand  objects, 
like  the  oak,  whose  dignity  is  often  increased  by  ruin.  It  depends  on  its  beauty, 
rather  than  on  its  grandeur,  which  is  a  quality  more  liable  to  injury.  I  may 
add,  however,  in  its  favour,  that,  if  it  be  easily  injured,  it  repairs  the  injury 
more  quickly  than  any  other  tree."  It  has  also  "  the  further  disadvantage  of 
coming  late  into  leaf,  and  being  among  the  very  first  to  cast  its  foliage  in  autumn, 
and  this  without  undergoing  any  change  of  colour,  or  exhibiting  those  beautiful 
and  mellow  tints  which  enrich  the  landscape  at  this  season  of  the  year." 


Robinia  viscosa, 


THE  VISCOUS-BARKED  ROBINIA. 

Synonymes. 


Robinia  viscosa, 


Robinia  glutinosa, 

Robinia  montana, 

Acacia  visqueuse, 

Klebrige  Acacie, 

Robinia  rosa,  Robinia  di  fior  rosso, 

Rose-flowering  Locust, 


'  Michaux,  North  American  Sylva. 
De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 
Du  Hamel,  Traite  des  Arbres  et  Arbustes. 
Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
Torrey  and  Gray,  Flora  of  North  America. 
Curtis,  London  Botanical  Magazine. 
Bartram,  Travels. 
France. 
Germany. 
Italy. 
Britain  and  Anglo-America. 


Derivation.    The  specific  name,  viscosa,  is  derived  from  the  Latin  viscus,  properly  a  species  of  shrub,  which  yields  a  giuti 
nous  substance,  called  bird-lime,  and  has  reference  to  the  viscid  or  clammy  nature  of  the  bark  of  this  tree. 

Engravings.    Michaux,  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  77;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  ii.,  figure  306,  et  v.,  pi.  87, 
and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.  Branches  and  legumes  glandular  and  clammy.  Racemes  crowded,  erect.  Bracteas 
concave,  deciduous,  each  ending  in  a  long  bristle.  The  three  lower  teeth  of  the  calyx  acuminated 
Roots  creeping. — De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 


Description. 

ft  HE  Robinia  viscosa  usu- 

£%  h  H  SH  ally  grows  to  a  height  of 

W\    u    |B  thirty  or  forty  feet,  with 

Ifc<^s5al  a  diameter  of  six  to 
twelve  inches.  The  bark,  particularly  of  young 
shoots,  is  of  a  dull  red,  and  is  covered  with  a 
viscid  substance,  which,  when  touched,  adheres 
to  the  fingers.  In  every  other  respect,  this  tree 
strongly  resembles  the  preceding  species.  The 
branches  are  armed  with  spines,  which,  how- 
ever, are  smaller  and  less  numerous.  The 
foliage  is  thicker,  and  of  a  dusky  green.  The 
leaves  are  five  or  six  inches  long,  and  are  com- 
posed of  opposite  leaflets,  with  a  terminal  odd 
one.  The  leaflets  are  about  an  inch  in  length, 
oval,  nearly  sessile,  smooth,  and  of  a  fine  tex- 
ture. The  flowers  usually  appear  in  June  and 
July,  but  in  some  seasons,  they  put  forth  a  sec- 
ond time,  both  in  England  and  in  the  United 
States.  They  occur  in  numerous,  open  bunches,  four  or  five  inches  long,  and 
are  of  a  beautiful  rose-colour,  mixed  with  white,  but  are  destitute  of  fragrance. 
The  seeds,  which  are  small,  are  contained  in  hairy  pods,  two  or  three  inches 
long,  and  about  half  of  an  inch  broad. 

Geography  and  History.     In  its  natural  habitat,  this  species  appears  to  be 

chiefly  confined  to  the  Alleghanies,  in  the  western  parts  of  Georgia  and  the  Car- 

olinas,  although  it  is  found  on  the  banks  of  the  rivers  in  these  states,  particularly 

on  the  Savannah.     It  was  introduced  into  Britain  in  1797,  and  is  much  culti- 

'  vated  for  ornament  in  various  parts  of  Europe. 

27 


210  KOBINIA  VISCOSA. 

The  largest  recorded  tree  of  this  species  in  England,  is  at  Croome,  in  Worces- 
tershire, which,  in  thirty  years  after  planting,  attained  the  height  of  forty-five 
feet.  In  Berkshire,  at  White  Knights,  there  is  another  tree,  which,  in  thirty-four 
years  after  planting,  attained  the  height  of  thirty-three  feet,  with  a  trunk  nine 
inches  in  diameter,  and  a  spread  of  branches  of  twenty-four  feet. 

Soil,  Situation,  Culture,  fyc.  The  natural  habitat  of  this  tree  is  near  rivers ; 
but  it  will  thrive  in  any  soil  where  the  common  locust  will  prosper,  and  may  be 
propagated  and  treated  in  the  same  manner,  its  rate  of  growth,  in  different  situ- 
ations and  circumstances,  being  nearly  the  same  for  the  first  five  or  six  years. 

Insects.  The  leaves  of  the  Robinia  viscosa  are  particularly  relished  by  the 
larvae  of  the  great  silver-spotted  skipper  butterfly,  Papilio  tityrus,  of  Smith  and 
Abbot,  or  the  Eudamus  tityrus,  of  Harris.  This  caterpillar  was  taken  by  Mr. 
Abbot,  feeding  on  a  wild  locust-tree,  the  latter  end  of  August.  It  spun  the  leaves 
together,  to  secure  itself  from  birds,  &c,  like  the  rest  of  the  tribe,  on  the  5th 
of  September,  and  became  a  chrysalis  in  two  days  after.  The  butterfly  was 
produced  in  Georgia  the  10th  of  April  following.  According  to  Dr.  Harris,  they 
make  their  appearance  from  the  middle  of  June  till  after  the  beginning  of  July. 
The  females  lay  their  eggs,  singly,  on  the  leaves  of  the  common  locust,  as  well 
as  on  this  species.  The  caterpillars  are  hatched  in  July,  and  mostly  feed  in  the 
night,  and  keep  themselves  closely  concealed  during  the  day.  This  tree  is  some- 
times nearly  deprived  of  its  leaves  by  these  insects,  or  presents  only  here  and 
there  the  brown  and  withered  remains  of  foliage,  which  has  served  them  for  a 
temporary  shelter. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  Robinia  viscosa  resembles  that  of  the 
common  locust,  both  in  its  appearance  and  in  other  properties ;  but  owing  to  its 
inferior  size,  and  being  of  less  durability,  it  is  but  little  employed  in  construction 
and  in  the  arts.  As  this  tree  soon  arrives  at  perfection,  and  is  rendered  conspic- 
uous by  its  large  roseate  flowers,  it  well  deserves  a  place  in  every  ornamental 
plantation.  At  the  same  time,  let  it  be  borne  in  mind,  that  its  creeping  roots  are 
a  great  nuisance  in  all  cultivated  grounds.  The  clammy  matter  which  exudes 
from  the  bark  of  the  young  shoots  is  said  to  have  been  examined  by  Vauquelin, 
and  found  to  contain  a  new  vegetable  substance. 


Genus   GLEDITSCHIA,    Linn. 

Leguminaceae.  Polygamia  Dicecia. 

Syst.  Nat.  Sysl.  Lin. 

Synonymes 
Acacia,  Ghditschia,  Of  Authors. 

Derivations.  The  word  Acacia,  is  derived  from  the  Celtic  ac,  a  point,  and  has  reference  to  the  spines  of  the  true  acacia,  an 
Egyptian  tree  which  this  genus  somewhat  resembles.  The  generic  name,  Ghditschia,  was  so  named  in  honour  of  Gottlieb  Gle- 
ditsch,  of  Leipsic,  once  a  professor  at  Berlin,  and  defender  of  Linnaeus  against  Siegesbeck. 

Generic  Characters.  Branchlets  supra-axillary,  and  often  converted  into  branched  spines.  Leaves 
abruptly  pinnate ;  in  the  same  species  pinnate,  bipinnate,  or,  rarely,  by  the  coalition  of  the  leaflets, 
almost  simple.  Flowers  greenish,  in  spikes.  Among  the  ovaries,  it  often  happens,  especially  among 
those  of  the  terminal  flowers,  that  two  grow  together  by  their  seed-bearing  suture,  which  is  rather  vil- 
lose. — Be  Candolle,  Prodromus. 

|HE  genus  Gleditschia,  in  its  indigenous  state,  appears  to  be  con- 
fined to  North  America  and  China.  It  probably  embraces  not 
more  than  three  distinct  species,  two  American  and  one  Chinese. 
The  latter,  Gleditschia  sinensis,  is  distinguished  by  its  trunk  being 
more  spiny  than  its  branches.  To  the  same  natural  family  be- 
longs the  carob-tree,  (Ceratonia  siliqua,)  which  is  generally  con- 
sidered as  the  locust-tree  mentioned  in  the  Bible.  On  this  subject,  Professor 
Martin  remarks,  that,  the  ignorance  of  eastern  manners  and  natural  history, 
induced  some  persons  to  fancy  that  the  locusts  on  which  Saint  John  the  Baptist 
fed,  were  the  tender  shoots  of  plants,  and  that  the  wild  honey  was  the  pulp  of 
the  pod  of  the  carob ;  whence  it  is  sometimes  called  "  Saint  John's  bread."  There 
is  little  reason  to  suppose,  he  adds,  that  the  shells  of  the  carob  pod  might  be  the 
husks  which  the  prodigal  son  desired  to  partake  of  with  the  swine.  This  tree  is 
very  common  in  the  south  of  Spain,  where  it  is  called  algarrobo,  and  its  seeds  or 
beans  are  eaten  there  by  man  as  well  as  by  animals,  as  was  the  case  in  1811  and 
1812,  when  they  formed,  at  times,  the  principal  food  of  the  horses  of  the  British 
cavalry.  From  the  curious,  horn-like  pods  of  this  tree,  and  the  sweet  fecula  con- 
tained in  its  seeds,  it  well  deserves  to  be  extensively  cultivated  in  the  southern 
states  of  the  union,  by  all  who  have  means  and  conveniences  for  raising  it. 


Gleditschia  triacanthos, 

THE  THREE-THORNED  GLEDITSCHIA. 

Synonymes. 


Gleditschia  tnacanthos, 


(  Linnjeus,  Species  Plantarum. 
I  De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 

IMichaux,  North  American  Sylva. 
Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
Torre  y  and  Gray,  Flora  of  North  America. 
Fevier  d'Amenque,  Fevier  a  trois  epines,    France. 

Germany. 


Dreidorniger  Honigdom, 

Acacia  spinosa,  Gleditschia  spinosa,  Fava 

americana, 
Fevier, 

Honey-shuck  Locust, 
Honey  Locust,   Sweet    Locust,   Thorny  j  ^^^  ^  toujBmi 

Acacia.  I  iiree-thorned  Acacia.  ) 


Italy. 

French  Canada. 
Kentucky. 


Derivations.  The  specific  name,  triacanthos,  is  derived  from  the  Greek  treis,  three,  and  canthos,  a  thorn,  having  reference 
to  the  disposition  of  the  spines,  which  are  mostly  triple  or  compound.  The  French  name,  Fivier,  is  probably  corrupted  from 
the  word  five,  a  bean,  from  the  resemblance  which  the  pods  of  this  tree  bear  to  those  of  beans.  The  German  name  signifies 
Three-thorned  Honey  Thorn.  The  English  and  French  Canadian  names  are  applied  to  this  species  on  account  of  the  sweet 
flavour  of  the  juice  of  the  pods. 

Engravings.  Michaux,  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  79;  Audubon,  Birds  of  America,  pi.  xlii. ;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britan- 
nicum, v.,  pi.  90;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.  Spines  simple  or  trifid ;  stout,  at  the  very  base  compressed,  in  the  upper  part  cylin- 
drical, but  tapered.  Leaflets  linear-oblong.  Legumes  flattish,  rather  crooked,  many-seeded,  and  more 
than  ten  times  as  long  as  broad. — De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 


Description. 

HE  Gleditschia  tria- 
canthos, in  favoura- 
ble situations,  attains 
fiS^^i  a  height  of  seventy 
or  eighty  feet,  with  a  trunk  three  or  four  feet  in 
diameter,  clear  of  branches  to  the  height  of 
thirty  feet.  The  bark  of  the  trunk  and 
branches  is  of  a  gray  colour,  and  that  of  the 
young  shoots  and  spines,  of  a  purplish-brown. 
When  the  tree  becomes  old,  the  bark  of  the 
trunk  detaches  itself  laterally,  in  plates  three 
or  four  inches  in  width,  and  nearly  a  quarter 
of  an  inch  in  thickness.  When  advanced 
in  age,  the  trunk  and  branches  are  armed  with  j 
large  prickles,  which,  though  not  ligneous,  be- 
come hard,  and  remain  attached  to  the  bark  for 
several  years.  These  prickles  are  not  only  pro- 
duced from  the  young  wood,  but  occasionally 
protrude  themselves  from  the  trunk,  even  when  the  tree  is  of  considerable  bulk 
and  age.  The  trunk  often  presents  a  twisted  appearance,  and  the  branches  pro- 
ceed from  it  rather  horizontally,  than  in  an  upright  direction.  The  foliage  is 
particularly  elegant,  and  is  so  thin  that  it  scarcely  obstructs  the  passage  of  the 
rays  of  the  sun.  The  leaves  are  pinnated,  and  composed  of  small,  oval,  sessile 
eaflets,  slightly  crenulated  at  their  summits,  and  of  an  agreeable,  shining,  light- 


THREE-THORNED  GLEDITSCHIA.  213 

green.  They  appear  rather  late  in  spring,  and  begin  to  turn  yellow,  and  drop 
off  early  in  autumn.  The  flowers,  which  open  in  June,  are  small  and  rather 
inconspicuous,  the  male  being  in  the  form  of  catkin-like  racemes,  of  nearly  the 
same  colour  of  the  leaves.  The  fruit  is  in  the  form  of  flat,  crooked,  pendulous 
pods,  from  twelve  to  eighteen  inches  in  length,  of  a  reddish-brown  colour.  They 
contain  numerous  hard,  smooth,  brown  seeds,  enveloped  in  a  pulpy  substance, 
which,  for  about  a  month  after  maturity,  is  very  sweet,  but  which,  in  a  few 
weeks  after,  becomes  extremely  sour.  The  pods  often  remain  upon  the  trees 
some  time  after  the  leaves  have  fallen.  The  seeds  usually  ripen  in  the  United 
States  towards  the  end  of  September. 

Varieties.     The  varieties  recognized  under  this  species  are  as  follows : — 

1.  G.  t.  inermis,  De  Candolle.  Spineless  Honey  Locust,  the  stem  and  branches 
of  which  are  either  entirely  without  spines,  or  sparingly  so.  There  is  a  tree  of 
this  variety  at  Syon,  near  London,  seventy-two  feet  in  height,  with  a  trunk 
nearly  two  and  a  half  feet  in  diameter,  and  an  ambitus  of  seventy-one  feet. 

2.  G.  t.  brachycarpos,  Michaux.  Short- fruited  Honey  Locust,  with  short 
spines,  and  oblong  pods,  much  shorter  than  those  of  the  species. 

Geography  and  History.  The  Gleditschia  triacanthos  is  sparingly  found  in 
me  United  States,  from  Pennsylvania  to  Georgia  and  Louisiana.  It  seems  to 
belong  more  particularly  to  the  country  west  of  the  Alleghanies;  and  it  is 
scarcely  found  growing  wild  anywhere  except  in  the  fertile  bottoms  which  are 
watered  by  the  rivers  that  empty  themselves  into  the  Mississippi,  and  Illinois, 
especially  in  the  southern  parts  of  Kentucky  and  Tennessee.  It  is  generally 
associated  with  the  Juglans  nigra,  Carya  squamosa,  Ulmus  rubra,  Fraxinus 
americana  quadrangulata,  Robinia  pseudacacia,  Negundo  fraxinifolium,  and 
Gymnocladus  canadensis.  It  is  cultivated  for  ornament  in  the  Atlantic  cities 
and  towns,  from  Schenectady,  in  New  York,  to  Savannah,  in  Georgia. 

This  species  was  first  cultivated  in  Britain  in  1700,  by  Bishop  Compton,  in 
the  palace  garden,  at  Fulham;  and  Miller  informs  us  that  it  produced  pods  there 
of  full  size,  in  1728;  but  the  seeds  did  not  come  to  maturity. 

The  largest  Gleditschia  triacanthos  in  England,  is  at  Syon,  near  London, 
which  is  fiftynseven  feet  in  height,  with  a  trunk  three  feet  in  diameter,  and  an 
ambitus  of  sixty-three  feet. 

In  Renfrewshire,  in  Scotland,  in  the  Glasgow  botanic  garden,  there  is  another 
tree,  planted  against  a  wall,  which  is  generally  killed  down  to  the  ground  every 
year ;  but  in  Haddingtonshire,  at  Tyningham,  there  is  a  tree  which  attained  a 
height  of  nearly  forty  feet,  in  twenty  years  after  planting. 

This  species  was  known  in  France  in  the  time  of  Du  Hamel,  who  recommends 
ii  as  an  ornamental  tree,  but  liable  to  have  its  branches  broken  by  the  wind, 
more  especially  when  the  trunk  divides  into  two  branches  of  equal  size,  and 
becomes  forked  at  the  summit.  It  ripens  its  seeds  freely  in  France,  as  well  as  in 
southern  Europe  generally,  from  which  plants  are  easily  raised. 

The  largest  Gleditschia  triacanthos  growing  in  France,  is  in  the  Jardin  des 
Plantes,  at  Paris,  which  attained  the  height  of  eighty  feet  in  one  hundred  years 
after  planting,  with  a  trunk  two  feet  in  diameter. 

In  Italy,  at  Monza,  this  species  attained  the  height  of  thirty  feet  in  twenty- 
nine  years  after  planting.  It  was  used  also  in  Lombardy  for  hedges,  but,  like 
the  common  locust,  when  tried  for  the  same  purpose,  was  soon  abandoned. 

In  Prussia,  at  Sans  Souci,  this  tree  attained  a  height  of  fifty  feet  in  forty-five 
years  after  planting. 

In  Russia,  in  the  Crimea,  it  ripened  seeds,  in  1827,  from  which  young  plants 
were  raised. 

Soil,  Situation,  Propagation,  fyc.  The  Gleditschia  triacanthos,  in  its  natural 
•  habitat,  is  never  found  except  where  the  soil  is  good,  and  its  presence,  Michaux 


214  GLEDITSCHIA    i'KIACANTHOS. 

observes,  is  an  infallible  sign  of  the  greatest  degree  of  fertility.  When  cultivated, 
it  requires  a  deep,  rich,  free  soil,  and  a  situation  not  exposed  to  high  winds.  The 
climate  should  also  be  somewhat  favourable,  otherwise  the  wood  of  the  young 
branches  will  not  ripen,  but  will  annually  be  killed  off  by  the  frost.  In  Britain, 
the  species  is  always  propagated  from  seeds  imported  from  abroad.  They  are 
prepared  for  sowing,  by  soaking  them  twelve  hours  in  warm  water,  as  directed  for 
those  of  the  Robinia  pseudacacia.  They  should  be  sown  in  March  or  April,  and, 
if  properly  prepared,  they  will  come  up  in  two  or  three  weeks.  They  are  best 
transplanted  to  the  spot  where  they  are  finally  to  remain,  when  quite  young ;  as 
they  make  but  few  fibrous  roots,  and  these,  for  the  most  part,  take  a  downward 
direction.  The  varieties  can  only  be  insured  by  grafting  or  inarching  on  the 
species.  In  general,  however,  an  abundance  of  plants  of  the  Gleditschia  tria- 
canthos  inermis  may  be  selected  from  beds  of  seedlings  of  the  species.  The  rate 
of  growth  of  this  tree  for  the  first  fifteen  or  twenty  years,  is  generally  about  an 
average  of  a  foot  a  year ;  but  in  favourable  situations  it  will  grow  at  double  that 
rate. 

Insects.  One  of  the  greatest  enemies  to  the  Gleditschia  triacanthos  is  the  Can- 
tharis  cinera,  or  the  ash-coloured  cantharis,  of  Harris.  It  usually  appears  in 
gardens  in  June,  and  often  the  foliage  of  this  species  is  destroyed  by  these  vora- 
cious insects.  Dr.  Harris  remarks  that  they  are  also  very  fond  of  the  leaves  of 
the  English  bean,  and  that  they  are  occasionally  found  in  considerable  numbers 
on  potato  vines.  It  is  stated  by  Smith  and  Abbot,  in  their  "  Insects  of  Georgia," 
that  the  Phalsena  concinna,  or  painted  prominent  moth,  feeds  upon  this  tree  as 
well  as  upon  the  apple,  persimon,  and  hickory.  The  whole  brood  most  com- 
monly come  together.  They  form  their  webs  about  the  first  of  June,  and  the 
perfect  insects  make  their  appearance  in  about  fifteen  days  after.  They  likewise 
spin  in  autumn,  and  come  out  the  following  spring. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  Gleditschia  triacanthos,  when  dry, 
weighs  fifty-two  pounds  to  a  cubic  foot.  It  is  very  hard,  and  splits  with  great 
difficulty,  resembling  in  this,  and  some  other  respects,  that  of  the  common  locust; 
but  its  grain  is  coarser,  and  its  pores  more  open.  This  tree  is  neither  used  by 
the  builder  nor  the  wheelwright,  but  is  sometimes  employed,  in  Kentucky, 
where  it  is  the  most  abundant,  for  rural  fences,  where  wood  of  a  more  durable 
kind  cannot  be  procured.  Michaux  says  that  the  only  useful  purpose  for  which 
he  thinks  the  tree  fit,  is  for  making  hedges,  but  it  has  not  succeeded  either  in 
Europe  or  in  America.  A  sugar  has  been  extracted  from  the  pulp  of  the  pods, 
and  a  beer' made  by  fermenting  it  while  fresh. 

In  general,  this  species,  as  well  as  all  others  of  the  genus,  can  only  be  consid- 
ered as  ornamental  trees ;  but  in  that  character,  they  hold  a  high  rank.  The 
delicate,  light-green  foliage,  and  beautifully  varied,  graceful,  and  picturesque 
forms  assumed  by  this  tree,  together  with  the  singular  feature  afforded  by  its 
spines,  will  always  entitle  it  to  a  place  in  ornamental  plantations. 


Gleditschia  monosperma, 
THE  ONE-SEEDED   GLEDITSCHIA. 

Synonymes. 


Gleditschia  monosperma, 


Fevier  monosperme, 
Einsamiger  Honigdorn, 
Gleditschia  monosperma, 
Water  Locust, 


'  Walter,  Flora  Caroliniana. 
De  Candoi.le,  Prodromus. 
Michaux,  North  American  Sylva 
Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum 
Torrey  and  Gray,  Flora  of  North  America. 
France. 
Germany. 
Italy. 
Britain  and  Anglo-America. 


Derivation.  The  specific  name,  monosperma,  is  derived  from  the  Greek  monos,  one,  and  sperma,  a  seed,  naving  reference  to 
the  growing  of  only  one  seed  in  each  pod.  The  French,  German,  and  Italian  names  have  the  same  signification.  It  is  called 
Water  Locust,  on  account  of  its  growing  only  in  large  swamps  that  border  rivers,  where  the  soil  is  constantly  wet,  and  often 
inundated  at  the  season  of  the  rising  of  the  waters. 


Engravings. 
below. 


Michaux,  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  80 ;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  ii.,  figure  364 ;  and  the  figures 


Specific  Characters.    Spines  slender,  not  rarely  trifid,  few. 
tish,  roundish,  1-seeded. — De  Candolle.  Prodromus. 


Leaflets  ovate-oblong,  acute.    Legumes  flat- 


Description. 

i^2@|!HE  Gleditschia  mo- 
*a  'i?  cl  nosperma,  in  its  nat- 
3?  LI  IS  ura-l  habitat,  attains 
!\X/£i|  a  height  of  sixty  or 
eighty  feet,  with  a  trunk  from  one  to  two  feet  in 
diameter.  In  some  respects  it  closely  resem- 
bles the  preceding  species.  The  bark,  though 
smooth  when  the  tree  is  young,  cracks  and 
scales  off  when  it  becomes  old.  The  branches' 
are  armed  with  thorns,  and  are  less  numerous, 
and  somewhat  smaller  than  those  of  the  Gle- 
ditschia triacanthos ;  and  the  leaves  differ  from 
it  in  being  more  diminutive  in  all  their  pro- 
portions. The  flowers,  which  open  in  June  and  July,  are  inconspicuous,  of  a 
greenish  colour,  and  destitute  of  odour.  They  are  succeeded  by  flat,  roundish 
pods,  of  a  reddish  colour,  about  an  inch  in  diameter,  united  in  bunches  of  three, 
each  of  which  contains  a  single,  naked  seed.  The  seeds  usually  come  to  maturity, 
in  the  United  States,  early  in  September. 

Geography,  History,  fyc.  The  Gleditschia  monosperma,  along  the  sea-board, 
is  found  indigenous  to  South  Carolina,  Georgia,  East  Florida,  Louisiana,  and 
Texas ;  and  west  of  the  Alleghanies,  it  is  found  in  Illinois.  It  grows  only  in 
large  swamps  that  border  the  rivers,  where  the  soil  is  rich  and  moist,  or  is  occa- 
sionally overflowed  at  the  season  of  the  rising  waters.  In  such  soils  it  is  found 
growing  among  the  Taxodium  distichum,  Nyssa  grandidentata,  Acer  rubrum, 
Q.uercus  lyrata,  Planera  ulmifolia,  Juglans  cathartica,  and  other  trees,  requiring 
a  deep,  rich,  moist  soil. 

This  species  was  introduced  into  Britain,  in  1723,  by  Mark  Catesby,  and 
treated  in  all  respects  like  the  Gleditschia  triacanthos,  of  which  it  was  considered, 
until  within  a  few  years,  only  a  variety 


216 


GLEDITSCHIA   MONOSPERMA. 


The  largest  tree  bearing  this  name  in  England,  is  at  Syon,  near  London,  which 
has  attained  a  height  of  more  than  eighty  feet,  with  a  trunk  two  feet  in  diameter, 
and  an  ambitus  of  forty  feet. 

In  France,  where  this  species  is  not  much  cultivated,  it  is  thought  to  be  more 
liable  to  injury  from  frost,  than  the  Gleditschia  triacanthos,  as  it  does  not  appear 
to  produce  seeds.  At  Sceaux,  near  Paris,  there  is  a  tree  more  than  fifty  feet  in 
height. 

In  Hanover,  in  the  botanic  garden  at  Gottingen,  a  tree  of  this  species  attained 
the  height  of  thirty  feet  in  twenty-five  years  after  planting. 

In  Austria,  at  Vienna,  in  the  botanic  garden,  another  tree  of  this  species 
attained  the  height  of  thirty-six  feet  in  twenty-two  years. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  Gleditschia  monosperma  resembles 
that  of  the  three-thorned  Gleditschia,  in  its  loose  texture,  and  yellow  colour ;  but 
as  it  grows  in  wet  grounds,  it  is  consequently  inferior  in  quality,  and  is  applied 
to  no  particular  use  in  the  arts. 


Genus   GYMNOCLADUS,   Lam. 


Leguminaceae. 

Syst.  Na', 


Synonymes. 
Jhjmnocladus,  Guilandina, 


Dioecia  Decandna. 

Syst.  Lin. 


Of  Authors. 


Derivations.  The  name,  Gymnocladus,  is  derived  from  the  Greek  gumnos,  naked,  and  klados,  a  branch,  from  the  naked 
appearance  of  the  branches.  The  genus  Guilandina  was  named  in  honour  of  Melchior  Guilandin,  a  Prussian  traveller  in  Africa, 
and  demonstrator  of  botany,  at  Padua. 

Generic  Characters.  Calyx  tubular-infundibuliform,  the  limb  5-cleft ;  lobes  lanceolate,  equal.  Petals  5, 
oblong,  somewhat  longer  than  the  lobes  of  the  calyx,  inserted  into  the  summit  of  the  tube.  Stamens 
10,  included,  inserted  with  the  petals  ;  those  opposite  the  sepals  a  little  longest.  Legume  oblong, 
compressed,  very  large,  thick,  pulpy  within. — Torrey  and  Gray,  Flora. 

^HE  genus  Gymnocladus  comprises  but  one  species,  a  deciduous 
tree,  native  of  North  America,  with  upright  branches,  and  incon- 
spicuous buds.  It  was  constituted  by  M.  Lamarck,  from  the 
genus  Guilandina,  which  at  present  contains  but  one  species,  the 
Guilandina  bonduc,  or  Bonduc-tree,  a  native  of  India.  The 
Gymnocladus  is  nearly  allied  to  the  Tamarindus  indica,  a  large, 
beautiful,  spreading  tree,  indigenous  to  the  East  and  West  Indies,  Arabia,  and 
Egypt,  from  which  the  tamarinds  of  commerce  are  produced.  Its  pods,  like 
those  of  the  tamarind-tree,  may  be  preserved,  and  are  said  to  be  wholesome,  and 
slightly  aperient. 

28 


Gymnocladus  canadensis, 
THE  CANADIAN  GYMNOCLADUS. 

Synonyrnes. 


Linnjeus,  Species  Plantarum. 

(Lamarck,  Encyclopedie  Methodique  Botanique. 
De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 
Michaux,  North  American  Sylva. 
I  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
[  Torrey  and  Gray,  Flora  of  North  America. 
France. 
Germany. 
French  Illinois. 
French  Canada. 

Britain  and  Anglo- America 


Guilandina  dioica, 

Gymnocladus  canadensis, 

Bonduc,  Chiquier, 
Canadischer  Schusserbaum, 
Gros  fevier, 
Chicot, 

Nicker-tree,  Stump-tree,  Kentucky  Coffee 
tree, 

Derivation.    The  French  Canadian  name,  Chicot,  signifies  Stump-tree.     It  was  named  Coffee-tree  by  the  early  settlers  of 
Kentucky,  who  used  the  seeds  of  this  tree  as  a  substitute  for  the  coffee  of  Arabia. 


Du  Hamel,  Traits  des  Arbres  et  Arbustes,  pi.  103 ;  Michaux,  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  50 ;  Loudon,  Arbore- 
tum Britannicum,  v.,  pi.  99;  and  the  figures  below. 


Engravings. 
iBri 


Specific  Characters.  Deciduous.  Branches  blunt  at  the  tip.  Leaves  bipinnate ;  flowers  in  racemes,  with 
whitish  petals.  The  leaf  has  4 — 7  pinnae,  the  lower  of  which  consist  each  of  a  single  leaflet,  and  the 
rest  each  of  6 — 8  pairs  of  leaflets. — De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 

Description. 

Gymnocladus  cana- 
densis is  a  lofty  tree, 
growing  to  a  height  of 
~*J&*m*.  II^KSll  fifty  to  eighty  feet,  with 
a  straight  trunk,  from  twelve  inches  to  two  feet 
in  diameter,  and  is  often  destitute  of  branches 
for  more  than  thirty  feet.  The  aspect  of  its 
head  in  winter,  is  remarkable  from  being  fasti- 
giate,  and  possessing  but  few  branches,  which 
are  large,  thick,  and  blunt  at  their  tips,  in  com- 
parison with  those  of  most  other  trees,  and  from 
being  destitute  of  any  visible  buds,  which  latter 
circumstance,  connected  with  the  former,  gives 
the  tree  the  appearance  of  being  dead ;  but  in 
summer,  when  clothed  with  leaves,  its  summit 
forms  a  dense,  oval  or  roundish  mass,  which 
has  a  fine  effect,  and  may  be  seen  at  a  great 
distance.  The  roots  of  this  tree  are  few,  thick, 
and  directed  downwards,  in  a  similar  manner  as  the  branches  grow  upwards. 
The  outer  bark  of  the  trunk  is  extremely  rough,  and  detaches  itself,  after  a  cer- 
tain age,  in  small,  hard,  transverse  slips,  rolled  backwards  at  the  end,  and  pro- 
jecting sufficiently  to  distinguish  the  tree  from  every  other.  The  leaves,  on 
young,  vigorous  plants,  are  three  feet  long,  and  twenty  inches  in  width ;  but  on 
old  trees,  of  a  large  size,  they  are  not  one  half  of  these  dimensions.  The  leaflets 
are  oval-acuminate,  from  one  to  two  inches  long,  of  a  dull,  bluish-green,  and  the 
branches  of  their  petioles  are  of  a  violet  colour.  The  flowers,  which  open  from 
May  to  July,  occur  in  white  spikes,  of  two  inches  or  more  in  length,  the  barren 
and  fertile  ones  being  borne  on  separate  trees.     The  fruit,  which  consists  of  large- 


CANADIAN    GYMNOCLADUS.  219 

bowed  pods,  from  five  to  ten  inches  in  length,  and  about  two  inches  in  breadth, 
is  of  a  reTldish-brown  colour,  of  a  pulpy  consistency  within,  and  contains  several 
large,  gray  seeds,  of  extreme  hardness,  that  come  to  maturity  in  September  or 
October. 

Geography  and  History.  The  Gymnocladus  canadensis  is  sparingly  found  in 
Upper  Canada,  and  along  the  borders  of  Lake  Erie  and.  Ontario,  in  the  state  of 
New  York ;  but  in  Kentucky  and  Tennessee,  it  abounds  on  tracts  which  border 
the  Ohio  and  Illinois  rivers,  and  is  associated  with  the  Juglans  nigra,  Ulmus 
rubra,  Liriodendron  tulipifera,  Fraxinus  americana  quadrangulata,  Gleditschia 
triacanthos,  and  more  especially  with  the  Celtis  occidentalis. 

This  tree  was  introduced  into  Britain  in  1748,  and  was  cultivated  by  Archi- 
bald, Duke  of  Argyll,  at  Whitton,  where  the  original  tree  is  said  still  to  exist. 
Soon  after  its  introduction  into  England,  it  found  its  way  into  most  of  the  collec- 
tions of  France,  southern  Germany,  and  of  Italy. 

The  largest  tree  of  this  species  in  Britain,  is  at  Croome,  in  Worcestershire, 
which  attained  a  height  of  sixty  feet  in  forty  years  after  planting,  with  a  trunk 
eighteen  inches  in  diameter,  and  an  ambitus  of  thirty  feet. 

In  France,  at  Paris,  in  the  Jardin  des  Plantes,  there  is  a  gymnocladus  which 
attained  the  height  of  fifty-five  feet  in  sixty  years  after  planting,  with  a  trunk 
twenty  inches  in  diameter,  and  an  ambitus  of  forty  feet.  At  Colombier,  near 
Mentz,  there  is  another  tree  sixty-five  feet  in  height. 

In  Prussia,  at  Sans  Souci,  in  Berlin,  there  is  a  tree  of  this  species  which 
attained  the  height  of  thirty  feet  in  thirty  years  after  planting. 

In  Austria,  at  Vienna,  there  is  also  a  tree  which  attained  the  height  of  thirty 
feet  in  thirteen  years  after  planting. 

In  the  Bartram  botanic  garden,  at  Kingsessing,  near  Philadelphia,  there  is  a 
Gymnocladus  eighty  feet  in  height,  with  a  trunk  five  feet  in  circumference. 

In  Washington  square,  Philadelphia,  there  is  a  tree  of  this  species  about  thirty 
years  of  age,  fifty  feet  in  height,  with  a  trunk  five  feet  and  four  inches  in  cir- 
cumference, at  a  yard  above  the  ground,  and  a  head  about  fifty  feet  in  diameter. 
There  are  also  fine  specimens  of  this  tree  in  the  garden  of  Mr.  D.  Landreth,  of 
Philadelphia,  and  on  the  estate  of  Mr.  A.  J.  Downing,  of  Ne wburgh,  on  the  Hudson. 

Soil,  Situation,  Propagation,  fyc.  The  Gymnocladus  canadensis,  in  its  natural 
habitat,  invariably  grows  in  the  very  richest  of  soils,  and  thrives  best  in  shel- 
tered situations.  The  tree  is  generally  propagated  by  seeds,  which  should  be 
sown  in  March  or  April,  and  treated  in  the  same  manner  as  recommended  in 
the  common  locust.  It  may  also  be  propagated  from  cuttings  of  the  roots,  care 
being  taken  in  planting,  to  keep  the  ends  in  the  position  in  which  they  naturally 
grow. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  Gymnocladus  canadensis  is  of  a  rosy 
hue,  and  is  very  hard,  compact,  tough,  and  strong,  which  render  it  very  suitable 
for  cabinet-making,  and  for  building.  Like  the  common  locust,  it  has  the  valua- 
ble property  of  rapidly  converting  the  alburnum  into  heart- wood,  so  that  a  trunk 
six  inches  in  diameter,  has  only  about  half  of  an  inch  of  sap-wood,  and  may  be 
employed  almost  entirely  for  useful  purposes.  The  live  bark  is  extremely  bitter ; 
so  that  a  morsel  no  larger  than  a  grain  of  maize,  chewed  for  some  time,  causes  a 
violent  irritation  in  the  throat.  The  pods,  preserved  like  those  of  the  tamarind,  are 
said  to  be  wholesome,  and  slightly  aperient.  The  seeds  were  employed  by  the  early 
settlers  of  Kentucky  and  Tennessee,  as  a  substitute  for  coffee,  but  their  use  was 
discontinued,  as  soon  as  the  Arabian  coffee  could  be  obtained.  In  Europe,  the 
only  use  to  which  this  tree  is  applied  is  for  the  purposes  of  ornament  and  shade. 
Being  very  hardy,  and  remarkable  for  the  beauty  of  its  foliage  during  summer, 
it  is  highly  appreciated  both  in  Europe  and  its  native  country. 


Genus    CERCIS,   Linn. 

Leguminaceae.  Decandria  Monogynia. 

Syst.  Nat.  Syst.  Lin. 

Synonymes. 

Cercis,  Siliqiiastrum,  Of  Authors. 

Derivations.     Cercis,  is  derived  from  the  Greek  kerkis,  a  shuttlecock,  the  name  given  to  the  Judas-tree  by  Theophrastus. 
Siliqwislrum  is  derived  from  the  Latin,  siliqua,  a  pod,  husk,  or  shell,  in  allusion  to  the  fruit  of  the  trees  of  this  genus. 

Distinctive  Characters.  Leaves  simple,  heart-shaped  at  the  base,  many-nerved,  entire,  protruded  after 
the  flowers ;  these  borne  in  groupes,  each  on  a  pedicel  proceeding  directly  from  the  trunk  or  branches. — 
Be  Candolle,  Prodromus. 

HE  genus  Cercis  comprises  two  species  of  deciduous  trees,  of  the 
third  rank,  natives  of  Europe,  Asia,  and  North  America.  The  Cer- 
cis siliqiiastrum  is  indigenous  to  the  south  of  France,  Spain,  Italy, 
Greece,  Japan,  Asiatic  Turkey,  and  more  especially  to  Judea.  It 
was  cultivated  in  Britain  by  Gerard,  in  1596,  who  says,  "  The 
Frenchmen  call  it  gainier,  as  though  they  should  say,  vaginula, 
or  a  little  sheath.  Most  of  the  Spaniards  name  it  algarrobo  loco ;  that  is,  Siliqua 
sylvestris  fatui  (wild  or  foolish  pod;)  others  arbol  d'amor,  for  the  braveness' 
sake.  It  may  be  called  in  English,  Judas-tree ;  for  it  is  thought  to  be  that  on 
which  Judas  hanged  himself,  and  not  upon  the  elder- tree,  as  is  vulgarly  said." 


Cercis  canadensis, 
THE  CANADIAN  JUDAS-TREE. 

Synonymes. 


Cer:is  canadensis, 


Gainier  de  Canada,  Bouton  rouge, 
Canadischer  Judasbaum, 
Siliquastro  di  Canada, 
Judas-tree,  Red-bud, 


'  Linn^us,  Species  Plantarum. 

De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 

Don,  Miller's  Dictionary. 

Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
k  Torrey  and  Gray,  Flora  of  North  America. 

France. 

Germany. 

Italy. 

Britain  and  Anglo- America. 


Engravings.    Nuttall,  North  American  Sylra,  pi.  — ;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  v.,  pi.  103;  ana  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.  Leaves  acuminate,  villose  beneath,  at  the  axils  of  the  veins.  As  compared  with  the 
Cercis  siliquastrum,  its  flowers  are  of  a  paler  rose-colour,  the  legume  is  on  a  longer  pedicel,  and  tipped 
with  a  longer  style. — De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 


Description. 


P^^iHE  Cercis 
Judas-tree 
handsome 
seldom 


fi 


canadensis,  like  the 
of  Europe,  forms  a 
shrub,  or  low  tree, 
attaining  a  height  of 
twenty  feet,  when  wild,  but  sometimes  double  this  height 
in  a  state  of  cultivation.  It  is  at  once  distinguished  from 
that  tree  by  its  leaves  being  heart-shaped,  and  pointed, 
much  thinner,  more  veined,  and  of  a  lighter  green ;  and 
the  flowers  are  generally  produced  in  less  numbers. 
The  leaves  are  broadly  ovate-cordate,  acuminate,  hairy 
along  the  veins  on  their  under  sides,  of  a  light  bluish- 
green  above,  and  of  a  pale  sea-green  underneath.  The 
flowers,  which  put  forth  before  the  leaves,  in  March, 
April,  and  May,  are  of  a  purplish  hue,  acid  to  the  taste, 
and  are  succeeded  by  small,  flat,  thin,  brownish  pods, 
containing  numerous  seeds. 

Geography  and  History.  The  Cercis  canadensis,  in  its  indigenous  state,  is 
sparingly  produced  along  the  banks  of  rivers  from  Canada  to  Louisiana ;  and  it 
is  found  cultivated  for  ornament  in  many  of  the  gardens  and  collections  both  in 
Europe  and  in  America.  It  was  introduced  into  Britain  in  1730 ;  but  it  has  never 
been  much  cultivated  there. 

The  largest  tree  of  this  species  in  Europe,  and  perhaps  on  the  globe,  is  at  Paris, 

in  the  Rue  Grenelle,  in  the  garden  of  house  No.  122,  which  is  stated  to  be  forty 

feet  in  height,  and  eighteen  inches  in  diameter.     In  the  Jardin  des  Plantes,  in  the 

same  city,  there  is  also  a  tree  which  attained  the  height  of  thirty-six  feet  in  fifty  - 

!  five  years  after  planting,  with  a  trunk  ten  inches  in  diameter,  and  an  ambitus 

I  of  twenty  feet. 

In  the  environs  of  London,  this  tree  is  seldom  found  more  than  ten  or  twelve 
,  feet  in  height. 

In  the  Bartram  botanic  garden,  at  Kingsessing,  near  Philadelphia,  there  is  a 


222 


CERCIS  CANADENSIS. 


Cercis  canadensis,  thirty-five  feet  in  height,  with  a  trunk  three  feet  in  circumfer- 


ence. 


Soil,  Situation,  fyc.  Like  most  of  the  Leguminaceae,  this  tree  prefers  a  deep, 
free,  sandy  soil,  rather  rich  than  poor.  In  Britain,  it  will  only  thrive,  and  become 
a  handsome  tree,  in  sheltered  situations,  although  it  is  regarded  in  France  and 
Germany  as  more  hardy  than  the  European  species.  It  may  be  propagated  from 
seeds,  which  should  be  sown  on  heat,  early  in  spring,  and  if  carefully  treated, 
they  will  come  up  the  same  season. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  Cercis  canadensis,  like  the  European 
species,  is  very  hard,  agreeably  veined,  or  rather  blotched  or  waved,  with  black, 
green,  and  yellow  spots,  on  a  grayish  ground.  When  seasoned,  it  is  susceptible 
of  a  beautiful  polish,  and  weighs  nearly  fifty  pounds  to  a  cubic  foot.  The  bark 
and  young  branches  of  this  tree  are  used  to  dye  wool  of  a  nankin  colour.  The 
French  Canadians  use  the  flowers  in  salads  and  pickles ;  and,  from  their  agree- 
able, acid  taste,  they  might  be  fried  with  butter  or  fritters,  like  those  of  the  Cer- 
cis siliqua strum,  and  the  flower-buds  and  tender  pods  may  be  pickled  in  vinegar. 


Genus  AMYGDALUS,    Tourn. 

Rosaces.  Icosandria  Monogynia. 

Syst.  Nat.  Syst.  Nat. 

Synonymes. 

Amygdalus,  Persica,  Of  Authors. 

Derivations.  Amygdalus  is  derived  from  the  Greek  amygdak,  an  almond.  Martinius  suspects  that  it  comes  from  a 
Hebrew  word,  signifying  vigilant ;  because  its  early  flowers  announce  the  return  of  spring.  Persica  is  the  name  of  the  peach, 
and  is  so  called  because  that  fruit  was  originally  thought  to  be  brought  into  Europe  from  Persia. 

Distinctive  Characters.  Flowers  regular.  Calyx,  in  most  cases,  with  5  lobes,  the  odd  one  posterior  to  the 
axis  of  inflorescence.  Petals  and  stamens  arising  from  the  calyx.  Stamens,  for  the  most  part,  nume- 
rous. Ovaries  many,  several,  or  solitary ;  each  of  1  cell,  that  includes,  in  most  cases,  1  ovule ;  in 
some,  1  to  many  ovules.  Style  lateral  or  terminal.  Leaves  alternate,  in  nearly  all  stipulate ;  pin- 
nately  divided,  or  simple. — Be  Candolle  and  Lindley. 

HE  genus  Amygdalus  belongs  to  the  same  natural  family  as  the 
rose,  and  other  trees  which  produce  the  most  useful  and 
agreeable  fruits  of  the  temperate  countries  of  the  globe.  The 
fruit-bearing  species  and  the  rose  have  followed  man  from  the 
earliest  periods  of  civilization,  and  perhaps  have  been  more 
studied,  and  consequently  better  known,  than  any  other  ligneous 
plants.  The  medicinal  properties  of  several  of  the  species  are  remarkable,  from 
the  circumstance  of  their  yielding  prussic  acid;  while  others  produce  a  gum 
nearly  allied  to  gum  Arabic,  which  indicates  a  degree  of  affinity  between  the 
family  to  which  they  belong,  and  the  order  Leguminaceae.  "There  are  two 
characteristics  of  this  order,"  says  Loudon,  "  with  reference  to  its  cultivation, 
which  are  of  great  importance  to  the  gardener.  The  first  is,  the  liability  of 
almost  all  the  species  to  sport,  and  produce  varieties  differing,  in  many  cases, 
more  from  one  another,  than  they  differ  from  other  species :  and  the  second  is, 
that  they  are  remarkably  subject  to  the  attacks  of  insects  and  diseases." 

Modern  botanists  have  thought  proper  to  divide  this  genus,  on  account  of  cer- 
tain technical  distinctions  in  the  fruit,  which  will  probably  be  rejected,  when,  in 
consequence  of  extended  experience  and  an  improved  knowledge  of  vegetable 
physiology,  a  more  enlarged  view  shall  be  taken  of  the  subject  of  establishing 
genera  and  species.  The  almond  was  included  by  LinnsBus  in  the  same  genus 
with  the  peach,  of  which  it  is  doubtless,  the  parent,  as  trees  have  been  found 
with  almonds  in  a  state  of  transition  to  peaches.  The  nectarine  he  only  con- 
sidered as  a  variety  of  the  peach,  and  numerous  instances  are  on  record  of  both 
fruits  growing  upon  the  same  tree,  even  on  the  same  branch,  and  one  case  has 
occurred  of  a  single  fruit  partaking  of  the  nature  of  both. 


A  mygdalus  communis, 
THE   COMMON   ALMOND-TREE. 


Synonymes. 


Amygdalus  communis, 

Amandier, 

Mandelbaum, 

Mandorlo, 

Almendro, 

Amendoeira, 

Mindalnoe  derevo, 

Almond-tree, 


ILiNN-asus,  Species  Plantarum. 
De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 
Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
France. 
Germany. 
Italy. 
Spain. 
Portugal. 
Russia. 
Britain  and  Anglo- America. 


Engravings.    Du  Hamel,  Traite  dea  Arbres  et  Arbustes,  iv.,  pi.  29;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  vi.,  pi.  105;  ana  tne 

figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.  Fruit  a  drupe ;  compressed  and  rather  egg-shaped ;  the  nut  2-ovuled,  1— 2-seeded. 
Style  terminal.  Calyx  deciduous,  of  a  bell-shape  ;  flowers  solitary.  Leaves  feather-nerved,  undivided, 
oblong-lanceolate,  serrate,  with  the  lower  serratures,  or  the  petioles  glanded.  Stipules  not  attached  to 
the  petiole. 

Description. 

The  hope,  in  dreams  of  a  happier  hour, 

That  alights  on  misery's  brow, 
Springs  forth  like  the  silvery  almond  flower, 

That  blooms  on  a  leafless  bough." 

Moore. 


Com- 
mon Almond, 
when  grafted 
.  H035§H  on  the  plum, 
in  the  central  parts  of  Europe  and 
North  America,  often  attains  a  height 
of  twenty  or  thirty  feet,  with  a  trunk 
eight  or  ten  inches  in  diameter;  and 
even  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Paris,  it 
is  met  with  of  an  elevation  of  forty- 
feet,  and  in  Spain,  Italy,  and  the  south 
of  France,  it  grows  still  higher.     It  is 
neither  a  handsome-shaped  tree,  nor 
of  long  duration,  its  head  being  wide 
and  spreading ;  but  from  being  open, 
the  shoots  are  clothed  with  oblong-lanceolate  leaves,  and  pale,  rose-coloured  blos- 
som-buds, to  a  great  length,  so  that  when  the  latter  expand,  the  branches  appear 
to  be  wholly  covered  with  them.     It  is  commonly  one  of  the  first  among  hardy 
trees  to  display  its  blossoms,  which  generally  put  forth  in  Barbary  in  January; 
at  Smyrna,  in  February ;  near  London,  in  March ;  in  Germany  and  New  York, 
the  latter  part  of  April ;  and  at  Christiania,  in  Norway,  not  till  the  beginning  of 
June.     Its  contemporary  flowering  trees,  in  Britain,  are  the  sloe,  the  apricot,  the 
Cerasus  pseudo-cerasus,  and  the  myrobalan  plum  (Primus  domestica  myroba- 
lana.)     The  blossoms  of  all  these  trees  appear  before  the  leaves ;  and  hence  they 
produce  the  finest  effect  when  planted  among  evergreens.     It  has  been  observed 
that,  though  vernal  frosts  often  destroy  the  germs  of  the  fruit,  they  do  not  injure 
the  beauty  of  the  flowers,  but  even  increase  their  splendour.     An  avenue  of 


COMMON    ALMOND-TREE.  225 

almond-trees,  quite  hoary  with  frost,  in  the  evening,  will  be  of  a  brilliant  rose- 
colour  the  following  morning,  and  will  often  retain  its  beauty  for  more  than  a 
month,  the  flowers  never  falling  off  till  the  trees  are  covered  with  verdure.  Tht 
fruit  is  not  so  attractive  as  that  of  the  peach ;  because,  instead  of  preserving  the 
same  delicious  pulp,  its  pericarp  shrivels  as  it  ripens,  and  becomes  a  horny  kind 
of  husk,  which  opens  of  its  own  accord,  at  the  end  of  maturity.  The  kernel  of 
some  varieties  of  the  almond  is  not  defended  by  so  thick  a  shell  as  that  of  the 
peach  and  nectarine,  for  it  is  often  so  tender  that  the  nuts  break,  when  shaken 
together.  The  chief  distinction  between  these  fruits  is,  that  the  almond  has  a 
stone,  covered  with  a  coriaceous,  dry,  hairy  covering,  while  that  of  the  peach 
and  nectarine  is  developed  in  a  rich,  juicy  pulp,  surrounded  by  a  smooth  or 
downy  skin. 

Varieties.  In  a  wild  state,  the  common  almond  is  sometimes  found  with  bitter 
kernels,  and  at  other  times  sweet;  in  a  similar  manner  as  the  Grammont  oak, 
(Qxiercus  hispanica,)  which,  in  Spain,  generally  bears  sweet,  edible  acorns,  but 
sometimes  produces  only  such  as  are  bitter.  For  this  reason  we  describe  the 
bitter  and  sweet  almond  under  one  head,  and  consider  them  only  as  varieties  of 
the  same  species,  which  are  as  follows  : —  * 

1.  A.  c.  amara,  De  Candolle.  Bitter-kerneled  Common  Almond -tree ;  Amandier 
amer,  of  the  French;  and  Gemeiner Mandelbanm.  of  the  Germans.  The  flowers 
of  this  variety  are  large.  Petals  pale  pink,  with  a  tinge  of  rose-colour  at  the 
base.  Styles  nearly  as  long  as  the  stamens,  and  tomentose  in  the  lower  part. 
Seeds  bitter.  There  are  two  forms  of  the  bitter  almond;  one  with  a  hard  shell, 
and  the  other  with  a  brittle  one.  The  tree  is  cultivated  in  the  south  of  Europe 
for  its  fruit,  which  is  preferred,  for  some  purposes  in  medicine  and  domestic  econ- 
omy, to  that  of  the  sweet  almond,  particularly  for  giving  a  flavour,  and  for  stocks 
for  grafting  the  other  varieties  upon,  as  well  as  the  peach,  apricot,  and  even  the 
plum. 

2.  A.  c.  dulcis,  De  Candolle.  Sweet-kerneled  Common  Almond-tree ;  Aman- 
dier a  petits  fruits,  Amande  donee,  of  the  French ;  and  Siisser  Mandelbanm,  of 
the  Germans.  The  leaves  of  this  variety  are  of  a  grayish-green.  The  flowers 
put  forth  before  the  leaves ;  styles  much  longer  than  the  stamens ;  fruit  ovate- 
compressed,  acuminate ;  shell  hard ;  kernel  sweet-flavoured.  It  is  cultivated  in 
the  south  of  Europe,  being  generally  propagated  by  grafting  standard  high  on  the 
bitter  almond,  or  on  any  strong-growing  seedling  almonds,  in  order  to  ensure 
the  sweetness  of  its  fruit. 

3.  A.  c.  macrocarpa,  De  Candolle.  Large-fruited  Common  Almond-tree; 
Amandier  d  gros  fruits.  Amandier  des  dames,  of  the  French.  The  leaves  of 
this  variety  are  broad,  acuminate,  and  slightly  gray.  The  peduncles  short,  and 
turgid ;  flowers  of  a  very  pale  rose-colour,  large,  and  put  forth  before  the  leaves ; 
petals  broadly  obcordate,  waved ;  fruit  large,  umbilicate  at  the  base,  acuminate 
at  the  tip ;  shell  hard,  and  kernel  always  sweet.  There  are  two  sub-varieties, 
one  with  the  fruit  rather  smaller,  commonly  called,  in  France,  amandier  snltane  ; 
and  the  other,  with  fruit  still  smaller,  called  there  amandier  pistache.  The  kernels 
of  both  of  these  are  considered  remarkably  delicate,  and  are  preferred  for  the 
table.  The  tree  of  this  variety  is  large  and  vigorous,  of  rapid  growth,  somewhat 
fastigiate,  and  is  propagated  by  grafting  on  the  common  species,  or  on  any  free- 
growing  variety  of  plum.  From  the  magnitude  and  beauty  of  its  flowers,  which 
are  produced  earlier  than  those  of  any  other  kind,  it  is  preferred  to  all  others  for 
the  purposes  of  ornament. 

4.  A.  c.  persicoides,  De  Candolle.  Peach-like-leaved  Common  Almond-tree ; 
Amandier-pecher,  of  the  French.     The  leaves  of  this  variety  greatly  resemble 

J  those  of  the  peach-tree.     Fruit  ovate,  obtuse,  with  a  slightly  succulent  husk; 
shell  of  a  dark,  yellowish  colour ;  and  the  kernel  sweet-flavoured.     Du  Hamel 
29 


226  AMYGDALUS    COMMUNIS. 

states  that  its  fruits  vary  upon  the  same  branch,  from  ovate,  obtuse,  with  the 
husk  rather  fleshy,  to  ovate,  compressed,  acuminate,  and  the  husk  dry.  It  is 
cultivated  in  the  south  of  Europe  for  its  fruit.  Knight  considered  the  Tuberes 
of  Pliny,  as  swollen  almonds  of  this  variety,  having  raised  a  similar  one  himself, 
by  dusting  the  stigma  of  the  almond  with  the  pollen  of  the  peach,  which  pro- 
duced a  tolerably  good  fruit. 

5.  A.  c.  fragilis,  De  Candolle.  Brittle-shelled  Common  Almond-tree ;  Aman- 
dier  a  coque  tendre,  Amandier  a  coque  molle,  of  the  French.  The  leaves  of  this 
variety  are  short ;  the  petioles  thick.  The  flowers  protude  at  the  same  time  as 
the  leaves,  are  of  a  pale  rose-colour,  with  broad,  deeply-emarginate  petals.  The 
fruit  is  acuminate,  shell  soft,  and  kernel  sweet-flavoured.     Cultivated  for  its  fruit. 

6.  A.  c.  flore  pleno,  Baumann.     Double-fiowered  Common  Almond-tree. 

7.  A.  c.  foliis  variegatis,  Baumami.      Variegated-leaved  Common  Almond-tree. 
The  almond,  considered  as  a  fruit-tree,  has  given  rise  to  some  other  varieties, 

which  will  be  found  treated  at  length  in  the  "  Nouveau  Du  Hamel,"  and  the 
"  Nouveau  Cours  d'Agriculture,"  published  in  France. 

Geography  and  History.     The  Amygdalns  communis  is  indigenous  to  Syria 

^and  northern  Africa,  and  has  become  naturalized  in  the  south  of  Europe,  Madeira, 

the  Azores,  and  the  Canary  Islands,  and  is  cultivated  for  ornament  in  Britain, 

North  America,  and  according  to  Mr.  Royle,  in  the  mountainous  parts  of  India, 

in  Asia. 

The  beauty  of  this  species,  its  flowering  at  a  period  when  most  other  trees 
appear  scarcely  to  have  escaped  from  the  icy  chains  of  winter,  and  the  extraor- 
dinary profusion  of  its  flowers,  doubtless  attracted  the  early  attention  of  aboriginal 
man.  The  first  mention  of  the  almond  is  found  in  "  Holy  Writ,"  when  Moses, 
to  ascertain  from  which  of  the  twelve  tribes  to  choose  the  high  priest,  put  twelve 
rods  into  the  tabernacle,  and  found  the  following  day,  the  almond  rod,  which 
represented  the  tribe  of  Levi,  covered  with  leaves  and  blossoms. 

"And,  behold,  the  rod  of  Aaron  for  the  house  of  Levi  was  budded, 
and  brought  forth  buds,  and  bloomed  blossoms,  and  yielded  almonds." 

Numbers  xvii.  8 

The  almond  is  also  mentioned  in  that  sacred  book  as  one  of  the  choice  fruits  of 
Canaan.  It  was  noticed  by  Pliny,  as  well  as  by  other  early  Roman  authors. 
He  calls  a  variety  of  it  Tuberes,  which  Mr.  Knight  considers  to  be  the  swollen 
or  peach  almond  (A.  c.  pcrsicoides.)  In  Rome,  in  the  time  of  Cato,  the  fruit 
of  this  species  was  called  "  Greek  nuts."  Pownall,  in  his  "  Roman  Prov- 
inces," states  that  the  almond  was  brought  from  Greece  to  Marseilles,  in  the 
Middle  Age,  by  the  Phocaean  colonists.  Faulkner,  in  his  "Kensington,"  says 
that  the  fruit  came  from  the  east,  and  was  introduced  into  Britain  in  1570. 
According  to  other  accounts,  it  was  first  brought  into  that  country  in  1548. 
Turner,  and  also  Gerard  have  treated  of  this  tree,  the  latter  of  whom  observes, 
"  That  though  it  is  a  tree  of  hot  regions,  yet  we  have  them  in  our  London 
gardens  and  orchards  in  great  plenty,  .flowering  betimes  with  the  peach,  and 
ripening  their  fruit  in  August."  It  is  at  present  in  very  general  cultivation  in 
England,  chiefly  for  its  flowers ;  and  in  middle  and  southern  Europe,  northern 
Africa,  the  Canaries,  and  a  part  of  Asia,  for  its  fruit. 

This  species,  and  several  of  the  varieties,  were  introduced  by  the  late  William 
Prince,  of  Flushing,  New  York,  previous  to  1793,  and  they  are  cultivated  both 
for  ornament  and  their  fruit  in  various  states  of  the  union. 

Poetical  and  Mythological  Allusions.     The  following  is  the  origin  assigned  by 
Grecian  mythology  to  this  tree,  as  given  by  Mr.  Loudon,  in  his  "  Arboretum  :"-" 
"  Demophoon,  son  of  Theseus,  returning  from  Troy,  was  cast  by  a  tempest  on 
the  coast  of  Thrace,  where  he  was  most  hospitably  received  by  the  beautiful 


COMMON  ALMOND-TREE.  227 

queen  of  the  country,  Phyllis.  He  won  her  heart,  and  became  her  husband ; 
but  scarcely  were  they  united,  when  the  death  of  his  father  recalled  Demophoon 
to  Athens ;  and  he  left  Phyllis,  promising  to  return  to  her  in  a  month.  When 
the  given  time  had  expired,  the  unfortunate  queen  wandered  daily  on  the  sea- 
shore, looking  in  vain  for  her  Demophoon ;  and  when,  at  last,  winter  came,  and 
still  he  returned  not,  after  gazing  some  time  upon  the  sea,  in  an  agony  of  despair, 
she  fell  dead  on  the  shore,  and  was  changed  by  the  pitying  gods  into  an  almond- 
tree.  Demophoon  shortly  after  returned ;  and,  being  told  what  had  occurred, 
flew  to  the  tree,  and  clasped  it  in  his  arms,  when  the  strong  attachment  of  Phyl- 
lis, unable  even  then  to  restrain  himself,  caused  the  tree,  though  bare  of  leaves. 
to  burst  forth  into  blossoms." 

Virgil,  in  his  "  Georgics,"  welcomes  the  almond,  when  profusely  covered  with 
flowers,  as  the  sign  of  a  fruitful  season. 

Soil,  Situation:  fyc.  The  Amygdalus  communis  does  not  prosper  unless  the 
soil  be  dry,  sandy,  or  calcareous,  and  of  considerable  depth ;  but  all  the  varieties 
will  succeed  well  in  any  free  soil,  that  is  not  too  moist,  when  grafted  or  inocu- 
lated on  stocks  of  the  domestic  cultivated  plum,  and  perhaps  on  those  of  the 
Primus  americana.  The  situation  should  be  sheltered,  on  account  of  the  liability 
of  the  branches  to  be  broken  off  by  high  winds.  In  Britain,  plants  of  the  almond 
are  seldom  raised  from  nuts,  but  are  generally  propagated  by  budding  or  grafting. 
In  France,  it  is  much  grown  by  nurserymen  as  a  stock  to  graft  the  apricot  and 
the  peach  upon.  For  this  purpose,  a  vigorous-growing  variety  of  the  sweet 
almond  is  preferred  near  Paris,  instead  of  a  bitter  variety,  which  was  formerly 
employed.  The  kernels  are  sown  in  rows,  in  March,  with  the  sharp  ends  down- 
wards, and  the  plants  are  budded  the  following  August.  The  great  advantage 
of  these  stocks  to  the  nurseryman  is,  that,  as  they  may  be  budded  the  very  first 
year  of  their  growth  on  the  spot  where  they  are  sown,  a  grafted  tree  may  be 
obtained  with  them  at  the  least  possible  expense.  As  the  almond,  however, 
sends  down  a  taproot,  exceeding  two  feet  in  length  the  first  season,  it  has  been 
found  that  such  a  tree,  when  taken  up  for  sale,  has  few  fibres,  and,  consequently, 
but  little  chance  of  growing.  From  this  circumstance  originated  the  practice  of 
germinating  the  nuts  in  boxes  of  earth  before  sowing  them,  and  pinching  off  the 
point  of  the  radicle  when  about  an  inch  in  length,  which  causes  it  to  throw  out 
numerous  horizontal  roots  (a  very  ingenious  practice,  which  might  be  applied 
with  advantage  in  many  similar  cases.)  This  mode  of  germinating  the  nuts  also 
insures  the  nurseryman  of  having  plants  the  first  season  after  sowing,  whereas, 
when  it  is  not  done,  the  seeds  often  lie  in  the  ground  two  years.  Plants  will 
grow  four  or  five  feet  the  first  year.  The  fruit  is  chiefly  produced  on  the  young- 
wood  of  the  previous  year,  or  on  the  spurs  of  older  wood.  Almond-trees  are  sel- 
dom good  bearers,  even  in  France,  where  the  fruit  is  cultivated  as  an  article  of 
commerce.  A  tree  is  considered  there,  on  an  average,  only  to  produce  a  crop 
once  in  five  years.  It  requires  but  little  pruning,  except  when  fruit  of  a  large 
size  is  desired,  or  the  duration  of  the  tree  is  wished  to  be  prolonged. 

Properties  and  Uses.     The  wood  of  the  almond-tree  is  hard,  and  of  a  reddish 

colour ;  and  that  taken  from  near  the  roots,  in  some  respects,  resembles  that  of 

lignum-vitas    (Guaicum  officinale.)     It  is  susceptible  of  a  fine  polish;  but  the 

resin  which  it  contains,  impedes  its  colouration  by  acids.     At  all  times  it  takes 

varnish  well,  and  in  this  respect  differs  from  the  lignum-vitas,  which  takes  it 

,  bad.     It  differs  again,  from  this  last-named  wood,  in  being  dryer  and  more  brit  - 

I  tie.     It  is  used  in  cabinet-making,  especially  for  veneering;  and  is  employed  to 

'  make  handles  for  carpenter  and  joiner's  tools.     The  leaves  of  this  tree  are  said 

,  to  make  an  excellent  forage  for  sheep  and  goats,  and  to  fatten  the  former  in  a 

;  very  short  time;  but  it  should  always  be  mixed  with  other  provender.     The 

eaves  are  also  employed,  in  common  with  those  of  the  peach  and  nectarine,  for 


228  AMYGDALUS   COMMUNIS. 

giving  a  flavour  to  gin,  whisky,  and  other  spirits.  The  gum,  which  exudes  from 
this  tree,  is  used  for  the  same  purposes  as  that  of  the  cherry,  and  the  gum  Ara- 
bic, though  it  is  not  so  easily  dissolved  in  water  as  the  last-mentioned  kind.  An 
oil  is  obtained,  both  from  bitter  and  sweet  almonds,  by  maceration  and  expression. 
A  liquid  is  also  distilled  from  the  bitter  variety,  which,  from  the  quantity  of 
prussic  acid  it  contains,  is  found  to  be  poisonous  to  animals.  An  essential  oil  is 
obtained  from  the  expressed  oil,  by  distillation,  which  is  one  of  the  most  virulent 
poisons  known.  It  is  a  singular  fact,  that  the  seeds  of  the  bitter  and  the  sweet 
almond  should  differ  so  essentially  in  their  chemical  compositions ;  the  kernels  of 
the  bitter  variety  contain  the  deleterious  principle  of  prussic  acid,  which  does 
not  exist  in  those  of  the  sweet  variety,  although  found  in  its  bark,  leaves, 
and  flowers.  On  triturating  almonds  with  water,  the  oil  and  water  unite  together 
by  the  mediation  of  albuminous  matter  of  the  kernel,  and  form  a  milky  liquor, 
called  an  emulsion.  The  sweet  almonds  alone  should  be  employed  for  this  pur- 
pose, as  the  bitter  ones  impart  their  peculiar  flavour.  Several  unctuous  and  resin- 
ous substances,  that  of  themselves  will  not  combine  with  water,  may,  by  trituration 
with  almonds,  be  easily  mixed  into  the  form  of  an  emulsion ;  and  are  thus  admi- 
rably adapted  to  pharmaceutical  purposes.  The  Parisian  milk-dealers,  a  few 
years  since,  resorted  to  the  practice  of  adulterating  their  milk  by  means  of  almond 
emulsion.  The  method  was  so  simple  and  cheap,  that  for  one  fifth  of  a  dollar, 
the  opacity  and  colour  of  milk  could  be  imparted  to  nearly  four  gallons  of  water, 
and  so  far  secret  that  no  disagreeable  taste  was  communicated  to  the  milk ;  and 
the  only  corrective  required  was  a  little  sugar-candy,  to  remove  the  flat  taste. 
In  domestic  economy,  sweet  almonds,  as  well  as  the  common  sort,  are  used  as 
a  dessert,  in  the  husk,  imperfectly  ripe,  and  also  in  a  ripe  state,  with  or  without 
the  husks.  A  preserve  is  also  made  of  green  almonds.  After  they  are  ripe,  they 
are  frequently  brought  to  table  without  the  shell,  and  sometimes  blanched,  by 
depriving  the  kernel  of  the  thick,  wrinkled  skin,  in  which  it  is  enveloped,  by  keep- 
ing them  a  few  minutes  in  scalding-hot  water.  The  kernels  are  much  used  in 
cookery,  confectionary,  and  perfumery,  on  account  of  their  agreeable  flavour. 
The  almond  harvest  takes  place  in  the  south  of  Europe  towards  the  end  of  sum- 
mer. Those  which  fall  naturally  from  the  tree  are  the  largest  and  the  best. 
They  are  first  collected  together,  and  spread  out  in  a  granary  or  some  other 
convenient  place,  to  dry,  until  their  husks  are  opened,  from  which  they  are  sep- 
arated, and  suffered  to  remain  exposed  to  the  air  for  several  days  more.  They 
are  then  put  up  in  sacks,  casks,  or  boxes,  where  they  are  preserved,  as  free  as 
possible  from  humidity,  until  they  are  exposed  for  sale. 

Almonds  form  an  extensive  article  of  commerce,  and  may  be  distinguished 
under  the  following  names  and  qualities : — 

1.  Amandes  a,  la  dame,  of  the  French.  This  kind  is  known  by  their  large, 
thick-furrowed  shells,  rounded  at  one  end  and  pointed  at  the  other.  They  are 
packed  up  with  the  external  shell  on,  in  canvass  bags,  with  chopped  straw  or 
ohaff. 

2.  Amandes  d  la  p?-incesse,  (French,)  are  of  a  medium  size,  and  of  an  excellent 
quality.  Their  shells  are  flat,  thin,  tender,  of  a  yellowish  colour,  and  are  some- 
tunes  covered  with  a  dust,  which  readily  soils  the  fingers  when  slightly  handled. 
They  are  packed  up  with  the  shells  on,  in  canvass  bags. 

3.  Amandes  de  Chi?ion,  so  called  from  the  town  of  Chinon,  in  France,  where 
they  grow.  This  sort  is  of  a  medium  size,  with  thick,  flat,  elongated  shells,  of 
;i  yellowish-brown,  and  wrinkled  appearance.  The  pellicle  which  covers  the 
kernels  is  very  thin,  and  is  charged  with  a  very  adhesive  powder,  that  cannot 
be  rubbed  off  with  the  fingers  without  some  pain.  They  are  deprived  of  their 
shells,  and  packed  up  in  canvass  bags. 

4.  Amandes  dures,  French.     This  kind  is  smaller  and  more  convex  than  any 


COMMON  ALBIOND-TREE.  229 

of  the  preceding,  and  may  be  known  by  their  thick,  solid  shells,  of  a  pale-yellow 
colour,  are  difficult  to  break,  and  are  marked  by  deep  furrows.  The  kernels 
are  also  smaller  than  any  of  the  preceding,  are  of  a  yellowish-brown  colour, 
and  sweet  in  their  flavour.  They  are  usually  packed  up  in  canvass  bags,  with 
the  shells  on. 

5.  Amandes  de  Milhaud,  (French,)  distinguished  by  their  long,  flat  kernels, 
covered  with  a  thin  pellicle,  of  a  dirty-yellow  colour,  and  charged  with  a  pow- 
der which  easily  comes  off  by  rubbing.  They  are  deprived  of  their  shells,  and 
packed  in  canvass  bags. 

6.  Amandes  de  Provence  (sweet.)  The  kernels  of  the  kind  known  under  this 
name,  in  France,  are  very  unequal  in  size,  and  may  be  distinguished,  in  general, 
by  their  blonde  colour  and  slightly  round  form.  They  are  sometimes  covered 
with  a  reddish  powder,  and  at  others  have  a  wrinkled  or  furrowed  appearance. 
Among  the  Provence  almonds,  there  are  also  known  two  other  kinds,  one  of 
which,  (Amandes  triees  a  la  main,)  are  selected  with  great  care,  having  kernels 
of  a  uniform  size,  pale-yellow  colour,  rather  flat,  and  of  a  regular  form ;  and  the 
other  kind  (flots  de  Provence)  much  resemble  them,  except  in  being  rather  larger 
iD  size,  longer,  and  more  convex,  with  a  thicker  pellicle,  of  a  reddish  colour.  They 
are  deprived  of  their  shells,  and  are  usually  packed  in  straw  or  chaff,  in  canvass 
bags. 

7.  Spanish  Almonds.  Those  from  Valencia  are  very  sweet,  large,  and  flat- 
pointed  at  one  extremity,  and  compressed  in  the  middle.  Those  from  Malaga, 
sometimes  known  under  the  name  of  Jordan  Almonds,  are  of  a  medium  size,  pale- 
yellow  colour,  and  of  a  very  agreeable  flavour.  They  are  larger,  flatter,  less 
pointed  at  one  end,  and  less  round  at  the  other,  than  the  preceding.  They  are 
deprived  of  their  shells,  and  packed  up  in  mats. 

8.  Italian  Almonds.  These  are  not  so  sweet,  are  smaller,  and  less  depressed 
in  the  middle  than  those  from  Valencia. 

9.  Bitter  Almonds.  This  variety,  as  known  in  commerce,  chiefly  comes  from 
Mogadore,  and  is  packed  in  boxes. 


Amygdahis  persica, 
THE  PEACH-TREE. 

Synonymes. 


Amygdalus  persica, 

Persica  vulgaris, 

Pecher, 

Pfirsichbaum, 

Pesco, 

Persigo,  Durasno, 

Pecegueiro, 

Peach-tree, 


Linnjeus,  Species  Plantarum. 

De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 

Don,  Miller's  Dictionary. 

Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 

France. 

Germany. 

Italy. 

Spain. 

Portugal. 

Britain,  Anglo- America,  &c. 


Engravings.    Du  Hamel,  Traite  des  Arbres  et  Arbustes,  1,2—8 ;  Noisette,  Jardin  Fruitier;  Hoffy's,  Orchardist's  Companion ; 
Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  vi.,  pi.  106 ;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.  Covering  of  the  nut  very  fleshy  and  juicy,  its  surface  downy  or  smooth ;  nut  with 
wrinkled  furrows.  Young  leaves  folded  flatwise.  Flowers  almost  sessile,  solitary  or  twin,  protruded 
before  the  leaves. — Loudon,  Arboretum. 

Description. 

"  And  apples,  which  most  barbarous  Persia  sent, 
With  native  poison  armed   (as  fame  relates  ;) 
But  now  they  've  lost  their  power  to  kill,  and  yield 
Ambrosian  juice,  and  have  forgot  to  hurt; 
And  of  their  country  still  retain  the  name." 

Columella. 

[HE  Amygda- 
lus persica, 
when  grow- 
ing in  a  nat- 
ural state,  is  rather  a  small  tree,  with 
wide-spreading  branches,  and  assumes 
the  general  form  and  character  of  the 
almond ;  but  when  cultivated,  it  some- 
times attains  a  height  of  twenty  or 
thirty  feet,  with  a  trunk  fifteen  to 
eighteen  inches  in  diameter.  Like  its 
congener,  the  almond,  its  flowers  appear  before  the  leaves.  They  are  of  a  very 
delicate  colour,  but  of  scarcely  any  scent.  They  usually  appear  in  England 
early  in  April;  at  St.  Mary's,  in  Georgia,  by  the  middle  of  February;  at  Perth 
Amboy,  in  New  Jersey,  by  the  end  of  April,  and  ten  weeks  earlier  at  Naples,  in 
Italy,  although  the  two  last-named  places  are  in  nearly  the  same  parallels  of  lat- 
itude. The  fruit  is  roundish,  with  a  furrow  along  one  side,  and  is  covered  with 
a  delicate,  downy  cuticle,  when  ripe. 

Varieties.  The  varieties  of  the  peach  are  exceedingly  numerous,  there  being 
several  hundred  kinds  enumerated  in  nurserymen's  catalogues.  The  nectarine 
is  considered  by  some  botanists  as  a  distinct  species;  but  there  can  be  no  doubt 
on  this  point,  as  the  peach  itself  i?  nothing  more  than  an  improved,  or  fleshy 
almond,  which  bears  a  similar  relation  to  the  peach  and  nectarine,  as  the  crab 
does  to  the  apple,  and  the  sloe  to  the  plum.  To  prove  that  the  peach  and  necta- 
rine are  essentially  the  same,  it  may  be  mentioned  that  the  fruits  of  both  have 
been  found  on  the  same  branch ;  and  even  an  instance  is  recorded,  where  a  fruit 
bad  the  smooth  surface  of  the  nectarine  on  one  side,  and  the  downy  skin  of  the 


PEACH-TREE.  231 

peach  on  the  other.  Peaches  may  be  distinguished  into  iwo  general  classes, 
namely,  those  which  separate  easily  from  the  stone  or  nut,  called  freestones,  and 
those,  the  flesh  of  which  adheres  to  the  shell  of  the  stone,  and  are  called  cling- 
stones. This  species  being  most  frequently  raised  from  seeds,  it  is  easy  to  con- 
ceive that  the  fruit  must  be  of  an  endless  variety,  scarcely  two  trees  producing 
alike.  Hence  it  would  be  useless  even  to  attempt  an  enumeration  of  them.  The 
following  variations,  however,  are  widely  different,  in  respect  to  some  of  then- 
characters,  and  may  be  described  as  follows : — 

1.  A.  p.  l^vis.  iSmooth-skined  Peach,  or  Nectarine-free.  Of  this  variety  there 
are  two  sorts,  one  with  the  fruit  parting  from  the  stone,  (Peche  lisse,  French,) 
and  the  other  with  the  flesh  adhering  to  it  {Brugnon,  French.)  As  a  standard 
in  the  open  garden,  it  forms  a  smaller  and  more  delicate  tree  than  that  of  the 
peach.  In  dissecting  the  flowers  of  the  nectarine,  the  germs  may  readily  be  dis- 
tinguished from  those  of  the  peach,  in  being  smooth  and  shining,  while  those  of 
the  latter  are  always  villous,  or  covered  with  fine  hairs. 

2.  A.  p.  flore  pleno.  Double-flowered  Peach-tree.  This  variety  may  readily 
be  distinguished  by  its  double  flowers.  It  is  also  of  less  vigorous  growth  than 
most  of  the  single-flowered  varieties. 

3.  A.  p.  alba.      White-flowered  Peach-tree,  known  by  its  pure-white  blossoms. 

4.  A.  p.  foliis  variegatis.      Variegated-leaved  Peach-tree. 

5.  A.  p.  compressa.  Flat-fruited  Peach,  a  native  of  China,  and  is  chiefly 
remarkable  for  the  form  of  its  fruit,  and  for  being  nearly  evergreen  in  its  leaves. 

6.  A.  p.  saligna.      Willow-leaved  Peach-tree.     This  tree  is  described  by  Mr 
Royle  in  his  "  Illustrations  of  the  Botany,  and  other  branches  of  Natural  History 
of  the  Himalayan  Mountains,"  as  growing  in  the  district  of  Bissehur,  and  is 
called  there,  by  the  natives,  bhemee.     The  fruit,  though  small,  is  represented  to 
be  juicy  and  very  sweet. 

Geography  and  History.  It  is  not  certain  in  what  part  of  the  globe  the  peach- 
tree  was  originally  produced;  for,  although  we  have  early  accounts  of  its  being 
brought  to  Europe  from  Persia,  it  does  not  follow,  from  thence,  that  it  was  one 
of  the  natural  productions  of  that  country.  Pliny  relates  that  it  had  been  stated 
to  have  possessed  venomous  qualities,  and  that  its  fruit  was  sent  into  Egypt  by 
the  kings  of  Persia,  by  way  of  revenge,  to  poison  the  natives;  but  he  treats  this 
story  as  a  mere  fable,  and  considers  it  the  most  harmless  fruit  in  the  world ;  that 
it  had  the  most  juice,  and  the  least  smell  of  any  fruit,  and  yet  caused  thirst  to 
those  who  ate  of  it.  He  expressly  states  that  it  was  imported  by  the  Romans 
from  Persia  ;  but  whether  it  was  indigenous  to  that  country,  or  sent  thither  from 
a  region  still  nearer  to  the  equator,  we  have  no  information.  He  adds  that  it  was 
not  long  since  peaches  were  known  in  Rome,  and  that  there  was  great  difficulty 
in  rearing  them.  He  also  informs  us  that  this  tree  was  brought  from  Egypt  to 
the  isle  of  Rhodes,  where  it  could  never  be  made  to  produce  fruit ;  and  from 
thence  to  Italy.  He  says,  moreover,  that  it  was  not  a  common  fruit  either  in 
Greece  or  Natolia.  No  mention,  however,  is  made  of  it  by  Cato.  Pownall,  in 
his  "Roman  Provinces,"  makes  it  a  Phocaean  importation  to  Marseilles;  and 
evidently  it  was  cultivated  in  France  at  an  early  period,  as  Columella,  in  his 
account  of  this  fruit,  says  : — 

"  Those  of  small  size  to  ripen  make  great  haste ; 
Such  as  great  Gaul  bestows,  observes  due  time 
And  season,  not  too  early,  nor  too  late." 

The  peach  is  said  to  have  been  first  cultivated  in  Britain  about  the  middle  ot 

the  XVIth  century.     Gerard  describes  several  varieties  of  it  as  growing  in  his 

|  garden,  in  1597.     Tusser  mentions  it  in  his  list  of  fruits  in  1557;  and  in  all 

probability,  it  was  introduced  when  the  Romans  had  possession  of  that  country. 


232  AMYGDALUS    PERSICA. 

A  modern  writer  on  "  Timber-trees  and  Fruits,"  remarks  that.  "  The  facility 
of  raising  the  peach  from  the  stone  has  probably  tended  to  its  general  diffusion 
throughout  the  world.  This  fruit  has  steadily  followed  the  progress  of  civiliza- 
tion; and  man,  'from  China  to  Peru,'  has  surrounded  himself  with  the  luxury 
of  this,  and  of  the  other  stone-fruits,  very  soon  after  he  has  begun  to  taste  the 
blessings  of  a  settled  life.  There  are  still  spots  where  ignorance  prevents  portions 
of  the  human  race  from  enjoying  the  blessings  which  Providence  has  everywhere 
ordained  for  industry ;  and  there  are  others  where  tyranny  forbids  the  earth  to 
be  cultivated,  and  produce  its  fruits.  The  inhabitants  of  the  Haouran,  who  are 
constantly  wandering,  to  escape  the  dreadful  exactions  of  some  petty  tyrant, 
have  neither  orchards  nor  fruit-trees,  nor  gardens,  for  the  growth  of  vegetables. 
'  Shall  we  sow  for  strangers  V  was  the  affecting  answer  of  one  of  them  to  Burck- 
hardt."  "One  of  the  greatest  blessings,"  continues  he,  "  that  can  be  conferred 
upon  any  rude  people,  (and  it  is  a  blessing  which  will  bring  knowledge,  and  virtue, 
and  peace,  in  its  train,)  is  to  teach  them  how  to  cultivate  those  vegetable  produc- 
tions which  constitute  the  best  riches  of  mankind."  The  traveller,  Burchell,  ren- 
dered such  a  service  to  the  Bachapins,  a  tribe  of  the  interior  of  southern  Africa. 
He  gave  to  their  chief  a  bag  of  fresh  peach-stones,  in  quantity  about  a  quart ;  "  nor 
did  I  fail,"  says  the  benevolent  visiter  of  these  poor  people,  "  to  impress  on  his 
mind,  a  just  idea  of  their  value  and  nature,  by  telling  him  that  they  would  pro- 
duce trees  which  would  continue  every  year  to  yield,  without  further  trouble, 
abundance  of  large  fruit  of  a  more  agreeable  flavour  than  any  which  grew  in 
the  country  of  the  Bachapins." 

The  peach  is  in  general  cultivated  as  a  fruit-tree,  against  walls,  and  in  hot- 
houses, in  the  middle  and  north  of  Europe,  and  as  a  standard  tree,  in  the  fields 
and  gardens  of  the  southern  parts  of  that  country,  as  well  as  in  those  of  northern 
Africa,  and  many  of  the  islands  of  the  Mediterranean,  and  of  the  Atlantic  Ocean. 
At  Montreuil,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Paris,  peaches  are  produced  of  the  finest 
flavour,  the  excellence  of  which  is  attributed  to  the  exclusive  attention  of  the 
people  to  their  culture :  and  a  single  tree  there,  sometimes  covers  a  space  of  wall 
sixty  feet  in  length.  The  peach  also  abounds  in  various  countries  of  the  east, 
including  China,  India,  and  Persia,  where,  according  to  Mr.  Royle,  it  grows  both 
wild  and  in  a  state  of  cultivation.  On  the  Himalayas,  it  flourishes  at  elevations 
of  five  thousand  to  six  thousand  feet ;  and  in  Madeira  and  Teneriffe,  which  lie 
in  about  the  same  latitude,  it  brings  forth  fruit  of  the  finest  quality,  and  in  the 
greatest  abundance,  at  all  points  below  the  height  of  five  thousand  feet. 

The  peach  was  introduced  into  North  America  by  the  first  European  settlers, 
probably  towards  the  close  of  the  XVIth,  or  early  in  the  X Vllth  century,  where 
it  is  cultivated  in  extensive  plantations,  which  often  grow  with  such  luxuriance 
as  to  resemble  forests  of  other  trees.  In  New  Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  Delaware, 
Maryland,  Virginia,  and  several  other  states,  much  attention  is  paid  to  its  culture, 
and  the  fruit  is  of  an  excellent  quality.  It  is  no  uncommon  circumstance  for  a 
planter  to  possess  a  peach-orchard  containing  one  thousand  or  more  of  standard 
trees.  It  is  only  in  the  middle  states  of  the  union  where  this  fruit  arrives  at  the 
greatest  perfection.  In  favourable  seasons,  it  matures  in  the  open  air,  as  far  north 
as  Maine,  New  Hampshire,  Vermont,  and  the  falls  of  Niagara ;  but  its  pulp  is  not 
so  delicious  as  when  grown  some  degrees  farther  south  ;  it  is  also  trained  against 
walls  at  Montreal  and  Torento,  in  Canada,  where,  in  some  seasons,  fruit  of  a  fine 
quality  is  obtained.  In  the  Carolinas,  Georgia,  and  Florida,  the  trees  make 
much  foliage  and  wood ;  still,  if  well  cultivated  and  properly  pruned,  the  fruit 
grows  to  a  large  size,  and  is  juicy  and  well-flavoured.  On  the  Mississippi,  partic- 
ularly in  Louisiana,  which  lies  in  the  same  latitude  as  that  part  of  Asia  where 
this  species  is  indigenous,  it  grows  spontaneously,  but  is  regarded  as  of  foreign 
origin,  having  been  introduced  from  Spain  before  that  river  was  explored  by  the 


PEACH-TREE.  2'6'S 

French.  In  the  vicinity  of  Boston,  Salem,  New  York,  Philadelphia,  and  other 
populous  cities  of  the  United  States,  the  peach  is  reared  against  walls  and  in  hot- 
houses, by  numerous  opulent  citizens,  and  fruit  of  a  large  size  and  fine  quality 
is  produced.  In  some  other  parts  of  the  American  continent,  it  also  readily 
grows,  and  in  great  abundance.  Sir  Francis  Head,  in  his  "Rough  Notes," 
speaks  in  raptures  of  the  beauty  and  luxuriance  of  this  fruit,  which  was  scat- 
tered over  the  corn-fields  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Mendoza,  on  the  east  side  of 
the  Andes ;  and  the  same  traveller  noticed  dried  peaches  used  as  an  article  of 
food  on  the  more  elevated  parts  of  those  mountains,  to  which  they  must  have 
been  carried  from  the  plains  below.  On  the  banks  of  Rio  de  la  Plata,  from 
Montevideo  to  Buenos  Ayres,  we  have  seen  peach-trees  growing  spontaneously, 
in  the  greatest  perfection,  and.  in  such  abundance  as  to  form  a  considerable  por- 
tion of  the  fuel  of  the  provinces  in  which  they  grew.  The  fruit  there  is  of  a  fine 
quality,  large  quantities  of  which  are  annually  dried  for  domestic  use,  and  the 
chief  part  of  the  remainder  is  consumed  by  cattle,  or  is  suffered  to  decay  upon 
the  ground. 

Soil  and  Situation.  A  sandy  soil,  rather  poor  than  rich,  appears  to  be  the 
most  favourable  to  the  growth  of  good  peaches ;  but  land  of  moderate  fertility 
produces  the  most  abundant  crops.  This  tree  is  also  known  to  prosper  on  clayey, 
and  calcareous  loams,  as  well  as  on  deep  alluvial  deposits.  On  very  fertile  soils, 
or  those  which  have  been  made  so  by  high  manuring,  it  grows  larger,  and  is  more 
flourishing ;  but  its  fruit  is  of  an  inferior  kind,  often  appearing  as  green  as  the 
leaves,  even  when  ripe,  and  is  much  later  than  that  grown  on  poorer  soils.  This 
defect,  however,  can  be  remedied  in  a  measure,  by  depriving  the  tree  of  a  portion 
of  its  foliage,  after  the  fruit  is  set ;  but  this  practice  is  believed  to  shorten  the  life 
of  the  tree.  In  the  middle  and  southern  states  of  the  union,  elevated  grounds,  in 
the  vicinity  of  water,  are  considered  as  the  best  for  peach-trees,  and  the  northern 
sides  of  hills  as  the  most  desirable  sites ;  for  they  retard  their  vegetation  and  pre- 
vent the  destructive  effects  of  late  vernal  frosts ;  but  a  belt  of  forest  is  desirable 
on  the  north,  to  break  off  the  cold  winds.  In  corroboration  of  these  views,  we 
can  aver  from  good  authority,  that  the  elevated  tracts,  not  only  lying  along  the 
shores  of  the  Atlantic  and  the  large  bays  adjacent  thereto,  but  those  on  the  bor- 
ders of  our  western  waters,  are  more  favourable  to  the  production  of  good  peaches, 
than  districts  more  inland.  It  has  also  been  observed  that  peach-trees  flourish 
in  hedge- rows,  and  in  most  other  places  where  their  trunks  are  shaded,  which 
preserves  them  from  the  effects  of  sudden  transitions  from  heat  to  cold,  and  from 
cold  to  heat. 

Propagation  and  Management.  The  peach-tree  may  be  propagated  from 
seeds,  by  grafting,  or  inoculation.  The  former  mode  is  considered  more  certain, 
as  to  quickness  of  growth,  and  earlier  profit,  as  well  as  economy,  though  it  does 
not  insure  identity  of  species,  except  in  a  few  cases ;  for  it  rarely  occurs  that  the 
seeds  of  pomiferous  fruits  perpetuate  the  same  characters  and  qualities.  It 
appears,  however,  that  the  stones  of  the  variety  of  peach,  called  "  Eastburn's 
Choice,"  which  originated  at  Philadelphia  about  seventeen  years  ago,  produce 
fruit  possessing  the  same  properties  as  those  of  the  parent  tree.  In  Delaware, 
where  the  peach  arrives  at  a  high  degree  of  perfection,  the  trees  are  often 
raised  from  the  stone,  without  either  grafting  or  budding.  The  mode  which 
has  been  adopted  there  for  the  last  century,  and  which  is  applicable  to  this  spe- 
cies of  culture  in  the  middle  and  southern  states  generally,  is  given  at  length,  in 
.the  "Memoirs  of  the  Philadelphia  Society  for  promoting  Agriculture;"  and  in 
substance  is  as  follows : — The  stones  are  usually  cracked,  with  the  kernels 
sometimes  taken  out,  and  planted  two  together,  in  hills  with  Indian  corn,  at 
about  twenty  or  twenty-five  feet  apart,  in  squares.  The  corn  is  cultivated  in 
the  usual  way,  and  the  young  trees  grow  with  the  crop,  to  a  height  of  three  or 

30 


234  AMYGDALUS    PERSICA. 

four  feet  the  first  season.  Large  orchards  have  thus  heen  formed  of  fifty  to  one 
hundred  acres  at  a  comparatively  small  expense.  The  knife  is<seldom  applied 
to  standard  trees,  except  in  some  instances  where  they  have  been  headed  down 
once  when  young,  it  having  been  found,  that  primed  trees,  heavily  laden  with 
ice  or  fruit,  are  liable  to  be  broken  down;  but  when  suffered  to  grow  in  a  natural 
maimer,  the  branches  become  multiplied,  flexible,  and  tough;  and  often  are  so 
loaded  with  fruit,  that  its  weight  prostrates  them  to  the  ground  unhurt.  None 
break  that  are  not  primed,  and  most  of  them  recover  their  usual  position  when 
the  fruit  is  detached.  The  crops  are  certain,  abundant,  and  well-flavoured ;  and 
the  fruit  is  little  inferior  to  that  grown  on  grafted  or  primed  trees;  although  it 
varies  much,  in  size,  on  the  same  tree.  In  three  years  after  planting,  the  orchards 
come  to  bearing;  and  the  trees  have  been  known  to  endure  fifty  years.  All  ani- 
mals are  excluded,  except  swine,  which  are  sometimes  suffered  to  feed  and  root, 
at  pleasure,  at  certain  periods  of  the  year,  and  doubtless,  are  instrumental  in 
destroying  insects  and  vermin,  and  in  ameliorating  the  soil  by  turning  and  loos- 
ening the  surface.  The  trees  are  so  easily  propagated  and  renewed,  that  the 
cutting  down  of  a  peach-orchard  for  a  course  of  tillage,  on  ground  improved  by 
this  means,  is  of  no  uncommon  occurrence.  To  insure  a  constant  supply  of  this 
fruit,  it  is  deemed  important  that  a  new  plantation  should  be  in  progress,  while 
that  in  profit  is  bearing  and  declining,  and  that  it  should  be  located  at  a  distance 
from  it,  in  order  to  be  out  of  the  reach  of  infection. 

The  following  mode  of  propagating  the  peach,  may  be  relied  on  as  the  suc- 
cessful result  of  many  years'  experience.  Although  it  is  attended  with  some 
labour,  and  requires  considerable  attention,  let  it  be  remembered  "  that  the  price 
of  good  fruit  was  fixed  by  the  Deity  himself,  when  he  created  man,  and  placed 
him  in  the  garden  of  Eden ;"  for,  even  at  that  early  period,  when  the  soil  existed 
in  its  virgin  purity,  it  was  the  condition  that  he  should 

"  Dress  the  garden,  and  keep  it," 

and  we  may  venture  to  say,  that  since  that  time,  the  price  has  never  been  abated. 

MANAGEMENT  DURING  THE  FIRST  YEAR. 

The  peach-stones,  soon  after  they  are  extricated  from  the  pulp,  should  be  covered 
with  earth  to  the  depth  of  four  inches,  and  remain  in  that  condition  till  they  are 
required  for  sowing,  the  following  spring.  Towards  the  end  of  March,  or  as 
soon  as  the  ground  is  deprived  of  frost,  let  them  be  sown  in  good  garden  mould, 
two  inches  deep,  and  if  possible,  in  the  place  where  the  trees  are  intended  to  stand. 
As  soon  as  the  young  plants  have  risen  high  enough  to  throw  out  branches, 
which  will  usually  take  place  by  the  first  of  July,  the  ground  should  be  scraped 
over  with  a  hoe,  in  order  to  destroy  the  weeds,  and  the  side-shoots  must  be  cut 
off  near  the  main  stem,  care  being  observed  not  to  injure  the  leaves  which  stand 
at  the  base  of  each  shoot ;  for,  on  the  preservation  of  these  leaves,  depend  the 
health  and  vigorous  growth  of  the  young  trees.  On  August  1st,  or  as  soon  as 
shoots  of  choice  varieties,  with  good  eyes  of  the  current  year,  can  be  obtained, 
the  trees  should  be  budded  or  inoculated,  within  one  inch,  or  even  below  the 
surface  of  the  ground.  The  buds  may  be  known  to  be  ready  for  insertion,  by 
the  shield,  or  portion  of  the  bark  towhich  they  are  attached,  easily  parting  with 
the  wood.  Let  the  shoots,  from  which  the  buds  are  to  be  procured  for  inocula- 
tion, be  taken  only  from  the  outside  branches  of  healthy  and  fruitful  trees.  The 
buds  usually  preferred,  are  those  on  the  middle  of  young  shoots,  as  they  are  not 
so  liable  to  run  to  wood  as  those  at  the  extremity,  nor  so  apt  to  lie  dormant  as 
those  at  the  lower  end.  Let  the  buds  be  collected  in  a  cloudy  day,  or  at  an  early 
or  late  hour  of  a  fair  one.     When  they  are  to  be  transported  at  a  distance,  they 


PEACH-TREE. 


235 


may  be  packed  in  moistened  moss;  or  if  shortly  to  be  used,  they  may  be  put 
into  a  vessel  of  water ;  though  in  general,  they  should  be  used  as  soon  as  possi- 
ble after  gathering.  Before  the  buds  are  prepared,  let  the  stock  be  made  ready 
to  receive  them.  At  the  part  fixed  on  for  inoculation,  which  should  be  smooth, 
and  rather  on  the  northerly  side  of  the  stock,  make  an  incision  about  an  inch  and 
a  half  in  length,  with  a  sharp  knife,  quite  through  the  bark,  but  not  into  the 
wood,  in  the  form  of  a  letter  I,  as  denoted 
by  (a),  in  the  adjoining  figure.  This 
being  done,  proceed  quickly  and  take  off 
a  bud  by  holding  a  shoot  in  one  hand 
with  the  thickest  end  from  you,  and  with 
the  knife  in  the  other  hand,  enter  it  about 
three-fourths  of  an  inch  below  the  bud, 
cutting  nearly  half  way  into  the  wood  of 
the  shoot,  continuing  it  with  one  clean 
slanting  cut,  about  three-fourths  of  an 
inch  above  the  bud,  sufficiently  deep  to 
take  oft'  part  of  the  wood  along  with  it, 
the  whole  to  be  about  an  inch  and  a  half 
long,  as  represented  by  (6)  ;  then  directly 
with  the  thumb  and  finger,  or  point  of  the  knife,  slip  off  the  woody  part  remain- 
ing on  the  bud,  and  observe  whether  the  eye  or  germ  of  the  bud  remains  perfect ; 
if  not,  and  a  little  hole  appears  in  that  part,  it  is  unfit  for  use,  or,  as  the  nursery- 
men say,  "  the  bud  has  lost  its  root,"  and  another  must  be  prepared.  This 
being  done,  place  the  back  part  of  the  bud  or  shield  between  your  lips,  and  with 
the  flat  haft  of  the  knife,  or  a  piece  of  ivory  or  bone  formed  for  the  purpose,  sep- 
arate the  bark  of  the  stock  («)  for  the  admission  of  the  bud,  which  must  be 
closely  inserted  between  the  wood  and  bark  in  the  aperture  (c.)  Then  cut  off 
the  top  part  of  the  shield  containing  the  bud,  even  with  the  upper  horizontal  or 
cross-cut  of  the  letter  I,  in  order  to  let  it  completely  into  its  place,  and  exactly 
join  the  upper  edge  of  the  shield  with  the  bark  of  the  upper  transverse  cut,  so 
that  the  descending  sap  may  immediately  enter  the  back  of  the  shield,  and 
deposit  granulated  matter  between  it  and  the  wood,  so  as  to  effect  a  living  union. 
The  parts  are  next  to  be  immediately  bound  round  with  a  water-proof  bass  liga- 
ture, or  some  substitute,  as  in  (d),  beginning  a  little  below  the  incision,  proceed- 
ing upwards  closely  round  every  part,  except  just  over  the  eye  of  the  bud,  and 
sufficiently  tight  to  keep  the  whole  secure,  and  to  exclude  the  air  and  moisture, 
without  the  use  of  grafting-wax  or  clay.  In  a  fortnight,  at  farthest,  after  per- 
forming the  operation,  such  buds  as  have  united  may  be  known  by  their  fresh 
appearance,  and  in  three  weeks,  all  those  which  have  succeeded,  must  have  their 
ligatures  loosened,  and  in  a  week  or  two  more,  entirely  removed.  In  order  to 
guard  against  the  borer,  (iEgeria,)  let  there  be  laid  round  each  tree,  in  August, 
about  a  pint  of  coarse  sand,  so  as  to  cover  the  roots  and  the  tenderest  part  of  the 
bark;  and  during  the  succeeding  autumn,  the  same  care  should  be  observed,  as 
in  the  early  part  of  the  season,  to  preserve  the  leaves. 


SECOND    YEAR. 


March  1st.  Cut  off  the  tree  in  a  slanting  direction,  about  five  inches  above  the 
point  of  inoculation ;  and  let  about  a  quart  of  the  same  kind  of  sand  be  placed 
(round  the  root  of  the  tree,  as  in  the  summer  preceding.  July  1st.  Clear  the 
ground  of  weeds,  and  treat  the  shoot  from  the  inoculated  bud  precisely  as  the 
original  stock  was  the  first  year,  with  the  same  care  to  preserve  the  leaf  at  the 
j)ase  of  each  side-shoot,  taking  off  from  time  to  time,  as  they  put  forth,  all  the 


236  AMYGDALUS    PERS1CA. 

side-shoots  except  four,  until  the  tree  rises  to  a  height  of  about  four  feet.  August 
1st.  Add  a  small  quantity  of  sand  to  the  roots,  as  in  the  season  before,  in  order 
to  prevent  the  fly,  (iEgeria,)  from  depositing  her  eggs. 

THIRD   YEAR. 

March  1st.  Add  more  sand  to  the  roots  of  the  tree,  and  wash  clean  its  trunk 
with  soap-suds  or  lye.  May  15th,  or  as  soon  as  the  heavy  rains  of  spring  have 
ceased,  cut  off  in  an  oblique  direction  the  central  shoot  of  each  tree,  and  leave 
the  four  lateral  ones,  reserved  the  year  before,  to  remain  for  permanent  branches. 
Loosen  the  ground  with  a  strong  fork,  so  as  to  admit  the  air  without  disturbing 
the  roots,  and  keep  the  surface  clear  of  weeds  during  the  season.  August  1st. 
Wash  the  trunk  of  the  tree  with  soap-suds  or  lye,  as  in  the  spring  before. 
Loosen  the  sand  about  its  roots,  and  add  more,  in  order  to  guard  against  the  fly. 

FOURTH  YEAR  AND  SUBSEQUENT  TREATMENT. 

March  1st.  Wash  clean  the  body  and  forks  of  each  tree  with  soap-suds,  lye,  or 
old  urine.  May  15th.  Fork  up  the  ground,  and  keep  its  surface  free  from 
weeds.  August  1st.  Wash  the  trunk  and  branches  as  in  the  spring  before; 
and  from  this  time  forward,  no  other  care  will  be  required  than  to  repeat  these 
operations,  to  prune  off  all  superfluous  and  dead  branches,  and  to  guard  against 
the  ravages  of  insects. 

The  propagation  of  the  peach-tree  by  grafting  has  not  very  generally  been 
practised,  owing  to  the  exudation  of  the  gum  at  the  wounded  parts,  and  the  jag- 
ging of  the  bark  when  the  cleft  mode  is  adopted.  The  latter  defect,  however,  may 
be  effectually  obviated  by  cutting  through  the  bark  with  a  sharp  instrument,  on 
each  side  of  the  stock,  in  the  direction  of  the  cleft  intended  to  be  opened.  This 
will  render  the  bark  smooth,  and  enable  it  to  meet  the  scion  with  as  perfect  con- 
tact as  in  grafting  other  kinds  of  fruit.  This  mode  of  propagation  will  often  save 
a  year's  growth  in  a  tree,  particularly  if  the  budding  failed  the  autumn  before ; 
for  the  scions  may  be  inserted  in  the  roots  any  time  from  December  till  May,  and 
may  be  brought  from  a  distance,  and  used  with  success,  at  a  period,  too,  when 
the  cultivator  is  less  busy  than  at  the  proper  season  of  budding. 

Insects,  Accidents,  6fc.  The  most  destructive  insect  which  attacks  the  peach- 
tree,  is  a  species  of  borer, 

ing  figure,)  first  scientifically  described  by  Mr.  Say, 
volume  of  the  "  Journal  of  the  Academy  of  Sciences,  of  Philadelphia,"  and  subse- 
quently in  his  "American  Entomology."  A  history  of  this  insect  is  also  given  by 
Dr.  T.  W.  Harris,  in  the  fifth  volume  of  the  "New  England  Farmer,"  and  in  his 
"Report  on  the  Insects  of  Massachusetts  injurious  to  Vegetation."  No  notice 
appears  to  have  been  taken  of  the  pernicious  effects  of  this  borer  before  about  the 
year  1766,  when  it  was  observed  by  the  late  Judge  Peters,  that,  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  Philadelphia,  the  peach-trees  began,  nearly  at  once,  to  fail,  and  finally 
perished.  Whether  their  decay  was  caused  by  the  borer,  then  undiscovered,  we 
are  at  a  loss  to  know.  Many  theories  were  advanced  with  regard  to  the  nature 
of  the  evil,  and  that  offered  by  Judge  Peters,  although  among  the  first,  perhaps 
was  not  the  least  rational.  It  was  his  opinion  that  trees,  like  animals,  have 
inherent  diseases,  or  a  susceptibility  to  receive  those  peculiar  to  their  species,  and 
that  of  the  peach  seemed  most  subject  to  this  tendency.  Insects,  he  conceived, 
were  the  cause  of  many  injuries  to  trees,  but  were  most  frequently  met  with  in 
moibid  parts,  feculent  or  putrefying  from  previous  malady,  and  were  effects 
rather  than  causes.  The  borer,  however,  was  not  discovered  until  several  years 
afterwards,  when    it  was   first  noticed  near  Philadelphia,   and  was  observed 


(JEs;eria  exitiosa,  denoted  in  the  adjoin-  _.t-h-iu„_.._ ■.mmr  r. 

calif  described  bv  Mr.  Sav,  in  the  third  <^lm^BJ^> 


PEACH-TREE. 


237 


COCOON  AND  PUPA. 


gradually  to  spread  from  thence  in  every  direction,  and  appeared  in  New  Hamp- 
shire, near  the  northern  limit  of  the  peach  region,  in  about  the  year  1805,  and 
has  since  extended  to  the  southern  states,  and  west  of  the  Alleghany  Mountains. 
"  The  eggs,  from  which  these  borers  are  hatched,"  says  Dr.  Harris,  "  are  depos- 
ited, in  the  course  of  the  summer,  upon  the  trunk  of  the  tree  near  the  root ;  the 
borers  penetrate  the  bark,  and  devour  the  inner  bark  and  sap-wood.  The  seat 
of  their  operations  is  known  by  the  castings  and  gum  which  issue  from  the  holes 
in  the  tree.  When  these  borers  are  nearly  one  year  old,  they 
make  their  cocoons  either  under  the  bark  of  the  trunk  or 
of  the  root,  or  in  the  earth  and  gum  contiguous  to  the  base  of 
the  trees  ;  soon  afterwards  they  are  transformed  to  chrysalides, 
and  finally  come  forth  in  the  winged  state,  and  lay  the  eggs 
for  another  generation  of  borers.  The  last  transformation  takes 
place  from  June  to  October,  most  frequently,  however,  during 
the  month  of  July,  in  the  state  of  Massachusetts.  Here, 
although  there  are  several  broods  produced  by  a  succession  of  hatches,  there  is 
but  one  rotation  of  metamorphoses  consummated  within  a  year.  Hence  borers, 
of  all  sizes,  will  be  found  in  the  trees  throughout  the  year,  although  it  seems  to 
be  necessary  that  all  of  them,  whether  more  or  less  advanced,  should  pass 
through  one  winter  before  they  appear  in  the  winged  state.  Under  its  last  form, 
this  insect  is  a  slender,  dark-blue,  four-winged  moth,  having  a  slight  resemblance 
to  a  wasp  or  ichneumon  fly,  to  which  it  is  sometimes  likened.  The  two  sexes 
differ  greatly  from  each  other ;  so  much  so,  as  to  have  caused  them  to  be  mistaken 
for  two  distinct  species.  The  male,  which  is  much  smaller 
than  the  female,  has  all  the  wings  transparent,  but  bordered 
and  veined  with  steel-blue,  which  is  the  general  colour  of  the 
body  in  both  sexes ;  the  palpi  or  feelers,  the  edges  of  the  col- 
lar, of  the  shoulder-covers,  of  the  rings  of  the  abdomen,  and 
of  the  brush  on  the  tail,  are  pale-yellow,  and  there  are  two 
rings  of  the  same  yellow  colour  on  the  shins.  It  expands 
about  one  inch.  The  fore-wings  of  the  female  are  blue,  and 
opaque,  the  hind-wings  transparent,  and  bordered  and  veined 
like  those  of  the  male,  and  the  middle  of  the  abdomen  is  encircled  by  a  broad, 
orange-coloured  belt.     It  expands  an  inch  and  a  half  or  more.     This  insect  does 

not  confine  its  attacks  to  the  peach-tree.  I  have  repeatedly 
obtained  both  sexes  from  borers  inhabiting  the  excrescences 
which  are  found  on  the  trunks  and  limbs  of  the  cherry-tree ; 
and  moreover,  I  have  frequently  taken  them  in  connection 
on  the  trunks  of  cherry  and  of  peach-trees.  They  sometimes 
deposit  their  eggs  in  the  crotches  of  the  branches  of  the 
peach-tree,  where  the  borers  will  subsequently  be  found; 
but  the  injury  sustained  by  their  operations  in  such  parts, 
bears  no  comparison  to  that  resulting  from  their  attacks  at 
the  base  of  the  tree,  which  they  too  often  completely  girdle,  and  thus  cause  its 
premature  decay  and  death."*  Hitherto,  various  means  have  been  resorted  to 
for  repelling  or  destroying  these  vile  offenders,  and  many  of  them  have  been  more 
(or  less  effectual,  but  none  have  been  attended  with  complete  success,  except  in 
removing  the  earth  from  the  base  of  the  tree,  and  crushing  the  borers  to  death. 
|ind  destroying  the  eggs  and  cocoons.  A  small  quantity  of  leached  wood-ashes, 
pr  of  newly-slaked  lime,  added  to  the  roots  and  then  covered  with  earth,  has 
proved  advantageous,  not  only  in  warding  off  the  borers,  but  in  promoting  the 
idgour  of  the  trees.     On  this  subject,  Judge  Peters  remarks,  in  the  <:  Memoirs  of  the 

*  See  Harris'  Report,  p.  233. 


MALE. 


FEMALE. 


238  AMYGDALUS    PERSICA. 

Philadelphia  Society  for  promoting  Agriculture,"  that  he  had  "failed  in  many 
things,  in  which  others  are  said  to  have  succeeded.  Straw  and  bass,  or  paper, 
surrounding  the  tree,  from  the  root,  at  all  distances,  from  six  inches,  to  three  or 
four  feet,  white-washing,  painting,  urinous  applications,  brine,  soot,  lime,  frames 
filled  with  sand,  oil,  tar,  turpentine,  sulphuric  acid,  nitrous  mixtures,  and  almost 
every  kind  of  coating.  I  ruined  several  trees,  by  cutting  them  down,  and  per- 
mitting the  stump  to  throw  up  new  shoots,  and  branch  at  pleasure.  All  tegu- 
ments kept  the  exudation  from  evaporating  with  freedom.  The  pores  being 
closed,  or  too  open,  were  alike  injurious.  Teguments  of  straw  or  bass,  made 
the  bark  tender;  and  it  threw  out,  under  the  covering,  sickly  shoots.  The  more 
dense  coating  stopped  the  perspiration.  The  oil  invited  mice,  and  other  vermin, 
which  ate  the  bark  thus  prepared  for  their  repast,  and  killed  the  tree.  I  planted 
in  hedge-rows  and  near  woods — I  paved,  raised  hillocks  of  stone — I  have  suffered 
them  to  grow  from  the  stone  only,  grafted  on  various  stocks,  and  budded,  hilled 
up  the  earth  in  the  spring,  and  exposed  the  butt  in  the  fall — sometimes  I  have 
used  the  knife  freely — frequently  have  left  the  tree  to  shoot  in  every  direction — I 
have  scrubbed  the  stocks  or  trunks  with  hard  brushes,  soap-suds  and  sand, 
scraped  them  with  proper  instruments ;  I  have,  for  a  season  or  two,  under  vari- 
ous experiments,  amused  myself  with  the  persuasion,  that  I  had  discovered  an 
infallible  panacea.  I  had  temporary  success,  but  final  disappointment."  "  I 
remove  the  earth,  a  few  inches  round  the  tree  in  August  or  September,  pour 
around  the  butt,  beginning  about  one  foot  above  the  ground,  a  quart  or  more, 
(not  being  nice  about  the  quantity,)  of  boiling-hot  soap-suds  or  water.  This 
kills  the  egg,  or  worm  lodged  in  the  tender  bark;  and  of  course  prevents  its  rav- 
ages the  next  season.  I  carefully  search  the  trees,  though  I  seldom  find  worms. 
I  do  not  perceive  any  injury  from  this  operation.  I  have  discovered  worms  in 
or  near  the  roots  of  the  smallest  stocks  taken  from  the  nursery.  These  I  fre- 
quently plunge  into  boiling  water,  before  planting.  I  lose  very  few;  and  do  not 
attribute  the  losses  to  the  hot  water." 

The  peach-tree  also  sometimes  surfers  severely  from  the  attacks  of  leaf-hop- 
pers, (Thrips,)  as  well  as  from  those  of  the  true  plant-lice  {Aphides.)  They 
are  found  beneath  the  leaves,  in  small  cavities  produced  by  their  irritating  punc- 
tures, and  are  so  small  that  they  may  readily  escape  notice.  These  minute 
insects  have  very  slender  bodies,  and  narrow  wings,  which  are  fringed  with  fine 
hairs,  and  lie  close  to  their  backs  when  they  are  at  rest.  They  are  exceedingly 
active,  and  appear  to  leap,  rather  than  fly,  when  they  move.  The  plant-lice, 
likewise  live  under  the  leaves  of  the  peach,  causing  them,  by  their  punctures,  to 
become  increased  in  thickness,  to  curl  or  form  hollows  beneath,  and  correspond- 
ing crispy  and  reddish  swellings  above,  and  finally  to  perish  and  drop  off  prema- 
turely. The  depredations  of  these  lice  is  thought  to  be  one  of  the  causes,  if  not 
the  only  cause,  of  the  peculiar  malady  affecting  the  peach-tree  in  the  early  part 
of  summer,  known  under  the  name  of  "blight."*  The  most  efficacious  means 
employed  for  the  destruction  of  the  thrips  and  aphides  are  fumigations  of  sul- 
phur, tobacco,  or  other  acrid  substances,  and  throwing  into  the  trees,  with  con- 
siderable violence,  warm  solutions  of  tobacco  and  water,  soap-suds,  and  even 
pure  water. 

The  fruit  of  the  peach-tree  is  punctured  in  an  early  stage  of  its  growth,  by  a 
small,  rough,  dark-brown  beetle,  {Ciirculio  nenuphar,  Herbst,)  for  the  purpose 
of  depositing  her  eggs,  and  thereby  providing  for  her  future  progeny.  When  a 
peach  is  stung  by  these  beetles,  a  small  drop  of  gum  may  be  seen  oozing  from 
its  surface.  The  larvae  consist  of  little  whitish  grubs,  which  bore  into  the  fruit, 
and  cause  it  to  fall  before  it  is  mature.     For  a  further  account  of  this  insect,  the 

*  Harris'  Report,  pp.  187  et  192. 


PEACH-TREE.  239 

reader  is  referred  to  our  article  on  the  domestic  cultivated  plum,  under  the  head 
rf  "  Insects." 

The  seventeen-year  locust,  {Cicada  septendecim,)  although  most  usually  found 
Mi  the  oak,  often  resorts  to  other  forest  trees,  when  actuated  by  necessity,  and 
not  unfrequently  deposits  her  eggs  on  the  branches  of  the  peach-tree,  when  no 
3ther  convenient  shrub  or  tree  is  at  hand.  Peach-trees  once  attacked  by  this 
most  pernicious  insect,  seldom,  if  ever,  recover  from  the  inflicted  wounds. 

Among  the  diseases  incident  to  plants,  there  is  no  one  involved  in  more  mys- 
tery than  that  strange  disorder  in  the  peach-tree,  commonly  called  the  "  yellows." 
tt  was  noticed  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Philadelphia,  by  Judge  Peters,  in  1790, 
3r  the  year  following.  From  perfect  verdure,  he  states,  the  leaves  of  his  trees 
turned  yellow  in  a  few  days,  and  their  bodies  blackened  in  spots.  He  attributed 
the  origin  of  the  disease  to  some  morbid  affection  of  the  air,  which  he  conceived 
las  the  most  to  do  with  all  vegetation,  as  well  in  its  food  and  sustenance,  as 
in  its  decay  and  dissolution.  From  Philadelphia,  the  malady  spread,  by  degrees, 
to  other  parts  of  the  country;  and  by  1810,  in  New  Jersey,  there  were  left  but  a 
few  peach  orchards  alive,  or  in  a  flourishing  state.  It  is  said  to  have  appeared 
in  the  vicinity  of  New  York,  in  about  the  year  1801 ;  in  Connecticut,  in  1815 ; 
ind  in  Massachusetts,  in  1824.  It  is  also  prevalent  in  the  southern  states  of  the 
union,  and  west  of  the  Alleghany  Mountains. 

The  phenomena  attending  the  development  of  this  disease,  are  given  in  detail, 
in  the  second  number  of  the  "Albany  Cultivator,"  of  1845,  by  Mr.  Noyes  Dar- 
iing,  of  New  Haven,  from  which  we  make  the  following  condensed  extracts : — 
:'  There  are  two  marks  or  symptoms,  by  which  the  presence  of  the  disease  is 
indicated.  One  is,  the  shooting  out  from  the  body  or  limbs  of  the  tree,  of  very 
small,  slender  shoots,  about  the  size  of  a  hen's  quill.  The  leaves  upon  these 
shoots  are  commonly  destitute  of  green  colour,  as  if  blanched,  or  as  if  grown  in 
a  dark  cellar ;  and  like  the  shoots  which  bear  them,  are  of  diminutive  growth, 
rarely  exceeding  an  inch  in  length.  These  shoots  do  not  usually  start  from  the 
common,  visible  buds  at  the  points  where  the  leaves  join  the  stem,  but  from 
unseen,  latent  buds  in  the  bark  of  the  trunk  or  large  branches.  The  other  symp- 
tom is,  the  ripening  of  the  fruit  two  to  four  weeks  before  its  natural  season  of 
maturity.  Most  generally  also,  the  fruit,  whatever  be  its  natural  colour,  is  more 
ar  less  spotted  with  purplish-red  specks.  If  shoots,  such  as  are  above  described, 
appear  upon  a  tree,  or  without  them,  if  the  fruit  upon  any  part  of  it  (not  wormy) 
ripens  before  the  proper  time,  it  may  be  certainly  known  that  the  tree  has  the 
yellows.  These  are  not  the  only  marks  or  symptoms  of  the  disease ;  but  they 
are  those  which  are  the  most  readily  discovered.  Tlie  ordinary  leaves  of  the 
tree,  or  at  least  those  upon  the  diseased  portion  of  it,  commonly  undergo  a  slight 
change  of  colour.  Instead  of  a  bright  glossy  green,  they  take  on  a  dull  yellowish 
tinge.  The  wood  also,  when  the  disease  is  considerably  advanced,  becomes 
unelastic,  so  that  its  branches,  when  moved  by  the  wind,  instead  of  the  graceful 
waving  of  health,  have  a  stiff  jerking  motion.  *  *  *  *  *  The  fruit,  the  first 
season  of  attack,  usually  grows  to  its  proper  size.  The  second  season,  it  is  uni- 
formly small,  not  more  than  a  half  or  a  quarter  of  its  usual  size.  Whatever  be 
j.he  natural  colour  of  the  fruit,  red,  yellow,  white,  or  green,  it  is  more  or  less, 
when  diseased,  coloured  with  purplish-red;  generally  in  specks,  or  coarse  dots. 
irtie  flesh,  quite  to  the  stone,  is  often  coloured,  and  most  deeply  around  the  stone. 
;3y  the  coloured  specks,  a  person  may  easily  distinguish  by  the  eye,  diseased, 
|rom  healthy  fruit.  *  *  #  *  *  In  the  first  summer  of  disease,  it  is  not  always 
pat  the  whole  tree  appears  affected.  The  slender  shoots  may  show  themselves 
m  one  branch  only,  the  rest  of  the  tree  having  every  appearance  of  health.  In 
jtke  manner,  the  fruit  upon  one  branch  may  ripen  four  weeks  too  soon,  upon 
[nother  two  weeks  too  soon,  and  upon  the  rest  of  the  tree  at  the  natural  time. 


240  AMYGDALUS  PERSICA. 

The  second  season,  all  the  fruit  will  ripen  three  or  four  weeks  too  soon.  The 
tree  sometimes  dies  the  next  year  after  the  appearance  of  the  disease,  and  some- 
times lingers  along  with  a  feeble  life  for  two  or  three  years.  *  *  *  *  *  Soil, 
whether  of  clay  or  sand,  whether  moist  or  dry,  whether  cultivated  or  in  grass, 
manured  or  unmanured,  does  not  appear  to  me,  clearly,  either  to  increase  or 
diminish  the  liability  to  disease.  Trees  standing  in  exposed  and  sheltered  situa- 
tions, walled  and  in  open  ground,  on  hills  and  in  valleys,  seem  alike  and  equally 
liable.  *  *  *  *  *  When  the  disease  commences  in  a  garden  or  orchard  con- 
taining a  considerable  number  of  trees,  it  does  not  attack  all  at  once.  It  breaks 
out  in  patches,  which  are  progressively  enlarged,  till  eventually  all  the  trees 
become  victims  to  the  malady.  *  *  *  *  *  I  took  a  blossom  from  a  diseased 
tree,  and  applied  the  dust  (pollen)  to  the  blossom  of  a  young  tree  in  my  gar- 
den. The  tree  thus  exposed  to  infection,  showed  no  mark  of  disease,  either 
in  that  or  the  succeeding  year.  *****  1  took  some  buds  from  a  tree, 
having  symptoms  of  the  yellows,  and  inserted  part  into  peach,  part  into  apri- 
cot, and  part  into  almond  stocks.  Some  of  the  inoculations  took  well,  but  all 
showed  marks  of  disease  the  next  season.  The  peach  and  almond  stocks,  with 
their  buds,  died  the  second  winter  after  inoculation.  One  apricot  stock  lived 
five  years,  but  its  peach  top  grew,  in  that  time,  to  be  only  about  three  feet 
high.  *  *  *  *  *  In  an  orchard  or  garden,  containing  both  old  and  young 
trees,  the  young  trees  will  generally  be  diseased  first.  *****  Peach-trees 
budded  on  apricots,  plums,  and  sweet  almonds,  are  liable  to  the  yellows.  ***** 
Most  of  the  applications  for  the  cure  of  the  disease,  have  been  made  on  the  sup- 
position that  it  was  caused  by  the  peach-worm.  Such  are  ashes,  scalding  water, 
charcoal,  lime,  salt,  saltpetre,  fish-oil,  and  urine.  All  of  them  have  more  or  less 
agency  in  excluding  the  borer,  but  are  not  all  effectual,  even  for  that  purpose. 
Some  of  them  have  seemed  to  promote,  for  a  time,  the  growth  of  the  trees,  and  to 
give  a  deeper  green  to  their  leaves;  but  none  that  I  have  ever  observed,  have  at 
at  all  checked  the  progress  of  the  yellows."  The  most  effectual,  and  the  only 
remedy  for  this  disease,  hitherto  discovered,  is,  on  the  first  symptoms  of  decay, 
to  grub  up  the  trees  by  the  roots,  and  convert  them  at  once  into  fuel. 

The  principal  other  accidents  to  which  the  peach-tree  is  liable,  are  the  splitting 
of  the  limbs  at  the  forks  by  excessive  weight,  or  by  high  winds,  and  the  bursting 
of  the  buds  and  bark  by  severe  frosts  in  open  and  wet  winters. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  peach-tree  is  hard,  compact,  of  a 
roseate  hue,  and  is  susceptible  of  a  fine  polish ;  but  owing  to  its  inferior  size  and 
comparative  scarcity,  it  is  but  little  used  in  the  arts,  or  for  fuel,  except  in  coun- 
tries where  other  kinds  of  wood  are  rare.  When  obtained,  however,  of  suitable 
dimensions,  it  may  be  employed  for  similar  purposes  as  that  of  the  almond.  A 
colour  may  also  be  extracted  from  it  called  rose-pink.  Its  leaves  yield,  by  distil- 
lation, a  volatile  oil,  of  a  yellow  colour,  containing  hydrocyanic  acid.  Its  bark, 
blossoms,  and  kernels  of  the  fruit,  also  possess  the  same  poisonous  property. 
From  the  quantity  of  gum  and  sugar  contained  in  the  delicious  pulp,  the  peach 
is  nutritious,  and  is  employed  as  a  desert,  both  fresh  and  preserved.  From  the 
malic  acid  contained  in  its  juice,  it  is  slightly  refrigerant,  and  if  eaten  in  moder- 
ate quantities,  it  is  generally  considered  as  wholesome ;  but  if  taken  too  freely, 
it  is  liable  to  disorder  the  bowels.  When  stewed  with  sugar,  it  may  be  given  as 
a  mild  laxative  to  convalescents.  The  kernels  may  be  used  for  the  same  pur- 
pose as  those  of  the  bitter  almond.  The  leaves  are  sometimes  employed  by  the 
cook,  the  liquorist,  and  the  confectioner,  for  flavouring,  and  they  have  also  been 
substitutod  for  Chinese  tea;  but,  as  fatal  consequences  have  sometimes  followed 
these  uses,  they  should  be  looked  upon  with  precaution. 

The  preservation  of  peaches,  plums,  cherries,  apricots,  and  other  kinds  of  fruit, 
in  syrup,  occupy  a  prominent  rank  in  the  industry  and  commerce  of  France  and 


PEACH-TREE. 


241 


of  Majorca,  and  doubtless  could  be  profitably  carried  on  in  those  parts  of  the 
United  States  where  these  fruits  are  cultivated  in  abundance.  To  those  who 
are  desirous  of  entering  into  the  business  on  an  extensive  scale,  we  would  recom- 
mend the  "  Nouveau  Manuel  du  Limonadier,  du  Glacier,  du  Chocolatier,  et  du 
Confiseur,"  par  MM.  Cardelli,  Lionnet-Clemandot,  et  Julia  de  Fontenelle,  pub- 
lished at  Paris  in  1838 ;  or,  what  would  be  still  better,  the  employment  of  an 
intelligent  confiseur  who  is  practically  acquainted  with  all  its  manipulations. 

As  an  ornamental  tree  or  shrub,  the  peach,  and  several  of  its  varieties,  are 
highly  deserving  of  culture,  and  group  well  with  the  double-flowered  cherry, 
the  apple,  and  with  the  plum. 

31 


Genus  PRUNUS,   Tourn. 


Rosaceae. 
Syst.  Nat. 


Synonymes. 


Frunus,  Cerasus.  Chamasterasus, 


Icosandria  Monogynia. 

Syst.  Lin. 


Of  Authors. 


Derivation.    The  name  Primus  is  said  to  have  been  of  oriental  origin,  the  wild  plant,  according  to  Galen,  being  called 
proumnos  in  Asia.     The  Greek  name  of  the  plum,  as  mentioned  by  Theophrastus,  is  proune  ;  whence  the  Latin,  Primus. 

Generic  Characters.  Drupe  ovate  or  oblong,  fleshy,  quite  smooth,  covered  with  a  pruinose  powder.  Pu- 
tamen  (stone)  compressed,  acute  on  both  sides,  somewhat  furrowed  at  the  edges,  otherwise  smooth. 
Young  leaves  convolute.  Pedicels  umbellate-fasciculate,  one-flowered,  evolved  before  or  after  the 
leaves. — De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 

[HE  species  belonging  to  this  genus  are  mostly  deciduous,  low  trees 
or  shrubs,  bearing  edible  fruit,  natives  of  Europe,  Asia,  and  North 
America.  Many  of  them  are  spiny  in  the  wild  state,  and  all  have 
showy  flowers.  The  epidermis  of  the  bark  of  the  plum,  as  well 
as  that  of  the  birch  and  cherry,  is  readily  divisible  transversely, 
and  may  frequently  be  seen  divided,  in  this  manner,  into  rings  on 
the  tree.  There  are  upwards  of  thirty  species  enumerated  in  catalogues ;  but  it 
is  a  question  whether  one-half  of  them  are  not  mere  varieties.  To  this  genus, 
formerly  belonged  the  Apricot,  {A?-meniaca  vulgaris,  of  Tonrnefort,  De  Candolle, 
Loudon,  and  others,)  and  for  the  convenience  of  classification,  we  have  retained 
the  Linnsean  name.  This  tree  is  in  general  cultivation  throughout  the  temperate 
regions  of  the  globe,  and  is  distinguished,  at  first  sight,  from  the  almond,  peach, 
and  nectarine,  by  its  heart-shaped,  smooth,  shining  leaves,  and  white  flowers. 
There  are  several  wild  varieties,  bearing  flowers  of  different  shades  of  pink,  and 
are  chiefly  cultivated  for  ornament.  The  great  beauty  of  both  the  wild  and  the 
cultivated  sorts  of  the  apricot  is,  that  in  high  latitudes,  they  generally  come  into 
bloom  before  most  other  trees.  <  The  most  noted  species  of  this  genus  proper,  are 
the  domestic  cultivated  plum  (Primus  domestica)  ;  the  sloe,  or  black  thorn,  of 
Europe  (Primus  spinosa)  ;  the  engrafted,  or  bullace  plum  (Primus  insititia) ; 
the  beach-plum  (Primus  maritima) ;  and  the  moose  or  American  wild  plum 
(Primus  americana.)  The  latter  is  said  to  be  the  only  species  indigenous  to 
North  America  which  has  a  flat  stone,  groved  on  both  margins.  The  other  spe- 
cies native  of  this  country,  are  somewhat  intermediate  in  their  fruit,  between  the 
cherry  and  the  plum,  the  stone  being  slightly  compressed,  and  the  glaucous  bloom 
wanting,  except  in  the  Primus  maritima ;  yet  they  are  evidently  Plums  and  not 
Cherries,  in  the  opinion  of  Torrey  and  Gray,  and  cannot  with  propriety  be  sepa- 
rated from  this  genus.  The  beach-plum  abounds  along  the  sandy  sea-coast  of 
the  United  States,  from  Maine  to  Alabama.  The  moose-plum  occurs  on  the 
banks  of  streams  and  other  waters,  in  hedges,  and  on  prairies,  from  Canada  to 
Texas,  and  is  often  cultivated  with  success.  Both  of  these  species  are  said  to 
escape  the  attacks  of  the  curculio,  as  no  warts  or  excrescences  are  found  upon 
them,  even  when  growing  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  infested  foreign  trees. 
Hence  it  has  been  suggested  that  they  might  be  propagated  to  advantage  from 
the  stone,  for  the  purpose  of  grafting  or  budding  other  fruits  upon. 


Primus  armeniaca, 
THE  COMMON  APRICOT-TREE. 


Synonymes. 


Prunus  armeniaca, 

Armeniaca  vulgaris, 

Abricotier, 

Aprikosenbaum, 

Albicocco,  Albercocco, 

Armellini,  Pesco  americano, 

Miliaco, 

Albaricoquero,  Albaricocal, 

Apricot, 


Linn-eus,  Species  Plantaram. 
De  Candolle,  Prodroraus. 
Don,  Miller's  Dictionary. 
Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
France. 
Germany. 

Italy. 

Spain 

Britain  and  Anglo- America. 


Derivations.  The  specific  name,  armeniaca,  is  derived  from  Armenia,  the  country  from  which  this  tree  was  supposed  origi- 
.lly  to  have  been  brought  to  Europe.  The  popular  English  name,  Apricot,  was  originally  pracocia,  and  was  supposed  by  some 
have  been  derived  from  prcecox,  early  or  precocious,  from  its  fruit  ripening'  sooner  than  most  others.  Some  derive  it  from 
e  Arabic  berkoche  ;  whence  the  Spanish  and  Italian  names. 

Engravings.  Du  Hamel,  Traite  des  Arbres  et  Arbustes,  i.,  p.  49;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  ii.,  figs.  398,  399,  et 
.,  pi.  107  ;  and  the  figures  below. 

peciftc  Characters.    Flowers  sessile.    Leaves  heart-shaped  or  ovate. — De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 


Description. 

HE  Common  Apricot,  in 
f  favourable  situations, 
usually  attains  a  height 
HNP  of  twenty  or  thirty  feet, 
dm  a  handsome,  spreading,  somewhat  orbicular 
ead.  The  branches  are  furnished  with  numer- 
us  buds,  and  are  clothed  with  large,  heart- 
laped,  smooth,  shining  leaves.  The  flowers, 
rhich  are  white,  put  forth  before  the  leaves,  and 
re  very  ornamental,  especially  at  a  season  when 
ut  few  other  trees  are  in  bloom.  They  usually  make  their  appearance  at 
laples,  in  Italy,  and  at  Augusta,  in  Georgia,  by  the  20th  of  February ;  in  Eng- 
ind,  by  the  first  of  April,  and  nearly  a  month  later  at  New  York.  The  nut  or 
tone  of  the  fruit  is  fleshy,  juicy,  with  its  surface  downy,  obtuse  at  one  end, 
cute  at  the  other,  and  furrowed  at  both  lateral  edges,  but  the  other  parts  are 
ven. 

Varieties.     There  are  two  forms  of  this  kind  of  apricot,  either  of  which  may 
e  considered  as  the  species,  and  two  varieties : — 

i  1.  P.  a.  ovalifolia.     Oval-leaved  Apricot-tree,  the  leaves  of  which  are  oval,  and 
|ie  fruit  small. 

I  2.  P.  a.  cordifolia.     Heart- shaped-leaved  Apricot-tree,  with  broad,  heart-shaped 
Saves,  and  large  fruit. 

3.  P.  a.  foliis  variegatis.      Variegated-leaved  Apricot-tree. 

1 4.  P.  a.  flore  pleno.     Donble-jloioered  Apricot-tree.     It  is  said  that  the  Chinese 
jive  a  great  number  of  double-flowered  varieties  of  this  tree,  which  they  plant 
u  little  mounts  for  ornament,  and  dwarfs  in  pots,  for  their  apartments. 
;  Geography  and  History.     The  Prunus  armeniaca  is  indigenous  to  Armenia, 
Uucasus,  the  Himalayas,  China,  and  Japan.     From  its  trivial  name,  it  is  gene- 


244  PKUNUS    ARMENIACA. 

rally  supposed  to  have  originated  in  Armenia,  but  Regnier  and  Sickler  assign  it 
a  parallel  between  the  Niger  and  Mount  Atlas.  Pallas  considers  it  to  be  a  native 
of  the  whole  of  the  Caucasus ;  and  Thunberg  describes  it  as  a  very  large,  spread- 
ing, branchy  tree,  in  Japan.  Both  in  Caucasus  and  China  it  is  more  frequent  on 
mountains  than  on  plains,  which  affords  a  proof  of  its  great  hardiness. 

This  tree  was  cultivated  by  the  Romans,  and  is  described  by  Pliny  and 
Dioscorides.  It  is  said  to  have  been  brought  from  Greece  to  Marseilles  by  the 
Phocgean  colonists,  some  time  in  the  middle  ages.  It  appears  from  Turner's 
"Herbal,"  that  it  was  cultivated  in  England  in  1562;  and  in  Hackluyt's  "Re- 
membrancer," published  in  1582,  it  is  affirmed,  that  the  apricot  was  brought 
from  Italy  to  England  by  Wolfe,  a  French  priest,  gardener  to  Henry  VIII. ,  in 
1524. 

The  introduction  of  the  apricot  into  the  United  States  probably  dates  back  to 
the  early  periods  of  their  settlements.  It  is  at  present  almost  as  universally  cul- 
tivated in  both  Europe  and  America  for  a  fruit-tree,  as  the  peach ;  and  is  more 
deserving  of  a  place  in  the  shrubbery  than  that  tree,  on  account  of  its  more  vig- 
orous growth,  and  its  much  handsomer  general  shape,  independently  of  its  more 
beautiful  leaves. 

Soil,  Culture,  fyc.  Very  few  trees  attain  the  appearance  of  maturity  so  soon 
as  the  apricot.  A  standard  ten  or  twelve  years  planted,  in  good  loamy,  rich 
soil,  will  grow  to  a  height  of  twenty  feet,  with  a  head  twenty-five  feet  in  diam- 
eter, presenting  all  the  appearance  of  a  tree  of  twenty  or  thirty  years'  growth. 
Hence  the  value  of  this  tree  in  planting  the  grounds  of  a  small  villa,  where  unity 
of  expression  and  immediate  effect  is  desired.  This  tree  requires  very  nearly  the 
same  soil  and  mode  of  culture  as  the  nectarine  and  domestic  plum,  and  is  subject 
to  the  attacks  of  many  of  the  same  insects,  and  frequently  loses  its  fruit  before  it 
arrives  at  maturity.  The  trees  are  generally  budded  on  stocks  of  the  plum,  and 
in  the  higher  latitudes  are  trained  against  walls.  There  are  several  varieties 
cultivated  especially  for  their  fruit,  among  which  the  Breda,  with  its  brilliant 
scarlet  buds,  the  Moorpark,  and  the  Blotched-leaved  Roman,  stand  pre-eminent. 
There  is  also  the  Peach  Apricot,  with  large  fruit,  supposed  to  be  a  hybrid  between 
the  peach  and  apricot,  which  is  much  esteemed  by  some. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  fruit  of  the  Apricot,  like  that  of  the  peach  and 
plum,  is  wholesome  and  delicious,  when  taken  in  moderate  quantities,  but  it 
cannot  be  indulged  in,  to  excess,  with  impunity.  When  fully  ripe  it  may  be 
used  as  a  dessert  at  table,  or  may  be  dried,  or  preserved  in  sirup,  like  the  peach 
and  plum.  On  the  African  oases,  it  is  dried,  and  carried  to  Egypt,  as  an  article 
of  commerce.  In  China,  the  natives  employ  it  variously  in  the  arts.  From  the 
wild  tree,  the  pulp  is  of  little  value,  but  it  has  a  large  kernel,  from  which  they 
extract  an  oil.  They  preserve  this  fruit  wet  in  all  its  flavour;  and  they  make 
lozenges  of  the  clarified  juice,  which  afford  an  agreeable  beverage,  when  diluted 
in  water. 


Primus  domestica, 
THE  DOMESTIC   CULTIVATED   PLUM-TREE. 

Synonymes. 


Primus  domestica, 

Prunier  domestique, 

Gemeine  Pflaume,  Pflaumenbaum, 

Pruno,  Susino,  Susino  domestico, 

Ciruelo, 

Amexieira, 

Plum-tree, 


Linn^us,  Species  Plantarum. 

De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 

Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 

France. 

Germany. 

Italy. 

Spain. 

Portugal. 

Britain  and  Anglo- America. 


Derivation.    The  specific  name,  domestica,  is  derived  from  the  Latin  domus,  a  house,  having  reference  to  this  tree  as  being 
;ultivated  about  houses,  or  appertaining  to  home. 

Engravings.    London  Pomological  Magazine ;  Hoflfy,  Orchardist's  Companion ;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  vi.,  pi.  111.; 
ind  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.    Branches  spineless.    Flowers  mostly  solitary.    Leaves  lanceolate -ovate,  concave  on 
the  surface,  not  flat. — De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 

Description. 

3K2H HE  Primus  domes- 
tica usually  grows 
H  to  a  height  of  fif- 
M  teen  or  twenty  feet, 
md  from  six  to  ten  inches  in  diameter.  It 
somewhat  resembles  the  common  sloe,  (Pru- 
[ius  spinosa,)  but  larger  in  all  its  parts,  and 
is  without  thorns.  The  bark  is  black,  and 
the  leaves  are  of  a  dark-green.  The  roots 
ire  creeping,  and,  in  most  soils  and  situations,  throw  up  numerous  suckers.  The 
lowers  put  forth,  in  England  and  in  the  central  parts  of  the  United  States,  by  the 
middle  of  April,  and  nearly  a  month  later  at  Berlin,  in  Prussia,  and  at  Boston,  in 
Massachusetts.  They  are  mostly  solitary,  and  contain  from  twenty  to  thirty 
filaments,  with  yellowish  anthers.  The  style  is  generally  only  one ;  but  there 
ire  sometimes  two.  The  drupe  is  globose,  depressed  at  the  base,  or  oblong-ovate, 
fleshy,  glabrous,  and  covered  with  a  bloom. 

Varieties.  There  are  more  than  three  hundred  varieties  and  sub-varieties  of 
the  domestic  cultivated  plum,  enumerated  in  catalogues,  many  of  which,  perhaps, 
ire  only  dissimilar  in  name.  It  is  the  opinion  of  some  authors  that  this  species 
ind  all  its  variations,  as  well  as  the  bullace  plum,  originated  from  the  common 
sloe.  On  this  point,  however,  botanists  do  not  agree,  and  as  it  will  be  irrelevant 
to  our  purpose  to  undertake  to  refute  or  defend  such  a  belief,  we  shall  here  only 
notice  those  which  have  some  pretensions  to  distinctness  of  character,  and  have 
been  cultivated  either  for  ornament  or  profit. 

1.  P.  d.  armenioides,  De  Candolle.  Apricot-like  Plum-tree ;  Mirabelle  or  Drap 
d'or,  of  the  French.  The  leaves,  the  fruit,  and  the  general  habit  of  this  variety 
bear  some  resemblance  to  those  of  the  Armeniaca  brigantiaca.  It  appears  to  be 
intermediate  between  the  wild  plum  and  the  wild  apricot. 

2.  P.  d.  claudiana,  De  Candolle.  The  Empress  ClaudincCs  Plum-tree ;  Green 
Gage,  of  the  English;  Reine-claudc,  of  the  French;  and  Griine  Konigspjlaumt. 


246  PRUNUS  DOMESTICA. 

of  the  Germans.  This  variety  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  best  of  plums,  and  is  too 
extensively  known  to  require  description.  It  was  introduced  into  France  by  the 
wife  of  Francis  I.  Hence  the  name,  Reine-claude.  It  is  called  Gage  in  Eng- 
land, after  the  name  of  the  family  who  first  cultivated  it  there. 

3.  P.  d.  myrobalana,  Limiseus.  Myrobalan  Plum-tree,  Cherry  or  Indian  Plum- 
tree  ;  Prunier myrobalan,  or  Cerisette,  French;  Kirschpflaumenbaum  or  Indischer 
Pflaumenbaum,  German.  This  variety  appears  to  be  first  removed  from  the 
bullace  plum,  (Primus  insititia,)  and  may  be  distinguished  by  its  narrow  sepals, 
globose,  depressed  fruit,  and  small-pointed  nut,  It  is  supposed  by  some  to  be  a 
native  of  North  America,  but  it  is  only  found  in  this  country  in  a  state  of  culti- 
vation. It  well  deserves  culture  as  an  ornamental  tree,  on  account  of  its  very 
early  flowering,  which  takes  place  much  sooner  than  the  fruit-bearing  varieties, 
generally;  consequently,  it  is  liable  to  be  injured  by  frost. 

4.  P.  d.  damascena,  De  Candolle.  Damask  or  Damascene  Plum-tree;  Pru- 
nier de  damas,  of  the  French. 

5.  P.  d.  turonensis,  De  Candolle.  Orleans  Plum-tree ;  Monsieur  hatif  of  the 
French.  This  variety  is  said  to  have  been  introduced  into  Britain  from  Orleans, 
in  France,  when  that  part  of  the  country  was  in  the  possession  of  the  English. 

6.  P.  d.  juliana,  De  Candolle.  Sle.  Julienne  Plum-tree,  which  yields  the  offici- 
nal primes. 

7.  P.  d.  catharina,  De  Candolle.  St.  Catharine  Plum-tree.  The  fruit  of  this 
variety  is  a  large,  yellowish  plum,  of  an  oval  shape,  tapering  towards  the  base, 
and  is  distinguished  for  its  remarkably  sweet  and  agreeable  flavour,  when  fresh 
and  ripe  from  the  tree. 

8.  P.  d.  aubertiana,  De  Candolle.  Egg  Plum-tree,  or  Magnum  Bonum. 
This  variety,  as  in  the  plums  cultivated  for  their  fruit,  generally,  has  larger 
leaves,  flowers,  and  fruit,  and  comes  later  into  bloom  than  the  other  kinds. 

9.  P.  d.  prunealina,  De  Candolle.     Damson-tree,  common  and  well  known. 

10.  P.  d.  washingtonensis.  Washington  or  Bolmar  Plum-tree.  This  variety 
may  be  known  by  its  roundish,  yellow  fruit,  of  an  excellent  quality,  vigorous 
growth,  and  pyramidal  head.  It  is  very  hardy,  a  great  bearer,  and  particularly 
deserves  cultivation. 

11.  P.  d.  flore  pleno,  Loudon.  Double-blossomed  Plum-tree,  with  large,  hand- 
some flowers.  If  the  roots  of  this  variety  are  not  supplied  with  an  abundance  of 
nourishment,  the  flowers  will  degenerate  into  semi-double  or  single  ones. 

12.  P.  d.  foliis  variegatis,  Loudon.      Variegated-leaved  Plum-tree. 
Geography  and  History.     The  Primus  domestica  appears  to  be  more  widely 

diffused  in  its  original  locality  than  the  apricot.  It  is  believed  to  be  indigenous 
to  the  south  of  Russia,  Caucasus,  the  Himalayas,  and  to  many  parts  of  Europe. 
In  England,  and  in  some  parts  of  the  United  States,  it  is  sometimes  found  in 
hedges,  but  never  truly  wild.  This  species  and  many  of  its  varieties  are  culti- 
vated for^  ornament,  or  their  fruit,  in  all  the  temperate  countries  of  the  habitable 
globe.  Faulkner,  in  his  "  Kensington,"  makes  the  plum  a  native  of  Asia,  and 
an  introduction  into  Europe  of  the  Crusaders.  Gough,  in  his  "British  Topo- 
graphy," says,  that  Lord  Cromwell  introduced  the  Perdrigon  plum  into  England 
in  the  time  of  Henry  VII. 

The  introduction  of  this  tree  into  the  United  States  dates  back  to  the  earliest 
periods  of  their  settlements.  Several  valuable  and  interesting  varieties  have  origi- 
nated in  this  country,  among  which,  the  Bolmar  or  Washington  plum  stands 
conspicuous.  The  parent  tree  is  said  to  have  been  purchased  in  a  market  in 
New  York,  about  the  end  of  the  last  century.  It  remained  barren  for  several 
years,  till,  (luring  a  violent  storm  of  thunder,  the  entire  trunk  was  severed  to  the 
earth,  by  lightning,  and  destroyed.  The  part  remaining  in  the  ground,  after- 
wards threw  up  several  vigorous  shoots,  which  were  allowed  to  remain,  and 


DOMESTIC  CULTIVATED  PLUM-TREE.  2  17 

finally  produce  fruit.  Trees  of  this  variety  were  first  sent  to  England  in  1S19, 
to  Mr.  Robert  Barclay,  of  Bury  Hill ;  and  several  others  were  sent  to  the  Lon- 
don Horticultural  Society,  in  1821,  by  Dr.  Hosack,  of  New  York. 

Soil,  Situation,  Propagation,  fyc.  The  domestic  cultivated  plum  prefers  a  free, 
loamy  soil,  somewhat  calcareous,  and  a  little  inclined  to  clay,  and  a  situation 
open,  and  exposed  to  the  sun,  but  sheltered  from  the  blasts  of  northern  winds. 
It  is  almost  invariably  propagated  by  grafting  or  budding,  and  is  generally  per-  ' 
formed  on  stocks  of  the  most  free-growing  varieties ;  or,  when  the  plants  are 
intended  for  dwarfs,  on  the  Mirabelle  plum.  The  stocks  may  either  be  raised 
from  seeds,  or  by  layers.  The  former  should  be  gathered  when  the  fruit  is  dead 
ripe,  mixed  with  sand,  and  turned  over  two  or  three  times  in  the  course  of  the 
winter,  and  being  sown  in  March,  or  as  soon  as  the  ground  is  sufficiently  open, 
they  will  come  up  in  the  May  or  June  following.  In  Britain,  or  any  other  coun- 
try having  a  humid  climate,  plants  of  this  species  may  be  very  expeditiously 
obtained,  by  pegging  down  the  shoots  of  the  preceding  year,  which  have  risen 
from  the  stools,  and  covered  with  soil  to  the  depth  of  an  inch,  or  an  inch  and  a 
half.  The  entire  shoot  being  thus  covered,  and  kept  moist,  each  bud  will  pro- 
duce a  vertical  shoot,  a  foot  or  more  in  length,  according  to  the  soil  and  the 
season;  and  each  of  the  shoots,  when  separated  from  the  stool,  in  the  autumn 
following,  just  before  the  falling  of  the  leaves,  will  be  found  to  have  an  abun- 
dance of  roots.  The  branches  which  were  laid  down  to  produce  these  shoots 
should  be  cut  off  close  to  the  stool.  This  method  is  practised  in  many  of  the 
European  nurseries,  where  stocks  are  raised  in  immense  quantities,  to  supply 
the  general  demand  of  the  trade.  "  Numerous  as  are  the  cultivated  fruit-bearing 
varieties  of  the  common  plum,"  says  Mr.  Loudon,  "it  is  clear  that  they  might 
be  increased  ad  infinitum;  and  it  is  also  highly  probable,  that  numerous  varie- 
ties, with  fruits  totally  different  from  those  of  the  original  species,  might  be  pro- 
cured by  cultivating  the  North  American  species,  P.  maritima,  and  P.  pubescens ; 
if,  indeed,  these  are  anything  more  than  varieties  of  P.  domestica.  There  are 
two  forms,  which  every  description  of  tree  seems  capable  of  sporting  into,  which 
are  yet  wanting  in  the  genus  Primus,  as  at  present  limited;  the  one  is  with 
branches  pendent,  and  the  other  with  branches  erect  and  fastigiate.  There  can 
be  no  doubt  but  that  an  endless  number  of  hybrids,  varying  in  their  leaves,  blos- 
soms, and  fruit,  might  be  produced  by  fecundating  the  blossoms  of  the  plum  with 
the  pollen  of  the  almond,  the  peach,  the  apricot,  and  the  cherry;  and,  though 
some  may  be  disposed  to  assign  little  value  to  these  kinds  of  productions,  yet  it 
must  not  be  forgotten  that  almost  all  the  cultivated  plants  of  most  value  to  man. 
have  been  produced  by  some  kind  of  artificial  process.  Experiments  of  this  kind, 
therefore,  ought  never  to  be  discouraged.  What  culture  has  done  we  know; 
but  what  it  may  yet  accomplish  is  concealed  in  the  womb  of  time." 

As  in  the  peach-tree,  the  most  proper  time  for  pruning  the  plum,  as  well  as  for 
most  kinds  of  stone-fruits,  is  in  autumn,  just  as  the  leaves  are  falling,  when  the 
sap  is  in  a  downward  motion,  and  when  a  more  perfect  cicatrization  of  the  wound 
will  take  place,  than  if  pruned  in  the  winter  or  spring. 

Insects.  In  America,  the  Primus  domestica  is  preyed  upon  by  various  insects 
or  their  larvse,  among  which  are  those  of  the  iEgeria  exitiosa,  that  bore  into  its 
trunk  or  roots,  in  a  similar  manner  as  they  do  into  the  peach-tree ;  and  the  slug- 
worm  or  slimy  caterpillar,  {Blennocampa  cerasi,  Harris,)  which  rests  on  the 
upper  surface  of  the  leaves  of  the  plum,  as  well  as  upon  those  of  the  cherry  and 
the  pear,  eating  away  their  substance,  and  leaving  only  the  veins  and  the  skin 
beneath  untouched.^  But  by  far  the  most  injurious  insect  which  attacks  the 
plum,  is  the  Curculio  nenuphar,  (Rhynehcemis  Conolrachclus  Nenuphar,  Harris,) 

*  See  Harris'  Report,  p.  384. 


^43  PRCNUS  DOMESTICA. 

to  which  allusion  is  made  under  the  head  of  "  Insects,"  in  our  article  on  the 
peach-tree.  Dr.  Harris  describes  the  perfect  insect  as  a  little,  rough,  dark-brown, 
or  blackish  beetle,  looking  like  a  dried  bud,  when  it  is  shaken  from  the  tree, 
which  resemblance  is  increased  by  its  habit  of  drawing  up  its  legs,  and  bend- 
ing its  snout  close  to  the  lower  side  of  its  body,  and  remaining  for  a  time 
without  motion,  and  seemingly  lifeless.  In  stinging  the  fruit,  before  laying  its 
e^gs,  it  uses  its  short,  curved  snout,  which  is  armed  at  the  tip  with  a  pair  of 
very  small  nippers;  and  by  means  of  this  weapon,  it  makes,  in  the  tender 
skin  of  the  young  plum  or  apple,  a  crescent-shaped  incision,  similar  to  what 
would  be  formed^by  indenting  the  fruit  with  the  finger  nail.  Very  rarely  is 
there  more  than  one  incision  made  in  the  same  fruit;  and  in  the  wound,  the 
weevil  lays  only  a  single  egg.  The  insect  hatched  from  this  egg  is  a  little 
whitish  grub,  destitute  of  feet,  and  very  much  like  a  maggot  in  appearance, 
except  that  it  has  a  distinct,  rounded,  light-brown  head.  It  appears  from  some 
observations  made  by  Dr.  Harris  and  others,  that  the  large,  black,  warty  tumours 
found  on  the  small  branches  of  plum  and  cherry-trees,  are  infested  not  only  by 
these  insects,  but  also  by  another  kind  of  grub,  provided  with  legs,  and  occasion- 
ally by  the  larvae  of  the  iEgeria  exitiosa,  or  peach-tree  borer.  When  the  grubs 
of  the  plum-weevil  are  fully  grown,  which  occurs  at  various  periods  from  May 
to  September,  they  usually  fall  with  the  punctured  fruit,  and  go  into  the  earth, 
where  they  are  changed  into  chrysalides  of  a  white  colour,  having  the  legs  and 
wings  free,  and  capable  of  motion ;  and  finally  they  leave  the  ground  in  the  form 
of  a  little  beetle,  exactly  like  those  above  described,  which  takes  place  in  Massa- 
chusetts from  the  early  part  of  March  till  towards  the  middle  of  June,  according 
to  the  nature  of  the  season  and  the  exposure  of  the  situation.*  Among  the 
various  remedies  recommended  for  checking  the  ravages  of  these  insects,  are  the 
paving  of  the  ground  directly  beneath  the  trees  with  bricks,  or  other  materials, 
so  as  to  prevent  the  worms  from  entering  the  earth,  to  transform ;  the  pouring  of 
boiling-hot  water  around  the  trees,  towards  the  end  of  August,  in  order  to  scald 
the  insects  to  death ;  and  the  shaking  or  jarring  of  the  trees  every  evening  and 
morning,  during  the  time  that  the  beetles  are  occupied  in  depositing  their  eggs. 
When  thus  disturbed,  they  contract  their  legs,  and  fall ;  and  as  they  do  not 
immediately  attempt  to  crawl  or  fly  away,  they  may  readily  be  caught  on  a  mat 
or  sheet,  spread  under  the  tree,  and  then  be  crushed  or  burned  to  death.  In 
addition  to  the  method  last  described,  Dr.  Harris  recommends  that  all  the  fallen 
wormy  plums  should  be  immediately  gathered,  and,  after  they  are  boiled  or 
steamed,  to  kill  the  enclosed  grubs,  they  should  be  given  as  food  to  swine.  The 
diseased  excrescences,  he  says,  should  be  cut  out,  and  burned,  every  year,  before 
the  last  of  June. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  Prunus  domestica  is  hard,  close,  com- 
pact, beautifully  veined,  and  susceptible  of  a  fine  polish.  When  dry,  it  weighs  from 
forty  to  fifty  pounds  to  a  cubic  foot,  according  to  the  age  and  growth  of  the  tree. 
Its  texture  is  silky,  and  when  washed  with  lime-water,  its  colour  is  heightened, 
and  may  be  preserved  by  the  application  of  varnish  or  wax.  Unfortunately  for 
this  tree,  its  wood  is  sometimes  rotten  at  the  heart.  In  France  and  Germany,  it 
is  much  sought  after  by  turners,  cabinet-makers,  and  the  manufacturers  of  musi- 
cal instruments.  The  leaves  are  sometimes  given  to  cattle  for  forage.  The  use 
ol  the  fruit  in  domestic  economy  for  dessert,  and  for  making  tarts  and  puddings, 
is  well  known.  In  France,  plums  are  principally  used  dry  or  preserved,  and 
eater  extensively  into  commerce.  The  kinds  usually  employed  for  preserving, 
are  the  Brignole,  the  prune  d'Ast,  the  Perdrigon  blanc,  the  prune  d'Agen,  and 
the  Ste.  Catherine.     In  warm  countries,  plums  or  prunes  are  dried  on  hurdles  by 

*  See  Harris'  Report,  pp.  66,  67,  68,  351,  352. 


DOMESTIC  CULTIVATED  PLUM-TREE.  249 

solar  heat;  but  in  cold  climates,  artificial  heat  is  employed:  the  fruit  beine 
exposed  to  the  heat  of  an  oven,  and  to  that  of  the  sun.  on  alternate  davs.  Table 
prunes  are  prepared  from  the  larger  kinds  of  plums,  as  the  green  Gas"e.  and  Ste. 
Catherine;  those  employed  in  medicine  from  the  Ste.  Julienne.  The  former 
have  a  very  sweet  and  agreeable  taste ;  and  the  latter  are  somewhat  austere. 
Fresh,  ripe  plums,  taken  in  moderate  quantities,  are  regarded  as  nutritive  and 
wholesome ;  but  in  large  quantities,  they  readily  disorder  the  bowels :  and  when 
immature,  they  still  more  easily  excite  ill  effects.  The  medicinal  prunes  are 
employed  as  an  agreeable,  mild  laxative  for  children,  and  are  given  during 
convalescence  from  febrile  and  inflammatory  disorders  in  adults. 
32 


Prunus  chicasa, 
THE  CHICASAW  PLUM-TREE. 

Synonymes. 


Cerasus  chicasa, 


Prunus  chicasa, 

Prunier  lies  Chicasas, 
Chicasa  Pflaumenbaum, 
Chicasaw  Plum-tree, 


De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 

Don,  Miller's  Dictionary. 

Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 

Ptjrsh,  Flora  Americas  Septentrionahs. 

Torrey  and  Gray,  Flora  of  North  America. 

Audueon,  Birds  of  America. 

France. 

Germany. 

Britain  and  Anglo- America. 


Engravings.    Audubon,  Birds  of  America,  i.,  pi.  liii ;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.    Branches  glabrous,  becoming  rather  spiny, 
nate.     Flowers  upon  very  short  peduncles,  and  mostly  in  pairs 
Fruit  nearly  globose,  small,  yellow.— De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 


Leaves  oblong-oval,  acute,  or  acuun- 
Calyx  glabrous,  its  lobes  very  short. 


Description. 

! HE  Primus  chic- 
asa is  a  thorny- 
shrub,  from  three 


to     six 


feet 


m 


height,  indigenous  to  Arkansas,  western 
Louisiana,  and  Texas,  and  naturalized 
east  of  the  Mississippi  as  far  north  as  Vir- 
ginia. According  to  Michaux,  it  was 
brought  to  the  Atlantic  southern  states, 
and  cultivated  by  the  Chicasaw  Indians ; 
and  hence  it  is  commonly  called  the  Chic- 
asaw plum.  It  was  introduced  into  Bri- 
tain in  1806,  and  plants  of  it  are  growing 
in  many  of  the  European  collections.  The 
flowers,  which  put  forth  in  April  and  May, 
are  succeeded  by  a  yellow,  or  yellowish- 
red  fruit,  nearly  destitute  of  bloom,  of  a 
roundish  form,  half  of  an  inch  or  more  in 

diameter,  having  a  thin  skin,  a  tender  pulp,  and  usually  of  an  agreeable  flavour  , 
but,  like  all  the  species  of  the  genus,  it  varies  in  its  quality,  sometimes  being 
quite  astringent  and  sour. 

Variety.  There  is  at  least  one  variety  of  this  species,  the  P.  c.  nemoralis, 
which  may  readily  be  distinguished  by  its  tomentose  or  pubescent  pedicels  and 
leaves,  and  is  conjectured  by  some,  to  be  the  original  stock  of  the  naturalized  or 
cultivated  tree.  The  species  and  variety  may  be  propagated  from  seeds,  by 
grafting,  or  inoculation,  in  a  similar  manner  as  the  domestic  cultivated  plum. 

A  tree  of  this  kind  is  standing  in  the  garden  of  Rev.  E.  M.  Johnson,  of  Brook- 
lyn, in  New  York,  which  has  attained  a  height  of  about  twenty  feet,  with  a 
trunk  ten  inches  in  diameter.     It  is  perfectly  hardy,  and  matures  fruit  every  year. 


Genus   CERASUS,   Juss. 


Rosaceae. 

Icosandria  Monogynia. 

Syst.  Nat. 

Synonymes. 

Syst.  Lin. 

Cerasus,  Laurocerasus 

,  Prunus, 

Of  Authors. 

Cerisier, 

France. 

Kirschbaum, 

Germany. 

Ciliegio,  Ceriegio, 

Italy. 

Cerezo,  Cerezezo, 

Spain. 

Cerejeira, 

Portugal. 

Wischnaija, 

Russia. 

Cherry-tree, 

Britain  and 

Anglo -America 

Derivations.    The  generic  name,  Cerasus,  is  so  called  from  the  ancient  town  of  that  name,  in  Asia,  whence  the  cultivated 
cherry  was  first  brought  to  Rome,  by  Lucullus.     Most  of  the  other  names  appear  to  be  derived  from  the  Latin  one. 

Generic  Characters.  Drupe  globose,  or  with  a  hollow  at  its  base ;  nut  sub-globose,  even,  its  covering 
fleshy,  juicy,  and  with  a  surface  glabrous,  and  not  covered  with  a  gray  bloom.  Young  leaves  folded 
flatwise.  Flowers  upon  pedicels,  either  in  groups  resembling  umbels,  and  produced  before  the  leaves, 
or  in  racemes  terminal  to  the  shoots,  protruded  along  with  them. — Loudon,  Arboretum. 

|HE  trees  and  shrubs  of  this  genus  are  mostly  deciduous,  with 
smooth,  serrated  leaves,  and  white  flowers.  There  is  much  confu- 
sion among  botanists,  in  all  the  species,  more  particularly  as  regards 
those  which  are  natives  of  North  America.  The  common  garden 
cherries,  and  all  their  varieties  cultivated  for  their  fruit,  according 
to  Linnaeus,  and  nearly  all  the  writers  up  to  the  time  of  De  Can- 
dolle,  have  been  referred  to  the  Prunus  avium  and  the  Prunus  cerasus,  both  of 
which,  in  the  opinion  of  Mr.  Loudon,  are  only  varied  forms  of  one  species ;  the 
former  being  the  merisier  of  the  French,  and  corresponding  with  the  small,  wild, 
black,  English  cherry  (Cerasus  sylvestris) ;  and  the  latter,  the  French  cerisier. 
and  corresponding  with  the  common  red,  sour  cherry  of  the  English  (Cerasus 
vulgaris.)  To  these  two  species,  De  Candolle,  in  the  "  Flore  Fran^aise,"  has 
added  two  others,  the  Cerasus  Juliana,  which  he  considers  as  including  the  guig- 
niers ;  and  the  Cerasus  duracina,  under  which  he  includes  the  bigarreaus,  or 
hard  cherries.  But  as  this  arrangement  did  not  appear  sufficiently  distinct  tn 
Mr.  Loudon,  he  thought  proper  to  adopt  in  his  "Arboretum,"  that  of  the  authoi 
of  the  article  "Cerasus,"  in  the  "Nouveau  Du  Hamel,"  as  much  more  simple 
and  satisfactory,  referring  all  the  cultivated  varieties  of  the  garden  cherry  to 
the  same  species  as  Linnaeus,  substituting  for  Prunus  avium,  Cerasus  sylvestris ; 
and  for  Prunus  cerasus,  Cerasus  vulgaris.  Among  the  Asiatic  trees  of  this 
genus  particularly  deserving  of  cultivation  for  ornament  or  for  their  timber,  are 
the  Yung-To,  or  Chinese  double  cherry,  (Cerasus  serrnlata,)  distinguished  for 
its  double,  white  flowers,  slightly  tinged  with  red ;  the  Chinese  false  cherry-tree, 
(Cerasus  pseudo-cerasus,)  noted  for  its  early  flowers  and  easy  propagation ;  the 
Puddum  cherry-tree,  (Cerasus  puddum,)  a  native  of  Nepal,  growing  to  a  height  of 
twenty  or  thirty  feet,  and  celebrated  for  its  rose-coloured  flowers,  edible  fruit, 
and  for  the  useful  properties  of  its  wood;  also  the  goat-killing  bird  cherry, 
(Cerasus  capricida,)  native  of  Nepal,  a  handsome,  showy,  evergreen  tree,  which 
would  probably  retain  its  verdure  in  many  parts  of  the  union ;  and  the  true  bird 
cherry-tree,  (Cerasus  padus,)  also  found  in  several  countries  in  Europe,  as  well 
as  the  Mahaleb  or  perfumed  cherry,  and  is  much  admired  for  the  beauty  of  its 


252    .  CERASUS. 

flowers,  its  pendent  racemes  of  black  fruit,  and  its  yellowish,  satiny  wood.  To 
western  Asia  also  belongs  the  laurel  cherry,  (Cerasus  laurocerasus,)  a  beautiful 
evergreen  tree,  known  at  once,  from  all  other  species  of  the  genus,  by  its  large, 
smooth,  yellowish-green,  shining  leaves,  and  its  pale-green  petioles,  and  young 
shoots.  It  is  less  hardy  than  the  Portugal  laurel  cherry,  (Cerasus  lusitanica,)  a 
large,  evergreen  tree,  growing  to  a  height  of  sixty  or  seventy  feet,  the  branches  of 
which,  in  England,  are  frequently  killed  back  by  the  frost,  and  in  Germany  is 
almost  everywhere  treated  as  a  green-house  plant.  .Among  the  North  American 
species  worthy  of  culture,  are  the  black  cherry-tree,  (Cerasus  nigra,)  a  tall  shrub, 
indigenous  to  Canada  and  the  Alleghany  Mountains,  distinguished  for  its  pleas- 
ing lowers,  with  purplish  anthers,  which,  like  those  of  the  plum,  appear  before 
the  leaves;  the  Cerasus  mollis,  a  tree  from  twelve  to  twenty  feet  in  height,  a 
native  of  the  subalpine  hills,  near  the  source  of  the  river  Columbia,  as  well  as 
near  its  mouth ;  and  the  Cerasus  emarginata,  known  by  its  white  flowers,  glo- 
bose, astringent  fruit,  and  red  wood,  with  white  spots,  found  wild  along  the 
same  river.  To  these  we  will  add  the  Cerasus  borealis,  Cerasus  virginiana  anc 
its  varieties,  and  the  Cerasus  caroliniana. 


Cerasus  sylvestris, 

THE  WILD  CHERRY-TREE,  OR  GEAN. 

Synonymes. 


Prunus  avium, 

Cerasus  avium, 

Cerasus  sylvestris, 

Merisier,  Merise  grosse  noire,  Guignier 

Bigarreautier,  Heaumier, 
Sfisser  Kirschbaum, 
Ciregiolo,  Ciriegiolo, 
Gean,  Bigarreau,  Corone,  Coroon,  Small' 

Black  Cherry-tree,  Black  Hertfordshire 

Cherry-tree,  Black  Heart  Cherry-tree, 

Black  Mazzard  Cherry-tree, 
Merry-tree, 
Merries,  (the  fruit,) 


Linn-eus,  Species  Plantarum. 
De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 
Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 

France. 

Germany. 
Italy. 


-Britain. 

Peasants  of  Cheshire 
Norfolk  (Eng.) 


(Eng.) 


Derivations.  According  to  Mr.  Loudon,  this  cherry  is  called  Corone,  (a  crow,)  in  some  parts  of  England,  in  reference  to  its 
blackness.  Mirisier  is  said  to  be  derived  from  the  words  amire,  bitter,  and  cerise,  a  cherry  ;  and  Merry-tree  and  Merries,  are 
evidently  corruptions  from  it.  Bigarreau  is  derived  from  bigarrie,  party-coloured,  because  the  cherries  known  by  this  name 
are  generally  of  two  colours,  yellow  and  red ;  and  Heaumier  is  from  the  French  word  heaume,  a  helmet,  from  the  shape  of  the 
fruit. 

Engravings.  Selby,  British  Forest  Trees,  pp.  58,  61,  63,  64  ;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  vi.,  pi.  113;  and  the  figures 
below. 

Specific  Characters.  Branches  vigorous  and  divaricate;  the  buds  from  which  the  fruits  are  produced, 
oblong-acute.  Flowers  in  umbel-like  groups,  sessile,  not  numerous.  Leaves  oval-lanceolate,  pointed, 
serrated,  somewhat  pendent,  slightly  pubescent  on  the  under  side,  and  furnished  with  two  glands  at 
the  base. — De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 


Description. 

HE  Cerasus  sylves- 
tris, in  favourable 
situations,  often  ac- 
quires a  height  of 
sixty  or  seventy  feet,  in  fifty  or  sixty 
years,  with  a  trunk  of  proportionate  size, 
and  sufficiently  large  for  the  general  pur- 
poses of  construction.  In  the  progress  of 
its  growth  to  maturity,  the  form  of  its 
head  is  pyramidal,  the  branches  springing 
from  the  main  stem,  at  regular  intervals, 
or  at  the  commencement  of  the  annual 
shoot ;  and  as  its  spray  is  stiff,  strong,  and  open  in  its  character,  it  firmly  resists 
the  fury  of  the  winds.  Its  foliage,  though  handsome  and  pleasing  to  the  eye,  is 
considered  too  uniform  and  unbroken  to  produce  picturesque  effect;  yet  "in 
autumn,  when  it  assumes  a  deep  purplish-red  colour,  it  gives  great  richness  to 
the  landscape,  and  contrasts  well,"  as  Selby  expresses  it,  "with  the  yellows  and 
browns  which  predominate  at  that  season."  Its  flowers,  which  are  produced  in 
profusion  in  April  or  May,  from  their  snowy  whiteness,  blend  well  with  those  of 
the  almond  and  the  scarlet  thorn.  The  fruit,  well  known  in  Britain  by  the  name 
of  gean,  is  usually  of  a  very  deep,  dark-red,  or  black,  when  ripe,  but  sometimes 
it  is  of  a  bright-red ;  its  pulp  and  juice  is  small  in  quantity,  usually  of  the  colour 
of  the  fruit,  austere  and  bitter  before  it  comes  to  maturity,  and  insipid  or  sweet, 


254  CERASUS    SYLVESTRIS. 

with  a  peculiar  flavour,  when  perfectly  ripe.  The  nut  or  stone  is  oval  or  ovate 
in  its  form,  firmly  adhering  to  the  flesh,  and  is  very  large  in  proportion  to  the 
size  of  the  fruit,  which  ripens  in  June  or  July. 

Varieties.  Under  this  species  are  included  the  following  groups  or  races, 
which  conform  with  the  arrangement  in  the  "  Nouveau  Du  Hamel,"  and  in 
Loudon's  "Arboretum  Britannicum  :" — 

1.  C.  s.  amara.  Bitter-fruited  Wild  Cherry-tree,  including  the  Merries  of 
England,  and  the  Mirisiers  of  the  French,  with  black  or  yellow  fruit. 

2.  C.  s.  juliana.  The  Jidian  Wild  Cherry-tree.  The  fruit  of  this  group  is 
red  or  black,  early  or  late.  It  includes  the  tobacco-leaved  guignier,  or  gea?i,  of 
four  to  the  pound. 

3.  C.  s.  heaumiana.  Helmet-shaped-fntited  Wild  Cherry-tree ;  Heaumier  of 
the  French.  The  fruit  of  this  variety  somewhat  resembles  that  of  the  bigarreau- 
tier,  but  is  less  firm  in  its  flesh. 

4.  C.  s.  duracina.  Hard-fruited  Wild  Cherry-tree;  Bigarreautier  of  the 
French,  with  fruit  white,  flesh-coloured,  or  black,  and  generally  heart-shaped. 
The  trees  of  this  race  are  planted  for  ornament  rather  than  for  their  fruit,  among 
which,  is  that  beautiful  doable-flowered  variety,  known  in  France  by  the  name 
of  Merisier  a  Fleurs  doubles,  or  Merisier  renunciilier,  and  in  England  and  Amer- 
ica, Double  french  White. 

Geography  and  History.  The  Cerasus  sylvestris  is  indigenous  to  many  parts 
of  continental  Europe,  and  is  also  considered  by  many  to  be  so  in  Britain.  The 
first  mention  of  this  tree  as  growing  in  England,  it  appears,  is  by  Gerard,  in  his 
"  Herbal,"  published  in  1597,  in  which  he  particularly  mentions  the  black  wild 
cherry,  with  fruit  of  "  an  harsh  and  unpleasant  taste."  M.  Loiseleur  des  Long- 
champs,  in  the  "  Nouveau  Du  Hamel,"  states  that,  "though  the  wild  cherry  is 
undoubtedly  indigenous  to  France,  yet  it  does  not  appear  to  have  been  so  to 
Italy ;  and  that  even  in  France,  only  the  Cerasus  sylvestris,  or  merisier,  is  found 
in  the  forests ;  while  the  Cerasus  vulgaris,  or  cerisier,  is  never  found  in  an  appa- 
rently wild  state  in  any  country  in  Europe,  except  near  human  habitations." 
From  this  he  concludes  that,  although  the  merisier  had  long  existed  in  France, 
it  probably  had  escaped  the  notice  of  the  Romans,  and  even  if  they  had  discov- 
ered the  tree,  they  would  have  set  but  little  value  on  its  bitter,  austere,  and 
nearly  juiceless  fruit.  This  species  grows  wild  at  Portella,  on  Mount  iEtna,  at 
two  thousand  nine  hundred  and  seventy  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea;  but  not 
lower,  as  the  climate  becomes  too  warm  for  it.  On  the  Swiss  Alps,  at  Chiir- 
walden,  where,  it  is  said,  no  other  kind  of  stone-fruit  will  grow,  it  arrives  at 
maturity,  at  an  elevation  of  three  thousand  nine  hundred  and  sixty-four  feet. 

The  largest  specimen  of  the  Cerasus  sylvestris  on  record,  is  in  Gloucestershire, 
England,  standing  on  the  northern  extremity  of  the  Cotswald  Hills,  on  the  estate 
of  the  Earl  of  Harrowby,  which  is  eighty-five  feet  in  height,  with  a  trunk 
upwards  of  three  feet  in  diameter. 

Soil  and  Situation.  According  to  Mr.  Loudon,  the  gean  will  grow  in  any  soil 
that  is  not  too  wet,  or  is  not  composed  entirely  of  a  strong  clay.  It  will  thrive 
better  than  most  other  trees  in  dry,  calcareous,  and  sandy  soils,  attaining,  even 
in  chalk,  with  a  thin  layer  of  earth  over  it,  a  very  large  size.  It  was  found  by 
Du  Hamel,  that  this  species  succeeds  on  poor  sandy  soils,  where  other  trees  had 
altogether  failed.  It  has  been  further  stated  that,  whenever  the  roots  extend  to 
water,  the  tree  always  decays.  This  tree  will  grow  on  mountains  and  other 
elevations,  as  may  readily  be  supposed,  from  its  flourishing  in  high  northern 
latitudes;  "but  it  does  not  attain  a  timber-like  size,"  continues  Mr.  Loudon, 
"except  in  plains,  or  on  low  hills.  It  stands  less  in  need  of  shelter  than  any 
other  fruit-bearing  tree  whatever,  and  may  often  be  employed  on  the  margins  of 
orchards,  and  for  surrounding  kitchen-gardens,  to  form  a  screen  against  high 


WILD    CHERRY-TREE.  255 

winds."     It  is  also  said  to  thrive  best  when  unmixed  with  other  trees;  and  suf- 
fers the  grass  to  grow  beneath  its  shade. 

Propagation  and  Culture.  The  Cerasus  sylvestris,  whether  grown  for  stocks 
for  grafting  upon,  or  for  planting  out  with  a  view  to  produce  timber,  is  almost 
always  propagated  from  seeds ;  but,  as  the  roots  throw  up  an  abundance  of 
suckers,  stools  might  be  formed,  and  treated  like  those  of  the  plum ;  or,  cuttings 
of  the  roots  might  be  employed  for  the  same  purpose.  When  plants  are  to  be 
raised  from  seeds,  Mr.  Loudon  recommends  that  the  cherries  should  be  gathered 
when  ripe,  and  either  be  sown  immediately,  with  the  flesh  on,  incurring  the  risk 
of  their  being  eaten  by  birds  or  vermin,  especially  mice,  during  the  autumn  and 
winter ;  or,  what  is  preferable,  they  may  be  mixed  with  four  times  their  bulk  of 
sand,  and  kept  in  a  shed  or  cellar,  being  turned  over  frequently,  till  the  time 
arrives  for  sowing.  As  soon  as  the  ground  is  sufficiently  open,  in  the  winter  or 
spring,  they  may  be  sown  in  beds,  and  covered  to  the  depth  of  one-half  to  three- 
fourths  of  an  inch,  with  light  mould.  Great  care  must  be  observed  that  the  seeds 
do  not  sprout  while  in  the  heap ;  because,  unlike  the  horse-chesnut,  the  acorn, 
and  the  seeds  of  some  other  fruits,  the  cherry  expands  its  cotyledons  at  the  same 
time  that  it  protrudes  its  radicle ;  and  when  both  are  developed  before  sowing, 
the  probability  is,  that  the  germinated  seeds  will  not  live ;  for  the  cotyledons,  in 
sowing,  are  unavoidably  covered  with  soil,  whereas  nature  intended  them  to  be 
exposed  to  the  light.  The  strongest  plants,  at  the  end  of  the  first  season,  will  be 
eighteen  inches  or  more  in  height,  and  may  be  drawn  out  from  among  the  others, 
and  transplanted  into  nursery  lines ;  and,  after  they  have  stood  there  a  year, 
they  may  be  grafted  or  budded.^ 

The  cherry-tree,  whether  in  a  young  or  old  state,  requires  but  a  very  little 
pruning,  and  the  knife  should  only  be  used  for  the  removal  of  a  second  leading 
shoot,  or  an  over-rampant  branch.  Whenever  this  becomes  necessary,  let  it  be 
performed  in  the  month  of  August  or  September,  or  at  least,  at  a  period  when  the 
leaves  are  fully  expanded,  "a  rule  which  holds  good,"  says  Mr.  Selby,  in  his 
treatise  on  'British  Forest  Trees,'  "and  ought  to  be  observed  in  regard  to  all 
deciduous  trees;"  for,  it  has  been  found  by  experience  that,  when  pruned  in  the 
summer  season,  they  are  not  liable  to  bleed  or  exude  their  gum,  and  as  the  sap 
begins  to  elaborate,  new  wood  is  formed  at  the  edges  of  the  wounded  parts,  and 
by  the  time  of  the  fall  of  the  leaf,  the  injuries  will  be  so  far  recovered  as  to  be 
out  of  danger  of  decay,  from  the  lodgment  of  wet,  or  the  influences  of  the 
weather. 

According  to  some  experiments  made  by  Mr.  Selby,  no  tree  bears  transplanting 
when  of  considerable  size,  better  than  the  gean.  He  removed  with  success  plants 
from  twenty  to  thirty  feet  in  height,  some  of  which  had  originated  from  suckers, 
and  others  from  seeds.  As  in  the  case  of  all  trees  that  he  had  removed,  of  a  large 
size,  they  suffered  a  check  by  the  operation,  but  from  this  they  generally  recovered 
in  the  course  of  two,  or  at  most,  three  seasons. 

Accidents,  Diseases,  Sfc.  The  foliage  of  the  gean  is  seldom  attacked  by  insects 
or  their  larva?,  though  it  is  sometimes  disfigured  by  the  caterpillars  of  several  spe- 
cies of  Geometridse ;  and  the  extremities  of  the  young  shoots  are  often  preyed 
upon  by  a  large,  black  louse  (Aphis  cerasi)  ;  but  the  fruit-bearing  varieties  of 
the  cherry,  like  most  other  cultivated  trees,  seem  more  subject  to  injury  from 
insects,  than  those  in  a  wild  state. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  wild  cherry-tree  is  of  a  reddish  col- 
our, of  a  firm,  strong  texture,  and  close-grain,  yet  sufficiently  soft  to  be  easily 
worked,  and  is  susceptible  of  a  fine  polish.  When  green,  it  is  nearly  of  the  same 
specific  gravity  of  water,  and  when  dry,  a  cubic  foot  weighs  about  fifty-five 

*  See  Loudon's  Arboretum  Britannicum,  ii.,  p.  700 


256  CERASUS    SYLVESTRIS. 

pounds,  and  in  seasoning,  it  loses  about  one-sixteenth  part  of  its  bulk.  In  France, 
where  mahogany  is  comparatively  scarce,  it  is  much  sought  after  by  cabinet- 
makers, turners,  and  the  manufacturers  of  musical  instruments.  In  order  to 
heighten  its  colour  and  increase  the  depth  of  its  tone,  it  is  steeped  from  twenty- 
four  to  thirty-six  hours  in  lime-water,  and  after  being  taken  out,  is  immedi- 
ately polished.  This  process,  they  say,  prevents  the  colour  from  fading,  when 
exposed  to  the  action  of  the  light ;  and  the  wood,  when  thus  treated,  is  said 
strongly  to  resemble  the  more  inferior  kinds  of  mahogany.  Its  value,  however, 
according  to  the  experience  of  Mr.  Selby,  is  not  restricted  to  the  uses  made  of  it 
by  those  artisans,  but  it  is  equally  applicable  to  the  general  purposes  of  carpen- 
try ;  and  where  exposure  to  the  atmosphere  or  the  alternation  of  moisture  and 
dryness  is  required,  it  is  superior  to  most  other  timber,  and  is  scarcely  inferior  to 
the  best  oak,  or  its  rival,  the  larch.*  In  France,  wine-casks  are  made  of  this 
wood,  and  the  wine  kept  in  them  is  said  to  be  of  an  improved  flavour.  Where 
the  tree  is  treated  as  a  coppice,  its  shoots,  from  their  power  of  resisting  decay, 
make  excellent  hop-poles,  vine-props,  and  hoops  for  casks,  and  when  sufficiently 
large,  they  may  be  employed  for  posts  and  rails,  for  constructing  rural  fences. 
Like  many  other  trees,  it  burns  well  when  first  cut,  but  if  it  be  kept  for  two  or 
three  years,  and  is  then  employed  for  fuel,  it  will  consume  away  like  tinder, 
without  producing  either  flame  or  heat. 

As  a  tree,  the  gean  is  not  only  valuable  for  its  timber,  but  for  the  food  and 
protection  which  it  affords  to  numerous  species  of  birds.  This  is  one  reason  why 
the  cultivation  of  this  tree  is  so  generally  encouraged  in  the  forests  of  Britain, 
Belgium,  and  France ;  as  it  not  only  increases  the  number  of  birds  by  supplying 
them  with  nourishment,  but  is  the  means  of  destroying  countless  insects,  which 
these  important  and  useful  creatures  devour.  In  all  ornamental  plantations, 
hedge-rows,  and  avenues,  cherry-trees  are  desirable  objects  of  culture,  on  this 
account,  as  well  as  for  the  great  beauty  of  their  flowers  and  fruit,  which  are 
produced  in  the  greatest  profusion  in  their  respective  seasons  of  the  year. 

In  France,  too,  this  tree  is  highly  prized  for  the  food  it  supplies  to  the  poor ; 
and  a  law  was  passed,  as  long  ago  as  1669,  commanding  the  preservation  of  all 
cherry-trees  in  the  royal  forests,  in  consequence- of  which,  they  became  so  numer- 
ous, that  there  was  no  longer  room  for  the  underwood  to  grow ;  when,  as  usual, 
going  to  the  other  extreme,  most  of  them  were  cut  down.  This  measure,  it  was 
remarked,  was  a  great  calamity  to  the  poor,  who,  during  several  months  of  the 
year,  lived,  either  directly  or  indirectly,  on  the  produce  of  the  merisier.  Soup, 
made  of  the  dried  fruit,  with  a  little  bread  and  butter,  was  the  common  nour- 
ishment of  the  wood-cutters  and  charcoal-burners  of  the  forest,  during  the 
winter.  This  fruit  is  much  used  at  present,  to  make  jelly  or  rob,  and  in  the 
manufacture  of  liqueurs,  such  as  cherry  brandy,  ratafia>  &c.  Kirschwasser,  an 
ardent  spirit  much  used  in  Germany  and  Switzerland,  is  also  made  of  it ;  and 
the  famous  liqueur  Maraschino  is  the  product  of  a  small  acid  cherry  that  abounds 
in  the  north  of  Italy,  at  Trieste,  and  in  Dalmatia. 

*  See  Selby's  British  Forest  Trees,  p.  60. 


France. 


Cerasus  vulgaris, 
THE   COMMON   CHERRY-TREE. 

Synonymes. 

Prunus  cerasus,  Linn.eus,  Species  Plantarum. 

Cerasus  caproniana,  De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 

Cerasus  vulgaris,  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 

Cerisier,  Grottier,  Cerisier  de  Paris,  Ceri-  "* 

sier  de  Montmorenci,  Cerisier  a  fruits 

ronds,  Cerisier  du  nord,  Grottier  franc, 

Grottier  des  parisiens, 
GemeinerKirschbaum,SaurerKirschbaum,  Germany. 
Ciliegio,  Ciriegio,  Marasca,  Italy. 

Cherry-tree,  Kentish  or  Flemish  Cherry-  )  -p 

tree,  Morello,  May  Duke,  j  iiKITAIN- 

Derivations.  The  specific  name,  caproniana,  is  said  to  be  derived  from  capron,  the  hautbois  strawberry,  probably  from  the 
fruit  of  this  tree  possessing  much  more  flavour  than  that  of  the  Cerasus  sylvestris.  Morello  is  either  from  morel,  a  species  of 
fungus,  (Morchella  esculeiua,)  the  flesh  of  which  is  of  a  similar  consistency  as  that  of  this  cherry;  or,  perhaps,  from  the 
French  word  morelle,  a  negress.  May  Duke  is  a  corruption  of  Medoc,  the  province  of  France  where  this  variety  is  supposed 
to  have  originated.  Grottier  is  said  to  be  derived  from  aigreur,  sourness,  or  sharpness,  and  is  applied  to  this  cherry,  from 
the  acidity  of  its  fruit. 

Engravings.  Lindley,  Pomologia  Britannica ;  Horry,  Orchardists'  Companion ;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  vi.,  pi.  114 ; 
»nd  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.    Branches   spreading.    Flowers   in  subsessile  umbels,  somewhat  stalked.     Leaves 
ovate-lanceolate,  smooth,  folded  together. — Loudon. 


Description. 

§i§HE  Common 

Bj-Cfp3  Cherry-tree 

fiS    LI    as  lS    °f   much 

ffejS^al  less  magni- 
tude than  the  preceding  species,  and, 
in  point  of  general  appearance,  may  be  | 
included  under  three  forms  : — Large 
trees  with  stout  branches,  and  shoots 
proceeding  from  the  main  stem  hori- 
zontally, or  slightly  inclining  upwards ; 
fastigiate  trees  of  a  smaller  size ;  and 
small  trees  with  weak  wood,  and  divergent,  drooping  branches.  The  leaves 
vary  so  much,  from  the  effects  of  cultivation,  that  it  is  impossible  to  characterize 
the  sorts  by  them ;  but,  in  general,  it  has  been  observed,  that  those  of  the  large 
trees  are  largest,  and  the  lightest  in  colour,  and  those  of  the  slender-branched 
varieties  are  the  smallest,  and  of  the  darkest  shade;  the  flowers  are  also  the 
largest  on  the  large  trees.  The  fruit  is  round,  melting,  full  of  a  watery  juice, 
more  or  less  flavoured,  and  almost  always  sensibly  acid.  The  skin  of  the  fruit 
separates  easily  from  the  flesh,  and  the  flesh  parts  readily  from  the  stone.  It  is 
commonly  red,  but  in  numerous  varieties  it  passes  into  all  shades  between  that 
colour  and  dark-purple  or  black. 

Varieties.     The  common  cherry,  like  many  other  kinds  of  fruit,  has,  by  long 
cultivation,  become  exceedingly  multiplied  in  its  varieties,  and  new  races,  or 
new  names,  are  constantly  being  added  to  our  catalogues,  which  number,  at  pres- 
ent, at  least  three  hundred.     As  it  is  impossible  for  us  to  enter,  in  detail   into 
33 


258  CEEASUS    VULGARIS. 

all  the  modifications  of  these  races,  we  have  thought  proper  to  present  the  follow- 
ing arrangement,  which  is  based  upon  the  classification  adopted  by  Mr.  Thomp- 
son, in  his  "  Report  upon  the  principal  Varieties  of  Cherry  cultivated  in  the 
Garden  of  the  London  Horticultural  Society,"  published  in  the  first  volume  of 
the  second  series  of  the  "  Transactions"  of  that  society.  He  appears  to  have 
founded  his  system  principally  upon  the  character  of  the  edges  of  the  leaves,  the 
form  and  colour  of  the  fruit,  the  firmness  or  aqueousness  of  its  flesh,  its  sweet- 
ness or  acidity,  and  the  colour  of  the  juice. 

1.*  C.  v.  undatifolium.  W aved- edged Aeaved  Common  Cherry-tree.  The  leaves 
of  this  race  are  waved  on  the  margin,  are  generally  large  and  pendent,  with  sharp, 
prominent  veins  beneath,  coarsely  serrated,  of  a  thinner  texture,  and  of  a  more 
yellowish-green  than  those  of  the  C.  v.  integrifolium.  The  buds  are  pointed, 
the  flowers  large,  proceeding  from  wood  of  not  less  than  two  years'  growth. 
The  petals  are  loosely  set,  and  the  stamens  are  slender  and  irregular  in  length, 
some  being  longer  and  others  shorter  than  the  style.  Under  this  form  are 
included  the  following  varieties,  which  ripen  their  fruit,  in  England,  in  the  order 
they  stand ;  but  somewhat  later  at  Philadelphia  and  New  York,  until  the  longest 
days  of  summer  arrive,  after  which  they  ripen  earlier. 

a.  Early  Purple  Guigne  or  Early  Purple  Griotte.  This  variety  may  be 
known  by  the  long  petioles  of  its  leaves,  and  its  very  handsome,  large,  heart- 
shaped,  dark-purple  fruit,  with  a  rich,  tender,  purple  pulp.  It  ripens  from  the 
beginning  to  the  middle  of  June. 

8.  Werder's  Early  Black  Heart ;  Werdersche  fruhe  schwarze  Herzkirsche, 
of  the  Germans.  This  variety  originated  in  Prussia,  prior  to  1794.  It  is  dis- 
tinguished from  the  preceding  by  its  shorter  petioles,  and  large,  obtuse,  heart- 
shaped,  black  fruit,  with  a  firm,  rich,  juicy,  purplish-red  flesh,  and  ripens  at 
about  the  same  period. 

•/.  Bowyer's  Early  Heart,  known  by  its  obtuse  heart-shaped,  amber-coloured 
fruit,  of  a  medium  size,  mottled  with  red,  with  a  soft,  juicy,  sweet,  white  pulp. 
It  ripens  its  fruit  by  the  end  of  June,  is  a  good  bearer,  and  is  regarded  as  one  of 
the  earliest  of  the  light-coloured  sorts. 

8.  Knight's  Early  Black.  This  variety  was  originated  by  T.  A.  Knight, 
Esquire,  in  1810,  from  the  bigarreau  and  May  Duke.  Its  fruit  is  very  hand- 
some, is  large,  obtuse  heart-shaped,  black,  with  a  rich,  purplish  flesh,  of  an  excel- 
lent quality,  and  ripens  about  the  end  of  June. 

s.  Black  Eagle,  a  variety  produced  by  Miss  E.  Knight,  of  Downton  Castle, 
in  1806.  It  succeeds  well  as  a  standard,  is  a  good  bearer,  and  may  be  known 
by  its  roundish  heart-shaped,  black  fruit,  of  a  medium  size,  with  a  rich,  tender, 
dark-purple  pulp,  and  ripens  early  in  July. 

t.  Downton,  a  variety  produced  also  by  Miss  Knight,  prior  to  1818.  It  is  a 
good  bearer,  and  is  distinguished  by  its  roundish  heart-shaped,  pale-yellow,  and 
red  fruit,  of  about  a  medium  size,  having  a  rich,  juicy,  pale,  amber-coloured 
pulp,  and  ripens  from  the  beginning  to  the  middle  of  July. 

V-  Elton,  a  much  esteemed  and  productive  variety,  originated  by  the  same 
lady  as  above,  in  1806.  It  may  be  known  by  its  large  size,  heart-shaped,  pale- 
yellow  and  red  fruit,  with  a  very  rich,  sweet,  whitish  pulp,  and  comes  to  matu- 
rity at  about  the  same  period  as  the  Downton  variety. 

6.  Flesh-coloured  Bigarreau;  Bigarreau  coulei/r  de  chair,  of  the  French. 
This  variety  may  be  known  by  its  pendulous  branches,  large,  obtuse  heart- 
shaped,  very  shining,  white  and  red  fruit,  with  a  tender,  whitish  pulp.  It  is 
regarded  as  a  good  bearer,  and  matures  from  the  beginning  to  the  middle  of  July. 

i.  Black  Tartarian,  known  also  by  the  names  of  Circassian  Cherry,  Superb 
Circassian,  Black  Russian  Cherry,  Eraser's  Black  Heart,  and  Ronald's  Black 
Heart.     This  variety  is  said  to  have  originated  in  Spain,  whence  it  was  trans- 


COMMON   CHERRY-TKEE.  259 

mitted  to  Russia,  and  was  carried  from  the  last-named  country  to  England  by 
the  late  Mr.  John  Fraser.  In  the  account  given  of  it,  however,  in  the  "  Pomona 
Londinensis."  it  is  stated  to  have  been  introduced  into  Britain  from  Circassia, 
by  Mr.  John  Ronalds,  of  Brentford,  in  1791  It  is  distinguished  for  its  large, 
obtuse  heart-shaped,  shining,  purplish-black  fruit,  with  an  uneven  surface,  con- 
taining a  rich,  tender,  juicy,  purplish  flesh,  and  differs  from  many  other  varieties 
in  hanging  in  clusters,  which  enables  it  to  be  easily  gathered.  It  is  a  cherry  of 
great  excellence,  bears  plentifully  as  a  standard,  and  when  ripe,  which  usually 
occurs  early  in  July,  it  readily  commands,  in  market,  double  the  price  of  the 
ordinary  kinds.  This  tree  is  also  valuable,  not  only  for  its  fruit  alone,  but  from 
its  vigorous  growth,  spreading  branches,  and  symmetrical  form,  it  is  well  adapted 
for  the  purposes  of  ornament,  and  is  worthy  of  general  cultivation. 

x.  Buttuer 's  Yellow;  Buttnersche  gelbe  Knorpelkirsche,  of  the  Germans. 
This  variety  was  originated  by  M.  Biittner,  of  Halle,  prior  to  1803.  It  succeeds 
well  as  a  standard,  is  a  good  bearer,  and  may  be  known  by  its  roundish,  yellow- 
ish fruit,  of  a  medium  size,  containing  a  sweet,  pale-yellow  pulp,  and  is  ripe 
about  the  middle  of  July. 

X.  Waterloo,  distinguished  by  its  large,  obtuse  heart-shaped,  purplish-red 
fruit,  with  a  tender,  purplish-red  flesh,  and  is  ripe  in  July.  It  is  but  a  moderate 
bearer,  and  requires  to  have  its  branches  trained  widely  apart. 

ft.  Bigarreau  or  Graffion,  a  very  handsome,  and  much  cultivated  fruit,  par- 
ticularly for  the  London  market.  It  is  an  abundant  bearer,  and  may  be  known 
by  its  large,  obtuse  heart-shaped,  white  and  red  fruit,  with  a  firm,  sweet,  whit- 
ish pulp,  and  is  usually  ripe  by  the  end  of  July. 

»'.  Florence.  This  variety  was  introduced  into  Britain  from  Italy  by  J.  A. 
Hublon,  Esquire,  in  1780.  It  does  not  bear  well  when  young,  but  abundantly 
when  the  trees  become  older.  Its  fruit  is  large,  of  an  obtuse  heart-shape,  and  of 
a  pale-amber  and  red  colour,  filled  with  a  rich,  sweet,  juicy  pulp.  It  ripens,  in 
England,  in  August,  and  several  weeks  earlier  at  New  York. 

£.  Hildesheim s  Bate  Bigarreau ;  Bigarreau  iardif  de  Hildesheim  of  the 
French  ;  and  Hildesheimer  spate  Herzkirscfie,  of  the  Germans.  This  variety  is 
the  latest  of  all  the  pale-coloured  cherries,  often  not  ripening,  in  England,  before 
September.  It  is  a  good  bearer,  and  may  be  distinguished  by  its  heart-shaped, 
red  and  yellow  mottled  fruit,  of  a  medium  size,  containing  a  firm,  sweet,  pale- 
yellow  pulp. 

2.  C.  v.  integrifolium.  Entire-leaved  Common  Cherry-tree.  The  leaves  of 
this  variety  are  generally  smaller,  and  of  a  deeper  green  than  those  of  the  C.  v. 
undatifolium ;  and  have  their  edges  plain,  with  the  veins  beneath,  as  they 
approach  the  margin,  almost  buried  in  the  parenchyma,  which  is  thicker  than 
in  the  last-named  variety.  The  petioles  support  the  leaves  erect,  or  at  least 
from  hanging  loosely  and  pendent.  The  flowers  expand  widely,  and  the  petals 
do  not  hang  loose,  but  form  a  regular  cup-shaped  flower,  with  strong  stamens, 
generally  shorter  than  the  style.  Under  this  division  may  be  recognized  the  fol- 
lowing varieties,  that  ripen  in  England  at  the  time  specified  below,  but  later  or 
earlier  in  the  United  States,  according  to  the  circumstances  under  which  they 
grow. 

a.  May  Duke  ;  Royale  hative,  of  the  French.  This  variety  forms  a  medium- 
sized  or  low  tree,  with  an  erect  fastigiate  head.  It  may  be  known  by  its  large, 
roundish,  dark-red  fruit,  with  a  rich,  tender,  juicy,  red  pulp,  which  usually 
ripens  about  the  end  of  June.  There  is  another  variety  nearly  allied  to  this, 
called  Jeffrey's  Duke,  which  was  originated  by  Mr.  Jeffrey,  nurseryman,  at 
Brompton  Park,  in  1780.  This  tree  differs  from  the  May  Duke,  in  being  of  a 
more  compact  growth. 


-7 .'  ce:  lsos       :    iMB. 

■    Belle  de  Choisu  or  Amine  de  Choisy.  a  variety  which  originated  at  Choisy 
in  1760.     Its  fruit  is  large,  roundish-oblate,  red.  mottled  with  amber. 
and  has  a  tender,  sweet  juicy  pulp.     It  is  a  moderate  bearer,  and  ripens  its  fruit 
■_    ...    ig  to  the  middle  of  J u. 
j.    Royal  Duke     R  fah  tardive,  of  the  French.     The  general  habit  of  this 
tree  resembles  that  of  the  May  Duke.     It  is  a  good  bearer,  and  arrives  at  matu- 
rity from  the  middle  to  the  end  of  July.     It  may  be  known  by  its  .arge.  oblate, 
dark-red  fruit,  with  a  rich,  tender,  juicy,  reddish  pulp. 

d.  Kentish  Cherry :  Monimorenci  a  tongue  queue,  of  the  French.  This 
variety  :  rms  a  round-headed  tree,  with  somewhat  slender,  pendulous  shoots, 
and  regaided  as  a  very  productive  bearer.  It  may  be  distinguished  by  its 
obla  ght-red  fruit,  of  a  medium  size,  with  a  juicy,  acid,  whitish  pulp,  and 

arrives  at  maturity  from  the  middle  to  the  end  of  Ju. 

Flemish  Cherry  :  Montmorenci  a  courte  queue,  of  the  French.     This  vari- 
ef v  only  differ-  i  the  Kentish  Cherry,  in  being  more  upright  in  its  growth. 

and  a  less  productive  bear 

' '  '     erry  ;  C  ' »  rf  the  French.      This  variety  origi- 

nated on  the  Rhone,  in  1750.  It  forms  a  dwarfish,  weeping  tree,  and  bears 
abundantly  on  the  one-vear-old  wood.  It  is  distinguished  bv  its  globose,  dark- 
red  fruit,  of  a  medium  ~ith  a  sub-acid,  claret-coloured  pulp,  and  ripens 

about  the  end  of  Ju 

rt.  L/r  I  j  .  Anglaise  tardive,  of  the  French.  This  variety  is  a  great 
bearer,  and  may  be  known  by  its  large,  obtuse  heart-shaped,  dark-red  fruit,  with 
a  rich,  juicy,  amber-coloured  flesh,  and  is  ripe  in  August. 

Morello  or  Milan   Cherry  forms  a  low  tree,  with  a  spreading,  somewhat 

pendulous  head-     I:  u  most  prolific  in  flowers  and  fruit,  the  latter  ripening  late 

in  August  or  early  in  September,  and.  from  not  being  so  greedily  eaten  by  birds, 

ainds.  it  hangs  on  t:  -  for  a  long  time.     It  is  distinguished  by 

its  large,  obtuse  heart-shaped,  dark-red  fruit,  with  an  acid,  juicy,  purplish-red 

flesh,  a  its  growing  d  wood-     It  is  excellent  for  preserv- 

r  bran 

The  fire  following  varieties  are  particularized  by  Loudon,  as  being  purely 

.amental : — 

mi-doubU  Common  Cherry-tree. 

D         -r    vered  Common  Cherry-tree.     "All  the  stamens 

.     Loudon  say        are  changed  into  petals:  and  the  pistillum 

small    i  which  occupy  the  centre  of  the  flower.     The  flower  is 

er  and  less  beautiful  than  that  of  the  double  merisier ;  but.  as  the  tree  does 

-      and  as  it  can  be  grown  as  a  shrub,  it  is  suitable  for  planting  in 

situations  w  ;.nnot  be  introduced/'     It  is  commonly  grafted  on  the 

mahaleb.        T.  ^  in  a  physiological  point  of  view 

it  of  its   central  green  lea  lustrating 

xrtrine  of  vegetable  metamorp:. 

5  Peachrtlossomed  Common   Cherry-tree,  with  double. 

Th     variety  was  known  to  Banhin  and  to  Touraefbrt, 

*o  be  v  re  in  collectk 


-tree. 

'Jor- 

.  varietv  is  distinguishable  by  its  droop- 

and  g!  red 'fruit.     When   grafted 

standa;        .  rry,  (Cei  rris,)  ft  forms  a  truly 

iesirable  small  tr  -  v  in  a  lawn.     It  grows  rapidly  for  eight  or 


C030I  OX    CHE  J.  1 1  -  7  7  1 1  2 '"  i 

years,  and  acquires  a  spherical  head,  eight  or  ten  feet  in  height,  and  ten  or 
twelve  feet  in  diameter,  with  the  extremities  of  the  branches  drooping  to  the 
ground,  flowering  and  fruiting  during  almost  the  whole  summer. 

Geography  and  History.  The  Cerasus  vulgar-  -  g  ried  by  all  ancient 
authors,  as  a  tree  oi  Asiatic  origin :  but  whether  it  is  truly  indigenous  to  anv 
part  of  Europe,  several  modern  writers  ditier  in  opinion.  Pliny  si  tes  that  it  did 
not  exist  in  Italy  till  after  the  victory  which  Lucullus  won  ove: 
king  of  Pontes,  sixty-eight  years  before  the  Christian  era.  He  tells  us  that.  -  Id 
twenty-six  years  after  Lucullus  planted  the  cherry-tree  in  Italy,  other  lands  had 
cherries,  even  as  far  as  Britain,  beyond  the  ocean."  He  mentions  eight  kind- 
cherries  as  being  cultivated  in  Italy,  at  the  time  he  wrote  his  "  -Neural  History." 
which  was  A.  D.  70.  "  The  reddest  cherries  -  -  e.  "are  called  apron  ia  :  the 
blackest,  actio  :  the  Cascilian  are  round.  The  Julian  cherries  have  a  pleasant 
'  iste,  but  are  so  tender  that  they  must  be  eaten  when  gathered,  as  they  will  not 
endure  carriage."  The  Duracine  cherries  were  esteemed  the  best.*  but  the  Pic- 
ardy  and  Portuguese  cherries  were  most  admired.  The  Macedonian  cherries 
grew  on  dwarf  trees :  and  one  kind  is  mentioned  by  the  above-named  author, 
which  never  appeared  ripe,  having  a  hue  betwe-;  . .  _  n,  red.  and  black.  He 
mentions  a  cherry  that  was  g      ted,  in  his  time.  r  stock,  which  circum- 

stance gave  it  the  name  of  fauna  :  this  cherry  is  described  as  having  an  agreea- 
ble bitter  flavour.      -The  cherry-tree."  continues  he.  id  never  be  mad- 
grow  in  Egypt,  with  all  the  care  and  attention  of  man."     According  to  Abbe 
Rosier.  Lucullus  brought  iuto  Italy  only  tw     -  iperioi  varieties  of  cherry:  the 
species  which  were  the  origin  of  all  those  now  in  cultivation,  being  his 
time,  indigenous  to  Italy,  and  to  the  forests  of  France,  though  their  fruit 
neglected  by  the  Romans.     It  is  affirmed  by  Faulkner,  in  his  "Kensington," 
that  the  cherry  was  introduced  into  Britain  about  A.  D.  .33.     Gerard,  in  his 
"Herbal."  published  in   1597,  figures  a  doubl     and  a  s  mi-double  variety 
cherry:    and.   of  the   fruit-bearing  kinds.    -      -               are  numer     - 
among  which  he  mentions  the  "moreUo  or  morel."  and  the  "  Flanders  or  Kent- 
ish cherries."      At  present,  the  common  cherry  is  extensively  cultivated  as 
fruit-tree,  throughout  the  temperate  regions  of  the  civilized  globe ;  but  it  does 
thrive  in  very  high  latitudes,  nor  within  the            -           ss  grown  at  considerable 
elevations.     It  is  found  in  Russ       s  for  norm  as  latitude               "        and  ripens 
its  fruit  in  Norway  and  East  Bothnia,  as  far  as  latitude  63°.     I:  is  also  :"^und  in 
the  north  of  Africa,  and  on  several  islands  in  the  Mediterranean,  but  it  does  not 
attain  so  large  a  size  hi  the  last-named  places  as  in  higher  latituc  - 

The  introduction  of  the  common  cherry  into  the  Unite  IS     tes      ites  1 
the  earliest  periods  of  their  settlements      S  :ne  of  the  oldest  trees  of  miss 
known  to  exist  in  this  country,  are  on  the  estate  of  Mr.  Lemuel  "W    Wells,  in 
V    ikers,  New  York,  and  at  Point  Pleasant.  Bristol.  Rhode  Island,  on  tin     - 
of  Mr.  Robert  Rogers.     Those  of  the  latter  place  are  said  to  have  been  planted 
over  two  hundred  years 

S  il,  Situation.  Propagati       Aw     Thes  si    Dommended  for  m 

sylvesl    -     gean.) 

Accidents,  Diseases,  S-        The     vmmon  cherry-tree  is  not  particularly  liable  to 
be  broken  by  high  winds,  nor  by  ss       weigh.:  from  snow  or  ice:  but.     - 

fruit-tree,  its  branches  are  frequently  broken  by  careless     ss  in  those  whe  g 
the  fruit.     Like  its  congener,  the  gean,  it  is  subject  to  the  flowing        -  im  from 
the  wound  s      Sei  eral  -         -  of  wood-pecker,  (Pints,)  are  said  to  be 

ocularly  fond  of  picking  holes  in  this  tree,  in  search  of  worms.     On  :'.   -  s 

*  It  \r.K  .llian  and  D..  -    .aentk»e  -.-were 

sus  stris 


262  CERASUS  VULGARIS. 

Mr.  Loudon  remarks  that,  "These  holes,  by  admitting  water,  accelerate  the 
decay  of  the  heart-wood  of  the  tree ;  but  it  is  a  mistake  to  suppose,  as  many  do, 
that  the  decay  originates  with  the  wood-pecker,  who  gets  the  credit  of  making 
the  holes  out  of  sheer  mischief,  or  for  amusement ;  the  truth  being,  that  decay 
has  commenced,  and  that  he  is  only  in  search  of  his  food,  which  consists  of  the 
larvae  which  have  already  begun  to  eat  the  wood  of  the  tree." 

Among  the  insects  which  infest  the  common  cherry-tree  are  several  species  of 
the  Geometridas,  including  the  canker-worm,  (Phalcenayernata,)  and  numerous 
wood-eating  larva?  (Xylophagidse.)  The  curculio,  (Rht/?ichcemis  nenuphar,} 
noticed  under  the  head  of  "  Insects,  &c,"  in  our  article  on  the  domestic  culti- 
vated plum,  is  also  known  to  be  the  cause  of  the  warty  excrescences  found  on 
the  small  branches  of  the  cherry,  from  which  circumstance,  it  was  called  by 
Professor  Peck,  RhynchfBnus  cerasi,  the  cherry-weevil.  These  excrescences, 
which  serve  as  the  residence  of  the  larva?,  are  known  to  be  produced  by  the 
punctures  made  in  the  tree  by  the  beetles  ;  and,  according  to  Peck,  "  the  sap  is 
diverted  from  its  regular  course,  and  is  absorbed  entirely  by  the  bark,  which  is 
very  much  increased  in  thickness ;  the  cuticle  bursts,  the  swelling  becomes  irreg- 
ular, and  is  formed  into  black  lumps,  with  a  cracked,  uneven,  granulated  sur- 
face. The  wood,  besides  being  deprived  of  its  nutriment,  is  very  much  com- 
pressed, and  the  branch  above  the  tumour  perishes."  The  same  remedies  wil 
apply  in  the  present  case  as  those  recommended  for  the  excrescences  found  on 
the  domestic  cultivated  plum-tree. 

But  by  far  the  most  pernicious  enemy  to  the  common  cherry-tree,  is  the  slug- 
fly,  Blennocampa  ce?'asi,  of  Harris.  He  describes  the  perfect  insect,  in  his 
';  Report,"  as  being  "of  a  glossy  Mack  colour,  except  the  two  first  pairs  of  legs, 
which  are  dirty  yellow  or  clay-coloured,  with  blackish  thighs,  and  the  hind-legs, 
which  are  dull  black,  with  clay-coloured  knees.  The  wings  are  somewhat  con- 
vex, and  rumpled  or  uneven  on  the  upper  side,  like  the  wings  of  the  saw-flies 
generally.  They  are  transparent,  reflecting  the  changeable  colours  of  the  rain- 
bow, and  have  a  smoky  tinge,  forming  a  cloud,  or  broad  band  across  the  middle 
of  the  first  pair;  the  veins  are  brownish.  The  body  of  the  female  measures 
nither  more  than  one  fifth  of  an  inch  in  length;  that  of  the  male  is  smaller.  In 
the  year  1828,  I  observed  these  saw-flies,  on  cherry  and  plum-trees,  on  the  10th 
of  May;  but  they  usually  appear  towards  the  end  of  May  or  early  in  June. 
Soon  afterwards  some  of  them  begin  to  lay  their  eggs,  and  all  of  them  finish  this 
business  and  disappear,  within  the  space  of  three  weeks.  Their  eggs  are  placed, 
singly,  within  little  semicircular  incisions  through  the  skin  of  the  leaf,  and  gene- 
rally on  the  lower  side  of  it.  *****  On  the  fourteenth  day  afterwards, 
the  eggs  begin  to  hatch,  and  the  young  slug-worms  continue  to  come  forth  from 
the  5th  of  June  to  the  20th  of  July,  according  as  the  flies  have  appeared  early  or 
late  in  the  spring.  At  first,  the  slugs  are  white;  but  a  slimy  matter  soon  oozes 
nut  of  their  skin  and  covers  their  backs  with  an  olive-coloured,  sticky  coat. 
They  have  twenty  very  short  legs,  or  a  pair  under  each  segment  of  the  body, 
except  the  fourth  and  the  last.  The  largest  slugs  are  about  nine- twentieths  of 
an  inch  in  length,  when  fully  grown.  The  head,  of  a  dark-chesnut  colour,  is 
small,  and  is  entirely  concealed  under  the  fore-part  of  the  body.  They  are  larg- 
est before,  and  taper  behind,  and  in  form  somewhat  resemble  minute  tadpoles. 
They  have  the  faculty  of  swelling  out  the  fore  part  of  the  body,  and  generally 
rest  with  the  tail  a  little  turned  up.  These  disgusting  slugs  live  mostly  on  the 
upper  sides  of  the  leaves  of  the  pear  and  cherry-trees,  and  eat  away  the  substance 
thereof,  leaving  only  the  veins  and  the  skin  beneath,  untouched.  Sometimes 
twenty  or  thirty  of  them  may  be  seen  on  a  single  leaf;  and,  in  the  year  1797, 
they  were  so  abundant  in  some  parts  of  Massachusetts,  that  small  trees  were 
covered  with  them,  and  the  foliage  entirely  destroyed;  and  even  the  air,  by 


COMMON    CHER KY-T REE.  2G3 

passing  through  the  trees,  became  charged  with  a  very  disagreeable  and  sicken- 
ing odour,  given  out  by  these  slimy  creatures.  *****  The  slug-worms 
come  to  their  growth  in  twenty-six  days,  during  which  period  they  cast  their 
skins  five  times.  Frequently,  as  soon  as  the  skin  is  shed,  they  are  seen  feeding 
upon  it;  but  they  never  touch  the  last  coat,  which  remains  stretched  out  upon 
the  leaf.  After  this  is  cast  off,  they  no  longer  retain  their  slimy  appearance,  and 
olive  colour,  but  have  a  clear  yellow  skin,  entirely  free  from  viscidity.  They 
change  also  in  form,  and  become  proportionably  longer ;  and  their  head  and  the 
marks  between  the  rings  are  plainly  to  be  seen.  In  a  few  hours  after  this  change, 
they  Leave  the  trees,  and,  having  crept,  or  fallen  to  the  ground,  they  burrow  to 
the  depth  of  from  one  inch  to  three  or  four  inches,  according  to  the  nature  of  the 
soil.  By  moving  their  body,  the  earth  around  them  becomes  equally  pressed  on 
all  sides,  and  an  oblong-oval  cavity  is  thus  formed,  and  is  afterwards  lined  with 
a  sticky  and  glossy  substance,  to  which  the  grains  of  earth  closely  adhere. 
Within  these  little  earthen  cells  or  cocoons,  the  change  of  the  chrysalides  takes 
place;  and,  in  sixteen  days  after  the  descent  of  the  slug- worms,  they  finish  their 
transformations,  break  open  their  cells,  and  crawl  to  the  surface  of  the  ground, 
where  they  appear  in  the  fly  form.  These  flies  usually  come  forth  between  the 
middle  of  July  and  the  first  of  August,  and  lay  their  eggs  for  a  second  brood  of 
slug- worms.  The  latter  come  to  their  growth,  and  go  into  the  ground,  in  Sep- 
tember and  October,  and  remain  there  till  the  following  spring,  when  they  are 
changed  to  flies,  and  leave  their  winter  quarters.  It  seems  that  all  of  them, 
however,  do  not  finish  their  transformations  at  this  time ;  some  are  found  to 
remain  unchanged  in  the  ground  till  the  following  year ;  so  that,  if  all  the  slugs 
of  the  last  hatch  in  any  one  year  should  happen  to  be  destroyed,  enough,  from  a 
former  brood,  would  still  remain  in  the  earth,  to  continue  the  species."  Among 
the  natural  enemies  to  these  insects,  are  mice,  and  other  earth-burrowing  animals, 
which  destroy  many  of  them  in  their  cocoons,  and  it  is  probable  that  other  insects 
and  birds  prey  upon  them,  both  in  the  larvae  and  in  the  winged  states.  Pro- 
fessor Peck  has  described  a  minute  ichneumon-fly,  (Encyrtus,)  which  punctures 
the  eggs  of  the  slug-fly,  and  deposits  in  each,  a  single  egg  of  its  own.  These 
minute  eggs,  in  due  time,  produce  little  maggots,  which  live  in  the  shells  of  the 
eggs  of  the  slug-flies,  devour  their  contents,  and  afterwards  are  changed  to  chrys- 
alides, and  then  to  flies,  like  the  parent.  Thus,  by  these  atoms  of  existence, 
myriads  of  the  eggs  of  slug-flies  are  rendered  abortive, — an  admirable  illustration 
of  the  order  of  Providence,  which  prevents  the  earth  from  being  overrun  with 
one  species,  by  appointing  another  race  to  keep  them  down.  Ashes  or  quick- 
lime, sifted  or  thrown  on  the  trees  infested  by  these  slugs,  has  proved  effectual 
in  checking  their  depredations,  and  Mr.  Haggerston's  almost  universal  remedy, 
(a  solution  of  whale-oil  soap  and  water,)  has  been  found  to  be  equally  effectual. 
The  common  cherry,  as  well  as  the  peach-tree,  sometimes  suffers  severely  from 
the  attacks  of  the  borers,  produced  by  a  large  copper-coloured  beetle  (Buprestis 
divaricata,  Say.) 

Properties  mid  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  common  cherry-tree  is  of  a  reddish 
hue,  more  or  less  veined  with  darker  shades,  and  somewhat  resembles,  in  its 
general  appearance,  some  of  the  ordinary  kinds  of  mahogany.  When  wel"  sea- 
soned, its  weight  does  not  usually  exceed  forty-five  pounds  to  a  cubic  foot.  It  is 
sufficiently  tender  to  be  easily  wrought,  and  from  the  openness  of  its  grain,  it  is 
readily  coloured.  In  those  parts  of  Europe  where  mahogany  is  costly,  it  is  some- 
times employed  in  the  manufacture  of  chairs,  the  frames  of  mirrors,  and  other 
minor  works.  The  fruit  of  the  cherry,  although  a  favourite  food  with  most  per- 
sons, has  ever  been  found  more  tempting  than  wholesome.  Pliny  says,  "  this 
fruit  will  loosen  and  hurt  the  stomach  ;  but  when  hung  up  and  dried,  has  a  con- 
trary effect."     He  relates  that  some  authors  have  affirmed  that  cherries  ^aten 


264 


CERASUS  VULGARIS. 


fresh  from  the  trees,  when  drenched  with  the  morning  dew,  and  the  stones  being 
also  swallowed,  will  purge  effectually,  and  cure  those  afflicted  with  the  gout  in 
their  feet.  The  hard-fleshed  cherries  are  considered  rather  indigestible  when 
eaten  too  freely ;  but  the  soft-fleshed  kinds,  such  as  the  morellos,  are  esteemed 
sufficiently  wholesome  to  be  given  in  fevers,  where  there  is  a  tendency  to  putri- 
dity. The  soft-fleshed  kinds  are  often  dried,  by  being  exposed  on  boards  to  the 
sun,  or  in  an  oven  of  moderate  warmth.  Ripe  cherries  are  used  for  flavouring 
brandy ;  and  preserves,  marmalades,  lozenges,  and  various  other  kinds  of  confec- 
tionary are  manufactured  from  them.  An  oil  is  extracted  from  the  kernels, 
which  is  occasionally  used  for  emulsions,  and  to  mix  in  creams,  sugar-plums, 
etc.,  to  impart  to  them  the  flavour  of  bitter  almonds. 

Judiciously  planted  in  the  shrubbery,  the  Cerasus  vulgaris  forms  a  very  beau- 
tiful tree.  In  spring,  its  early  white  blossoms  are  contrasted  with  the  sombre 
shades  of  green ;  and  its  graceful  ruby  and  variegated  balls,  give  a  pleasing 
variety  in  summer. 


Cerasus  borealis, 

THE  NORTHERN  CHERRY-TREE. 

Synonymes. 


Cerasus  borealis, 

Cerasus  pennsylvanica, 
Cerisier  du  Canada, 
Canadischer  Kirschbaum, 
American  Bird  Cherry-tree, 
Small  Cherry,  Red  Cherry-tree, 
Wild   Red   Cherry,  Bird  Cherry,  Choke 
Cherry-tree, 


Michaux,  North  American  Sylva. 

De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 

Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 

Tokrey  and  Gray,  Flora  of  North  America. 

France. 

Germany. 

Britain. 

New  England. 

Other  parts  of  Anglo- America. 


Engravings.    Michaux,  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  90;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  ii.,  fig.  410;  and  the  figures  lxiow. 

Specific  Characters.  Leaves  oval-oblong,  acuminate,  membranaceous,  glabrous,  denticulate,  and  almost 
in  an  eroded  manner.  Flowers  on  longish  pedicels,  and  disposed  nearly  in  a  corymbose  manner. 
Fruit  nearly  ovate,  small;  its  flesh  red. — De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 


Description. 

[HE    Cerasus 

H  t"]7J  &>  borealis      is 

M    LI    M>  a  handsome 

WS@>35s3m  small  tree, 
growing  to  a  height  of  twenty  or 
thirty  feet,  with  a  trunk  six  or  eight 
inches  in  diameter,  and  covered  with 
a  smooth  brownish  bark,  which  de- 
taches itself  laterally.  Its  leaves  are 
from  two  to  six  inches  long,  and 
somewhat  resemble  those  of  the  com- 
mon almond.  Its  flowers  put  forth 
in  May  or  June,  and  occur  in  small, 
white  bunches,  which  give  birth  to  a 
small,  red,  intensely-acid  fruit,  that 
arrives  at  maturity  in  July.  It  is 
described  by  Pursh  to  be  agreeable  to  the  taste,  astringent  in  the  mouth,  and 
hence  called  choke  cherry  ;  but  this  name  is  ordinarily  applied  to  another  tree. 

Geography,  fyc.  The  northern  cherry  is  found  in  a  common  soil  from  New- 
foundland to  the  northern  parts  of  the  Rocky  Mountains^  and  as  far  south  as 
Virginia.  It  was  introduced  into  Britain  in  1822,  and  is  growing  at  present 
in  Messrs.  Loddiges'  arboretum,  and  other  European  collections.  This  tree, 
like  the  paper  birch,  is  remarkable  for  springing  up  spontaneously,  in  old  culti- 
vated fields,  or  in  such  parts  of  the  forests  as  have  been  burnt  over  by  accident 
or  design.  Of  all  trees  of  North  America,  no  one  is  so  nearly  allied  to  the 
Cerasus  vulgaris  as  the  present  species ;  and  hence  it  has  been  recommended  as 
a  suitable  stock  to  graft  that  cherry  upon.  The  wood  of  this  tree  is  exceedingly 
hard,  fine-grained,  and  of  a  reddish  hue ;  but  the  inferior  size  to  which  it  usua  ly 
grows,  forbids  its  use  in  the  mechanic  arts. 
34 


Cerasus  rnahaleb. 


THE  MAHALEB,  OR  PERFUMED  CHERRY-TREE. 

Synonymes. 


Prunus  rnahaleb, 

Cerasus  rnahaleb, 

Bois  de  Saiate  Lucie,,  Prunier  odorant, 

Mahaleb-Kirschbauni, 

Albero  di  Santa  Lucia,  Ciliegio  canino, 

Ciliegio  malebo. 
Perfumed  Cherry-tree, 


Linnaeus,  Species  Plantarum. 
De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 
Don,  Miller's  Dictionary. 
Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
France. 
Germany. 

Italy. 

Britain  and  Anglo- America. 


$<  ^yP  M  ham 
E        !S  whit 


Derivations     Mahahb  is  the  Arabian  name  of  this  tree.    The  wood  of  this  species  is  perfumed,  and  used  by  the  French  in 
cabinet-work,  toys,  &c,  especially  in  the  village  of  Sle.  Lucie,  whence  some  of  the  French  and  Italian  names. 

Engravings.    Du  Hamel,  Traiie  des  Arbres  et  Arbustes,  v.,  pi.  2;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  vi.,  pi.  116;  and  the 
figures  below. 
Specific  Characters.    Leaves  cordately  ovate,  denticulate,  glanded,  curved.     Flowers  in  leafy  sub-corym 

bose  racemes.     Fruit  black,  between  ovate  and  round.— De  Candolle.  Prodromus. 

Description. 

ffi^fiHE  Cerasus  rnahaleb  is  a 
id  some  small  tree,  with  a 
white  bark,  and  numerous 
branches.  In  its  natural 
habitat,' it  is  seldom  found  above  twenty  feet  in  height; 
but  in  a  state  of  cultivation,  in  a  good  soil,  it  sometimes 
attains  double  that  elevation,  with  a  trunk  four  feet  in 
circumference.  The  leaves  somewhat  resemble  those  of 
ihe  common  apricot,  but  are  of  a  paler  green.  The  :  ;' 
flowers  put  forth  in  April  and  May,  and  are  succeeded  ^| 
by  black  fruit  much  smaller  than  that  of  the  Cerasus 
sylvestris,  very  bitter  to  the  taste,  though  greedily  eaten  by  several  species  of  birds. 
Varieties.  Besides  a  tree  with  variegated  leaves,  Mr.  Loudon  mentions  two 
others : — 

1 .  C.  m.  fructtj  flavo.      Yellow-fruited  Perfumed  Cherry-tree. 

2.  C.  m.  latifolium.     Broad-leaved  Perfumed  Cherry-tree. 

Geography  and  History.  The  perfumed  cherry  is  found  wild  in  the  middle 
and  south  of  France,  the  south  of  Germany,  Austria,  Piedmont,  and  in  Crim 
Tartary ;  and,  according  to  Pallas,  it  grows  in  abundance  on  Mount  Caucasus, 
where  it  differs  from  the  European  variety,  in  bringing  forth  both  flowers  and 
leaves  at  the  same  time,  and  the  latter  in  being  more  cordate  and  acuminate.  The 
tree  is  very  common  in  the  mountainous  districts  of  France,  and  is  very  gene- 
rally cultivated  in  England  for  the  purposes  of  ornament.  It  was  introduced 
mto  the  last-named  country  in  1714,  but  was  known  long  before,  as  Gerard 
remarks  that,  "the  cunning  French  perfumers  make  bracelets,  chains,  and  such 
like  trifling  toys,  of  the  fruit,  which  they  send  to  England,  smeared  over  with 
some  old  sweet  compound  or  other,  and  here  sell  unto  our  curious  old  ladies  and 
gentlewomen,  for  rare  and  strange  pomambers,  for  great  sums  of  money." 

At  what  period,  and  by  whom,  the  Cerasus  rnahaleb  was  introduced  into  the 
United  States,  is  uncertain.     It  is  found  in  several  of  the  American  nurseries  and 


PERFUMED    CHERRY-TREE.  267 

collections,  and  a  tree,  bearing  this  name,  is  standing  in  Washington  square,  in 
Philadelphia,  which  has  nearly  attained  the  utmost  magnitude  to  which  this 
species  grows. 

Soil,  Situation,  <Sfc.  According  to  Loudon,  the  perfumed  cherry  will  thrive  in 
any  poor  soil,  that  is  not  too  dry,  even  in  the  most  arid  sands  and  naked  chalks  ■ 
and  as  it  forms  a  low,  bushy  tree,  which  is  capable  of  resisting  the  wind,  it  may 
be  planted  in  an  exposed  situation.  When  young  plants  are  to  be  raised  from 
seeds,  the  fruit  is  sown  as  soon  as  ripe,  or  preserved  in  sand  till  the  following 
spring,  in  the  same  manner  as  that  recommended  for  the  common  cherry.  The 
tree  may  also  be  propagated,  in  a  moist  climate,  by  layers,  by  slips  from  the 
stool,  taken  off  with  a  few  roots  attached,  by  suckers,  or  by  cuttings  from  the 
roots.  In  France,  it  is  extensively  raised  as  a  stock  on  which  to  graft  the  differ- 
ent kinds  of  cherries,  for  which,  it  has  not  only  the  advantage  of  growing  on  a 
very  poor  soil,  but  of  coming  into  sap  about  fifteen  day?  later  than  the  gean,  by 
which  means  the  grafting  season  is  prolonged,  and  of  dwarfing  the  plants  grafted 
upon  it.  Yet,  as  in  the  case  of  other  dwarf  species  of  a  genus  which  will  unite 
with  a  tall,  robust-growing  tree,  the  perfumed  cherry,  when  grafted  on  the  Cera- 
sus  sylvestris,  attains  a  larger  size  than  when  grown  on  its  own  roots. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  Cerasus  mahaleb  is  of  a  reddish-gray, 
hard,  compact,  and  is  susceptible  of  a  high  polish.  When  green,  it  possesses  a 
powerful  odour,  but  less  so,  and  more  agreeable,  when  dry,  in  which  last  condi- 
tion it  weighs  nearly  sixty  pounds  to  a  cubic  foot.  In  France,  it  is  much  sought 
after  by  cabinet-makers,  on  account  of  its  fragrance,  and  is  sold  by  them,  green, 
in  thin  veneers,  because  in  that  state  it  does  not  crack,  or  at  least,  the  slits  or 
chinks,  are  less  perceptible.  In  the  Vosges,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Abbey  of  Ste. 
Lucie,  it  is  much  sought  after  by  turners,  and  for  the  manufacture  of  snuff-boxes 
and  tobacco-pipes.  It  is  also  highly  prized  for  fuel,  on  account  of  the  fragrance 
which  it  sends  out  when  burning.  The  leaves  are  powerfully  fragrant,  more 
particularly  when  dried, — are  greedily  eaten  by  cattle  and  sheep,  and  are  used  by 
cooks  for  giving  flavour  to  game.  The  flowers  and  fruit,  like  the  wood  and 
leaves,  are  powerfully  scented,  the  former  being  so  much  so,  as  to  be  almost 
insupportable  in  a"  close  room,  even  when  they  have  remained  only  for  a  short 
time.  The  kernels  of  the  fruit  are  employed  by  perfumers  to  scent  soap.  In 
Britain  and  America,  this  species  is  principally  cultivated  as  a  hedge-plant,  or 
as  an  ornamental  shrub  or  low  tree. 


Cerasus  virginiana, 
THE   VIRGINIAN   CHERRY-TREE. 


Synonyrnes. 


Primus  serotina, 
Cerasus  virginiana, 

Cerasus  serotina, 

Cerisier  de  Virginie, 

Virginischer  Kirschbaum, 

Ciliegio  di  Virginia, 

Virginian  Bird  Cherry-tree, 

Wild  Cherry-tree,  Black  Cherry-tree, 


Ehrhart,  Beitrage  zur  Naturkund. 

Michaux,  North  American  Sylva. 

Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 

Torrey  and  Gray,  Flora  of  North  America. 

De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 

France. 

Germany. 

Italy. 

Britain. 

Anglo-America. 


Engravings.    Mbhaux,  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  83;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  ii.,  fig.  418  etvi.pl.  114,  anu 

the  figures  below 

Specific  Characters.  Leaves  (rather  coriaceous)  oval,  oblong,  or  lanceolate-oblong,  acuminate,  glabrous, 
or  bearded  along  the  midrib  beneath,  smooth  and  shining  above,  finely  serrate,  with  appressed  or 
incurved  callous  teeth;  petioles,  (or  base  of  the  leaf,)  mostly  with  two  or  more  glands;  racemes  elon- 
gated, spreading;  petals  broadly  obovate  ;  drupes  globose,  purplish-black—  Torrey  and  Gray,  tlora. 


Description. 


Cerasus    virgin- 
where  the  soil 


7^dHE 

Slcrp8  ian  . 

W\    U    j®  an(i  climate  are   the 

ife^Kll  niost  congenial  to  its 
growth,  sometimes  attains  a  height  of  eighty 
or  one  hundred  feet,  with  a  trunk  three  or  four 
feet  in  diameter ;  but  it  varies  much  in  size, 
according  to  the  circumstances  under  which 
it  grows.  In  England  and  the  North  Ameri- 
can British  provinces,  it  seldom  exceeds  thirty 
or  forty  feet  in  height,  with  a  trunk  ten  or 
twelve  inches  in  diameter ;  and  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  the  Great  Slave  Lake,  in  latitude 
62°  N.,  it  grows  only  to  a  height  of  about  five 
feet.  The  general  surface  of  the  bark  is 
smooth ;  but  it  is  blackish  and  rough,  detach- 
ing itself  in  narrow  semi-circular,  hard,  thick 
plates,  which  adhere  for  a  time  to  the  tree, 
previous  to  dropping  off.  The  trunk  is  usu- 
ally straight  for  about  one  fourth  of  its  height,  where  it  ramifies  into  a  spreading 
summit  of  a  handsome  outline ;  but  its  foliage  is  too  thin  to  display  that  massy 
richness  which  gives  so  much  beauty  to  the  maples  and  many  other  trees.  The 
leaves  are  usually  from  two  to  four  inches  long,  toothed,  very  much  pointed,  and 
of  a  beautiful,  smooth,  shining  green,  with  two  or  more  small  reddish  glands 
at  the  base.  The  flowers  are  white,  and  occur  in  spikes,  which,  when  fully 
expanded,  have  a  beautiful  effect.  They  put  forth  in  Florida  and  the  state  of 
Georgia  in  the  month  of  February,  but  in  some  parts  of  Canada,  not  before  the 
early  part  of  June.     The  fruit  is  about  one-fourth  of  an  inch  in  diameter,  of  a 


VIRGINIAN    CHERRY-TREE.  269 

roundish  form,  purplish-black  colour,  and  edible,  but  slightly  bitter  to  the  taste. 
It  arrives  at  maturity  at  St.  Mary's,  in  Georgia,  by  the  first  of  June,  but  not  in 
the  northern  states  and  Canada  before  August  or  September,  when  it  affords  great 
nourishment  to  several  species  of  birds. 

Varieties.  Much  confusion  has  long  existed  among  authors  with  regard  to  the 
choke  cherry,  (Primus  virginiana,  of  Linnaeus,)  and  the  wild  cherry  (Primus 
serotina,  of  Ehrhart.)  They  appear  to  have  been  confounded  by  Michaux  and 
others,  who  mistook  the  latter  for  the  choke  cherry,  and  consequently  described 
it  under  the  name  of  Cerastes  virginiana;  but,  as  we  believe  that  they  both 
belong  to  the  same  species,  this  is  to  us  a  matter  of  very  little  consequence.  By 
comparing  the  two  trees  in  a  state  of  cultivation,  it  will  be  difficult  to  discover 
anything  like  a  specific  distinction,  or  as  Mr.  Loudon  says,  even  sufficient  to 
constitute  a  race.  The  serratures,  and  the  tufts  of  hairs  on  the  under  sides  of 
the  leaves,  are,  undoubtedly,  variable ;  and  those  who  are  familiar  with  the 
European  bird  cherry,  (Cerasus  padus,)  know  how  little  dependence  is  to  be 
placed  upon  its  foliage,  when  under  cultivation;  and  in  truth,  it  is  so  nearly 
allied  to  the  species  under  consideration,  that  Seringe,  in  De  Candolle's  "  Pro- 
dromus,"  seems  to  doubt  if  it  be  really  distinct.  Admitting  the  above  remarks 
to  be  correct,  the  variations  of  the  Cerasus  virginiana  are  as  follows : — 

1.  C.  v.  precox.  Early -fruited  Virginian  Cherry-tree;  Choke  Cherry;  Pru- 
nas  virginiana,  of  Linnaeus;  Cerasus  virginiana,  of  Torrey  and  Gray;  Primus 
serotina,  of  Pursh ;  Cerasus  serotina,  of  Loudon.  This  variety  differs  from  the 
species  in  having  broadly-oval  leaves,  abruptly  acuminated,  being  sometimes 
sub-cordate  at  the  base,  very  sharply,  and  often  doubly  serrate,  and  generally 
hairy  in  the  axils  of  the  veins  beneath ;  the  petals  are  orbicular ;  the  fruit  sub- 
globose,  of  a  glossy  scarlet-red,  when  ripe,  sweet  and  pleasant,  but  so  very 
astringent,  that  it  dries  the  mouth  and  throat  like  the  juice  of  spruce  cones, 
when  swallowed.  In  the  northern  states  and  Canada,  it  usually  ripens  its  fruit 
several  weeks  earlier  than  the  black  cherry-tree ;  hence  the  name  jircecox. 

2.  C.  v.  capollin,  De  Candolle.  Capollin  Bird  Cherry-tree,  native  of  Mexico, 
and  known  by  its  lanceolate,  serrated,  glabrous  leaves,  resembling  in  form,  and 
nearly  in  size,  those  of  the  Salix  fragilis ;  and  the  whole  tree  appears  so  much 
like  the  Cerasus  virginiana,  that  there  is  but  little  doubt  of  its  being  only  a  vari- 
ety of  this  species,  but  of  a  larger  and  more  luxuriant  growth. 

Geography,  Soil,  fyc.  The  Cerasus  virginiana  is  found,  in  greater  or  less 
abundance,  along  the  Atlantic  parts  of  America,  from  Mexico  to  Hudson's  Bay. 
It  especially  abounds  in  Upper  Canada,  and  the  country  west  of  the  Alleghanies, 
and  probably  is  nowhere  more  profusely  multiplied,  nor  more  fully  developed, 
than  in  Ohio,  Kentucky,  and  Tennessee.  In  the  southern  and  maritime  parts  of 
Georgia,  and  the  Carolinas,  where  the  summers  are  intensely  hot,  and  where  the 
soil  is  generally  dry  and  sandy,  it  is  but  sparingly  produced;  and  on  the  banks 
of  rivers,  where  the  ground  is  very  wet,  it  is  rather  limited  in  its  dimensions;  but 
in  the  upper  parts  of  these  states,  where  the  climate  is  more  temperate,  and  the 
soil  is  more  fertile,  it  becomes  more  common,  though  less  abundant  than  in  the 
states  of  Pennsylvania,  Virginia,  and  New  York. 

This  species  appears  to  have  been  among  the  first  American  trees  that  were 
introduced  into  England ;  having  been  cultivated  there  by  Parkinson,  in  1029. 
under  the  name  of  "Virginian  cherry-bay."  It  is,  at  present,  very  common  in 
British  collections,  and  is  growing  in  several  of  the  gardens  of  the  continent. 
The  largest  recorded  specimen  in  England,  is  at  Bagshot  Park,  in  Surrey,  which 
is  about  fifty  years  old,  and  forty  feet  in  height.  In  the  botanic  garden  at  Geneva, 
in  Switzerland,  there  is  also  another  tree  of  this  species,  of  about  the  same  dimen- 
sions. 


270  CERASUS    VIKGINIANA. 

Propagation.  The  Virginian  cherry  is  usually  propagated  from  seeds,  which 
may  be  treated,  in  all  respects,  like  those  of  the  Cerasus  vulgaris. 

Insects.  It  has  often  been  remarked  that  the  leaves  of  the  wild  cherry  are 
more  subject  to  the  attacks  of  caterpillars,  than  those  of  any  other  tree.  Among 
those  which  are  regarded  as  its  worst  enemy,  are  the  American  lackey-caterpil- 
lars, Clisiocampa  americana,  of  Harris.  The  eggs,  from  which  they  are  hatched, 
are  placed  around  the  ends  of  the  branches,  forming  a  wide  kind  of  ring  or  brace- 
let, consisting  of  three  or  four  hundred  eggs,  in  the  form  of  short  cylinders  stand- 
ing close  together,  on  their  ends,  and  covered  with  a  thick  coat  of  brownish, 
water-proof  varnish.  The  caterpillars  come  forth  with  the  unfolding  of  the 
leaves.  The  first  signs  of  their  activity  appear  in  the  formation  of  a  little  angu- 
lar web  or  tent,  somewhat  resembling  a  spider's  web,  stretched  between  the  forks 
of  the  branches,  a  little  below  the  cluster  of  eggs.  Under  the  shelter  of  these 
tents,  in  making  which,  they  all  work  together,  the  caterpillars  remain  concealed 
at  all  times,  when  not  engaged  in  eating.  In  crawling  from  twig  to  twig,  and  from 
leaf  to  leaf,  they  spin  from  their  mouths  a  slender  silken  thread,  which  is  a  clue 
to  conduct  them  back  to  their  tents ;  and  as  they  go  forth  and  return  in  files,  one 
after  another,  their  pathways,  in  time,  become  carpeted  with  silk,  which  serves 
to  render  their  footing  secure  during  their  frequent  and  periodical  journeys  in 
various  directions,  to  and  from  their  common  habitation.  As  they  increase  in 
size  and  age,  they  enlarge  their  tent,  surrounding  it,  from  time  to  time,  with  new 
layers  or  webs,  till  at  length  it  attains  a  diameter  of  eight  or  ten  inches.  They 
come  out  together,  at  certain  hours,  to  feed,  and  all  retire  at  once,  when  their 
regular  meals  are  finished:  during  bad  weather,  however,  they  fast,  and  do  not 
venture  from  their  shelter  at  all.  When  fully  grown,  they  measure  about  two 
inches  in  length.  They  may  be  known  by  their  black  heads,  and  a  whitish  line 
extending  along  the  top  of  the  back  from  one  end  to  the  other,  on  each  side  of 
which,  in  a  yellow  ground,  are  numerous  short  and  fine  crinkled  lines,  that  form 
a  broad,  longitudinal,  black  stripe,  or  rather  a  row  of  long  black  spots,  one  on 
each  ring,  in  the  middle  of  each  of  which  is  a  small  blue  spot ;  below  this,  is  a 
narrow,  wavy  yellow  line,  and  lower  still,  the  sides  are  variegated  with  fine, 
intermingled,  black  and  yellow  lines,  which  are  lost  at  last  in  the  general  dusky 
colour  of  the  under  side  of  the  body :  on  the  top  of  the  eleventh  ring,  is  a  small, 
blackish,  hairy  wart,  and  the  whole  body  is  very  sparingly  clothed  with  soft, 
short  hairs,  rather  longer  and  thicker  upon  the  sides  than  elsewhere.  At  the 
age  of  about  seven  weeks,  they  begin  to  quit  the  trees,  separate  from  each 
other,  wander  about  for  a  while,  and  finally  secrete  themselves  in  some  crevice 
or  other  place  of  shelter,  and  make  their  cocoons.  These  are  of  a  regular,  oblong- 
oval  form,  composed  of  thin,  and  very  loosely  woven  webs  of  silk,  the  meshes  of 
which  are  filled  with  a  thin  paste.  From  fourteen  to  seventeen  days  after  the 
insects  have  spun,  the  chrysalides  burst  their  skins,  force  their  way  through  the 
wet  and  moistened  ends  of  the  cocoons,  and  appear  in  the  winged  or  miller  form. 
These  moths  are  of  a  rusty  or  reddish-brown  colour,  more  or  less  intermixed  with 
gray  on  the  middle  and  base  of  the  fore-wings,  which,  besides  are  crossed  by  two 
oblique,  straight,  dirty-white  lines.  They  expand  from  one  inch  and  a  quarter, 
to  one  inch  and  a  half,  or  a  little  more  and  appear  in  Massachusetts,  in  great 
numbers,  in  July,  flying  about,  and  often  entering  houses  by  night,  at  which 
period  they  lay  their  eggs.  Many  of  the  caterpillars,  however,  are  unable  to 
finish  their  transformations,  by  reason  of  weakness,  especially  those  which  are 
unable  to  leave  with  the  rest  of  the  swarm,  but  make  their  cocoons  within  the  tent 
Most  of  these  will  be  found  to  have  been  preyed  upon  by  little  maggots  living 
upon  the  fat  within  their  bodies,  and  finally  changing  to  small,  four-winged 
ichneumon  wasps,  which,  in  due  time,  pierce  a  hole  in  the  cocoons  of  their  vie- 


VIRGINIAN    CHERRY-TREE.  O?  I 

tims,  and  escape  into  the  air.  The  American  lackey  caterpillar-moth  selects  the 
Virginian  cherry  in  preference  to  all  other  trees,  and  next  to  this,  the  apple,  a 
further  account  of  which  will  be  found  in  our  article  on  that  tree.* 

The  Virginian  cherry-tree,  and  also  the  garden  cherry,  and  peach-tree,  suffer 
severely  from  the  attacks  of  borers,  which  are  transformed  to  the  beetles  called, 
by  Mr.  Say,  in  his  "American  Entomology,"  Buprestis  divaricata.  They  are 
usually  found  under  the  bark,  and  sometimes  in  the  solid  wood  of  the  trunks 
and  branches  of  the  trees,  where  they  undergo  their  transformations.  The  bee- 
tles, or  perfect  insects,  are  copper-coloured,  sometimes  brassy  above,  and  thickly 
covered  with  little  punctures.  They  measure  from  seven  to  nine-tenths  of  an  inch 
in  length,  and  may  be  found  sunning  themselves  upon  the  limbs  of  the  trees  dur- 
ing the  months  of  June,  July,  and  August. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  Virginian  cherry-tree  is  of  a  dull,  light- 
red  tint,  which  deepens  with  age.  It  is  compact,  fine-grained,  takes  a  brilliant 
polish,  and  when  perfectly  seasoned,  is  not  liable  to  warp.  In  America,  it  is 
extensively  used  by  cabinet-makers,  for  almost  every  species  of  furniture ;  and, 
when  chosen  near  the  ramification  of  the  trunk,  it  rivals  mahogany  in  beauty 
The  wood  is  generally  preferred  to  that  of  the  black  walnut,  (Juglans  nigra,) 
the  dun  colour  of  which,  in  time,  becomes  nearly  black.  It  is  also,  sometimes, 
employed  in  the  parts  of  the  country  where  it  abounds,  in  ship-building,  and  for 
making  the  felloes  of  wheels.  The  bark  of  the  branches  and  of  the  roots,  is  col- 
lected by  herb-venders,  and  brought  to  market  in  pieces  or  fragments,  several 
inches  long,  and  from  half  an  inch  to  two  inches  in  diameter.  From  drying,  it 
becomes  somewhat  curved  laterally.  That  of  the  root  is  regarded  as  the  best,  is 
destitute  of  epidermis,  of  a  reddish-brown  colour,  brittle,  easily  pulverized,  and 
presents,  when  broken,  a  grayish  surface.  When  fresh,  the  odour  is  prussic, 
which  is  lost,  in  a  measure,  in  drying,  but  regained  by  maceration.  The  taste  is 
aromatic,  prussic,  and  bitter.  It  is,  undoubtedly,  a  useful  tonic,  and  appears  to 
possess,  in  some  degree,  narcotic  and  antispasmodic  properties.  Dr.  Barton 
informs  us,  that  the  leaves  of  this  tree  are  poisonous  to  certain  animals,  as  calves, 
and  even  the  berries  intoxicate  different  kinds  of  birds.  The  fruit  is  employed 
to  make  a  cordial,  by  infusion  in  rum  or  brandy,  with  the  addition  of  sugar. 

In  Europe,  the  Virginian  cherry  is  planted  solely  as  an  ornamental  tree ;  and 
as  such,  it  well  deserves  a  place  in  every  collection.  In  America,  its  growth 
should  be  encouraged  along  the  road-sides,  and  in  the  woods,  in  order  to  attract 
and  afford  nourishment  to  frugivorous  birds. 

*  See  Harris'  Report,  pp.  266,  267,  268  et  269. 


Cerasus  caroliniana, 
THE  CAROLINIAN  CHERRY-TREE. 

Synonymes. 


Cerasus  caronniana, 

Cerisier  du  Caroline, 
Kirschbaum  von  Carolina, 
Ciliegio  di  Carolina, 
Carolinian  Bird  Cherry-tree, 
Carolinian  Cherry,  Wild  Orange, 


Michaux,  North  American  Sylva. 

Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 

Tokrey  and  Gray,  Flora  of  North  America 

France. 

Germany. 

Italy. 

Britain. 

United  States. 


Engravings 
below. 


Michaux,   North  American   Sylva,  pi.   89;   Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  ii.,  fig.  423,  and  the  figures 


Specific  Characters.  Evergreen.  Leaves,  with  the  petioles  short ;  and  the  disk  lanceolate-oblong,  mucro- 
nate,  even,  rather  coriaceous,  mostly  entire.  Flowers  densely  disposed  in  axillary  racemes,  that  are 
shorter  than  the  leaves.    Fruit  nearly  globose,  mucronate. — De  Candolle,  Prodromus 


Description. 


Cerasus 
caroliniana,  in 


D?  LI  K$  its  natural  hab- 
.M^m  itat,  usually  at- 
tains a  height  of  twenty  to  fifty  feet, 
and  ramifies  at  a  short  distance  from 
the  ground,  forming  a  tufted  head. 
The  bark  of  the  trunk  is  of  a  dun  col- 
our, and  is  commonly  without  furrows 
or  cracks.  The  leaves  are  smooth 
and  shining  on  their  upper  surfaces, 
and  are  about  three  inches  long.  The 
flowers  are  white,  and  numerous,  be- 
ing arranged  in  little  bunches,  from 
one  inch  to  an  inch  and  a  half  long, 
which  spring  from  the  axils  of  the 
leaves,  in  the  month  of  March  or  April. 
The  fruit,  which  is  oval,  and  nearly  black,  consists  of  a  soft  stone,  surrounded 
by  a  small  quantity  of  green,  inedible  pulp.  It  remains  upon  the  branches 
during  the  greater  part  of  the  second  year,  so  that  the  tree  is  laden,  at  the  same 
time,  both  with  flowers  and  fruit. 

Geography  and  History.  The  Cerasus  caroliniana  appears  to  be  principally 
confined  to  the  Bahamas,  and  the  islands  along  the  coast  of  the  Carolinas,  Geor- 
gia, and  Florida.  On  the  main  land,  it  is  often  found  growing  wild,  at  a  dis- 
tance of  a  thousand  miles  from  the  sea.  It  was  first  made  known  to  Europe  by 
Catesby,  who  sent  seeds  to  Miller  in  1759,  under  the  name  of  "  bastard  mahog- 
any." The  largest  recorded  specimen  in  Britain  is  at  Swallowfield,  in  Hamp- 
shire, which,  in  1833,  formed  a  shrub  ten  feet  in  height,  with  a  head  twelve  feet 
in  diameter. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  Carolinian  cherry  is  fine-grained,  and 
"f  a  roseate  hue ;  but  the  scarcity,  and  inferior  size  of  the  tree,  forbids  its  use  in 


Carolinian  cherry-tree.  273 

the  mechanic  arts.  The  bark  of  the  roots  possesses  a  strong  prussic  odour ;  and 
from  it,  Michaux  observes,  a  fragrant  spirituous  liquor  may  be  obtained.  The 
leaves,  according  to  Elliot,  are  very  poisonous,  frequently  destroying  cattle  that 
are  tempted  to  feed  freely  upon  them,  in  spring.  Its  flowers  are  more  sought 
after  by  bees  than  all  others  of  the  regions  where  it  abounds.  And  the  tree  may 
be  considered  as  one  of  the  most  beautiful  vegetable  productions  of  the  south, 
and  is  generally  there  selected  by  the  inhabitants,  to  plant  near  their  dwellings, 
not  only  on  this  account,  but  because  it  grows  with  rapidity,  and  affords  an 
impenetrable  hedge.  It  may  be  propagated  from  seeds,  and  it  has  been  suggested, 
that  it  would  succeed  if  engrafted  upon  the  Portugal  laurel  (Cerasus  lusitanica.) 
It  requires  a  deep,  free,  dry  soil,  and  a  sheltered  situation. 
35 


Genus    CRATAEGUS,    Lindl. 


Rosacea?. 

Syst.  Nat. 


Cratoegus,  Mespilus, 


Synonymes. 


Neflier,  Aubepine,  Alizier, 
Mispel, 

Cratego,  Spino, 
Thorn,  Hawthorn, 


Icosandria  Di-Pentagynia. 
Syst.  Lin. 


Of  Authors. 

France. 

Germany. 

Italy. 

Britain  and  Anglo- America. 


Derivation.    The  name  Cratmgus  is  derived  from  the  Greek  kratos,  strength,  in   reference  to  the  hardness  and  strength  »f 
(he  wood. 
Generic  Characters.    Fruit  ovate,  not  spreadingly  open  at  the  top.    Carpels  1—5  prismatic  nuts,  with 

bony  shells,  each  including  1  seed.    Leaves  angled  or  toothed ;  in  most  cases,  deciduous.    Flowers  in 

terminal  corymbs. — Loudon,  Arboretum. 

[N  viewing  the  various  genera  of  hardy  ligneous  plants,  cultivated 
in  the  gardens  and  shrubberies  of  Europe  and  America,  not  one, 
taken  as  a  whole,  can  be  compared  with  that  of  the  Crataegus. 
It  consists  of  small,  spiny  shrubs  or  low  trees,  mostly  natives  of 
Europe,  Asia,  northern  Africa,  and  of  North  America.     All  the 
species  flower  and  fruit  freely,  their  wood  is  hard  and  durable, 
and  The  plants  are  of  considerable  longevity.     They  may  all  be  trained,  at  the 
pleasure  of  the  cultivator,  either  as  small,  handsome,  exceedingly  picturesque 
trees,  or  as  beautiful  gardenesque  shrubs.     Their  mode  of  growth  is  orderly,  neat, 
and  characteristic,  being  neither  so  slow  as  to  convey  the  idea  of  want  of  vigour, 
nor  so  rapid  and  robust  as  to  be  considered  as  coarse  and  rambling.     Their  leaves 
are  remarkably  neatly  cut,  and  finely  tufted;   but  are  subject  to  considerable 
variation  in  almost  every  species,  particularly  when  young.     The  flowers,  in 
some  kinds,  appear  in  masses  so  abundant,  as  almost  to  cover  the  entire  plant; 
and  the  fruit  is  produced  in  as  great  abundance  as  the  flowers.     The  colour  of 
the  blossoms  is  generally  white,  more  or  le'ss  fragrant,  and  in  some  cases,  as  in 
the  double-flowered  hawthorn,  as  they  die  off,  are  of  a  very  fine  pink.     The 
fruit,  which  is  usually  red,  and  sometimes  yellow,  black,  or  green,  including 
many  varieties  of  shade,  varies  in  size,  from  the  smallness  of  a  grain  of  mustard- 
seed,  as  in  the  Crataegus  spathulata,  to  the  bigness  of  a  large  golden  pippin,  as  in 
the  Crataegus  mexicana.     The  fruit  of  several  species,  such  as  that  of  the  Cra- 
taegus azarolus,  aronia,  odoratissima,  aestivalis,  and  tanacetifolia,  is  agreeable  to 
the  palate ;  and  that  of  all  the  species  is  greedily  devoured  by  singing  birds.     All 
the  species  may  be  propagated  from  seeds,  by  grafting,  or  inoculation,  and  will 
grow  on  any  soil  that  is  tolerably  dry ;  but  they  will  not  grow  vigorously  in  a 
soil  that  is  not  deep  and  free,  and  rich,  rather  than  poor.     Whether  employed  as 
small  trees,  or  as  shrubs,  they  are  all  admirably  adapted  for  planting  grounds  of 
limited  extent;  and  especially  for  small  gardens  in  the  neighbourhood  of  cities 
and  large  towns.     Finally,  were  a  man  to  be  exiled  to  an  estate  without  a  single 
shrub  or  tree,  with  permission  to  choose  only  one  genus  of  ligneous  plants,  to 
form  all  his  plantations,  shrubberies,  orchards,  and  flower-gardens,  it  is  probable 
that  he  could  not  find  a  genus  that  would  afford  him  so  many  resources  as  that 
of  the  Crataegus.* 

*  See  Loudon's  Arboretum  Britannicum,  ii.,  p.  814. 


CRATAEGUS.  275 

It  appears  that  this  genus  did  not  attract  much  attention  in  Britain  until  the 
commencement  of  the  present  century ;  since  which  period,  according  to  Mr.  Lou- 
don, the  number  of  sorts  has  been  more  than  doubled,  chiefly  through  the  exer- 
tions of  the  London  Horticultural  Society,  and  Messrs.  Loddiges,  of  Hackney. 
At  least  eighty  well-marked  species  and  varieties  exist  in  their  collections,  and 
about  the  same  number  at  Somerford  Hall,  in  Staffordshire,  made,  by  General 
Monckton,  and  at  the  seat  of  Frederick  Bourne,  Esquire,  at  Terenure,  near  Dub- 
lin. The  best  collections  in  Scotland  are  in  the  Edinburgh  botanic  garden,  and 
in  Lawson's  nursery.  The  greatest  number  of  species  in  one  garden,  in  France, 
is  said  to  be  in  the  Pepiniere  de  Luxembourg.  Good  collections  are  also  found 
in  the  nurseries  of  MM.  Audibert,  at  Tarascon;  and  of  MM.  Baumann,  at 
Bollwyller.  The  best  collection  in  Belgium  is  at  Humbeque,  near  Brussels; 
and  the  finest  in  Germany  are  those  in  the  Floetbeck  nurseries,  at  Hamburg, 
and  in  the  Gottingen  botanic  garden.  Collections  have  also  been  formed  in  the 
botanic  garden  at  Warsaw,  and  in  the  arboretum  of  Count  Wodzicki,  at  Niedz- 
weidz,  nearCracow,  in  Poland;  and  at  the  imperial  garden  of  Odessa,  in  Russia. 
Among  the  American  nurseries  and  collections,  the  finest  specimens  are  to  be  found 
in  the  Bartram  botanic  garden,  and  at  the  Woodlands  cemetery,  near  Philadelphia. 

It  is  to  be  regretted  that  our  limits  prevent  us  from  describing  all  the  species 
of  this  genus  at  length;  we  therefore  confine  ourselves  to  a  brief  notice  of#those 
which  are  the  most  valuable  for  hedges,  and  the  purposes  of  ornament ;  and  for 
more  detailed  information  concerning  this  interesting  family  of  low  trees,  we 
would  refer  the  reader  to  Loudon's  "Arboretum  Britannicum." 
.  Under  the  name  of  hawthorns  may  be  comprehended  the  numerous  varieties  of 
the  Crataegus  oxycantha,  and  the  races  nearly  allied  to  it.  They  have  all  deeply- 
lobed,  rather  glossy  leaves,  with  but  few  hairs,  fragrant  flowers,  and  small,  shin- 
ing fruit  or  haws.  Thirty  feet  is  not  an  unusual  height  for  a  tree  to  attain,  and 
fine  specimens  exist,  in  England,  of  an  elevation  of  forty  or  fifty  feet.  The  flow- 
ers of  some  varieties  are  double,  in  others  bright-crimson,  while  the  fruit  in  some 
is  yellow,  and  in  others  black.  "  The  hawthorn,"  says  Lauder,  "  is  not  only  an 
interesting  object  by  itself,  but  produces  a  most  interesting  combination,  or  con- 
trast, as  things  may  be,  when  grouped  with  other  trees.  We  have  seen  it  hang- 
ing over  rocks,  with  deep  shadows  under  its  foliage;  or  shooting  from  their  sides 
in  the  most  fantastic  forms,  as  if  to  gaze  at  its  image  in  the  deep  pool  below. 
We  have  seen  it  contrasting  its  tender  green,  and  its  delicate  leaves,  with  the 
brighter  and  deeper  masses  of  the  holly  and  the  alder.  We  have  seen  it  growing 
under  the  shelter,  though  not  in  the  shade,  of  some  stately  oak ;  embodying  the 
idea  of  beauty  protected  by  strength.  Our  eyes  have  often  caught  the  motion  of 
the  busy  mill-wheel,  over  which  its  blossoms  were  clustering.  We  have  seen  it 
growing  grandly  on  the  green  of  the  village  school,  the  great  object  of  general 
attraction  to  the  young  urchins,  who  played  in  idle  groups  about  its  roots ;  and, 
perhaps,  the  only  thing  remaining  to  be  recognized,  when  the  school-boy  returns 
as  a  man.  We  have  seen  its  aged  boughs  overshadowing  one  half  of  some  peaceful 
woodland  cottage ;  its  foliage  half  concealing  the  windows,  whence  the  sounds 
of  happy  content  and  cheerful  mirth  came  forth.     We  know  that  lively  season, — 

'When  the  milkmaid  sinjcelh  Wythe, 
And  the  mower  whets  his  acythe, 
And  every  shepherd  tells  his  tale 
Under  the  hawthorn  in  the  dale  ;' 

and  with  these,  and  a  thousand  such  associations  as  these,  we  cannot  but  feel 
emotions  of  no  ordinary  nature  when  we  behold  this  beautiful  tree." 

Very  nearly  allied  to  the  true  hawthorns  are  the  oriental  thorns,  which,  with 
the  exception  of  the  various-leaved  species,  (Crataegus  heterophylla,)  have  their 
leaves  deeply  cut,  and  so  closely  covered  with  hairs,  as  to  have  a  dull-gray,  or 


276  CRATAEGUS. 

hoary  aspect.  Ti  y  are  less  graceful  in  their  mode  of  growth,  some  of  them 
having  a  round  formal  head ;  but  their  flowers  are  larger,  and  even  more  fra- 
grant, and  their  large  fruit  renders  them  striking  objects  in  autumn.  The  spe- 
cies most  worthy  of  culture  among  this  group,  are  the  azarole,  (C.  azarolus,) 
distinguished  for  its  globose,  scarlet  fruit,  which  is  eaten  in  Italy;  the  sweet- 
scented  thorn,  (C.  odoratissima,)  with  its  large,  coral-red  fruit;  the  tansy-leaved 
thorn,  (C.  tanacetifolia,)  known  by  its  globose,  yellowish-green  fruit ;  and  the 
aronia  thorn,  (C.  aronia,)  celebrated  for  its  light,  orange-coloured  fruit,  which  is 
sold  in  the  markets  of  Montpellier,  in  France,  under  the  name  of  Pommettes  d  deux 
closes. 

The  American  thorns  are  species  with  leaves  but  little  lobed,  usually  broad, 
shining,  unequally  toothed,  often  having  exceedingly  long  spines,  and  having 
fruit  of  an  intermediate  size.  They  are  not  regarded  as  quite  so  handsome  as 
the  species  of  the  preceding  groups ;  but  the  following,  nevertheless,  have  suffi- 
ciently ornamental  features,  to  be  well  worthy  of  cultivation : — The  cock-spur 
thorn,  (Crataegus  crus-galli,)  and  several  of  its  varieties ;  the  dotted- fruited  thorn 
(C.  punctata) ;  the  Washington  or  heart-leaved  thorn  (C.  cordata) ;  Douglas' 
thorn,  (C.  douglasii,)  distinguished  for  its  dark,  handsome  leaves  and  fruit;  and 
the  small-fruited  thorn,  (C.  microcarpa,)  with  graceful,  pendulous  shoots,  and 
very  small,  beautiful  vermilion-coloured  fruit. 

Lastly,  the  evergreen  thorns,  including  the  Mexican  thorn,  (Crataegus  mexi- 
cana,)  and  the  fiery-fruited  thorn  (C.  pyracantha.)  The  former  is  a  small  tree, 
with  lance-shaped,  bright-green  leaves,  and  large,  round,  yellow  fruit ;  and  the 
latter  is  an  inhabitant  of  rocks  and  wild  places  in  the  south  of  Europe,  and  Cau- 
casus, and  has  long  been  cultivated  for  its  flame-coloured  berries,  which  remain 
upon  the  plant  during  most  of  the  winter. 


Cratcegus  punctata, 
THE  DOTTED-FRUITED  THORN. 

Synonymes. 


Cratcegus  punctata, 

Neflier  a  fruits  pointilles, 

Geflecte  Mispel, 

Dotted-fruited  Thorn,  Thorn-bush, 


De  Candolle,  Prodr:)mus. 

Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 

Torrey  and  Gray,  Flora  of  North  America. 

France. 

Germany. 

Britain  and  Anglo- America. 


Engravings.    Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  ii.,  figs.  569  and  570,  in  p.  854  et  vi.,  pi.  123  j  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.    Leaves  obovate-wedge-shaped,  glabrous,  serrated.     Calyx  a  little  villose ;  its  sepals 
awl-shaped,  entire.    Fruit  usually  dotted. — De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 


Description. 

HE  Crataegus  punctata  is  a 

§2  H  H  M,  small   tree,   growing   to  a 

I)?  U  M>  height  of  twelve  to  twenty- 
jSSli  five  feet,  in  swamps,  and  on 
the  borders  of  woods  throughout  the  United  States ; 
is  particularly  abundant  in  Virginia  and  Carolina; 
and  was  introduced  into  Britain  in  1746,  where  it  is 
generally  found  in  collections.  Its  wood  is  very  hard, 
and  is  employed  by  the  Indians  of  the  west  coast  of 
America,  to  make  wedges  for  splitting  logs.  Its 
leaves  are  light-green,  membranaceous,  rather  thick, 

firm,  from  two  to  three  inches  long,  and  when  old,  are  usually  hairy  beneath. 
The  flowers  are  white,  and  appear  in  May  or  June.  The  fruit  is  globose,  half 
of  an  inch  or  more  in  diameter,  yellowish  or  of  a  dull-red  colour,  dotted,  rather 
pleasant  to  the  taste,  but  tough,  ripens  in  September,  and  falls  with  the  leaves. 

Varieties.     In  the  British  gardens,  there  are  three  forms  of  this  species,  desig- 
nated as  follows : — 

1.  C.  p.  rubra,  Loudon.     Red-fruited  Dotted  Thorn,  a  spreading  tree,  growing 
to  the  height  of  thirty  feet,  with  red  fruit,  and  when  old,  has  but  few  spines. 

2.  C.  p.  rubra  stricta,  Loudon.     Red-fruited  Erect-branched  Dotted  Thorn, 
differing  from  the  above  in  being  more  fastigiate  in  its  growth. 

3.  C.  p.  aurea,  Loudon.      Yellow-fruited  Dotted  Thorn,  a  fastigiate-growing 
tree,  with  yellow  fruit,  and  when  old,  with  but  few  thorns. 


Crataegus  crus-galli, 

THE  COCK-SPUR  THORN. 

Synonymes. 


Cratcegus  crus-galli, 

Neflier  pied  de  coc, 

Glanzende  Mispel, 

Lazzeruolo  rosso,  Lazzeruolo  spinoso, 

Cock-spur  Thorn, 


Linnjeus,  Species  Plantarum. 
1  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
Torkey  and  Gray,  Flora  of  North  America. 
France. 
Germany. 
Italy. 
Britain  and  Anglo-America. 


Engravings.    Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  ii.,  fig.  574  in  p.  856,  and  vi.  pi.  126  et  127;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.  Spines  long.  Leaves  obovate-wedge-shaped,  nearly  sessile,  glossy,  glabrous,  falling 
off  late.  Stipules  linear.  Lobes  of  the  calyx  lanceolate,  and  somewhat  serrated.  Styles  2.  Fruit 
scarlet. — De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 


v%*£gA 


Description. 


jr^'^NvVv 


S2^|HE  Crataegus  crus- 
galli  is  a  beautiful 
low  tree,  often  grow- 
i  ing  to  a  height  of 
fifteen  or  twenty  feet,  found  in  woods  and  hedges, 
from  Florida  to  Canada,  and  as  far  west  as  Mis- 
souri. It  was  introduced  into  Britain  in  1691, 
and  has  been  more  generally  cultivated  in  that 
country  than  any  other  American  species.  In 
warm,  sheltered  situations,  it  is  sometimes  sub- 
evergreen,  retaining  its  leaves  and  fruit  through- 
out the  winter.  Its  branches  are  armed  with 
sharp,  slender  spines,  two  or  three  inches  long. 
The  leaves  are  usually  obtuse,  of  a  shining, 
deep-green  above,  and  paler  and  dull  beneath. 
The  flowers  appear  in  April  and  May,  and  are 
succeeded  by  small,  somewhat  pyriform,  scarlet 
fruit,  which  ripens  in  September  and  October. 

Varieties.  De  Candolle  and  Loudon  describe,  under  this  species,  the  five  fol- 
lowing varieties  : — 

1.  C.  c.  splendens.  Shining -leaved  Cock-spur  Thorn,  the  leaves  of  which  are 
ovate-wedged-shaped,  and  shining. 

2.  C.  c.  pyracanthifolia.  Yellotv-spined-leaved  Cock-spur  Thorn.  The  leaves 
of  this  variety  are  oblong,  with  the  upper  part  lanceolate,  and  the  lower  part 
tending  to  wedge-shaped. 

3.  C.  c.  salicifolia.  W  illow -leaved  Cock-spur  Thorn,  with  leaves  resembling 
in  shape,  those  of  the  preceding  variety,  and  like  it,  forms  a  beautiful  low,  flat- 
headed  tree. 

4.  C.  c.  linearis.  Parallel-sided-leaved  Cock-spur  Thorn.  This  variety  may 
be  known  by  its  linear-lanceolate  leaves,  shortish  spines,  and  yellowish-red 
fruit. 


COCK-SPUR    THORN.  27^ 

5.  C.  c.  nana.  Dwarf  Cock-spur  Thorn,  distinguished  by  its  somewhat 
tomentose  branchlets,  oval-lanceolate  leaves,  paler  on  the  under  than  the  upper 
surface,  and  dwarfish  in  its  growth.  When  trained  to  a  single  stem,  it  forms  a 
beautiful  miniature  gardenesque  tree,  as  denoted  in  the  figure  below. 

Propagation,  fyc.  In  the  twenty-third  volume  of  the  "  Transactions  of  the 
London  Society  of  Arts,"  is  given  the  following  method  of  raising  thorns  from 
roots,  which  has  long  been  practised  both  in  Europe  and  America  with  success  : — 
u  Purchase  the  desired  number  of  thorns,  and  when  three  years  old,  take  them 
up  and  trim  the  roots,  from  each  of  which,  ten  or  twelve  cuttings  will  be 
obtained.  Plant  these  cuttings  in  rows  half  a  yard  asunder,  and  about  four 
inches  from  each  other  in  the  row.  They  ought  to  be  about  four  inches  long, 
and  planted  with  the  top  one  fourth  of  an  inch  out  of  the  ground,  and  well 
fastened,  otherwise  they  will  not  succeed  so  well.  April  is  the  best  time  to  plant 
the  cuttings.  The  thick  end  must  be  planted  uppermost.  The  advantages  of 
this  mode  are,  first,  in  case  any  one  has  raised  from  haws,  a  thorn  with  remark- 
ably large  prickles,  of  vigorous  growth,  or  possessing  any  other  qualification 
requisite  to  make  a  good  fence,  he  may  propagate  it  far  better  and  sooner,  from 
roots,  than  any  other  way.  Secondly,  in  three  years  he  may  raise  from  roots  a 
better  plant  than  can  in  six  years  be  raised  from  haws,  and  with  double  the 
quantity  of  roots." 


CratcBgus  cordata, 
THE  HEART-LEAVED     OR   WASHINGTON   THORN. 

Synonymes. 


Crataegus  cordata, 


IDe  Candolle,  Prodromus. 
Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
Torre y  and  Gray,  Flora  of  North  America. 
Neflier  a  feuilles  en  C03ur,  France. 

Herzblattrige  Mispel.  Germany. 

Heart-leaved  Thorn,  Washington  Thorn,     Britain  and  Anglo-Ajierica. 

Emravins*.    London  Botanical  Register,  pi.  1151 ;   Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  ii.,  fig.  590  in  p.  861,  et  vi.  pi.  137  ; 
*nd  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.    Disks  of  leaves  cordate-ovate,  angled  by  lobes,  glabrous.    Petioles  and  calyxes  with- 
out glands.     Styles  5  in  a  flower. — De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 


Description. 


SSSBHE  Cratsegus 
^  H  H  j§  cordata  is  a 
)?         [g  handsome  low 


A^^l 


_j*jȤ  tree  or  shrub, 
fifteen  or  twenty  feet  in  height,  found 
in  greater  or  less  abundance  in  rocky 
places,  and  on  the  banks  of  streams 
which  issue  from  the  Alleghanies,  from 
Canada  to  Georgia.  Its  head  is  close 
and  compact,  with  branches  armed  with 
very  long,  slender,  sharp  spines.  Its 
leaves  are  of  a  deep,  shining  green,  and 
vary,  exceedingly,  in  size,  according  to 
the  age  and  vigour  of  the  tree.  They 
are  usually  from  one  to  two  inches  in 
length,  and  are  often  deeply,  and  near- 
ly equally  three-lobed,  like  those  of  the 
red-flowered  maple,  being  sometimes 
of  a  slightly  rhombic  form,  and  a  little  tapering  at  the  base.  The  flowers,  which 
appear  by  the  end  of  June  or  the  beginning  of  July,  are  produced  in  numerous 
terminal  corymbs,  and  are  succeeded  by  very  small,  depressed-globose,  bright-pur- 
ple fruit.  This  species  has  been  cultivated  in  Britain  since  the  year  1738,  where 
several  fine  specimens  are  growing,  of  a  height  of  fifteen  to  thirty  feet.  It  was 
first  cultivated  in  the  nursery  of  Mr.  Main,  of  Georgetown,  in  the  District  of 
Columbia,  towards  the  close  of  the  last  century,  and  has  since  been  much 
employed  in  other  parts  of  the  United  States  for  hedges,  under  the  name  of 
"Washington  Thorn." 


Genus  AMELANCHIER,  Medic. 

Rosaceae.  Icosandria  Di-Pentagynia. 

Syst.  Nat.  Syst.  Lin. 

Synonymes. 

Amelanchier,  Mespilus,  Aronia,  Crataegus,  Pyrus,  Of  Authors. 

Derivations.  Amelancier,  according  to  Clusius,  is  derived  from  amelancier,  the  old  Savoy  name  for  the  Amelanchier  vulgaris. 
The  other  names  have  been  applied  to  the  trees  of  this  genus,  from  the  resemblance  they  were  supposed  to  bear  to  the  medlar 
thorn,  etc. 

Generic  Characters.  Ovaries  5,  each  divided  by  a  partition,  so  that  there  are  10  cells ;  ovules,  1  in  each 
cell.  Ripe  pome  including  3 — 5  carpels.  Petals  lanceolate.  Leaves  simple,  serrate,  deciduous. 
Flowers  in  racemes. — Loudon,  Arboretum. 

(HE  genus  Amelanchier  occurs  in  but  two  forms  sufficiently  dis- 
tinct to  be  regarded  as  species,  namely,  the  common  amelan- 
chier of  Europe,  (A.- vulgaris.)  and  the  Amelanchier  canadensis, 
(June  berry,)  of  North  America.  The  former  is  a  native  of  moun- 
tainous woods,  among  rocks,  in  different  parts  of  the  continent,  as 
the  Alps,  the  Pyrenees,  Fontainbleau,  Sec.  and  has  been  culti- 
vated in  Britain  since  1596,  where  it  forms  a  most  desirable  low  tree,  fifteen  or 
twenty  feet  in  height,  on  account  of  its  early  and  numerous  flowers,  which  cover 
the  tree  like  a  white  sheet,  about  the  middle  of  April,  and,  in  very  mild  seasons, 
even  in  March.  Its  fruit  is  round,  soft,  eatable,  and  ripens  in  July,  soon  aftr 
which,  it  drops  off,  or  is  eaten  by  birds.  It  may  be  propagated  from  seeds  or  by 
grafting  on  the  hawthorn  or  the  quince. 

To  the  same  natural  family  belongs  the  common  medlar  of  Europe,  (Mespilus 
germanica,)  a  tree  which  was  known  to  the  Greeks,  and  has  been  cultivated  in 
Britain  for  an  indefinite  period.  As  an  ornamental  shrub,  it  well  deserves  a 
place  in  every  collection,  from  the  tortuous,  fantastic  appearance  of  its  branches, 
its  large  leaves,  large  white  flowers,  and  rich-looking  persistent  calyxes,  which 
accompany  its  fruit.  There  are  several  varieties  of  this  species,  among  which, 
what  is  called  the  "  Dutch  medlar,"  is  reckoned  the  best.  The  fruit,  however, 
is  not  eaten  till  in  a  state  of  incipient  decay,  when  it  is  very  agreeable  to  some 
palates;  though,  as  Du  Hamel  observes,  it  is  probably  more  "  un  fruit  de  fantai- 
sie,"  than  one  of  real  utility. 

36 


Amelanchier  canadensis. 


THE   CANADIAN   AMELANCHIER. 


Mespilus  canadensis, 
Mespilus  arborea, 
Amelanchier  c.  botryapium, 

Amelanchier  botryapium, 


Grand    Amelanchier,     Amelanchier    de 

Ohoisy,    Alizier    de  ^  Choisy,    Ahzier 

a  grappes,  Bois  de  fleche, 
Traubenbirne, 
Amelanchier  di  Canada, 
Canadian     Medlar,     Snowy     Mespilus, 

Snowy-blossomed  Amelanchier, 
Wild  Pear-tree,  Sugar  Plum,  June-Berry, 

Shad-blow,  Shad-flower, 


Synor.ymes 

Linnaeus,  Species  Plantarum. 
Michaux,  North  American  Sylva. 
Torrey  and  Gray,  Flora  of  North  America. 
De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 
Hooker,  Flora  Boreali-Americana. 
{  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 


•  France. 

Germany. 
Italy. 

Britain. 
Anglo-America. 


Derivations  The  specific  name,  botryapium,  is  derived  from  the  Greek  botrus,  a  grape,  in  reference  to  the  form  of  the 
fruit  and  the  Celtic  apon,  water,  probably  from  the  circumstance  of  this  species  usually  growing  along  streams  and  in  swampy 
grounds  The  Ge  man  name  signifies.  Grape-pear.  It  is  called  June  Berry,  on  account  of  the  ripening  of  its  fruit  in  some  parts 
of  the  country  in  the  month  of  June,  before  that  of  any  other  tree  ;  and  it  is  named  Shad-blow  because  the  opening  of  its  blos- 
soms indicates  the  season  at  which  the  shad  ascend  the  rivers,  on  the  banks  of  which  it  sometimes  abounds. 

En°ravin<rs.  Michaux,  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  66;  Audubon,  Birds  of  America,  i.,  pi.  lx. ;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britan- 
nicum, ii.,  fig.  623,  and  vi.,  pi.  162  et  163;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.    Leaves  oblong-elliptical,  cuspidate,  somewhat  villous  when  young,  afterwards  gla 
brous. — De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 


Description. 

^j^|HE  Amelanchier  cana- 
densis, in  favourable 
situations,  sometimes 
Wtefit&Mi  attains  a  height  of  thir- 
ty or  tony  feet,  with  a  diameter  of  ten  or 
twelve  inches.  Its  leaves  are  from  two  to  three 
inches  long,  alternate,  of  a  lengthened  oval 
shape,  finely  toothed,  and,  when  beginning  to 
open,  are  covered  with  a  thick,  silvery  down, 
which  disappears  with  their  growth,  and 
leaves  them  perfectly  smooth  on  both  sides. 
The  flowers,  which  are  white,  and  rather 
large,  are  disposed  in  long  panicles  at  the  ex- 
tremities of  the  branches,  and  expand  in  the 
Carolinas  and  Georgia  in  February  and  March, 
and  in  the  middle  and  northern  states  in  April 
and  May.  The  fruit  is  of  a  globular  form,  about  one  fourth  of  an  inch  in  diam- 
eter, red  in  an  immature  state,  and  of  a  dark-purple  when  fully  ripe,  and  is 
covered  with  a  bloom.  It  matures  at  the  south  in  the  month  of  June,  and  from 
one  to  two  months  later  in  the  more  northern  regions  where  it  abounds.  Of  this 
fruit,  the  largest  tree  rarely  yields  more  than  half  a  pound. 


CANADIAN    AMELANCHIER.  283 

Varieties.  As  numerous  forms  constantly  occur  between  the  European  and 
American  types  of  this  genus,  it  is  difficult  to  determine  to  which  species  they 
belong.  Indeed,  the  two  trees  so  closely  resemble  each  other,  that  they  have 
been  regarded  by  some  botanists  as  belonging  to  the  same  species.  There  are 
several  races,  however,  which  appear  to  be  sufficiently  distinct,  and  may  be 
described  as  follows  : — 

1.  A.  c.  oblongifolia,  Torrey  and  Gray.  Oblong-leaved  Canadian  Amelan- 
chier,  a  shrubby  tree,  with  oval-oblong  leaves. 

2.  A.  c.  rotundifolia,  Torrey  and  Gray.  Round-leaved  Canadian  Amelanchier, 
occurring  either  shrubby  or  arborescent,  with  roundish-oval  leaves. 

3.  A.  c.  alnifolia,  Torrey  and  Gray.  Alder-leaved  Canadian  Amela?ichier,  also 
shrubby  or  arborescent.  Its  leaves  are  roundish,  elliptical,  very  obtuse  or  retuse 
at  each  end,  and  only  serrate  near  the  summit. 

4.  A.  c.  pumila,  Torrey  and  Gray.  Dwarf  Canadian  Amelanchier,  with  small, 
roundish-oval  leaves,  obtuse  at  both  ends. 

5.  A.  c.  oligocarpa,  Torrey  and  Gray.  Few-fruited  Canadian  Amelanchier,  a 
shrubby  tree,  with  narrow  oval  or  oblong  leaves,  which  are  mostly  glabrous, 
even  when  young. 

Geography,  <$fc.  The  Amelanchier  canadensis,  with  the  exception  of  the 
maritime  parts  of  the  southern  states,  is  spread  over  the  whole  extent  of  Anglo- 
America,  from  Georgia  to  Hudson's  Bay,  and  from  Newfoundland  to  Oregon. 
It  is  most  multiplied  on  the  fertile  banks  of  rivers,  and  in  swampy  grounds, 
although  it  sometimes  occurs  in  dry,  rocky  places,  where  the  soil  is  less  rich. 
This  species  was  introduced  into  Britain  by  Archibald, Duke  of  Argyll,  in  1746. 
It  is  common  in  the  European  gardens  and  collections,  where  it  has  acquired  a 
height  of  more  than  twenty  feet,  and  is  much  esteemed  in  early  spring,  for  its 
profusion  of  flowers,  and  in  autumn,  for  the  fine  dark-red,  which  its  leaves 
assume  before  they  fall. 

Properties  and '  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  Canadian  amelanchier  is  white 
throughout,  exhibiting  no  difference  of  colour,  except  in  being  longitudinally 
traversed  by  small  red  vessels,  which  intersect  each  other  and  run  together,  as 
in  the  red  birch  (Betula  nigra.)  From  its  inferior  size,  and  want  of  durability, 
it  is  applied  to  no  particular  use  in  the  arts.  The  fruit  is  of  an  agreeable  sweet 
taste,  and  is  used  by  the  natives,  in  the  northern  regions  where  it  abounds,  as  an 
article  of  food. 


Genus    PYRUS,    Lindl. 


Rosaceae. 
Syst.  Nat. 


Iscondria  Di-Pentagynia. 
Syst.  Lin. 


Synonymes. 


Pyrus,  Pyraster  Mains,  Sorbus        j  Qp  AuTH0RS. 
Ana,  Aroma,  Lratagus,  Mespilus,   ) 

Derivations.  The  word  Pyrus  is  derived  from  the  Celtic  peren,  the  pear;  and  Malus  is  the  ancient  Roman  name  of  the 
apple-tree.  The  other  names  have  been  applied  to  various  trees  of  this  genus,  from  the  analogy  they  were  supposed  to  bear  to 
the  Aria,  Aronia,  etc. 

Generic  Characters.    Carpels  5,  or  2 — 5.     Seeds  2  in  each  carpel.     Trees  or  shrubs.    Leaves  simple  or 
pinnate,  deciduous.    Flowers  in  spreading  terminal  cymes  or  corymbs. — London,  Arboretum. 

^HE  genus  Pyrus  is  composed  of  low  trees  and  shrubs,  mostly  decid- 
uous, and  natives  of  Europe,  Asia,  and  of  North  America.  Some 
of  them  are  held  in  high  estimation  for  their  fruit ;  while  others 
are  cultivated  chiefly  for  their  flowers.  Under  this  head,  modern 
botanists  have  united  the  old  genera  Pyrus,  Malus,  and  Sorbus, 
together  with  several  species  formerly  included  under  Mespilus, 
Crataegus,  Aronia,  and  others.  Taking  the  generic  characters  from  the  fruit,  we 
agree  with  Mr.  Loudon,  that  this  union  appears  strictly  in  accordance  with  the 
canons  laid  down  by  botanists ;  but  we  cannot  help  stating,  with  him,  that,  in 
our  opinion,  it  would  be  much  more  convenient,  in  a  practical  point  of  view,  in 
establishing  genera,  to  take  into  consideration  the  leaves,  the  character  of  the 
vegetation,  the  physiology,  and  even  the  habit,  of  the  plant,  than  merely  to  draw 
the  distinctive  characters  from  the  parts  of  fructification.  In  consequence  of 
attending  only  to  these  parts  of  plants,  the  genus  Pyrus,  as  at  present  constituted, 
contains  species,  such  as  the  apple  and  pear,  which  will  not  readily  graft  on  each 
other ;  a  circumstance  which  clearly  shows  that  the  union  of  these  two  kinds  of 
plants,  in  one  genus,  is  not  a  natural  one.  We  think  that  no  plants  should  be 
comprehended  in  the  same  genus,  which  will  not  graft  reciprocally  on  each 
other,  nor  those  of  different  habits  or  constitutions ;  and,  consequently,  that  twin- 
ing plants  should  not  be  classified  with  trees  and  upright  shrubs ;  nor  deciduous 
trees  and  shrubs  with  evergreens.  When  a  more  perfect  knowledge  is  obtained 
of  all  the  vegetable  productions  of  the  earth,  we  have  no  doubt  that  it  will  be 
found  necessary  to  remodel  all  of  the  genera,  as  well  as  to  give,  in  many  cases, 
new  and  characteristic  names  to  the  species, — a  labour  which,  formidable  as  it 
may  appear  at  first  view,  will  be  diminished  to  a  degree  scarcely  credible,  when 
the  present  chaos  of  names,  and  apparently  of  species,  is  reduced  by  simplifica- 
tion.* 

Under  the  genus  Pyrus  are  at  present  included  the  apple  and  the  pear,  which 
were  formerly  considered  as  distinct.  Those  authors  most  tanacious  concerning 
the  establishment  of  the  two  vegetables  as  different  genera,  have  drawn  their 
characters  from  the  adherence  of  the  lower  part  of  the  five  styles  to  their  villosity, 
to  the  spheroidal  form  of  their  fruit,  and  to  the  stem  of  the  apple  being  set  in  a 
cavity, — characters  which  are  by  no  means  constant,  and  are  frequently  effaced. 
M.  Turpin,  in  a  memoir  to  the  French  Academy  of  Sciences,  on  the  differenco 


*  See  London's  Arboretum  Britannicum,  ii.,  p.  879. 


pyrus.  285 

existing  between  the  cellular  tissues  of  the  apple  and  pear,  founds  their  distinction 
in  the  absence  or  presence  of  those  stony  concretions  which  are  to  be  met  with  in 
the  pear.  These  concretions  he  attributes  to  the  aggregation  of  little  globules, 
which  by  degrees  become  clogged  with  an  indigestible  matter,  confusedly  depos- 
ited in  molecules,  from  which  they  receive  their  opaqueness,  hardness,  and  colour. 
This  genus,  according  to  De  Candolle  and  Loudon,  may  be  classified  under 
eight  sections,  all  the  species  of  which  may  be  propagated  from  seeds,  and  by 
grafting  or  budding  on  the  wild  varieties  of  each  division.  The  sections  and  the 
most  important  species  contained  in  them,  we  will  briefly  notice  as  follows : — 

1.  Pyrophonim,  characterized  by  flat,  spreading  petals;  five  distinct  styles; 
pome  more  or  less  top-shaped,  or  sub-globose,  without  a  cavity  at  the  base ;  sim- 
ple umbelled  pedicels ;  and  simple  leaves,  without  glands.  This  section  compre- 
hends all  the  pears,  properly  so  called,  and  besides  the  Pyrus  communis,  and  all 
its  varieties,  it  includes  the  Chinese  pear,  (Pyrus  sinensis,)  which,  according  to 
Dr.  Lindley,  differs  from  the  common  pear,  in  having  longer  and  greenish  branches, 
larger,  more  lucid,  and  almost  evergreen  leaves;  insipid,  apple-shaped,  warted, 
and  very  gritty  fruit ;  and  a  calyx,  destitute  of  down  within.  The  tree  is  orna- 
mental, and  perfectly  hardy ;  but  as  a  fruit-tree,  it  is  worthless.  It  also  includes 
the  Bolhvyller  pear,  (Pyrus  bollwylleriana,)  a  very  distinct  variety,  with  large, 
rough  leaves,  resembling  those  of  the  apple,  with  small,  turbinate,  orange-yellow 
fruit,  unfit  to  eat;  the  notched-leaved  pear,  (Pyrus  crenata,)  native  of  Nepal, 
growing  to  an  elevation  of  nine  or  twelve  thousand  feet  above  the  level  of  the 
sea,  and  approaches  to  Pyrus  bollwylleriana;  but  its  leaves  are  crenated  instead 
of  being  serrated,  and  its  flowers  are  more  numerous ;  and  the  variable-leaved 
pear,  (Pyrus  variolosa,)  likewise  a  native  of  Nepal,  distinguished  by  ovate,  acu- 
minated, crenate,  glabrous  leaves,  in  the  adult  state,  situated  on  long  petioles,  but 
when  young,  clothed  with  yellowish  tomentum  beneath.  Its  fruit  is  said  to  be 
inedible  until  it  becomes  somewhat  decayed  ;  and  has  the  property  of  remaining  a 
long  time  on  the  tree,  sometimes  even  till  the  flowers  appear  in  the  following 
spring.  It  forms  a  very  handsome  tree,  is  hardy,  of  tolerably  rapid  growth,  and 
is  well  worthy  of  a  place  in  every  collection. 

2.  Mains,  characterized  by  flat,  spreading  petals ;  five  styles,  more  or  less 
strictly  connate  at  the  base;  pome  mostly  globose,  depressed,  and  generally 
having  a  concavity  at  its  base ;  flowers  in  corymbs ;  and  simple  leaves  without 
glands.  This  section  includes  all  the  apples  and  crabs,  and  besides  the  Pyrus 
malus  and  varieties,  it  comprehends  the  showy-flowering  apple-tree,  or  Chinese 
crab,  (Pyrus  spectabilis,)  distinguishable  by  its  semi-double,  pale,  rose-coloured 
flowers,  the  buds  of  which,  before  they  expand,  are  of  a  deep-red.  The  stamens 
and  pistils  are  much  more  numerous  than  in  the  other  species ;  the  former  some- 
times exceeding  forty  and  the  latter  twenty  in  number.  The  fruit  is  small,  irreg- 
ularly round,  angular,  about  the  size  of  a  cherry,  and  when  ripe,  is  of  a  yellow 
colour,  but  without  flavour,  and  is  only  fit  to  eat  in  a  state  of  incipient  decay. 
From  the  beauty  of  its  flowers  in  early  spring,  when  but  few  other  trees  are  in 
bloom,  it  is  well  worthy  of  cultivation,  and  no  garden,  whether  large  or  small, 
should  be  without  it. 

3.  Aria,  characterized  by  flat,  spreading  petals ;  from  two  to  three  styles ;  glo- 
bose pome;  flowers  with  racemose  corymbs,  and  branched  peduncles;  simple 
leaves,  whitely  tomentose  beneath,  and  without  glands.  This  section  compre- 
hends the  white  beam-tree,  (Pyrus  aria,)  and  its  varieties  of  Europe  and  Asia, 
which  vary  much  in  a  state  of  culture,  and  consequently  cause  great  confusion 
among  amateurs  and  botanists.  As  a  useful  and  an  ornamental  tree,  the  white 
beam  has  some  valuable  properties.  Its  wood  is  universally  employed  on  the 
continent  for  cogs  to  the  wheels  of  machinery,  and  is  appropriated  to  a  variety 
of  other  uses.     From  the  moderate  size  of  the  tree,  and  the  definite  shape  of  its 


286  pyrus. 

summit,  and  thus  bearing  the  character  of  art,  it  is  adapted  for  particular  situa- 
tions where  the  violent  contrast  exhibited  by  trees  of  picturesque  forms  would 
be  inharmonious.  In  summer,  when  clothed  with  leaves,  it  forms  a  compact 
green  mass,  till  it  is  ruffled  by  the  breeze,  when,  like  the  abele,  it  suddenly 
assumes  a  mealy  whiteness.  From  its  hardy  nature,,  it  will  withstand  the 
fiercest  and  the  coldest  winds,  and  yet  will  never  fail  to  grow  erect,  and  produce 
a  regular  head ;  and  for  this  reason,  it  is  well  adapted  for  sheltering  houses  and 
gardens  where  the  situations  are  much  exposed. 

'  4.  Torminaria,  characterized  by  flat,  spreading  petals,  with  short  claws ;  from 
two  to  five  connected  glabrous  styles ;  pome  top-shaped  at  the  base,  and  trun- 
cate at  the  tip,  with  but  little  juice;  sepals  deciduous  ;  leaves  angled,  with  lobes, 
glabrous  when  adult ;  flowers  in  corymbs,  with  the  peduncles  branched.  In  this 
section  is  included  the  griping-fruited  or  common  wild  service-tree,  (Pyrus  tormi- 
nalis,)  native  of  various  parts  of  Europe,  and  of  western  Asia;  and  in  its  gene- 
ral character,  in  regard  to  constitution  and  habit,  greatly  resembles  the  trees  of 
the  division  Aria. 

5.  Eriolobus,  characterized  by  flat,  spreading  petals,  with  short  claws,  and 
with  about  three  teeth  at  the  tip ;  styles,  five  in  number,  long  at  the  base,  very 
hairy,  and  somewhat  connected ;  pome  globose,  glabrous,  crowned  with  the  lobes 
of  the  calyx,  which  are  tomentose  upon  both  surfaces ;  leaves  palmately  lobed, 
and  glabrous  ;  flowers  upon  unbranched  pedicels,  disposed  in  corymbs.  This 
section  includes  the  three-lobed-leaved  pear-tree,  (Pyrus  trilobata,)  a  native  of 
Mount  Lebanon,  which  grows  to  the  height  of  twenty  feet. 

6.  Sorbus,  characterized  by  flat,  spreading  petals;  from  two  to  five  styles; 
globose,  or  top-shaped  pome ;  impari-pinnate,  or  pinnately-cut  leaves ;  and  flow- 
ers occurring  in  branched  corymbs.  The  trees  comprehended  in  this  division, 
are  natives  of  northern  and  western  Asia,  Europe,  the  Himalayas,  and  North 
America,  and  like  those  of  the  section  Aria,  are  much  confounded,  and  bear 
a  great  variety  of  names.  Besides  the  mountain  ash,  or  fowler's  service-tree, 
(Pyrus  aucuparia,)  and  its  varieties,  this  section  includes  the  auricled  service, 
(Pyrus  auriculata,)  a  native  of  Egypt;  the  pinnatifid-leaved  service,  (Pyrus  pin- 
natifida,)  indigenous  to  Gothland,  Thuringia,  and  Britain;  and  the  true  service- 
tree,  (Pyrus  sorbus,)  a  native  of  Europe,  western  Asia,  and  northern  Africa, 
cultivated  for  ornament,  and  celebrated  for  being  the  hardest  and  the  heaviest  of 
all  European  woods. 

7.  Adeuorachis,  characterized  by  spreading  petals,  each  with  a  claw,  and  a 
concave  limb ;  from  two  to  five  styles ;  globose  pome ;  simple  leaves,  with  the 
midribs  bearing  glands  on  the  upper  surface ;  and  the  flowers  occurring  in 
branched  corymbs.  This  section  is  so  unlike  the  others  in  habit  and  general 
appearance,  that,  at  some  future  time,  it  will  probably  form  a  distinct  genus, 
and  perhaps  will  be  classified  with  the  common  hawthorn,  (Crataegus  oxycantha,) 
as  the  trees  in  the  two  divisions  will  probably  prove  to  graft  reciprocally  upon 
each  other.  Among  the  trees  of  this  section,  are  included  the  arbutus-leaved 
aronia,  (Pyrus  arbutifolia,)  and  its  varieties,  which  consist  of  deciduous  shrubs, 
natives  of  North  America,  growing  to  a  height  of  four  or  five  feet,  and  distin- 
guished for  their  prolific  flowers,  and  red,  dark-purple,  or  black  fruit ;  the  downy- 
branched  aronia,  (Pyrus  pubens,)  and  the  large-leaved  aronia,  (Pyrus  grandifolia,) 
both  of  which  are  also  natives  of  North  America,  and  well  deserve  a  place  in 
every  collection. 

s.  ChamcBmespilus,  characterized  by  upright,  conniving,  concave  petals ;  two 
styles ;  ovate  pome ;  simple,  glandless  leaves ;  and  flowers  occurring  in  capitate 
corymbs.  This  section  comprehends  the  European  dwarf  medlar,  (Pyrus  chamae- 
mespilus,)  a  compact  bush,  bearing  an  abundance  of  flowers,  and  orange-coloured 
fruit,  grafts  readily  on  the  common  hawthorn,  and  deserves  to  be  extensively 
introduced  in  collections. 


Pyrus  communis, 

THE  COMMON  PEAR-TREE. 
i 

Synonymes. 


Pyrus  communis, 

Poirier, 

Gemeine  Birne,  Birnenbaum, 

Pero, 

Pereira, 

Gruschka, 

Pear-tree, 


'  Linn.eus,  Species  Plantamm. 

De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 
'  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicura. 

France. 

Germany. 

Italy  and  Spain. 

Portugal. 

Russia. 

Britain  and  Anglo- America. 


Engravings.    Lindley,  Pomologia  Britannica;  Hoffy,  Orchardists'  Companion  :  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britatinicum    vi    m. 
'66,  167,  et  163;  and  the  figures  below.  '      "'  F 

Specific  Characters.    Branches  and  buds  glabrous.    Leaves  ovate,  serrated,  glabrous  upon  both  surface? 
Flowers  corymbose. — De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 

Description. 

"  The  juicy  pear 
Lies  in  soft  profusion  scattered  round. 
A  various  sweetness  swells  the  gentle  race, 
By  nature's  all-refining  hand  prepared, 
Of  tempered  sun  and  water,  earth  and  air, 
In  ever-changing  composition  mixed." 

[HE  Common 

Pear-tree,  in 

a  wild  state, 

has  a  pyra- 
midal shaped  head,  with  thorny 
branches,  at  first  erect,  and  after- 
wards pendulous  or  curved  down- 
wards. When  cultivated  under  fa- 
vourable circumstances,  it  will  some- 
times attain  a  height  of  fifty  or  sixty 
feet,  and  a  diameter  of  eighteen  to  thirty-six  inches.  The  roots,  which  are  not 
numerous,  descend  perpendicularly,  and  have  but  few  lateral  ramifications, 
except  in  shallow  and  rich  soil.  The  leaves  vary  exceedingly  in  different  soils, 
and  in  different  parts  of  the  globe.  In  Britain,  and  in  the  temperate  regions  of 
North  America,  they  are  generally  green,  slightly  tomentose,  and  do  not  greatly 
vary  in  size ;  but  in  the  woods  of  Poland,  and  in  the  vast  steppes  of  Russia,  those 
of  the  wild  pear-trees  are  commonly  white  with  down,  and  vary  so  exceedingly 
in  their  size  and  forms,  as  to  include  what  are  called  the  "  willow-leaved,"  the 
"  sage-leaved,"  and  the  "  narrow-leaved"  varieties,  which,  by  many,  are  regarded 
as  species.  The  blossoms  of  the  pear,  which  are  scentless,  and  of  a  pure  white, 
appear  in  the  warmer  parts  of  Britain,  and  in  the  southern  counties  of  Ohio,  by 
the  middle  of  April;  in  Sweden,  and  in  Massachusetts,  by  the  20th  of  May;  at 
Perth  Amboy,  in  New  Jersey,  the  10th  of  May,  and  at  Naples,  in  Italy,  six 
weeks  earlier.  The  fruit,  in  a.  wild  state,  is  seldom  more  than  a  fourth  part  of 
the  size  of  the  ordinary  cultivated  varieties ;  and  is  also  austere  and  unfit  to  eat. 
For  a  comparison  of  this  fruit  with  the  apple,  the  reader  is  referred  to  our  descrip- 
tion of  the  latter,  under  the  head  of  "  Pyrus  mains." 

Varieties.     Dc  Candolle  describes  two  forms  of  the  wild  species,  comparative!) 


288  PYRUS    COMMUNIS. 

permanent ;  to  which  Mr.  Loudon  added  several  others,  the  result  of  cultivation, 
and  which 'he  considers  as  more  or  less  accidental  or  temporary.  To  these  we 
have  subjoined  a  group  of  wild  pears,  with  hoary  leaves,  which  may  be  regarded 
as  varieties  or  races,  though  commonly  treated  as  species : — 

1.  P.  c.  achras.  The  Spiny-leaved  Pear-tree.  This  variety  may  be  known 
by  its  spiny,  ovate,  acuminate,  entire  leaves,  with  long  petioles.  The  leaves  and 
the  tube  of  the  calyx  are  woolly,  when  young,  but  afterwards  glabrous.  Pome 
with  its  basal  part  long. 

2.  P.  c.  pyraster.  The  Wild  Acerb-fruited  Pear-tree,  distinguished  by  its 
spiny  branches,  roundish,  acute,  sharply-serrated  leaves,  glabrous  even  when 
young,  as  is  the  tube  of  the  calyx.  Pome  rounded  at  the  base,  gritty,  sour,  bit- 
ter, and  harsh  to  the  taste. 

3.  P.  c.  foliis  variegatis.      Variegated-leaved  Pear-tree. 

4.  P.  c.  fructu  variegato.  Variegated-fruited  Pear-tree,  the  skin  of  the  fruit 
of  which  is  variegated  with  yellow  and  white. 

5.  P.  c.  sanguinolenta.  The  Sanguinole  Pear-tree,  the  flesh  of  the  fruit  of 
which  is  red  or  reddish ;  and,  though  small  and  gritty,  is  edible  when  ripe. 

6.  P.  c.  flore  pleno.  Double-flowered  Pear-tree  ;  Poirier  de  I 'Armenie,  of  the 
French,  distinguished  for  its  double  flowers. 

7.  P.  c.  jaspida.  The  Jasper-barked  Pear-tree ;  Bon  Chretien  d  boisjaspe,  of 
the  French,  having  the  bark  of  the  wood  striped  with  yellow. 

8.  P.  c.  sativa.  The  Spineless  cultivated  Pear-tree,  from  which  originated  the 
numerous  sub-varieties  growing  in  gardens,  with  edible  fruit.  Their  number  at 
present  amount  to  several  thousand,  and  it  is  to  be  regretted  that  the  speciality 
of  this  work  will  not  permit  us  to  treat  of  them  in  detail,  after  the  manner  of 
describing  the  different  varieties  of  the  common  cherry. 

9.  P.  c.  salvifolia,  (P.  salvifolia,  De  Candolle,)  Sage-leaved  or  Aurelian  Pear- 
tree,  with  thick  branches;  tomentose  buds;  entire  lanceolate  leaves,  tomentose 
all  over  when  young,  but  glabrous  on  the  upper  surface  when  adult.  Its  fruit  is 
thick,  long,  and  suitable  for  making  perry.  It  occurs  both  wild  and  cultivated, 
about  Aurelia,  in  France. 

10.  P.  c.  nivalis  (P.  nivalis,  De  Candolle.)  Snowy-leaved  Pear-tree,  with 
leaves  oval,  entire,  obtuse,  white  and  silky  beneath;  corymbs  terminal;  fruit 
globose,  very  acid,  except  when  ripe,  and  beginning  to  decay,  when  it  becomes 
sweet.     It  is  a  native  of  the  Austrian  Alps. 

11.  P.  c.  salicifolia  (P.  solicifolia,  De  Candolle.)  Willow -leaved  Pear-tree. 
The  buds  of  this  variety  are  whitely  tomentose;  the  leaves  linear-lanceolate, 
acute,  entire,  hoary,  particularly  upon  the  under  surface,  with  their  disks  three 
times  as  long  as  the  petioles ;  the  flowers  occur  upon  short  pedicels,  disposed  in 
corymbs.  It  is  a  native  of  Siberia,  Caucasus,  and  Persia,  and  is  generally 
accompanied  by  the  Crataegus  oxycantha,  and  Primus  spinosa. 

12.  P.  c\  amygdaliformis,  (P.  amy gdaliformis ;  De  Candolle,)  Almond-shaped 
Pear-tree,  the  branches  of  which  are  spiny;  the  buds  tomentose;  the  leaves 
oblong,  acute,  entire,  tomentose  all  over  when  young,  but  glabrous  on  the  upper 
surface  when  adult,  with  disks  six  times  longer  than  the  petioles ;  the  flowers 
occur  in  corymbs.  It  grows  wild  in  rough  places  in  Provence,  Dauphiny,  and 
Languedoc,  in  France,  and  when  cultivated,  forms  a  tree  with  a  very  irregular, 
picturesque  head,  with  many  of  the  side-branches  sweeping  the  ground. 

Geography  and  History.  The  common  pear-tree  is  indigenous  to  Europe, 
western  Asia,  the  Himalayas,  and  to  China ;  but  not  to  Africa  nor  America.  It 
is  found  wild  in  most  of  the  counties  of  Britain,  as  far  north  as  Forfarshire ;  on 
the  continent  of  Europe,  from  Sweden  to  the  Mediterranean;  and  in  Asia,  as  far 
east  as  China  and  Japan.  It  is  always  found  on  a  dry  soil,  and  more  frequently 
on  plains  than  on  hills  or  mountains ;  and  solitary,  or  in  small  groups,  rather 


COMMON    PEAR-TREE.  289 

than  in  woods  and  forests.  The  varieties  cultivated  for  their  fruit  succeed  both 
in  the  temperate  and  transition  zones  of  the  two  hemispheres,  and  it  has  been 
remarked  that  this  tree,  as  well  as  the  apple  and  the  cherry,  will  grow  in  the 
open  air,  wherever  the  oak  will  thrive. 

The  earliest  writers  mention  the  pear  as  growing  abundantly  in  Syria;  Egypt, 
and  in  Greece ;  and  it  appears  to  have  been  brought  into  Italy  from  these  places 
about  the  time  that  Sylla  made  himself  master  of  the  last-named  country, 
although  there  is  but  little  doubt  that  the  Romans  had  several  kinds  of  this  fruit 
long  before  that  time.  Among  the  trees  which  Homer  describes  as  forming  the 
orchard  of  Laertes,  the  father  of  Ulysses,  we  find  the  pear.  Theophrastus  speaks 
of  the  productiveness  of  old  pear-trees ;  and  Virgil  mentions  some  pears  which 
he  received  from  Cato.  Pliny  describes  the  varieties  in  cultivation,  in  his  time, 
as  being  exceedingly  numerous^  and  says  that  a  fermented  liquor  was  made  of 
the  expressed  juice.  "  Both  apples  and  pears,"  he  says,  "  have  the  properties  of 
wine,  on  which  account  the  physicians  are  careful  how  they  give  them  to  their 
patients ;  but  when  sodden  in  wine  and  water,  they  are  esteemed  as  wholesome." 
Again,  he  observes, — "All  pears  whatsoever  are  but  a  heavy  meat,  even  to  those 
in  good  health,  and  the  sick  are  debarred  from  eating  them ;  and  yet,  if  they  are 
well  boiled  or  baked,  they  are  exceedingly  pleasant,  and  moderately  wholesome ; 
when  sodden  or  baked  with  honey,  they  agree  with  the  stomach."  According  to 
Pownell,  the  cultivated  pear  was  imported  into  Marseilles  by  the  Phocaean  colo- 
nists, sometime  during  the  middle  ages ;  and  Whitaker  thinks  that  it  was  intro- 
duced into  Britain  by  the  Romans,  but  at  what  period,  although  it  is  mentioned 
by  all  the  early  writers  of  that  country,  we  have  no  account.  It  was  the  opinion 
of  Mr.  Loudon,  that  all  the  wild  pears  growing  in  England,  originated  from  the 
seeds  of  the  cultivated  sorts,  accidentally  disseminated  by  birds. 

The  pear-tree  is  of  great  longevity,  and  all  writers  on  the  subject,  from 
Theophrastus  to  the  present  day,  agree  that,  as  the  tree  grows  old,  it  increases 
in  fruitfulness,  which  is  indeed  the  case  with  many  other  trees.  In  corroboration 
of  these  views,  Mr.  Loudon  states  that,  "In  Nottinghamshire,  at  Old  Baseford, 
mere  is  a  pear-tree,  of  the  kind  known  as  the  brown  dominion,  which,  in  1826, 
was  upwards  of  a  century  old.  It  is  forty  feet  high,  with  a  head  fifty-four  feet 
m  diameter,  and  a  trunk  two  feet  three  inches  in  diameter.  From  1806  to  1826, 
the  produce  of  this  tree,  on  an  average,  was  fifty  pecks  of  pears  a  year.  In  the 
year  1823,  it  bore  one  hundred  and  seven  pecks,  each  peck  containing  four  hun- 
dred and  twenty  pears ;  and  in  1826,  it  produced  one  hundred  pecks  of  two 
hundred  and  seventy-nine  pears  each;  which,  when  gathered,  weighed  twenty 
pounds  each  peck ;  making  a  total  of  a  ton  weight  of  pears  in  one  year.  As  the 
tree  grows  older,  the  fruit  becomes  larger  and  finer ;  so  that  it  requires  more  than 
one  hundred  pears  less  to  fill  the  peck  now,  than  it  did  twenty-six  years  ago. 
The  increase  in  the  size  of  the  fruit  is  doubtless,  owing  to  the  field  in  which  the 
tree  stands  being  frequently  top-dressed  with  manure." 

In  Duncumb's  "General  View  of  the  Agriculture  of  the  County  of  Hereford." 
published  in  1805,  there  is  recorded  a  very  extraordinary  tree,  growing  on  the 
glebe  land  of  the  parish  of  Hom-Lacey,  that  more  than  once  filled  fifteen  hogs- 
heads with  perry  in  the  same  year.  When  the  branches  of  this  tree,  in  its  origi- 
nal state,  became  long  and  heavy,  their  extreme  ends  successively  fell  to  the 
ground,  and,  taking  fresh  root  at  the  several  parts  where  they  touched  it,  each 
branch  became  a  new  tree,  and  in  its  turn,  produced  others  in  the  same  way, 
covering  at  that  time  nearly  half  of  an  acre  of  land.  "  Being  anxious  to  know 
the  present  state  of  this  celebrated  tree,"  observes  Mr.  Loudon,  "  we  wrote  to  a 
highly  valued  friend,  residing  at  Hereford,  respecting  it,  and  we  have  been 
favoured  with  the  following  reply: — I  have  been  this  morning  to  see  the  far- 
famed  pear-tree.  It  once  covered  an  acre  of  land,  and  would  have  extended 
37 


290  PYRUS    COMMUNIS. 

much  further,  had  nature  been  left  to  her  own  operations.  It  is  now  not  a  quar- 
ter the  size  it  once  boasted ;  but  it  looks  healthy  and  vigorous,  and  when  I  saw 
it,  it  was  covered  with  luxuriant  blossoms.  The  original  trunk  is  still  remain- 
ing ;  and  there  are  young  shoots  which  are  only  yet  approaching  the  ground,  but 
which  seem  nearly  ready  to  take  root  in  it.  The  tree  would  completely  have 
covered  the  vicarage  garden,  if  it  had  been  allowed  to  remain.  It  is  said  to  have 
been  in  its  greatest  perfection  about  1776  or  1777.  There  is  another  tree  of  the 
same  kind  in  the  neighbourhood. — Hereford,  May  18,  1836." 

In  Scotland,  at  Restalrig,  near  Edinburgh,  in  a  garden  adjacent  to  what  was 
the  house  of  Albert  Logan,  who  was  attainted  in  the  reign  of  James  VI.,  (of 
Scotland,  and  First  of  England,)  there  is  a  pear-tree,  which  was  probably 
planted  before  his  forfeiture.  It  is  of  the  kind  called  "  Golden  Knap,"  which,  in 
that  part  of  the  country,  is  generally  considered  as  the  best  variety  to  plant  for 
timber.  At  two  and  a  half  feet  from  the  ground,  in  1836,  it  was  four  yards  in 
circumference.  Dr.  Neill  has  mentioned  a  number  of  very  old  pear-trees, 
standing  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Jedburgh  Abbey,  and  in  fields  known  to 
have  been  formerly  the  gardens  of  religious  houses  in  Scotland,  which  were 
destroyed  at  the  time  of  the  "  Reformation."  Such  trees  are,  for  the  most  part, 
in  good  health,  and  are  abundant  bearers;  and  as  some  of  them  must  have  been 
planted  when  the  abbeys  were  built,  they  are  probably  from  five  to  six  hundred 
years  old.* 

The  introduction  of  this  fruit-tree  into  the  North  American  colonies,  probably 
dates  back  to  the  early  periods  of  their  settlements.  There  are  at  present  exist- 
ing in  this  country,  many  aged  trees,  celebrated  for  the  improved  excellence  of 
their  fruit,  among  which  may  be  mentioned  a  venerable  old  tree,  standing  at  the 
corner  of  the  Third  avenue  and  Thirteenth  street,  in  the  city  of  New  York.  It 
is  said  to  have  been  planted  in  about  the  year  1646,  by  Peter  Stuyvesant,  then 
governor  of  New  Netherlands,  and  has  been  a  living  witness  of  all  the  changes 
and  political  struggles  through  which  this  city  has  passed,  for  a  period  of  nearly 
two  hundred  years.  Although  its  trunk  and  larger  branches  are  signaliy  marked 
by  the  effects  of  time,  it  annually  bears  an  abundance  of  delicious  fruit,  and  at 
the  present  date,  (April  17,  1845,)  it  is  covered  with  a  profusion  of  flowers.  It  is 
about  forty  feet  in  height,  with  a  trunk  one  hundred  inches  in  girth,  at  a  yard 
above  the  ground. 

Soil  and  Situation.  The  common  pear-tree  naturally  requires  a  dry  soil,  and 
where  it  is  intended  to  grow  to  a  large  size,  and  be  productive,  it  should  be 
deep  and  fertile.  It  has  been  remarked  that  a  somewhat  clayey  soil  is  more 
favourable  to  the  longevity  of  the  tree  than  one  that  is  loose  and  sandy,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  resistance  it  offers  to  the  larvae  of  insects,  which  attack  its  fruit. 
leaves,  and  wood,  and  which  usually  burrow  below  the  surface,  to  transform. 
The  same  remark,  it  is  said,  holds  true  with  regard  to  the  apple,  the  mountain 
ash,  (Pyrus  aucuparia,)  and  other  trees  of  this  genus.  "  In  respect  to  situation," 
Mr.  Loudon  observes,  "where  the  pear-tree  is  grown  for  timber,  or  its  effect  in 
landscape  scenery,  it  may  either  be  planted  at  regular  distances,  as  in  an  orchard, 
in  lines  in  a  hedge-row,  or  in  scattered  groups.  There  are  few  trees  better 
adapted  for  being  grown  in  hedge-rows  than  the  fastigiate-growing  varieties  of 
the  pear,  because  their  roots  descend  perpendicularly,  and  can,  therefore,  never 
interfere  with  the  plough ;  and  the  heads,  whether  fastigiate  or  spreading,  it  is 
known  from  experience,  do  very  little  injury  to  pasture.  If,  therefore,  fastigiate- 
growing  trees,  producing  excellent  sorts  of  fruit,  were  planted  in  all  hedges,  a 
very  great  benefit  would  result  to  the  proprietors  or  to  the  public." 

Propagation  and  Culture.     The  wild  pear  may  be  continued  by  seed ;  but  th* 

*  See  Loudon's  Arboretum  Britannicum,  ii.,  p.  888. 


COMMON    PEAR-TREE.  291 

varieties  cultivated  for  their  fruit  are  usually  propagated  by  grafting  and  budding 
on  stocks  of  its  own  kind,  of  the  mountain  ash,  the  quince,  and  those  of  several 
other  trees.  For  the  poorer  soils,  and  exposed  situations,  stocks  of  the  wild  pear, 
the  medlar,  and  several  species  of  thorn,  of  the  given  locality,  are  thought  to  be 
best,  on  account  of  their  hardihood;  but  it  is  found  from  experience,  that,  on 
good  soils,  or  where  the  pear  is  to  be  cultivated  entirely  as  a  fruit-tree,  both  the 
tree  and  the  fruit  will  grow  larger  when  the  stock  is  a  seedling-pear  of  some  vig- 
orous-growing variety.  Such  stocks  also  throw  the  scions  sooner  into  bearing 
than  the  wild  ones,  though  they  tend  more  to  shorten  the  longevity  of  the  trees. 
If  grafted  on  the  stocks  of  the  quince,  the  medlar,  the  thorn,  the  mountain  ash, 
or  any  species  of  sorbus,  fine  dwarf-trees  may  be  obtained,  which  may  be  trained 
en  quenouille,  a  mode  much  adopted  at  present,  by  the  amateurs  of  Europe,  and 
is  also  becoming  common  in  the  United  States.  The  pear  grows  remarkably 
well  on  the  common  hawthorn,  but  if  the  graft  is  not  made  under  ground,  it  does 
not  form  a  very  safe  and  durable  tree;  because,  as  the  diameter  of  the  scion 
increases  faster  than  that  of  the  stock,  it  is  liable  to  be  blown  off  by  the  wind. 
When  the  graft,  however,  is  made  close  to  the  ground,  or  directly  below  its  sur- 
face, the  stock  swells  in  nearly  the  same  proportion  as  the  scion,  and  there  is  but 
little  danger  of  the  tree  being  blown  down,  or  of  its  not  advancing  to  a  consid- 
erable age:  Whenever  the  grafted  part  of  a  tree  has  long  been  buried  at  some 
distance  below  the  surface  of  the  soil,  the  scion  or  upper  part  throws  out  new 
Toots,  which  acquire,  in  time,  so  much  vigour  and  strength,  that  those  of  the 
primitive  stock  gradually  become  decomposed,  and  serve  for  the  nourishment  of 
the  future  tree.  This  "  re-rooting,"  as  it  is  termed,  is  of  great  advantage  to  trees 
occupying  a  soil  not  well  adapted  to  their  longevity  or  vigour,  in  which  case,  art 
should  assist  in  the  operation  in  the  following  manner,  which  we  quote  from  the 
"Revue  Horticole," as  translated  in  Hovey's  " Magazineof  Horticulture," for  April, 
1845,  by  Mr.  A.  J.  Downing,  of  the  botanic  garden  and  nursery,  at  Newburgh, 
New  York: — -"At  the  time  of  planting  the  trees,  the  graft  should  be  inserted  a 
few  inches  below  the  surface  of  the  soil ;  two  or  three  years  afterwards,  *  *  *  * 
at  the  time  when  the  descending  sap  is  most  abundant,  which  is  usually  in  July, 
the  earth  should  be  removed  at  the  foot  of  each  tree,  so  as  to  lay  bare  the  swell- 
ing of  the  graft;  after  which,  several  incisions  should  be  made  with  a  sharp 
gouge,  raising  up  from  below  several  tongues  of  the  thickness  of  the  bark  and 
alburnum;  this  operation  will  give  them  a  concave  form,  of  which  the  length 
will  be  at  least  double  the  width ;  these  incisions  should  be  multiplied,  according 
to  the  size  of  the  trees  upon  which  the  operation  is  performed ;  but  more  than  a 
quarter  of  the  bark  should  never  be  removed.  These  wounds  should  be  immedi- 
ately covered  with  the  richest  soil ;  one  fourth  cow-manure,  to  three-fourths  of 
fresh  loam,  well  mixed,  are,  in  my  opinion,  the  best  and  the  simplest  application ; 
one  or  two  shovels  full  of  this  mixture  are  sufficient  to  cause  the  tree  to  throw 
out  a  large  quantity  of  roots,  which,  shooting  down  into  the  natural  soil,  sustain 
the  life  of  the  trees  during  a  considerable  time."  On  this  subject,  Mr.  Downing 
remarks,  that,  "  generally  speaking,  it  is  a  dangerous  practice  to  plant  a  tree 
several  inches  lower  than  it  stood  in  the  nursery,  so  as  to  cover  the  union  of  the 
stock  and  graft.  Many  trees  would  languish  and  die,  under  such  treatment, 
unless  speedily  re-established  on  the  new  roots.  But  this  suggests  a  very  excel- 
lent mode  of  grafting,  that  obviates  all  this  difficulty,  and  which  may  indeed  be 
considered  the  most  perfect  of  all  modes,  viz.,  that  of  grafting  on  pieces  of  the 
root,  instead  of  the  whole  stock ;  or  cutting  down  small  stocks  quite  to  the  root, 
and  grafting  considerably  below  the  surface.  This  is  now  practised  to  some 
extent  by  many  American  nurserymen,  in  working  the  apple,  and  it  might  be 
carried  further  with  success,  as  the  re-rooting  of  grafts  so  inserted  would,  per- 
haps, generally  take  place  without  assistance." 


232  PYRUS    COMMUNIS. 

From  the  pyramidal,  and  often  fastigiate  form  of  the  pear,  its  summit  requires 
much  less  space  than  the  apple  or  the  cherry.  In  the  more  fertile  soils,  the  dis- 
tance at  which  the  trees  may  be  planted  apart,  need  not  exceed  twenty  feet ;  and 
those  of  a  poorer  soil  may  be  much  less.  The  quenouilles,  or  dwarfs,  trained  in 
the  form  of  a  distaff,  with  their  branches  reaching  nearly  ox  quite  to  the  ground, 
are  found  to  succeed  even  at  a  distance  of  four  or  five  feet  apart,  and  produce 
abundant  crops. 

The  pear-tree  is  liable  to  be  much  injured  if  pruned  by  those  who  do  not 
understand  the  nature  of  its  growth.  The  blossoms  are  commonly  produced 
from  buds  at  the  extremity  of  the  last  year's  shoots,  and  as  these  are  often  cut 
off  by  the  unskilful  primer,  it  prevents  them  from  producing  fruit,  and  causes 
the  boughs  to  send  out  new  branches,  which  overfill  the  tree  with  wood.  For 
reasons  assigned  on  the  subject  of  pruning  in  our  articles  on  the  cherry  and  plum, 
July  and  August  is  the  best  time  to  look  over  the  pear-trees,  and  to  remove  all 
superfluous  and  foreright  shoots,  which  would  too  much  shade  the  fruit. 

The  rate  of  growth  of  the  cultivated  pear-tree,  in  Britain,  is  considered,  on  an 
average,  as  from  two  to  three  feet  per  annum,  for  the  first  six  or  seven  years ;  in 
ten  years  it  will  acquire  the  height  of  twenty  feet ;  and  in  thirty  years,  it  will 
attain  an  elevation  of  fifty  feet,  with  a  trunk  from  one  foot  to  eighteen  inches  in 
diameter.  Its  development  or  rate  of  growth,  in  America,  under  favourable  cir- 
cumstances, is  equal  to  that  of  Europe,  and  in  some  instances,  even  surpasses  it. 

Accidents,  Diseases,  and  Insects.  "  The  pear,  as  a  standard  tree,"  says  Mr.  Lou- 
don, "  is  not  liable  to  have  its  branches  broken  off  or  disfigured  by  the  wind ;  nor 
is  it  nearly  so  liable  to  canker  as  the  apple-tree.  It  is  liable  to  the  attacks  of  insects, 
but  certainly  not  so  much  so  in  fields  as  in  gardens,  and  perhaps  nowhere  to  the 
same  extent  as  in  the  other  edible  fruit-bearing  Rosacea?.  On  a  large  scale,  there 
is.  perhaps,  no  cure  worth  attempting,  for  insects,  or  mildew  on  the  leaves;  but 
shallow  planting,  surface  manuring,  and  regrafting,  are  excellent  preventives  and 
correctives  for  these  and  all  other  evils  to  which  the  pear,  and  all  other  Rosacea?, 
are  liable."  In  Britain,  the  leaves  of  the  pear-tree  are  affected  by  a  species  of 
fungus,  (JEcidinm  cancellation,  Sowerby,)  which,  in  moist  seasons,  and  in  close 
situations,  sometimes  appears  to  so  great  an  extent,  as  to  occasion  them  to  fall 
prematurely.  There  seems  to  be  no  remedy,  except  that  of  increasing  the  airi- 
ness of  the  situation,  which  may  always  be  done,  to  a  certain  extent,  by  thinning 
out  the  branches  of  the  tree.  The  trunks  of  cankered  trees,  in  Europe,  are  some- 
limes  perforated  in  every  direction  by  the  larva?  of  the  lesser  stag-beetle  (Dorcns 
parallelopipedus,  Stephens.)  In  Europe,  also,  the  larva?  of  the  wood  leopard-moth, 
(Zeuzera  cescidi,  Latreille,)  also  perforate  longitudinally  the  trunk  of  the  pear- 
tree,  as  well  as  that  of  the  apple,  the  service,  the  quince,  and  probably  those  of 
all  the  Rosacea?,  as  it  is  known  to  do  in  the  horse-chesnut,  lime,  walnut,  beech, 
birch,  and  oak. 

In  America,  the  pear-tree  is  subject  to  a  peculiar  malady,  called  the  blight, 
which  shows  itself  during  midsummer,  by  the  sudden  withering  of  its  leaves  and 
fruit,  and  the  discolouration  of  the  bark  of  one  or  more  of  the  limbs,  followed  by 
the  immediate  death  of  the  part  affected.  From  a  communication  in  the  fifth 
volume  of  the  "  New  England  Farmer,"  by  the  late  Judge  Lowell,  of  Roxbury, 
in  Massachusetts,  it  appears  that  this  malady  is  caused  by  the  larva?  of  an  insect, 
named  by  Professor  Peck,  Scolytus  pyri.  They  eat  their  way  inward  through 
the  alburnum,  into  the  hardest  part  of  the  wood,  beginning  at  the  root  of  a  bud, 
(behind  which,  Dr.  Harris  thinks  the  eggs  are  deposited,)  following  the  course 
of  the  eyes  of  the  buds  towards  the  pith,  around  which  it  passes,  and  part  of 
which  it  also  consumes ;  thus  forming,  after  penetrating  through  the  alburnum 
or  sap-wood,  circular  burrows  or  passages,  "  not  exceeding  the  size  of  a  knitting- 
needle."  in  the  heart-wood,  contiguous  to  the  pith  which  they  surround.     By 


COMMON    PEAR-TREE.  293 

this  means,  the  central  vessels,  or  those  which  convey  the  ascending  sap,  are 
divided,  and  the  circulation  cnt  off.  This  takes  place  when  the  increasing  heat 
of  the  atmosphere,  producing  a  greater  transpiration  from  the  leaves,  renders  a 
large  and  continued  flow  of  sap  necessary  to  supply  the  evaporation.  For  .the 
want  of  this,  or  Irom  some  other  unknown  cause,  the  whole  of  the  branch  above 
the  perforated  part,  suddenly  withers  and  perishes,  during  the  intense  heat  of  the 
season.  The  larvae,  which  are  changed  to  pupae,  and  subsequently  to  little  bee- 
tles, in  the  bottom  of  their  burrows,  make  their  escape  from  the  tree  in  tbe  latter 
part  of  June,  or  the  beginning  of  July,  and  probably  deposit  their  eggs  before  the 
end  of  August.  These  beetles  are  about  one  tenth  of  an  inch  in  length,  are  of  a 
deep-brown  colour,  with  their  antennae  and  legs  rather  pale,  or  of  the  colour  of 
iron  rust.  The  remedy  suggested  by  Mr.  Lowell  and  Professor  Peck,  to  prevent 
other  branches  and  trees  from  being  subsequently  attacked  in  the  same  way,  con- 
sists in  cutting  off  the  blasted  limb  below  the  seat  of  injury,  and  burning  it  before 
the  perfect  insect  has  made  its  escape.  It  will  therefore  be  necessary,  carefully 
to  examine  the  trees  daily,  during  the  month  of  June,  and  watch  for  the  first 
indication  of  disease ;  otherwise  the  remedy  will  be  applied  too  late  to  prevent 
the  dispersion  of  the  insects  among  other  trees.* 

The  pear-tree  is  also  perforated  by  a  species  of  borer,  (JEgeria  pyri,  Harris,) 
which  lives  under  the  bark  of  the  trunk,  where,  towards  the  end  of  summer,  it 
forms  its  cocoon.  The  perfect  insect  appears  in  autumn,  and  like  all  its  conge- 
ners, leaves  its  chrysalis  skin  projecting  from  the  orifice  of  the  burrow  which  it 
has  previously  made.  Its  wings  expand  rather  more  than  half  an  inch,  are 
transparent,  but  veined,  bordered  and  fringed  with  purplish-black,  and  across 
the  tips  of  the  fore-wings  is  a  broad,  dark  band,  glossed  with  coppery  tints.  The 
prevailing  colour  of  the  upper  side  of  the  body  is  purple-black ;  but  most  of  the 
under  side  is  golden-yellow,  as  are  the  edges  of  the  collar  of  the  shoulder-covers, 
and  of  the  fan-shaped  brush  on  the  tail ;  and  there  is  a  broad  yellow  band  across 
the  middle  of  the  abdomen,  preceded  by  two  narrow  bands  of  the  same  colour,  f 

Among  other  insects  that  infest  the  pear-tree,  may  be  mentioned  the  pigeon 
tremex,  {Tremex  columba,  Harris,)  described  under  the  head  of  "  Insects,  &c.,"  in 
our  article  on  the  Ulmus  americana ;  also  a  species  of  bark-louse,  {Coccus  ***#*) 
occurring  in  considerable  numbers,  in  two  different  forms  and  sizes,  and  adhere  to 
the  bark  of  the  trees  in  autumn,  and  during  the  winter,  in  a  dormant  state. 
Those  of  the  largest  size  are  less  than  a  tenth  of  an  inch  in  length,  and  resemble 
in  their  form  the  common  oyster-shell,  being  broad  at  the  posterior  end,  and 
tapering  towards  the  other,  which  is  surmounted  by  a  little  oval,  brownish  scale. 
The  small  ones,  which  are  about  half  of  the  length  of  the  large  ones,  are  of  a 
very  long  oval  shape,  or  almost  four-sided,  rounded  at  the  ends,  with  one  extrem- 
ity covered  by  a  minute,,  oval,  dark-coloured  scale.  For  a  description  of  the 
general  habits  of  the  genus  coccus,  the  reader  is  referred  to  the  remarks  under  the 
head  of  "Insects,"  in  our  article  on  the  orange. 

The  leaves  of  the  pear-tree  are  particularly  subject  to  the  attacks  of  the  gold- 
smith beetle,  (Areoda  lanigera,  Harris,)  and  the  larva?  of  the  slug-fly,  (Ble/uio- 
campa  cerasi,)  the  latter  of  which  is  described  under  the  head  of  "Accidents, 
&c.,"  in  our  article  on  the  common  cherry-tree. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  common  pear-tree  is  heavy,  strong, 
compact,  of  a  fine  grain,  and  slightly  tinged  with  red.  In  common  with  that  of 
all  the  Rosaceae,  it  is  liable  to  have  its  natural  colour  changed  by  steeping  in 
water,  which,  therefore,  ought  to  be  avoided,  when  intended  for  particular  pur- 
poses in  the  arts.  When  green,  it  weighs  nearly  eighty  pounds  to  a  cubic  foot 
and  from  forty-nine  to  fifty-three  pounds,  when  dry.     According  to  l)u  Ham  el, 

*  See  Hams'  Report  on  the  Insects  of  Massachusetts,  pp.  75,  76.        f  Ibi(1-    P-  235- 


294  PYRUS    COMMUNIS. 

it  is  next  to  the  true  service,  (Pyrus  sorbus,)  the  best  wood  that  can  be  employed 
in  wood-engraving,  for  which  purpose,  however,  it  is  far  inferior  to  that  of  the 
box.  Yet,  it  is  allowed  to  be  very  hard  and  homogeneous,  easy  to  cut,  and  when 
perfectly  dry,  is  not  liable  either  to  crack  or  warp.  For  the  coarser  kinds  of 
engraving." snch  as  large  plans  or  diagrams,  show-bills,  &c.,  it  serves  a  very  good 
purpose.  When  it  can  be  obtained,  in  Europe,  it  is  much  used  by  turners  and 
pattern-makers;  also  for  joiners'  tools;  and,  as  it  can  readily  be  stained,  it  is 
sometimes  made  into  various  articles,  dyed  black,  in  imitation  of  ebony.  As 
fuel,  the  wood  of  this  tree  is  excellent,  producing  a  vivid  and  durable  flame, 
accompanied  by  an  intense  heat.  According  to  Withering,  the  leaves  afford  a  yel- 
low dye,  and  may  be  employed  to  impart  a  greenish  shade  to  blue  cloths.  But 
the  most  important  uses  of  the  pear-tree,  are  those  which  arise  from  its  fruit. 
When  ripe,  it  is  employed  at  the  table  as  a  dessert,  either  raw,  stewed,  or  pre- 
served in  syrup,  and  occasionally  it  is  used  in  tarts.  In  most  of  the  countries 
where  it  grows,  this  fruit  is  very  generally  dried  in  ovens,  or  in  the  sun,  in  which 
state,  when  stewed,  it  is  excellent,  either  as  a  substitute  for  puddings  and  pies, 
or  as  forming  part  of  the  dessert.  In  the  "  Nouveau  Cours  d' Agriculture,"  pub- 
lished in  1809,  it  is  stated  that  pears,  in  France,  are  dried  two  ways, — one,  for 
family  use,  by  putting  them  into  an  oven,  without  being  pared,  after  the  bread  is 
withdrawn,  either  on  bricks,  or  on  raised  frames  of  tin  or  boards.  They  are  put 
in  two,  three,  and  even  four  times,  according  to  their  size,  and  to  the  degree  of 
heat  contained  in  the  oven.  The  only  things  necessary  to  be  observed,  are,  to 
see  that  the  oven  is  not  so  hot  as  to  burn  the  pears,  and  that  they  are  not  left  in 
so  long  as  to  become  hard.  Melting  sugary  pears,  of  a  medium  size,  are  the  best 
for  this  purpose ;  and  when  properly  prepared,  they  may  be  kept  in  bags,  in  a 
dry  place,  for  several  years.  The  second  mode,  is  that  used  for  preparing  the 
fruit  sold  in  boxes,  at  the  shops ;  and  for  this  purpose,  rather  small  pears  are  con- 
sidered the  best.  They  must  be  gathered  before  they  are  quite  ripe,  and  care 
taken  to  preserve  their  stems.  They  are  then  parboiled  in  a  very  little  water, 
peeled,  and  placed  on  dishes,  with  the  stems  upwards.  In  this  state,  a  kind  of 
syrup  runs  from  them,  which  must  be  carefully  poured  off,  and  set  aside.  They 
are  next  placed  on  raised  frames,  and  put  into  an  oven,  after  the  bread  has  been 
withdrawn,  or  heated  to  a  similar  degree,  and  left  there  twelve  hours ;  after 
which  they  are  taken  out  and  steeped  in  syrup,  sweetened  with  sugar,  to  which 
there  have  been  added  a  little  cinnamon,  mace,  and  a  small  quantity  of  the  best 
brandy.  The  pears,  when  taken  out  of  the  syrup,  are  again  placed  in  the  oven, 
which  should  not  be  made  quite  so  hot  as  it  was  the  first  time.  The  operations 
of  alternately  steeping  and  drying  are  repeated  three  times,  and  are  finished  by 
putting  the  pears,  for  the  fourth  time,  into  the  oven,  and  leaving  them  there  till 
they  are  quite  dry ;  when,  if  they  have  been  properly  treated,  they  will  be  of  a 
clear,  pale-brown,  with  fine  translucent  flesh.  They  are  then  arranged  in  boxes, 
garnished  with  white  paper,  and  kept  in  dry  places,  or  offered  for  sale.  They 
will  remain  good,  in  this  state,  for  three  years,  but  are  considered  best  the  first 
year.*  Another  purpose  to  which  the  pear  is  applied,  is  for  making  perry.  It 
is  extensively  cultivated  for  this  object  in  various  parts  of  Britain,  France,  and 
Germany,  where  the  trees  are  sometimes  planted  in  rows  eighteen  or  twenty 
yards  apart,  in  order  to  admit  a  free  access  of  light  and  air.  Perry  is  made  in 
the  same  manner  as  cider.  The  pears  should  be  gathered  before  they  begin  to 
fall,  and  should  be  ground  as  soon  after  as  possible.  Should  the  perry  not  be 
sufficiently  clear,  when  racked  off,  it  may  be  fined  in  the  usual  manner  of  clari- 
fying cider,  by  isinglass,  in  the  proportion  of  about  half  an  ounce  to  a  barrel. 
The  kinds  of  pears  used  for  making  this  liquor  in  Herefordshire,  are  such  as  have 

*  See  Nouv.  Cours  d'Agr.,  xii.,  p.  116,  al.-o  Loudon's  Arboretum,  ii.,  p.  8S5. 


COMMON    PEAR-TREE.  20.") 

an  austere  juice,  as  the  "  Squash,"  the  "  Oldfield,"  the  "  Barland,"  the  "  Huff-cap," 
the  "Sack,"  the  "Red,"  and  the  "  Longland"  varieties.  Pears  were  considered 
by  the  Romans,  as  an  antidote  to  the  effect  of  eating  poisonous  mushrooms ;  and 
up  to  the  present  time,  perry  is  said  to  be  the  best  remedy  that  can  be  employed 
for  the  same  purpose.  In  Britain  and  France,  an  agreeable  wine  is  made  from  a 
mixture  of  crab-apples  and  pears,  which,  in  the  latter  country  is  called  piquetle. 
Pears,  in  general,  produce  flatulency,  and  consequently  are  unfit  for  weak  stom- 
achs ;  but  when  they  are  quite  ripe,  and  contain  a  sweet  juice,  they  seldom  prove 
noxious,  unless  eaten  to  excess. 

Pears  that  are  to  be  kept  for  winter  use,  should  hang  as  long  on  the  trees  as 
the  state  of  the  weather  will  admit.  They  should  then  be  kept  in  heaps,  in  an 
open,  dry  situation,  for  about  ten  days,  then  wiped  with  a  dry  woollen  cloth,  and 
lastly  packed  up  close  from  the  air  and  moisture.  But  to  keep  the  fruit  in  its 
greatest  perfection,  small  earthen  jars  may  be  selected,  about  the  size  of  the  pear, 
which  should  be  packed  separately,  in  clean  oat  chaff  or  wheaten  bran,  then 
tied  down  with  oiled  paper  or  skin,  and  cemented  tight  with  wax  or  pitch. 
These  jars  should  then  be  packed  in  a  cask,  chest,  or  some  other  secure  place, 
with  their  bottoms  upwards,  where  they  should  remain  until  required  for  use. 

From  their  picturesque  forms  as  well  as  the  beauty  of  their  blossoms  and  fruit, 
several  varieties  of  the  pear-tree  are  appropriate  objects  in  landscape  gardening. 
Those  particularly  worthy  of  culture  for  ornament,  as  well  as  for  producing  fruit 
of  first-rate  excellence,  are  the  "  Beurre  Diel,"  the  "  Benvie,"  the  "  Golden  Knap," 
the  "  Elcho,"  and  the  "Swan's  Egg"  varieties,  for  conical  forms;  the  "Busked 
Lady,"  and  "  Pow  Meg,"  for  orbicular  forms;  and  the  "Beurre  de  Rans,"  the 
''Glout  Morceau,"  the  "  Bezi  de  la  Motte,"  the  "Napoleon,"  the  "  Dunmore," 
•.he  "Monarch,"  the  "Seckle,"  the  "Andrews,"  and  the  "  Bartlett,"  for  other 
considerations. 


Pyrus  malus, 
THE   COMMON   APPLE-TREE. 

Synonymes. 


Pyrus  malus, 

Pomier  commun, 

Gemeiner  Apfelbaum, 

Melo, 

Manzano, 

Maceira, 

Iablon, 

Apple-tree, 


Linn^us,  Species  Plantarum. 

De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 

Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 

France. 

Germany. 

Italy. 

Spain. 

Portugal. 

Russia. 

Britain  and  Anglo-America. 


Engravings.    Lindley,  Pomologia  Britannica ;  Hoffy,  Orchardist's  Companion  ;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  vi.,  pi.  173 
et  174;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.    Leaves  ovate,  acute,  crenated,  woolly  on  the  under  surface.    Flowers  in  corymbs. 
Tube  of  calyx  woolly.     Styles  glabrous. — De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 

Description. 

"The  fragrant  stores,  the  wide  projected  heaps 
Of  apples,  which  the  lusty- handed  year, 
Innumerous  o'er  the  blushing  orchard  shakes  ; 
A  various  spirit,  fresh,  delicious,  keen, 
Dwells  in  their  gelid  pores;  and,  active,  points 
The  piercing  cider  for  the  thirsty  tongue." 

Thomson. 

KjHE     Com- 
!*  £jj  t-Tr'  P  mon  Apple- 

K  Iff   LI   rcl  tree>  m  an 

^ffeS^ii  indigenous 
state,  when  young,  is  generally  more 
or  less  furnished  with  spines,  which 
gradually  disappear,  as  it  advances  in 
age ;  when  growing  wild,  however,  in 
a  very  fertile  soil,  this  tree,  as  well  as 
the  crab,  and  the  common  hawthorn, 
sometimes  occurs  without  thorns.  Under  favourable  circumstances,  it  usually 
attains  a  height  of  thirty  or  forty  feet,  with  a  trunk  from  one  foot  to  eighteen 
inches  in  diameter.  The  trunk  is  naturally  crooked,  and  the  branches,  when 
young,  generally  take  a  horizontal  direction ;  but  when  old,  they  droop  or  become 
pendulous.  The  diameter  of  the  head  is  often  greater  than  the  height  of  the 
tree, — its  growth,  in  this  respect,  being  quite  different  from  that  of  the  pear, 
which  is  lofty  and  upright,  while  that  of  the  apple  is  low  and  spreading.  The 
leaves  of  the  apple  are  commonly  wider  in  proportion  to  their  length,  less  obvi- 
ously serrated,  and  somewhat  more  hairy  and  whitish  underneath  than  those  of 
the  pear.  Their  vascular  system  too,  is  very  different,  being  loose  in  the  apple, 
and  very  close  in  the  pear.  Hence  the  leaves  of  the  latter  are  much  stouter,  and 
more  permanent  than  those  of  the  former.  They  usually  fall,  in  England,  by 
the  20th  of  November,  five  weeks  later  at  Naples,  and  a  month  earlier  at  New 
York.  The  blossoms  of  the  apple  are  tinged  with  red,  and  are  fragrant;  while 
those  of  the  pear  are  of  a  pure  white,  and  scentless.  They  usually  appear  a- 
Naples  by  the  20th  of  March,  a  month  later  in  England,  two  months  later  at 
P^rth  Amboy :  but  not  in  Sweden  before  the  1st  of  June.     The  fruit  of  the  applr 


COMMON    APPLE-TREE. 


297 


and  pear  is  not  less  different  than  the  leaves  and  flowers.  The  apple  is  gener- 
ally concave  at  the  insertion  of  the  peduncle,  depressed  at  the  top,  of  a  softer 
texture,  less  astringent,  but  more  acid  than  the  pear ;  whereas,  the  latter,  which 
may  vary  in  shape,  size,  colour,  taste,  &c,  by  cultivation,  is  generally  convex, 
and  lengthened  out  at  the  base.  The  apple  has  woody  threads  passing  through 
it  to  the  peduncle,  ten  of  which  are  regularly  disposed  round  the  capsules,  tend- 
ing towards  the  calyx  ;  and  it  is  said  that  the  fruit  decays  when  these  are  broken. 
The  pear  also  has  these  threads,  but  less  distinct,  on  account  of  the  gritty  matter 
which  prevails  in  many  of  the  varieties,  and  especially  in  wild  pears.  The  cells 
of  the  two  fruits  are  likewise  differently  shaped.  Those  of  the  apple  are  narrow, 
and  pointed  at  both  ends ;  while  in  the  pear,  they  are  obovate,  broad  exteriorly, 
and  drawing  to  a  point  at  the  centre  of  the  fruit. 

Varieties.  The  common  apple-tree,  by  itself,  or  conjointly  with  other  species 
or  races,  is  the  parent  of  innumerable  varieties  or  sub-varieties,  generally  termed 
by  the  British  and  Anglo-Americans,  "  cultivated  apple-trees,"  and  by  the 
French,  "pommiers  doux,"  or  "pommiers  a  couteau."  Many  of  them  are  not 
only  derived  from  the  wild  apple  or  crab,  of  Europe,  but  from  the  crabs  of  Sibe- 
ria and  Astrachan.  As  it  is  utterly  impossible  to  trace  the  multitude  of  cultivated 
sorts  to  the  wild  forms  from  which  they  have  been  obtained ;  and  as  it  appears 
very  doubtful  to  us  whether  the  wild  crabs  of  Europe,  northern  and  western 
Asia,  and  of  North  America,  are  specifically  distinct,  we  have  considered  them 
only  as  varieties  of  the  Pyrus  malus.  We  are  aware  that  objections  will  be  made 
to  this  mode  of  classification,  as  it  deviates  from  what  is  considered  as  established 
authority.  Those,  however,  who  differ  from  us  in  opinion,  will  find  no  difficulty 
in  recognizing  the  names,  as  given  by  De  Candolle,  Loudon,  and  others,  and  will 
be  enabled  to  know  under  what  head  they  are  described. 

1.  P.  m.  acerba,  Loudon.  Sour-fruited  Apple  or  Common  European  Crab- 
tree  ;  Pyrus  acerba.  of  De  Candolle ;  Pommier  sauvageon,  of  the  French ;  Holz- 
apfelbaum,  of  the  Germans ;  and  Melo  sylvatico,  of  the  Italians.  This  form  is 
a  native  of  woods  and  way-sides,  in  Europe,  and  may  be  known  by  its  ovate, 
acute,  crenated  leaves,  glabrous  even  when  young,  as  is  the  tube  of  the  calyx. 
The  flowers  occur  in  corymbs ;  and,  according  to  De  Candolle,  there  are  many 
sub-varieties,  with  sour  fruit,  commonly  called  cider  apples  in  Britain,  and  pom- 
mes  a  cidre  in  France. 

2.  P.  m.  coronaria.  The  Garland-flowering  Apple-tree 
scented.  Crab;  Pyrus  coronaria,  of  De  Can- 
dolle, Torrey  and  Gray,  and  Loudon;  Mains 
coronaria,  of  Michaux ;  Pommier  sauvage,  of 
the  French ;  and  Amerikanischer  Holzapfel- 
baum,  of  the  Germans.  This  variety  is  a  na- 
tive of  North  America,  from  Canada  to  Louis- 
iana, and  was  introduced  into  Britain  in  1724, 
where  it  is  common  in  collections,  and  has  also 
been  naturalized.  It  is  found  in  fertile  soils, 
in  cool,  moist  places,  near  the  borders  of  woods, 
where  it  usually  grows  to  a  height  of  fifteen  to 
eighteen  feet,  with  a  trunk  six  or  seven  inches 
in  diameter,  and  under  very  favourable  cir- 
cumstances, it  sometimes  attains  nearly  double 
these  dimensions.  In  some  parts  of  Britain, 
as  at  White  Knights,  and  at  Pepper  Harrow, 
near  Godalming,  it  has  become  naturalized  in 
the  woods;  and  plants  of  various  ages  are 
found  wild,  which  have  sprung  up  from  seeds 

38 


American  Siveet- 


20S  PYRUS    I.IALUS 

disseminated  by  birds.  The  largest  trees  at  the  latter  place  are  about  thirty  feet 
in  height,  and  are  said  to  preserve  all  the  distinctive  features  of  the  species  or 
race.  The  leaves  are  broadly  ovate,  rounded  at  the  base,  subangulate,  smooth 
on  the  upper  surface,  and  when  fully  developed,  are  distinctly  toothed.  While 
young,  they  have  a  bitter,  and  slightly  aromatic  taste;  whence  Michaux  thinks 
that,  with  the  addition  of  sugar,  they  would  make  an  agreeable  tea.  The  flow- 
ers, which  put  forth  in  March,  April,  and  May,  are  white  at  first,  and  gradually 
change  to  a  purplish  hue  before  they  fall.  They  are  very  large,  and  occur  in 
corymbs,  with  smooth  peduncles;  and,  during  the  blooming  season,  they  per- 
fume the  whole  air  with  the  scent  of  violets.  The  fruit  is  flatly  cfrbiculate,  from 
an  inch  to  an  inch  and  a  half  in  diameter,  of  a  yellowish-green  when  ripe,  which 
occurs  in  September,  and  gradually  becomes  more  yellow,  and  somewhat  trans- 
lucent, with  age.  It  is  of  a  firm  texture,  extremely  acid,  and  has  sometimes 
been  employed  in  the  manufacture  of  cider,  and  in  the  making  of  preserves,  with 
the  addition  of  sugar  equivalent  to  its  own  weight.  Successful  experiments  have 
been  made  of  uniting  this  tree,  by  grafting  and  budding,  with  the  common  apple ; 
but  the  time  is  so  long  in  bringing  it  to  perfection,  that  no  particular  advantage 
can  be  derived  from  such  a  union.  It  has  been  suggested,  however,  that  new 
and  valuable  varieties  might  be  obtained  from  seeds  produced  by  fertilizing  the 
flowers  with  the  pollen  of  the  vigorous-growing  pippins,  or  those  of  the  Siberian 
crabs.  Setting  aside  all  other  considerations,  this  tree,  from  the  beautiful  char- 
acter of  its  leaves,  the  fragrance  of  its  blossoms,  together  with  the  lateness  of 
their  appearance,  and  the  deep-green,  and  depressed  form  of  its  fruit,  is  a  most 
desirable  object  of  culture,  and  no  shrubbery  should  be  without  it. 

3.  P.  m.  angustifolia.  Narrow-leaved  American  Crab  Apple-tree ;  Pyrus 
angiislifolia,  of  De  Candolle,  Torrey  and  Gray,  Loudon,  and  others.  This 
variety  is  also  a  native  of  North  America,  is  found  from  Pennsylvania  to  Louis- 
iana ;  flowers  in  March  and  April ;  and  differs  from  the  preceding  race,  in  having 
narrower  leaves,  much  smaller  and  narrower  fruit,  lead-coloured  and  speckled 
branches,  and  in  being  sub-evergreen,  which  last  circumstance,  together  with 
its  sweet-scented  flowers,  entitles  it  to  a  place  in  collections. 

4.  P.  m.  prunifolta.  The  Plum-leaved  Apple-tree  or  Siberian  Crab ;  Pyrus 
prunifolia,  of  De  Candolle  and  Loudon,  a  native  of  Siberia;  was  introduced  into 
Britain  in  1758  ;  and,  according  to  Mr.  Knight,  some  of  the  finest  varieties  raised  by 
him  were  produced  from  cultivated  apples  fecundated  with  the  blossoms  of  this  tree. 
He  found  that  the  progeny  formed  more  hardy  trees  than  any  other  kinds,  and  that 
they  produced  earlier  and  more  highly  flavoured  fruit.  The  leaves  are  ovate, 
acuminate,  serrated,  and  glabrous;  trie  peduncles  pubescent;  the  tube  of  the 
calyx  glabrous ;  the  styles  woolly  at  the  base,  and  twice  as  long  as  the  stamens. 
The  fruit  is  sub-globose,  of  a  yellowish  colour,  and  of  an  austere  taste. 

5.  P.  m.  baccata.  The  Berry-like-fruited  Apple-tree  or  Siberia?i  Crab ;  Pyrus 
baccala,  of  De  Candolle  and  Loudon,  native  of  Siberia  and  Dahuria,  and  only 
dirlers  from  the  preceding  sort  in  not  having  a  persistent  calyx.  From  this  vari- 
ety originated  the  cultivated  "  Cherry  Crab,"  a  spreading  tree,  with  drooping 
branches,  bearing  an  abundance  of  fruit,  about  the  size  and  colour  of  a  large 
cherry. 

6.  P.  m.  dioica.  The  Dioecious-sexed  Apple-tree  ;  Pyrus  dioica,  of  De  Candolle 
and  Loudon,  occasionally  cultivated  in  the  gardens  of  Europe.  Its  leaves  are 
oval,  serrated,  and  tomentose  beneath ;  the  flowers,  in  many  instances,  solitary ; 
the  sexes  dioecious  by  defect;  the  calyx  tomentose;  the  petals  linear,  of  the 
length  of  the  sepals ;  and  the  styles  are  glabrous. 

7.  P.  m.  astracanica.  The  Astrachan  Apple-tree ;  Pyrus  astracanica,  of  De 
Candolle  and  Loudon.  This  form  is  said  to  be  indigenous  about  Astrachan.  Its 
leaves  are  oval-obiong,  acute,  partially  doubly  serrated,  pale  beneath,  where  the 


COMMON   APPLE-TREE.  209 

nerves  are  villose,  but  glabrous  above,  except  in  being  slightly  downy  on  the 
midrib.  From  this  race  originated  the  cultivated  "  Red  Aslrachun  Crab,"  a 
medium-sized  tree,  with  a  branchy  head,  bearing  a  bright-red  fruit,  covered  with 
a  fine  bloom,  like  that  of  the  plum;  also  the  "White  Astrachan,"  or  "Transpa- 
rent Crab,"  of  Moscow,  a  tree  resembling  the  Red  Astrachan,  except  in  its 
branches  tending  upwards,  when  young,  and  afterwards  becoming  pendulous. 
Its  fruit  is  of  a  wax  colour,  almost  transparent,  and  covered  with  a  fine  bloom. 

From  the  preceding  forms,  it  may  be  safely  presumed,  that  all  the  apples  cul- 
tivated for  the  dessert,  or  the  kitchen,  have  been  obtained,  either  by  selections 
from  seedlings,  or  from  cross-fecundation.  The  number  of  varieties  and  sub- 
varieties,  at  present  known,  amounts  to  several  thousand,  about  fifteen  hundred 
of  which  have  been  collected  in  the  garden  of  the  London  Horticultural  society, 
and  distinct  sorts  are  being  added  every  year.  Hence,  as  the  varieties  are  so 
numerous,  and  are  rapidly  becoming  more  multiplied,  it  is  impossible  for  us, 
within  our  limits,  to  present  an  account  of  them,  or  even  to  enumerate  their 
names.  This  branch  of  knowledge,  however,  forms  a  very  important  feature  in 
practical  horticulture ;  and  one  of  the  most  valuable  objects  to  which  individuals 
and  societies  for  the  encouragement  of  experiments  in  cultivation,  can  direct  their 
attention,  would  be  to  diminish  the  embarrassing  list  of  varieties,  by  confining 
themselves  to  the  best  sorts  alone. 

Geography  and  History.  The  Pyrus  mains,  or  some  of  its  varieties,  grows 
spontaneously  in  almost  every  part  of  the  northern  hemisphere,  except  in  tbe 
torrid  and  frigid  zones,  and  some  of  the  islands  in  the  ocean.  It  is  found 
throughout  western  Asia,  China,  Japan,  North  America,  and  in  the  north  of 
Europe,  as  far  as  West  Finland,  in  latitude  62° ;  in  Sweden,  in  latitude  58°  or  59° ; 
and  central  Russia,  to  55°  or  60°.  The  crab  of  Europe,  however,  is  wanting  in 
Siberia,  where  its  place  is  abundantly  supplied  by  the  P.  m.  prunifolia,  and  the 
P.  m.  baccata.  In  Britain,  Ireland,  and  North  America,  the  common  apple-tree 
occurs  wild,  in  hedges,  and  on  the  margins  of  woods.  It  is  cultivated  for  its 
fruit,  both  in  the  temperate  and  transition  zones  of  both  hemispheres,  even  in  the 
southern  parts  of  India,  on  the  Himalayas,  and  in  China  and  Japan. 

That  the  apple-tree  is  a  native  of  the  eastern  part  of  the  world,  we  have  the 
authority  of  the  earliest  writers  in  "  Holy  Writ,"  as  well  as  of  the  naturalists  of 
ancient  Greece  and  Rome.  The  prophet  Joel,  where  he  declares  the  destruction 
of  the  products  of  the  earth,  by  a  long  drought,  mentions  the  fruits  which  were 
held  in  high  estimation,  and  among  them,  he  names  the  apple. 

"The  vine  is  dried  up,  and  the  fig-tree  languisheth  ;  the  pomesrranate-tree, 
the  palm-tree,  also,  and  the  apple-tree,  even  all  the  trees  of  the  field  are 
withered."  J°EL  ••  12- 

Apples  are  also  mentioned  by  Theophrastus,  Herodotus,  and  Columella;  and 
the  Greeks,  according  to  Pliny,  called  them  Medica,  after  the  country  whence 
they  were  first  brought,  in  ancient  times ;  but  others  conjecture  that  the  term 
"  Medica,"  was  more  probably  applied  to  the  citron  and  the  peach,  both  of  which 
are  supposed  to  have  been  introduced  from  Media  into  Greece.  That  the  Epiro- 
tica,  from  Epirus,  were  what  we  call  apples,  there  can  be  no  doubt;  as  they 
are  described  by  Pliny,  as  a  fruit  with  a  tender  skin,  that  can  easily  be  pared 
off;  and  besides,  he  mentions  "crabs"  and  "wildings,"  as  being  smaller,  "and 
for  their  harsh  sourness  they  have  many  a  foul  word  and  shrewd  curse  given 
them."  The  cultivated  apple,  however,  probably  was  not  very  abundant  at 
Rome,  in  his  time;  for  he  states  that,  "there  were  some  trees  in  the  villas  neai 
the  city,  which  yielded  more  profit  than  a  small  farm,  and  which  broughl  about 
the  invention  of  grafting."  "  There  are  apples,"  continues  he,  "  that  have  enno- 
bled the  countries  from  which  they  came;  and  our  best  varieties  will  honour 


;-{00  PYRUS    MALUS. 

their  first  grafters  forever;  such  as  took  their  names  from  Matins,  Cestius,  Man- 
lius  and  Claudius."  He  particularizes  the  "  quince  apples,"  that  came  from  a 
quince  grafted  upon  an  apple  stock,  which  smelled  like  the  quince,  and  were 
called  Appiana,  after  Appius,  of  the  house  of  Claudius.  It  must  he  confessed, 
however  that  Pliny  has  related  so  many  particnlars  as  facts,  concerning  the 
apple,  (such  as  changing  the  fruit  to  the  colour  of  blood,  by  grafting  it  on  the 
mulberry;  and  the  tree  in  the  Tyburtines  country,  "grafted  and  laden  with  all 
manner  of  fruits,"  which  are  regarded  by  modern  grafters  as  physiological  impos- 
sibilities,) it  would  seem  that  very  little  confidence  could  be  placed  in  his  state- 
ments of  any  kind.  But  what  reason  have  we  to  doubt  the  authority  of  a  man. 
whose  life  was  spent  to  the  benefit  of  mankind,  and  whose  death  was  caused  by 
his  perseverance  in  search  of  truth  1  Instances  of  grafting  trees  of  different  fam- 
ilies upon  one  another,  are  also  mentioned  by  other  old  authors,  and  even  our 
Evelyn,  of  more  recent  times,  states  that  he  saw,  in  Holland,  a  rose  engrafted 
upon  the  orange.  Columella,  a  practical  husbandman,  who  wrote  some  years 
before  Pliny,  describes  three  methods  of  grafting,  as  handed  down  to  him,  by  whom 
he  calls  the  "  ancients,"  besides  a  fourth  method  of  his  own,  and  a  mode  of  inarch- 
ing, or  grafting  by  approach,  "whereby  all  sorts  of  grafts  may  be  graffed  upon 
all  sorts  of  trees."  It  would  appear,  however,  that  the  art  of  grafting,  at  the 
period  in  which  he  flourished,  was  comparatively  a  modern  invention,  as  it  is 
not  mentioned  by  Moses,  in  his  directions  to  the  Israelites  when  they 

******  shall  come  into  the  land,  and  shall 
have  planted  all  manner  of  trees ;" 

neither  by  Hesiod  nor  Homer,  although  forming  a  part  of  the  subjects  on  which 
they  wrote.* 

Whitaker,  in  his  "  History  of  Manchester,"  conjectures  that  the  apple  was 
brought  into  Britain  by  the  first  colonies  of  the  natives,  and  by  the  Hsedui  of 
Somersetshire  in  particular;  hence  Glastonbury  was  distinguished  by  the  title  of 
"  Avellonia  "  or  apple  orchard,  previously  to  the  arrival  of  the  Romans.  Before 
the  Illrd  century,  this  fruit  had  spread  over  the  whole  island,  and  so  widely, 
that,  according  to  Solinus,  there  were  large  plantations  of  it  in  the  "  Ultima 
Thule."  The  manufacture  of  wine  from  the  apple,  appears  to  have  occurred  in 
Norfolk,  at  the  beginning  of  the  XHIth  century ;  for  it  is  stated  by  Bloomfield, 
that,  in  the  sixth  year  of  King  John,  (1205,)  Robert  de  Evermere  was  found  to 
hold  his  lordship  of  Redham  and  Stokesly,  in  Norfolk,  by  petty  sergeantry,  the 
annual  payment  of  two  hundred  pearmains,  and  four  hogsheads  of  wine  of  pear- 
mains,  into  the  exchequer,  at  the  feast  of  St.  Michael.  The  making  of  cider 
was  introduced  into  Britain  by  the  Normans,  who,  it  is  said,  obtained  the  art 
from  Spain,  where  it  is  no  longer  practised.  This  liquor  is  supposed  to  have 
been  first  known,  however,  in  Africa,  from  its  being  mentioned  by  the  two  Afri- 
can fathers,  Tertullian  and  Augustine,  and  was  introduced  by  the  Cartha- 
ginians into  Biscay,  a  province  unfriendly  to  the  vine,  on  which  account  it 
became  the  substitute  in  other  countries. 

Many  of  the  better  varieties  of  the  apple  were  probably  introduced  into  Britain 
from  the  continent,  as  the  greater  part  of  their  names  are  either  pure  or  corrupted 
French.  Thus  the  "  Nonpareil,"  according  to  old  herbalists,  was  brought  from 
France  by  a  Jesuit,  in  the  time  of  Queen  Mary,  and  first  planted  in  Oxfordshire. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  celebrated  "Golden  Pippin"  is  considered  as  of  British 
origin ;  and  is  noticed  as  such  by  French  and  Dutch  authors.     It  is  described  bv 

*  The  art  of  grafting,  as  well  as  that  of  pruning,  has  been  ascribed  to  accidental  origin.  The  occasional 
natural  union  or  inarching  of  the  boughs  of  distinct  trees  in  the  forests,  is  thought  to  have  first  suggested 
the  idea  of  grafting ;  and  the  more  vigorous  shooting  of  a  vine,  after  a  goat  had  broused  on  it,  is  said  to 
have  given  rise  to  the  practice  of  pruning. 


COMMON    APPLK-TKEE.  ^|  I  \ 

Du  Hamel  under  the  name  of  "Pomme  d'or,"  "Reinette  d'Angleterre,"  and 
"Grosse  Reinette  d' Angleterre."  Pippins  were  probably  very  little  known  n, 
England  until  towards  the  close  of  the  XVIth  century.  Fuller  states  that  one 
Leonard  Maschal,  in  the  sixteenth  year  of  the  reign  of  Henry  VJII.,  brought  them 
from  over  sea,  and  planted  them  at  Plnmstead,  in  Sussex.  They  were  called 
pippins  because  the  trees  were  raised  from  the  pips  or  seeds,  and  bore  the  apples 
which  gave  them  celebrity,  without  grafting. 

The  fine  cider  orchards  of  Herefordshire  began  to  be  planted  in  the  reign  of 
Charles  I.  The  adaptation  of  the  trees  to  the  soil  was  soon  discovered,  and  they 
spread  over  the  face  of  the  whole  country.  The  cider  counties  of  England  lie 
something  in  the  form  of  a  horse-shoe,  round  the  Bristol  channel,  the  best  of 
which  are  in  Worcester  and  Hereford,  on  the  north  of  the  channel,  and 
Somerset  and  Devon  on  the  south.  Of  the  varieties  of  the  cider  apples,  the 
"  Redstreak,"  and  the  "Sline,"  were  formerly  the  most  prized;  and  the  cider 
of  these  apples,  and  the  perry  of  the  "Squash  Pear,"  were  celebrated  throughout 
the  kingdom.  Some  of  the  orchards  occupy  a  space  of  forty  or  fifty  acres,  the 
produce  of  which  is  very  fluctuating,  and  the  growers  seldom  expect  an  abun- 
dant crop  oftener  than  once  in  three  years ;  and  in  a  good  year,  an  acre  of  orchard 
will  produce  about  six  hundred  bushels  of  fruit.* 

The  introduction  of  the  common  apple-tree  into  the  North  American  colonies, 
dates  back  to  the  earliest  periods  of  their  settlements.  In  the  middle,  northern,  and 
some  of  the  western  states,  no  branch  of  rural  economy  has  been  pursued  with 
more  zeal,  and  few  have  been  attended  with  more  successful  and  beneficial  re- 
sults, than  the  cultivation  of  orchards.  It  was  not  undertaken  on  an  extensive 
scale,  however,  until  about  the  commencement  of  the  present  century,  when  experi- 
ence had  taught  the  hardy  yeomanry  of  the  soil,  that  "  the  moderate  use  of  cider, 
as  a  common  beverage,  was  highly  conducive  to  sound  health  and  long  life."  It 
appears  from  Dodsley's  London  "Annual  Register,"  that  in  the  year  1768,  the 
Society  for  promoting  Arts,  &c,  at  New  York,  awarded  a  premium  of  ten  pounds  to 
Thomas  Young,  of -Oyster  Bay,  for  the  largest  nursery  of  apple-trees,  the  number 
being  twenty-seven  thousand  one  hundred  and  twenty-three.  Between  the  years 
1794  and  180S,  Mr.  William  Coxe,  of  Burlington,  New  Jersey,  enriched  his  lands  in 
that  vicinity  with  extensive  orchards,  containing  in  the  aggregate  several  thousand 
trees,  which  occupied  a  space  of  seventy  or  eighty  acres ;  and  within  and  since 
that  period,  numerous  other  orchards  have  been  planted  in  various  parts  of  the 
country,  equaling,  and  even  surpassing  them  in  extent.  Among  the  largest,  and 
perhaps  the  most  select,  are  those  of  Mr.  Robert  L.  Pell,  of  the  county  of  Ulster, 
New  York,  which  have  been  planted  about  twenty  years,  and  are  said  to  contain 
twenty  thousand  trees.  America,  too,  has  given  birth  to  several  valuable  varieties 
of  apples,  which  enter  extensively  both  into  her  foreign  as  well  as  her  domestic 
commerce,  and  are  eagerly  sought  after  in  almost  every  civilized  country  of  the 
globe.  The  most  celebrated,  and  unquestionably  the  best  variety  extant,  for  ship- 
ping and  for  winter  use,  is  said  to  have  been  the  spontaneous  production  from  a 
seed,  more  than  a  century  and  a  half  ago,  in  Newtown,  on  Long  Island,  near  New 
York,  and  is  wel'  known  by  the  name  of  "  Newtown  Pippin."  The  original  tree 
stood' on  the  estate  owned  at  present  by  Mr.  John  J.  Moore,  of  that  town,  and  for 
a  long  time  its  fruit  was  called  "  Gersliom  Moore  Pippin,"  in  honor  of  its  former 
proprietor.  After  enduring  for  more  than  one  hundred  years,  it  died,  in  about 
the  year  1805,  from  excessive  cutting  and  exhaustion.  Its  scions  were  in  great 
request  by  all  the  principal  amateurs  and  orchardists  of  the  day,  and  engrafted 
trees  of  it  are  still  to  be  met  with  in  the  neighbouring  towns,  which  have  stood 

*  See  Library  of  Entertaining  Knowledge,  article,  '-Apple." 


302  PYRUS    MALUS. 

beyond  the  "memory  of  man."*  It  is  to  be  regretted,  however,  that  the  trees 
bearing  this  excellent  variety  of  fruit,  in  many  parts  of  the  country,  begin  to 
manifest  symptoms  of  decline ;  and  it  is  believed  by  many,  that  the  period  has 
arrived,  in  which  nature  is  to  terminate  their  existence,  and  like  their  parent  stock, 
are  about  to  pass  into  decrepitude  and  final  decay. 

As  the  longevity  of  the  apple-tree  is  comparatively  limited,  which  is  obvious 
from  the  perishable  nature  of  its  wood,  there  are  but  few  very  aged  individuals 
to  be  met  with,  either  in  Europe  or  in  America.  The  oldest  trees  of  which  we 
have  received  any  account,  are  said  to  be  growing  near  Plymouth,  in  Massachu- 
setts, and  are  represented  as  being  upwards  of  two  centuries  old.  An  ancient 
tree  of  the  "Pearmain"  variety  also  stands  on  the  Charter  Oak  Place,  in  Hart- 
ford, Connecticut,  which  was  brought  from  England  by  Mr.  George  Wyllis.  pre- 
vious to  the  year  1645,  and  consequently  must  be  more  than  two  hundred  years 
of  age.  Its  trunk,  though  much  decayed,  still  sends  forth  several  thrifty  boughs, 
which  annually  produce  from  two  to  three  pecks  of  excellent  fruit. 

On  the  authority  of  Dr.  James  Mease,  of  Philadelphia,  there  is  a  mammoth  apple- 
tree  at  Romney,  in  Virginia,  which  grew  spontaneously  from  seed,  and  is  esti- 
mated to  be  fifty  years  old.  It  has  attained  a  height  of  forty-five  feet,  with  a 
trunk  more  than  a  yard  in  diameter,  and  a  spread  of  branches  of  fifty-five  feet. 
It  is  said  to  be  in  a  flourishing  condition,  and  continues  to  increase  in  size.  In 
1835,  it  produced  one  hundred  and  eighty  bushels  of  large  fruit,  besides  four  or 
five  bushels  left  under  its  boughs  as  damaged,  and  several  bushels,  which,  it 
was  calculated,  had  been  taken  by  visitors,  in  the  course  of  the  season ;  so  that 
the  total  produce,  in  the  opinion  of  Dr.  Mease,  amounted  to  nearly  two  hundred 
bushels. 

The  greatest  quantity  of  fruit  borne  on  a  single  tree,  in  England,  in  one  year, 
that  we  have  heard  of,  is  recorded  in  Dodsley's  "  Annual  Register,"  for  1777.  It 
grew  in  the  orchard  of  Mr.  Hackman,  of  Littlefield,  in  Sussex,  and  produced  sev- 
enty-four bushels  of  fruit,  which,  on  being  weighed,  was  found  to  average  four- 
teen pounds  to  each  peck,  and  consequently  the  total  product  of  the  tree  was 
nearly  two  tons. 

The  largest  recorded  apple-tree  in  Britain,  is  at  Herbert's  farm,  near  Hereford, 
which,  in  1836,  was  forty-eight  feet  in  height,  with  a  trunk  five  feet  in  diameter, 
and  a  spread  of  branches  of  forty-eight  feet. 

Legendary  and  Mythological  Allusions.  The  apple-tree,  so  singularly  connected 
with  the  first  transgression  and  fall  of  man,  the  fruit  of  which,  as  has  long  been 
supposed  was  eaten  by  Eve  in  Paradise,  is  distinguished  alike  in  the  mytholo- 
gies of  the  Greeks,  Scandinavians,  and  the  Druids.  The  golden  fruits  of  the  Hespe- 
rides,  which  it  was  one  of  the  labours  of  Hercules  to  procure,  in  spite  of  the  sleepless 
dragon  which  guarded  them,  were  believed  by  the  pagans  to  be  apples.  Hercu- 
les was  worshipped  by  the  Thebans  under  the  name  of  Melius ;  and  apples  were 
offered  at  his  altars.  The  origin  of  this  custom  was  the  circumstance  of  the  river 
Asopus  having,  on  one  occasion,  overflowed  its  banks  to  such  an  extent,  as  to  ren- 
der it  impossible  to  bring  a  sheep  across  it  which  was  to  be  sacrificed  to  Hercules ; 
when  some  youths,  recollecting  that  an  apple  bore  the  same  name  as  a  sheep  in 
Greek,  (melon.)  offered  an  apple,  with  four  little  sticks  stuck  in  it,  to  resemble 
legs,  as  a  substitute  for  a  sheep;  and  after  that  period,  the  pagans  always  consid- 
ered the  apple  as  especially  devoted  to  Hercules.  In  the  Scandinavian  "  Edda," 
we  are  told  that  the  goddess  Iduna  had  the  care  of  apples  which  had  the  power 
of  conferring  immortality;  and  which  were  consequently  reserved  for  the  gods, 
who  ate  of  them  when  they  began  to  feel  themselves  growing  old.  The  evil 
spirit  Loke  took  away  Iduna  and  her  apple-tree,  and  hid  them  in  a  forest, 
where  they  could  not  be  found  by  the  gods.     In  consequence  of  this  malicious 

*  On  the  estate  of  Mr.  Gardner  G.  Howland,  at  Flushing,  there  are  several  old  trees  of  this  description 
which  bear  abundantly  every  other  vear,  and  are  supposed  to  be  one  hundred  venrs  of  nee. 


COMMON    APPLE-TREE.  3Q3 

theft,  everything  went  wrong  in  the  world.  The  gods  became  old  and  infirm; 
and,  enfeebled  both  in  body  and  in  mind,  no  longer  paid  the  same  attention  to 
the  affairs  of  the  earth;  and  men,  having  no  one  to  look  after  them,  fell  into  evil 
courses,  and  became  the  prey  of  the  evil  spirit.  At  length  the  gods,  finding  mat- 
ters getting  worse  and  worse  every  day,  roused  their  last  remains  of  vigour,  and 
combining  together,  forced  Loke  to  restore  the  tree. 

The  Druids  paid  particular  reverence  to  the  apple-tree,  because  the  mistletoe 
was  supposed  to  grow  only  on  it  and  the  oak ;  and  also  on  account  of  the  great 
usefulness  of  the  fruit.  In  consequence  of  this  feeling,  the  apple  was  cultivated 
in  Britain  from  the  earliest  ages  of  which  we  have  any  record  ;  and  Glastonbury, 
as  has  already  been  observed,  was  distinguished  by  the  title  of  "  Avellonia,"  or 
the  apple  orchard,  previous  to  the  arrival  of  the  Romans.  Many  old  rites  and 
ceremonies  are  therefore  connected  with  this  tree,  some  of  which  are  practised  in 
the  orchard  districts  even  at  the  present  day.  Apple-trees  were  sprinkled  with  a 
libation  of  cider  and  toast,  for  a  fruitful  crop,  on  Twelfth  eve  or  Christmas  day; 
and  new  apples  were  blessed  by  the  priest  on  St.  James'  day,  July  25th.  Divi- 
nations were  also  practised  with  the  pairing  and  seeds.  Tossing  an  apple  to  a 
girl  was  a  token  of  love.  As  a  symbol  of  Venus,  it  is  modern.  The  custom  of 
bobbing  for  apples  on  All-Hallow  E'en  and  on  All  Saint's  day,  which  was  formerly 
common  over  all  England,  is  still  practised  in  some  parts  of  Ireland.  Throwing 
up  little  apples,  and  catching  them  on  the  points  of  knives,  were  favourite  accom- 
plishments of  the  Troubadours. 

Soil  and  Situation.  The  apple-tree,  to  attain  its  greatest  perfection  and  pro- 
ductiveness, requires  a  soil  more  or  less  calcareous,  or  one  that  rests  upon  strata 
abounding  in  marls,  marly  clays,  or  calcareous  sandstone.  It  has  been  observed 
that  the  best  apple  orchards  in  England,  are  situated  on  the  marls  of  the  old  red 
sandstone  of  Herefordshire ;  and  those  of  the  new  red  sandstone,  the  marly  clays 
of  the  lias,  and  the  calcareous  and  often  marly  beds  of  the  inferior  oolite,  in  the 
counties  of  Worcester,  Gloucester,  Somerset,  and  Devon.  It  has  also  been 
observed  in  Ireland,  that  the  apple-tree  flourishes  best  on  limestone  gravel ;  and 
in  Scotland,  that  the  few  orchards  which  exist  in  that  country,  are  to  be  found 
on  soils  more  or  less  calcareous.  On  the  continent  of  Europe,  the  two  districts 
most  famous  for  the  apple,  are  Normandy  and  the  vale  of  Stutgard,  in  both  of 
which,  the  soil  is  well  known  to  abound  in  lime  or  marl.  It  has  also  been 
observed,  that  early  fruits  attain  their  greatest  perfection  in  light,  moderately 
rich,  sandy  soils ;  and  that  the  late  fruits  succeed  best  when  planted  in  a  soil  that 
is  strong  and  clayey.  Trees  will  sometimes  grow  luxuriantly  on  deep  gravels 
and  grauwacke  slate,  without  bearing  apples.  It  has  been  found  by  experience 
that  the  above-named  principles  will  hold  good  in  the  various  parts  of  the  United 
States.  Within  the  last  few  years,  much  light  has  been  thrown  upon  the  adap- 
tation of  soils  to  particular  plants,  and  it  is  now  regarded  as  an  established  fact, 
that  the  apple-tree  requires  alkaline  and  probably  earthy  bases,  as  an  indispen- 
sable condition  to  the  perfection  of  its  fruit.  It  has  been  shown  by  several  enlight- 
ened chemists  that  the  acids  generated  in  plants  are  always  in  union  with  alka- 
line or  earthy  bases,  and  cannot  be  produced  without  their  presence,  that  all 
deciduous  trees  require  a  considerable  portion  of  potash  for  the  elaboration  of  the 
juices  in  their  leaves,  and  that  they  are  prosperous  or  otherwise,  in  proportion  to 
the  scarcity  or  abundance  of  that  substance  in  the  soil.  It  is  well  known  that 
all  clays  contain  potash,  and  that  marls  are  principally  composed  of  clay  and 
carbonate  of  lime,  and  also  contain  potash,  besides  sulphate  and  phosphate  of 
lime.  Hence  the  presence  of  alkaline  and  earthy  bases,  particularly  potash  and 
lime,  affords  a  satisfactory  solution  of  the  adaptation  of  marly  soils  to  the  produc- 
tion of  apples,  even  without  taking  into  account  the  part  which  phosphate  and 
sulphate  of  lime  play  in  their  formation.* 

*  See  Journ.  Roy.  Asx.  Soc.  of  England,  vol.  iv.,  p.  3S0. 


304  PYRUS    MALUS. 

With  regard  to  the  aspect  best  adapted  to  orchards,,  the  surface,  in  general, 
should  be  more  or  less  undulating,  and  at  the  same  time,  sheltered  from  the 
extremes  of  heat  and  cold;  and  it  has  often  been  remarked,  that  abrupt  acclivi- 
ties, which  are  too  steep  for  tillage  by  the  plough,  or  for  the  pasturage  of  heavy 
cattle,  have  been  more  certain  in  the  production  of  fruit.  Very  open,  or  very 
elevated,  exposed  situations,  as  well  as  the  bottoms  of  deep-sunk  valleys,  are 
alike  unfavourable  to  the  perfection  of  orchards.  The  former,  from  the  low  tem- 
perature and  the  violence  of  the  winds,  and  the  latter,  from  the  liability  to  cold 
fogs  and  late  vernal  frosts,  at  the  time  the  trees  are  in  blossom,  often,  in  one  fatal 
night,  utterly  destroy  the  husbandman's  hopes.  A  severe  frost  in  early  autumn, 
in  a  single  night,  may  prove  equally  fatal  to  the  tender  flower-buds,  in  the  latter 
situation,  or,  if  not  fatal,  sufficiently  injurious  to  impair  their  vitality,  and  render 
them  unfit  to  withstand  the  cold  of  the  ensuing  winter  ;  and,  should  they  escape 
and  put  forth  the  following  spring,  the  fruit  will  be  knotty,  blotched,  and  unfair. 
In  planting  an  orchard,  therefore,  in  Britain,  or  in  the  northern  parts  of  Anglo- 
America,  the  site  should  not  be  chosen 

"  In  lowly  vale,  fast  by  a  river  side,' 

nor,  on  the  contrary,  at  an  elevation  too  much  exposed,  but  on  moderately  shel- 
tered southern  slopes,  and  where  choice  will  further  permit,  inclining  rather  to 
the  east  than  to  the  west.  Planting  the  rows  in  a  northerly  and  southerly  direc- 
tion, is  thought  to  be  advantageous,  in  order  that  the  trees  may  derive  the  great- 
est benefit  from  the  sun.  But  in  the  middle  and  western  sections  of  the  United 
States,  more  especially  if  the  locality  be  in  the  region  of  large  bodies  of  water,  a 
northern  exposure  has  proved  to  be  decidedly  more  certain  in  producing  fruit, 
than  slopes  inclining  towards  the  south. 

Propagation  and  Management.  The  Pyrus  malus,  and  all  its  varieties,  may 
be  propagated  from  seeds,  by  grafting,  or  inoculation,  and  by  cuttings  and  lay- 
ers. It  is  a  prevailing  opinion  in  England,  that  the  hardiest  and  best  stocks  are 
those  which  are  raised  from  the  seeds  of  the  wild  crab,  (P.  m.  acerba,)  and  Mr. 
Knight  recommends  that  the  pips  should  be  taken  from  the  fruit  before  it  is 
pressed.  The  mode  practised  in  the  Goldworth  nursery,  where  fruit-tree  stocks 
are  raised  on  a  more  extensive  scale  than  anywhere  else  in  Britain,  is  to  gather 
the  crabs  when  they  are  fully  ripe,  and  to  lay  them  either  in  a  heap  to  rot,  or  to 
pass  them  between  two  fluted  rollers,  and  then  to  press  out  the  juice,  which  is 
thus  converted  into  an  inferior  kind  of  cider,  and  afterwards  to  separate  the  seeds 
from  the  pomace  by  maceration  in  water,  and  sifting.  It  is  the  opinion  of  many 
persons,  both  in  Europe  and  in  America,  that  it  is  of  little  consequence  whether 
they  are  particular  in  the  selection  of  seeds  for  sowing,  from  the  fact  that  the  fruit 
of  trees  raised  from  pips  of  the  same  apple  differ  both  from  the  parent  tree  and 
from  each  other.  But  let  it  be  considered  that,  when  these  variations  take  place, 
they  may  not  always  tend  to  deteriorate  the  fruit,  but  may  often  result  in  an 
exchange  of  one  good  quality  for  another,  or  may  perhaps  even  exhibit  improve- 
ments in  the  qualities.  For  instance,  we  may,  at  least,  expect  to  obtain  early 
fruit  from  the  seeds  of  that  which  is  early,  and  from  those  of  late  fruit  the 
reverse ;  and  by  parity  of  reason,  from  sweet  or  sour,  from  juicy  or  dry  fruit,  we 
may  also  expect  to  obtain  seedlings  that  will,  in  a  considerable  degree,  corres- 
pond to  their  origin — a  result,  which  it  may  often  be  an  object  for  the  cultivator  to 
secure.  Indeed,  if  it  be  true,  that  it  is  of  "  little  consequence"  what  kind  of  pips 
we  employ,  there  certainly  can  be  no  detriment  in  sowing  seeds  of  good  fruit ;  and 
this,  we  conceive,  will  be  a  sufficient  hint  for  the  prudent  nurseryman  to  observe 
The  pomace,  therefore,  should  be  obtained  from  the  apples  of  healthy  and  vigor- 
ous trees,  and  should  be  thickly  strewed,  and  covered  with  earth,  in  shallow 
Tenches  about  eighteen  inches  apart,  so  as  to  admit  of  the  young  plants  being 


COMMON   APPLE-TREE.  305 

well  hoed  and  weeded  by  hand  in  the  following  summer.  Immediately  after  the 
fall  of  the  leaf,  in  the  ensuing  autumn,  the  strongest  and  the  most  vigorous  plants 
may  be  drawn,  and  planted  in  rows  eighteen  inches  apart,  and  the  same  distance 
from  each  other,  in  a  soil  previously  trenched,  manured,  and  cultivated  for  gar- 
den produce.  The  remaining  plants  should  be  similarly  managed  in  the  follow- 
ing year.  During  their  second  and  third  year's  growth,  the  ground  should  be 
kept  perfectly  free  from  weeds  by  repeated  hoeings,  and  the  plants  would  be 
greatly  benefitted  by  a  light  forking  between  the  rows.  No  knife  should  be 
allowed  to  touch  them  in  this  stage,  unless  it  be  to  shorten  an  over-rampant  shoot, 
which  may  be  making  too  strong  a  diversion  from  the  stem,  and  not  even  then,  if 
it  be  more  than  a  foot  from  the  ground,  particularly  when  it  is  intended  to  graft 
the  stem;  for  every  twig  and  every  leaf  contributes  to  the  growth  of  the  root 
and  stem.  When  the  stems  of  the  plants  have  acquired  half  an  inch  or  more  in 
diameter,  at  a  foot  from  the  ground,  the  head  should  be  cut  off,  and  the  opera- 
tion of  grafting  or  inoculation  performed. 

In  order  to  insure  the  most  desirable  sorts  by  means  of  grafts,  the  trees  from 
which  they  are  intended  to  be  taken,  should  be  carefully  inspected  and  marked, 
in  the  autumn  previous,  or  at  the  time  the  fruit  is  in  the  greatest  perfection.  A 
month  or  six  weeks  before  the  season  of  grafting  arrives,  cut  your  scions,  and 
keep  them  buried,  at  length,  in  dry  earth  or  clay,  out  of  the  reach  of  moisture  and 
frost,  until  required  for  use,  in  order  that  the  stocks  may  advance  over  them  in 
forwardness  of  vegetation.  Select  your  scions  from  the  outside  branches  of 
healthy  trees,  just  in  their  prime,  or  at  full  bearing,  about  midway  in  their  heads, 
and  rather  on  their  sunny  sides,  where  the  juices  of  the  wood  have  been  properly 
digested  by  sun  and  air.  If  the  trees  from  which  they  are  to  be  taken  be  young 
and  vigorous,  let  the  shoots  consist  of  the  last  summer's  growth ;  but  if  the  trees 
be  old  or  sickly,  take  them  from  the  most  healthful  branches  in  the  centre  of  their 
tops,  or  what  is  still  better,  the  young  shoots  which  spring  from  their  trunks 
near  the  ground.  Grafting  may  also  be  performed  with  the  shoots  of  the  current 
year,  as  well  as  with  those  of  several  years'  growth.  The  proper  time  for  graft- 
ing, is  when  the  sap  of  the  stocks  is  in  brisk  motion,  which  occurs  in  deciduous 
trees  a  few  weeks  before  they  put  forth  their  leaves ;  but  re-productive  evergreens 
may  be  grafted  during  summer  as  well  as  spring.  After  making  choice  of  the 
proper  season,  and  all  things  are  in  readiness,  let  the  operation  of  grafting  be  per- 
formed as  quickly  as  possible.  For  dwarf  trees,  head  down  the  stocks  to  within 
a  few  inches  of  the  ground,  or  even  below  the  surface.  For  standard  trees,  or 
those  designed  to  attain  their  full  height,  engraft  on  vigorous  branches,  situated 
about  midway  in  their  summits,  and  well  exposed  to  the  sun  and  air.  Ordina- 
rily, the  scions  may  be  from  one  fourth  of  an  inch  to  one  inch  in  diameter;  but. 
if  necessity  requires,  they  may  be  much  larger  or  smaller.  The  middle  portion 
of  the  scion  is  best;  but  where  there  is  a  scarcity,  both  the  top  and  bottom-parts 
may  be  used.  Take  off  a  little  of  the  lower  end  of  the  scion  first,  and  then  cut 
it  of  such  a  length  as  to  leave  from  two  to  five  eyes  or  buds  for  the  production  of 
new  shoots,  always  taking  care  to  cut  off  the  top  in  a  slanting  direction.  Two 
eyes  will  be  sufficient  for  a  standard  tree,  but  four  or  five  are  better  fir  dwarfs 
which  are  intended  to  be  trained.  Let  the  stocks  and  scions,  if  possible,  be  of 
the  same  thickness,  in  order  that  the  inner  barks  of  both  will  exactly  unite  and 
facilitate  the  flow  of  the  sap,  the  immediate  object  being  to  bring  the  bark  and 
young  wood  of  both,  into  close  and  permanent  contact,  by  which  means  the  ves- 
sels of  the  one,  will  be  enabled  to  communicate  with  those  of  the  other.  Tin- 
operation  is  effected  by  several  different  methods,  each  of  which  have  their  advo- 
cates, and  are  adopted  in  various  countries,  according  to  the  preference  or  caprice 
of  the  nurserymen.  The  modes  which  appear  to  be  most  generally  approved  of, 
in  grafting  young  apple  stocks,  are  what  are,  called  "Whip,"  or  " Splice-graft- 

39 


306 


PYRUS    MALUS. 


a 


i>; 


nig"  for  scions  less  than  a  half  of  an  inch  in  diameter,  and  "saddle-grafting" 
for  those  which  are  larger.  Grafting  upon  old  stocks  and  fall-grown  trees  is  usu- 
ally performed  by  what  is  termed  cleft- grafting: 

In  whip-grafting,  cut  the  stock  (a)  with  a 
sharp  knife,  in  an  oblique  direction  without 
starting  or  bruising  the  bark,  and  the  scion  (6) 
in  like  manner  of  a  corresponding  angle.  And 
then,  with  as  little  delay  as  possible,  place  the 
inner  barks  of  the  stock  and  scion  in  perfect 
contact,  at  least  on  one  side,  and  bind  them 
fast  together  with  a  riband  of  bass  or  guana, 
as  indicated  at  (c.)  In  this  part  of  the  process, 
take  particular  jxtins  and  see  that  the  junction 
of  the  two  barks  is  not  in  the  least  displaced. 
To  protect  the  grafted  parts  from  drought,  air, 
and  moisture,  a  layer  of  green  cow-dung  and 
fresh  loam,  well  mixed  in  equal  proportions, 
should  be  applied,  with  a  trowel  or  spatula, 
one  inch  thick  on  every  side,  and  a  little  above 
and  below  the  union  of  the  stock  and  the  scion. 
A  mixture  of  three  parts  fine  clay,  and  one 
part  fresh  horse-droppings,  well  incorporated 
together,  may  also  be  applied  with  success.  A 
bandage  of  moss  or  tow  is  sometimes  wound 
round  the  clay  or  mixture,  to  prevent  it  from 
cracking  by  the  heat  of  the  sun,  and  from  washing  away  by  rains.  In  making  the 
incision  in  the  side  of  the  stock  which  is  to  receive  the  scion,  the  knife  ought,  if 
possible,  to  be  entered  at  the  base  of  a  bud,  and  pass  upwards.  The  reason  of 
this  is,  that  the  vital  principle  is  more  powerful  there ;  and  that  the  germs,  both 
of  buds  and  roots,  are,  in  most  plants,  confined  to  the  joints  of  the  stems;  though 
in  some,  as  in  several  varieties  of  the  elm,  they  appear  to  be  distributed  equally 
over  every  part  of  the  stem  and  roots. 

In  performing  saddle- grafting,  cut, 
with  a  sharp  drawing-knife  or  other 
instrument,  the  stock  (jil)  so  as  to  leave 
the  top  in  the  form  of  a  wedge.  Split 
the  lower  end  of  the  scion  (e)  and  pare 
each  side  of  the  cleft,  so  as  to  fit,  when 
seated,  exactly  on  the  top  of  the  stock, 
with  the  inner  barks  of  both  in  perfect 
contact.  And  then,  with  a  bass  riband, 
bind  the  parts  strongly  together,  as  at 
(/,)  and  perform  the  operation  of  clay- 
ing as  in  the  preceding  method.  In 
three  months  or  more  after  grafting,  re- 
move the  clay,  and  partially  loosen  the 
bass  ribands  which  are  bound  round 
the  grafts,  in  order  that  the  scions  may 
have  more  room  to  expand.  In  a  few 
weeks  more,  when  the  parts  have  been 
partially  inured  to  the  air,  and  when 
there  is  no  danger  of  the  scion  being 
blown  off  by  the  winds,  the  whole  of 


COMMON    APPLE-TREE.  307 

the  ligature  may  be  removed.      Should  the  grafts  have  much  lateral  motion, 
caused  by  the  wind,  they  should  be  secured  to  a  stake  or  a  frame. 

In  grafting,  as  well  as  in  transplanting  trees,  particularly  those  which  are  lia- 
ble to  be  affected  by  the  change  of  situation,  as  the  magnolias,  walnuts,  &c, 
they  should  always  be  planted  or  inserted,  in  the  same  position,  with  reference 
to  the  sun  as  that  in  which  they  grew  previous  to  their  removal. 

When  the  grafts  have  grown  about  two  feet  in  height,  the  plants  should  be 
removed,  or  planted  out  in  land  similarly  prepared  as  in  the  nursery  beds,  in 
rows  four  feet  apart,  with  an  equal  distance  between  each,  where  they  are  to 
remain  until  finally  removed.  Before  the  plants  are  drawn  from  their  grafting- 
sites,  no  side-shoots  should  be  cut  off,  except  those  below  the  graft.  On  their 
removal  to  open  rows,  any  overgrown  branch  may  be  shortened,  and  two  or  three 
of  the  lowermost  cut  off  close  to  the  stem.  After  this,  the  stronger  side-shoots 
only  should  be  moderately  shortened,  in  order  to  encourage  the  upward  growth 
until  a  good  head  is  formed,  about  six  or  seven  feet  above  the  ground.  The 
side-shoots  may  then  be  removed  close  to  the  stem,  in  two  successive  years, 
while  the  head  is  left  to  its  unrestricted  growth.  It  is  a  very  common,  and  at 
the  same  time,  a  very  bad  practice,  to  cut  off  all  the  side-shoots  early,  leaving 
only  two  or  three  twigs  at  the  top,  by  which  means  the  plant  is  very  much 
checked  in  its  growth,  and  instead  of  producing  a  firm  and  tapering  stem,  it 
becomes  almost  cylindrical,  and  tortuous,  instead  of  upright.  Those  who  treat 
plants  in  this  way,  are  undoubtedly  ignorant  of  the  true  nature  of  their  growth, 
and  the  important  office  of  their  leaves;  and,  therefore,  in  attempting  to  assist 
nature  in  promoting  the  growth  of  the  head,  most  injuriously  interfere  with  her 
operations.  If  such  persons  had  equal  facility  of  witnessing  the  growth  of  the 
roots,  they  would  no  doubt  think  it  their  duty  to  cut  part  of  them  away,  with  a 
view  of  promoting  the  growth  of  the  stem ;  at  least,  such  a  proceeding  would  be 
no  less  absurd.  Every  leaf  is  a  feeder  of  the  plant,  as  well  as  every  rootlet ; 
and  no  interference  with  the  progress  of  the  tree  should  be  allowed,  except  for 
the  purpose  of  preventing  any  side-branch  becoming  a  rival  to  the  head.  \\  hen, 
however,  the  tree  has  attained  the  required  height  of  stem,  and  the  head  has 
pushed  forward  strong  shoots  above  that  height,  the  whole  of  those  on  the  stem 
may  be  finally  cut  away,  as  before  directed,  the  stem  having  by  this  time  gained 
sufficient  substance  and  strength,  to  preserve  its  erect  position,  and  to  support 
the  head.* 

The  subject  of  grafting  necessarily  involves  that  of  the  selection  of  the  best 
varieties,  whether  thev  are  new,  or  in  the  vigour  of  their  bearing,  or  are  intended 
for  the  cider-mill,  the  table,  or  the  kitchen ;  but  it  would  be  quite  incompatible 
with  the  speciality  of  this  treatise  to  notice,  even  in  a  tabular  form,  one  half  of 
the  apples  recommended  in  nurserymen's  catalogues;  and  there  are  many  other 
points  connected  with  the  management  of  orchards,  which,  for  the  same  reason, 
must  necessarily  be  omitted ;  but  there  is  one  particular  connected  with  this  sub- 
ject, which  we  here  beg  leave  to  introduce. 

A  theory  was  advanced  many  years  ago  in  England,  and  has  lately  been  revived 
in  that  country,  and  is  gaining  ground  in  America,  that  the  "  chance  of  life  in  a 
1  scion  is  affected  by  the  chance  of  life  in  the  original  seedling  which  began  the  spe- 
cies ;"  that  is,  when  the  natural  period  for  the  decline  of  the  parent  tree  has 
arrived,  the  scions  taken  from  it  will  also  be  found  in  a  declining  state,  though 
growing  upon  stocks  in  other  respects  vigorous.  The  advocates  of  this  theory 
contend,  that  each  particular  varijty  of  apple  has  its  period  of  vigour  and  decline. 
and  its  duration  cannot  be  protracted  by  grafting  beyond  a  certain  limit ;  and  what 
they  conceive  to  be  very  remarkable,  is,  that  within  that  natural  limit,  the  grafts 


*  See  Journ.  Roy.  Agr.  Soc.  of  England,  vol.  iv.,  p 


384. 


30S  PYRUS    MALUS. 

partake  both  of  the  vigour  and  decrepitude  of  the  parent  tree  or  variety.  Although 
the  period  of  duration  .is  not  known  with  any  precision,  it  is  thought  to  be  longer 
in  some  varieties  than  in  others.  It  is  generally  supposed,  however,  that  it  never 
much  exceeds  two  hundred  years.  It  seems  that  this  opinion  has  chiefly  arisen 
from  the  fact,  that  many  kinds  of  the  most  celebrated  European  varieties  have 
long  since  disappeared  from  their  catalogues,  and  can  now  no  longer  be  found ; 
while  many  others,  which  were  much  esteemed  in  their  "  palmy  days"  of  bear- 
ing, are  fast  approaching  to  extinction,  and  will  soon  no  longer  exist.  Although 
the  above  hypothesis  may  seem  plausible  enough  in  itself,  we  cannot  but  remark, 
that  the  want  of  durability  of  the  varieties  in  question,  does  not  apply  to  every 
set  of  scions ;  for  many  sorts  of  apple,  as  well  as  several  other  kinds  of  fruit, 
appear  to  have  been  readily  propagated  by  means  of  successive  scions,  from  the 
times  of  our  forefathers.  For  instance,  the  Newtown  pippin,  the  parent  stock  of 
which  has  been  dead  for  forty  years,  has  been  successfully  cultivated  for  at  least 
one  hundred  years  from  before  that  period,  and  is  still  to  be  met  with  in  the  high- 
est perfection  in  the  markets,  both  at  home  and  abroad.  Furthermore,  experi- 
ence has  shown,  that  many  of  the  scions  of  deteriorated  varieties,  have  flourished 
for  a  time  after  grafting,  and  afterwards,  have  appeared  to  die,  not  from  old  age, 
but  from  disease.  Thus  Sharrock,  who  wrote  in  1672,  inquired  "  whether  the 
canker  in  pippins  arose  not  from  incongruous  grafting ;"  and  Miller  and  Knight, 
of  more  recent  times,  each  complained  that  pippins  became  cankered  from  a  sim- 
ilar cause.  Nevertheless,  we  do  not  wish  to  be  understood,  that  the  age  of  a  tree 
is  of  little  moment  in  the  selection  of  scions  ;  for,  when  a  tree  is  evidently  on  the 
decline,  an  experienced  nurseryman  would  not  cull  scions  from  it  by  choice,  lest 
they  should  prove  sickly  and  diseased ;  neither  would  he  take  them  from  a  young 
tree,  before  it  had  arrived  at  its  proper  period  of  bearing.  For  every  cutting 
taken  from  the  apple,  and  probably  from  many  other  trees,  will  be  affected  by 
the  state  of  the  parent  stock.  If  too  young  to  produce  fruit,  it  will  grow  with 
vigour,  but  will  not  blossom  before  it  has  passed  through  its  successive  periods 
of  ripening  wood ;  and  if  too  old,  it  will  immediately  bring  forth  fruit,  but  will 
never  make  a  healthy  tree.  It  may  further  be  stated,  that  stocks  often  so  much 
influence  the  scions  engrafted  upon  them,  by  habit,  if  from  no  other  cause,  that 
their  fruit  is  essentially  different  from  that  borne  on  the  parent  tree;  and  both 
stocks  and  scions,  in  being  transferred  to  different  soils  or  situations,  often  improve 
or  deteriorate  in  the  character  of  their  fruit,  sometimes  becoming  more  healthful, 
and  at  others  more  sickly  and  diseased.  That  most  ingenious  and  thoroughly 
practical  people,  the  Chinese,  have  long  since  been  familiar  with  the  practice  of 
grafting  scion  upon  scion,  one  above  another,  several  deep ;  but  in  order  to  secure 
the  agreement  between  the  stocks  and  scions,  they  engraft  each  stock  and  each 
scion  from  its  own  respective  branches. 

The  propagation  of  the  apple  by  budding  or  inoculation  is  also  practised  to  a 
considerable  extent,  but  it  is  thought  by  many  to  possess  fewer  advantages  than 
by  grafting.  In  this  part  of  vegetable  economy,  it  may  be  proper  to  remark,  that 
every  fruit-tree  must  have  a  certain  age  before  it  will  produce  fruit.  For  exam- 
ple, the  peach  will  bear  the  third  or  fourth  year  from  the  stone;  but  an  apple- 
tree  from  the  seed,  must  be  twelve  or  fifteen  years  old,  to  produce  fruit  in  perfec- 
tion. And  it  is  remarkable,  that  scions  or  shoots  from  the  top  branches  of  a 
bearing  tree  are  essentially  of  the  same  age  as  the  tree  itself,  and  those  growing 
from  the  roots  or  trunk  near  the  earth,  are  no  older  in  point  of  maturity,  than  the 
tree  was  when  of  the  height  of  the  parts  from  which  they  spring.  For  a  detailed 
description  of  the  process  of  budding  or  inoculation,  which  will  apply  equally 
well  to  most  fruit-bearing  trees,  the  reader  is  referred  to  our  articles  on  the  orange 
and  the  peach,  under  the  hcnd  of  "  Propagation,"  &c. 

The  apple,  like  the  pear,  may  be  grafted  or  inoculated  on  the  common  thorn  • 


COMMON    APPLE-TREE.  309 

but  it  does  not  form  so  desirable  a  tree.  When  intended  to  be  grown  as  a  dwarf, 
it  may  be  inserted  on  stocks  of  the  Siberian  crab,  the  "  Wise  Apple,"  {court  pendu 
plat,  of  the  French,)  or  on  paradise  stocks.  It  may  also  be  propagated  by  inarch- 
ing- or  grafting  by  approach  ;  that  is,  by  uniting  a  scion  to  a  stock  standing 
near  by,  without  being  separated  from  its  parent  tree. 

Preparatory  to  the  planting  of  an  orchard,  it  is  desirable  to  determine  the  qual- 
ity of  the  fruit  of  seedlings  at  as  early  an  age  as  possible,  and  to  know  whether 
they  are  to  be  cut  off  at  the  ground  and  grafted,  or  to  be  preserved  entire.  In 
order  to  do  this,  the  following  devices  have  long  been  practised,  and  have  usually 
been  attended  with  success.  Any  time  within  the  month  of  May  or  June,  select  a 
horizontal  branch  of  the  tree  designed  to  be  rendered  fruitful,  and  remove  from 
the  part  near  its  junction  with  the  trunk,  a  ring  of  bark  from  one  fourth  to  one 
half  of  an  inch  in  breadth,  taking  precaution,  at  the  same  time,  to  rub  off,  within 
the  space  operated  upon,  every  part  of  the  bark,  quite  to  the  sap-wood,  in  order 
to  obstruct  the  descending  juices  in  the  succeeding  autumn.  Another  expedient 
employed  for  the  same  purpose,  is,  to  make  two  turns  of  a  copper  wire  closely 
round  the  bark,  with  a  repetition  of  the  operation  at  some  distance  below,  and  leave 
it  to  be  incorporated  by  the  growth  of  the  tree.  Should  either  of  these  devices 
prove  insufficient,  or  should  the  healing  of  the  wounded  parts  follow  too  quickly, 
the  operations  may  be  repeated  in  the  same,  or  in  the  following  season.  The 
total  removal  of  a  ring  of  bark  produces  the  desired  effect,  sooner,  by  a  whole 
year,  than  a  mere  stricture  upon  it,  although  the  pressure  from  the  wire,  of  itself, 
finally  kills  the  bark  underneath.  Alkaline,  or  ammoniacal  preparations  have 
also  been  applied  to  young  trees,  as  well  as  to  old  ones,  for  the  purpose  of  stim- 
ulating their  growth,  and  accelerating  their  fruitfulness,  such  as  white-washing 
their  trunks  and  branches,  rubbing  them  with  soap-suds,  and  spreading  round 
their  roots  lime,  gypsum,  charcoal,  ashes,  &c. ;  and,  "  human  urine,"  says  Colu- 
mella, "  which  you  have  let  grow  old  for  six  months,  is  well  fitted  for  the  shoots 
of  young  trees.  If  you  apply  it  to  vines,  or  to  young  apple-trees,  there  is  nothing 
that  contributes  more  to  make  them  bear  an  abundance  of  fruit;  nor  does  this 
only  produce  a  greater  increase,  but  it  also  improves  both  the  taste  and  the  flavour 
of  the  wine,  and  of  the  apples." 

Apple-trees  are  generally  fit  for  planting  out  in  the  orchard  at  about  the  age  of 
seven  years,  at  which  time,  if  they  have  been  properly  treated  in  the  nursery, 
they  will  be  about  an  inch  and  a  half  in  diameter  at  the  middle  of  the  stem. 
The  particular  age,  however,  at  which  they  should  be  removed  to  their  final  des- 
tination, after  they  have  formed  a  good  head,  is  not  very  important,  provided 
they  do  not  much  exceed  the  above-named  size ;  and  the  objection  to  a  larger  size, 
is  the  difficulty  of  taking  them  up  with  a  due  proportion  of  roots,  so  as  to  prevent 
them  from  receiving  too  great  a  check.  If  trees  are  to  be  purchased  from  a  nur- 
sery, either  as  seedlings,  or  ready  grafted,  and  the  sorts  cannot  be  relied  upon, 
they  should  be  inspected  in  the  previous  summer  while  in  leaf;  and  those 
selected  which  give  the  greatest  promise  of  making  good  and  healthy  trees,  and 
the  most  likely  to  be  good  bearers.  They  should  have  full  and  flourishing  heads, 
and  broad,  roundish  leaves,  as  such  generally  bear  the  largest  fruit,  and  the  most 
abundant  crops.  In  winter,  such  trees  will  present  a  larger  and  fuller  bud  than 
those  the  leaves  of  which  are  small  and  pointed;  but  though  these  are  favourable 
indications  of  the  size  of  the  fruit,  and  the  productiveness  of  the  tree,  they  arc  by 
no  means  so  with  regard  to  other  qualities;  as  the  trees  maybe  early  or  late 
bearers,  and  the  fruit  red,  yellow,  or  green  ;  and  whether  they  will  produce  either 
good  cider-apples,  or  those  better  adapted  to  the  table,  can  only  1"'  known  when 
they  produce  their  first  fruit.  If  they  then  prove  not  such  as  are  desired,  or  there 
be  too  great  a  proportion  of  one  sort,  grafting  or  budding  in  the  head  should  he  had 
recourse  to.     This  will,  it  is  true,  protract  the  time  of  bearing  a  year  or  two; 


310  PYRCJS    MALUS. 

but  it  is  much  better  to  submit  to  two  or  even  three  years'  delay,  than  for  a  hun- 
dred years  to  have  bad  fruit.  The  most  proper  time  for  planting  out,  is  soon 
after  the  trees  have  shed  their  leaves.  They  should  be  taken  up  with  their  lat- 
eral roots  at  least  two  feet  in  length,  and  planted  as  soon  as  possible.  In  plant- 
in°-  orchards,  the  ground,  for  the  space  of  at  least  six  feet  in  diameter,  should  be 
trenched  two  spades  deep,  the  lowermost  of  which  should  be  cast  away,  and 
the  other  well  broken  with  a  spade  or  otherwise,  and  the  place  of  the  former 
supplied  with  turf,  or  a  compost  of  stable-dung,  a  small  portion  of  leaf-mould  or 
peat,  well  mixed  with  newly-slacked  lime,  ashes,  soda,  or  almost  any  other  alka- 
line substance.  It  is  of  some  importance  that  the  tree,  when  planted,  should 
stand  in  the  same  position  with  regard  to  the  sun,  as  that  in  which  it  grew  in  the 
nursery;  and,  in  order  to  insure  this,  the  south  or  north  side  of  each  tree  should 
be  marked  before  it  is  removed,  and  this  might  be  done  at  the  time  of  selection. 
Care  should  be  taken  to  surround  the  roots  with  the  finest  part  of  the  mould,  and 
to  plant  the  trees  at  precisely  the  same  depth  as  that  at  which  they  before  grew. 
The  ragged  or  lacerated  ends  of  the  roots  should  be  taken  off  with  the  knife  ;  and 
the  hole,  after  being  duly  prepared  as  above,  opened  wide  enough  to  admit  the 
longest  of  them.  If  the  ground  at  the  time  of  planting  be  dry,  and  water  can  be 
conveniently  procured,  two  or  three  bucket fuls,  applied  to  each  of  the  trees,  will 
be  of  essential  service  in  securing  its  growth.  The  tree,  being  temporarily  fixed 
in  its  proper  position  by  a  single  stake,  the  hole  should  be  nearly  filled  with 
mould,  and  the  water  poured  upon  it.  After  a  few  hours,  the  remaining  mould 
may  be  added,  and  well  trodden  down.  If,  in  the  ensuing  spring,  a  thick  dress- 
ing of  a  well-mixed  compost  of  lime  and  earth  be  laid  over  the  space  that  has 
been  opened  round  each  tree,  and  afterwards  dug  in,  it  will  be  highly  beneficial 
to  it ;  and  digging  or  forking  round  the  trees  should  be  repeated  for  three  or  four 
years  in  succession.  After  this  period,  it  is  probable  that  the  leaves  falling  from 
the  trees,  will  be  nearly  or  quite  adequate  to  the  supply  of  all  the  organic  or  gas- 
eous substances  required  for  the  perfection  of  their  fruit ;  therefore,  it  is  in  the 
mechanical  state,  and  to  the  inorganic  constitution  of  the  soil  that  we  are  to  look 
for  those  conditions  which  are  either  favourable  or  unfavourable  to  the  growth  and 
productiveness  of  such  trees.  It  is  not  enough  that  the  soil  be  neither  too  open 
nor  too  retentive  for  the  supply  of  a  due  degree  of  moisture ;  it  must  also  contain 
those  inorganic  or  mineral  substances  which  the  tree  and  its  fruit  require.  When 
the  defects  are  known,  the  remedies  are  obvious.  By  draining  and  trenching  only, 
a  stiff  soil  may  probably  be  rendered  favourable  to  the  production  of  fruit;  and, 
if  this  operation  fail  to  produce  the  desired  effect,  it  is  evident  that  mineral  ma- 
nures are  wanting,  which  may  be  supplied  by  heavy  dressings  of  lime,  or  peat 
ashes,  or  both.  If  the  soil  be  too  porous,  a  heavy  dressing  of  marl  is  the  best 
remedy ;  and  when  this  cannot  be  procured,  clay,  with  lime,  and  peat  or  other 
ashes,  will  supply  its  place. 

When  young  trees  have  been  carefully  planted,  and  well  fenced,  they  will 
require  but  little  attention,  except  that  of  keeping  up  the  fences,  and  to  see  that  they 
are  not  shaken  by  the  wind.  The  mode  of  fencing  must  be  suited  to  the  kind  of 
stock  kept  in  the  orchard.  If  sheep  only  are  depastured,  each  tree  may  be  closely 
surrounded  by  strong  thorns  stuck  in  the  ground,  enclosed  and  sustained  by  thick 
stakes,  firmly  driven,  and  reaching  nearly  to  the  forks.  These  stakes  should  be 
strongly  bound  together  by  bands  or  withes  ;  and,  as  a  further  precaution  against 
damage  from  the  gnawing  of  sheep,  at  any  exposed  place,  the  tree  should  be 
washed  or  smeared  with  a  mixture  of  creamy  lime  and  green  cow-dung,  which 
should  be  renewed,  from  time  to  time,  as  occasion  may  require.  If  it  be  indis- 
pensable to  stock  the  orchard  occasionally  with  large  cattle,  each  tree  must  be 
lenced  by  two  or  three  strong  rough  posts,  firmly  fixed  in  the  ground,  and  united 


COMMON    APPLE-TREE.  311 

by  strong  battens  or  short  rails,  nailed  to  each.     In  some  situations,  where  suita- 
ble stones  abound,  the  trees  are  sometimes  surrounded  by  circular  walls.* 

In  answer  to  the  question  often  asked,  "Whether  orchards  ought  to  be 
ploughed?"  we  would  reply,  that  it  is  an  old  and  prevalent  opinion,  that  fruit- 
trees  of  every  kind  are  improved  and  rendered  better,  by  having  the  ground 
stirred  round  them,  in  order  to  let  in  the  dews  and  air  to  their  roots.  And  with 
this  view,  orchards  have  often  been  tilled  for  potatoes,  grain,  and  other  crops,  to 
which  there  are  two  striking  objections;  first,  they  require  the  light  of  the  sun, 
and  will  not  well  flourish  under  the  shade  of  trees;  and  second,  that  being 
exhausting  crops,  they  impoverish  the  soil,  which  is  so  far  injurious  to  the  apples, 
both  in  quantity  and  quality.  But  the  Jerusalem  artichoke,  {Helianthus  tubero- 
sus,)  which  is  extensively  cultivated  on  the  banks  of  the  Rhine,  rather  prefers 
the  shade,  and  would,  therefore,  thrive  well  under  the  trees;  and,  so  far  from 
exhausting  the  land,  will,  it  is  said,  bear  abundantly  for  ten  or  more  years  in 
succession,  without  manure,  even  upon  poor  soils.  It  has  been  further  stated, 
that  it  does  not  require  much  tilling  after  it  has  once  been  planted;  for,  it  is  only 
necessary  to  draw  the  tops  out  of  the  ground,  when  ripe,  the  remaining  roots  being 
sufficient  to  produce  the  next  year's  crop,  without  fresh  setting,  and  thus  they 
continue  from  year  to  year  until  they  die  of  old  age.  All  these  properties  seem  to 
render  this  plant  suitable  for  orchards;  the  pulling  it  up  will  open  the  ground, 
while  the  avoidance  of  digging,  after  once  set,  will  spare  the  roots  of  the  trees 
many  a  wound.  It  also  possesses  the  rare  property  of  absorbing  nitrogen  largely 
from  the  atmosphere,  which  is  probably  the  reason  of  its  thriving  so  well  without 
manure,  and  consequently  improves  the  condition  of  the  soil.  It  is  planted  in 
drills  similar  to  potatoes,  and  like  them,  its  roots  are  employed  for  food  for  man 
and  animals.  It  has  been  observed  that  orchards,  when  ploughed,  often  rapidly 
advance  to  a  certain  point,  and  then  cease  to  flourish ;  but  this  is  believed  to  be 
caused  by  planting  the  trees  too  near  each  other,  and  by  ploughing  between  them, 
hurries  their  roots  towards  each  other  until  their  interference  checks  their  future 
growth.  The  chief  objection  to  ploughing  an  orchard  is,  that,  in  a  hilly  country, 
having  a  soil  easily  carried  off  by  water,  such  a  soil,  if  kept  bare  and  loose,  will, 
in  time,  become  sensibly  diminished,  where  horizontal  furrows  are  insufficient  to 
remedy  the  evil.  But  this  circumstance  ought  to  forbid  the  use  of  the  plough, 
not  only  in  an  orchard,  but  for  any  object  whatever,  in  such  a  situation.'  In 
ploughing  an  orchard,  care  must  also  be  observed  not  to  go  too  deep  amongst 
the  roots,  which  would  greatly  damage  the  trees  by  the  wounds  they  would 
receive. 

The  distance  at  which  trees  should  be  planted  in  an  orchard  must  be  from 
forty  to  sixty  feet  apart,  according  to  the  richness  of  the  soil ;  for  it  should  be 
always  remembered  that  the  roots  extend  far  beyond  the  branches ;  or  another 
mode  may  be  adopted  that  will  answer  for  the  present  generation  and  for  poster- 
ity. This  may  be  effected  by  planting  what  may  be  called  principal  trees,  at  the 
distances  which  their  full  growth  will  require,  and  placing  between  them,  either 
as  standards,  or  as  dwarfs,  supernumerary  trees,  to  remain  until  the  principal  ones 
shall  require  them  to  be  removed.  The  supernumeraries,  in  this  case,  will  have  a 
peculiar  value;  since,  if  they  be  dwarfs,  they  will  immediately  come  into  bear- 
ing, and  will  ripen  their  fruit  early  in  the  season,  which  can  be  gathered  with 
great  facility ;  and  if  it  falls  to  the  ground,  will  often  escape  from  being  bruised. 
Dwarfs,  too,  may  easily  be  pruned,  and  very  conveniently  thinned  of  their  super- 
fluous fruit;  or,  they  may  be  readily  cleansed  from  every  offending  thing,  or 
supplied  with  nutritious  washes.  On  the  other  hand,  if  the  supernumeraries  be 
seedlings  or  grafts,  they  will  be  ready  for  the  supply  of  such  vacancies  as  will 

*  See  Journ.  Roy.  Agr.  Soc.  of  England,  vol.  iv.,  pp.  390,  et  seq. 


512  PYRUS    MALUS. 

have  occurred  amongst  the  standards,  from  accident  or  disease,  at  the  time  of 
removal.  Among  other  advantages  resulting  from  the  wide  planting  of  orchards, 
may  be  mentioned  the  healthful  and  invigorating  influence  of  the  sun  on  every 
part  of  the  trees,  and  thereby  causing  them  to  bring  forth  more  fruit,  and  that 
which  is  larger,  fairer,  and  better  flavoured ;  for  an  apple,  of  a  globular  form,  three 
inches  in  diameter,  contains  twenty-seven  times  more  bulk,  than  one  of  an  inch 
in  diameter,  (globes  being  to  each  other  as  the  cubes  of  their  diameters.)  Hence 
apples  are  not  to  be  valued  by  their  number  only,  but  by  their  size ;  and  indeed, 
by  their  weight;  for  most  weight  must  be  expected  where  there  is  most  juice, 
and  juice  will  follow  health  and  vigour.*  Another  important  advantage  is,  that 
trees  planted  at  wide  intervals  from  each  other,  have  more  room  to  spread,  with- 
out the  interference  of  their  roots  and  branches,  and  consequently  will  bear  a 
greater  quantity  of  fruit.  A  tree  with  a  hemispherical  head,  fifty  feet  in  diame- 
ter, will  have  twenty-five  times  as  much  fruit-bearing  surface,  as  one  of  the  same 
formed  head  ten  feet  in  diameter.  In  other  words,  circumstances  being  equal,  it 
would  produce  as  much  fruit  as  twenty- five  of  the  smaller  trees,  although  it 
would  occupy  but  little  more  than  one  half  as  much  ground. 

The  usual  mode  of  planting  out  trees  in  an  orchard,  is  the  square-form ;  but 
the  system  most  esteemed  and  adopted  by  the  ancients,  was  to  plant  them  in 
quincuncem,  that  is,  in  the  form  of  the  Roman  numeral  V.,  which  answers  to  four 
asterisks  placed  in  the  corners  of  an  oblong  square,  with  a  fifth  midway  between 
them.     The  two  modes  may  be  illustrated  by  the  following  diagrams : — 


QUINCUNX-FORM.  SQUARE-FORM. 

The  quincunx,  when  compared  with  the  square-form,  saves  one  eighth  of  the 
ground,  and  has  the  advantage  of  disposing  the  trees  at  equal  distances  apart  in 
every  direction.!  The  vacant  spaces  which  will  be  left  at  the  ends  of  every  other 
row  of  standards,  may  be  filled  with  supernumerary  dwarf  trees,  and  allowed  to 
remain  permanently.  To  plant  temporary  trees  between  the  principal  ones,  so 
as  to  divide  the  distances  into  halves,  will  require  about  two  supernumeraries  for 
every  principal  one,  by  the  square-form,  and  a  less  number  by  the  quincunx- 

*  Papers  of  Mass.  Agr.  Soc,  1804,  p.  85. 

f  The  following  is  a  practical  method  of  laying  out  an  orchard  by  the  quincunx -form  : — First,  deter 
mine  the  points  for  the  centre  of  each  tree  in  the  outer  row,  by  setting  stakes  at  equal  distances  apart — 
say  fifty  feet.  Take  a  line  one  hundred  feet  in  length,  with  a  knot  or  mark  in  its  middle,  and  place  its 
two  ends  at  two  contiguous  stakes  ;  then  extend  the  knot  or  mark  till  the  whole  line  becomes  stretched 
in  two  equal  lengths,  and  the  knot  or  mark  will  indicate  the  place  for  a  tree  in  the  next  row,  where  there 
should  be  driven  another  stake.  Repeat  the  same  operation  with  a  second  pair  of  stakes  in  the  outer  row, 
and  another  point  will  be  determined  in  the  next  row,  where  there  must  also  be  inserted  a  stake.  In  like 
manner,  continue  with  all  the  other  stakes,  checking,  in  the  mean  time,  each  of  the  stations  by  oblique, 
cross,  and  longitudinal  sights,  till  the  whole  be  completed.  Every  tree  in  such  an  orchard,  will  be  fifty 
feet  from  each  of  its  neighbours ;  but  the  rows  will  be  only  forty-three  and  three-tenths  feet  apart  •  and 
this  distance  is  to  fifty  feet  nearly  as  seven  is  to  eight.  Consequently,  one  eighth  of  the  ground  wi..  be 
saved,  as  intimated  above.     In  order  to  show  the  distance  of  the  rows  apart  by  the  quincunx-form,  the 


COMMON   APPLE-TREE. 


313 


form,  if  dwarf  standards  are  allowed  to  remain  in  the  vacant  spaces  which  occur 
at  the  ends  of  every  other  row.  This  will  be  more  clearly  understood  by  an 
inspection  of  the  diagrams  below,  in  which  the  asterisks  denote  the  standard 
trees,  (d)  the  permanent  dwarfs,  and  (s)  the  supernumary  trees. 


QUINCUNX-FORM.  SQUARE-FORM, 

distance  of  the  trees  from  each  other  being  given,  the  subjoined  table  has  been  constructed  from  Euclid 
i.,  37.  which  may  be  applied  with  advantage  to  other  species  of  culture  : — 


F — 

1  u  — 
1  l-i    CD 

£.& 

o  c 

o  -> 

II 

m  a 

stance  of  Rows 
apart    in    Feet 
and  decimals. 

a>    . 
<u  *-> 

H» 

o  c 

0>  — 

|   | 

stance  of  Rows 
apart    in    Feet 
and  decimals. 

■n 
01 

01   w 

>  a 

H  <d 

o  c 

oi  — 

O   w 

rf    % 

stance  of  Rows 
apart    in    Feet 
and  decimals. 

'J) 

H  « 
<x>  — 

^  a. 

stance  of  Rows 
apart    in    Feel 
and  decimals. 

O 

O 

16 

a 

31 

Q 

Q 

47 

Q 

h 

0-433 

13-856 

26-847 

40-703 

1 

0-866 

16* 

14-289 

32 

27-713 

IS 

41-569 

2 

1-732 

17 

14-722 

33 

28-579 

49 

42  435 

3 

2-598 

18 

15-5S8 

34 

29-445 

49* 

42-868 

4 

3-464 

19 

16-454 

35 

30-311 

50 

43-301 

5 

4-330 

20 

17-321 

36 

31-177 

51 

44-167 

6 

5-196 

21 

18  187 

37 

32-043 

52 

45-033 

7 

6-062 

22 

19-053 

38 

32-909 

53 

45-899 

8 

6-928 

23 

19-919 

39 

33-775 

54 

46-765 

9 

7-794 

24 

20-785 

40 

34-641 

55 

47-631 

10 

8-660 

25 

21-651 

41 

35-507 

156 

48-497 

11 

9-526 

26 

22-517 

42 

36-373 

57 

49-363 

12 

10-392 

27 

23-383 

43 

37-239 

58 

50-229 

13 

U-258 

28 

24-249 

44 

38-105159 

51095 

14 

12-124 

29 

25-115 

45 

38-971|;60 

51-962 

15 

12-990 

30 

25-981 

46 

39-8371:66 

57-158 

The  following  table  may  also  be  useful  for  readily  pointing  out  the  number  of  trees  and  other  plant- 
required  for  a  statute  acre  of  land,  when  planted  at  any  of  the  under-mentioned  distances  apart :— 


Distances  apart. 

No.  of  plants.  Distances  apart.      No.  ol  plants 

Distances  apart.       No.  of  plants. 

1  Ft. 

by  1  Ft.   . 

"    li  • 
"   1 

.     43560 

5  Ft. 

by  1  Ft.    .     . 

8712 

13  Ft. 

by  13  Ft.    . 

257 

2 

.     19360 

5 

"   2     .     . 

4356 

14 

«    14     . 

222 

.     21780 

5 

"  3     .     . 

2901 

15 

"   15 

193 

•> 

"   2     . 

.     10890 

5 

«   4     .     . 

2178 

16 

"   16 

170 

24 

3 

"   2£  . 

"   1     . 

.       6969 

5 

"  5     .     . 

1742 

17 

"    17 

150 

.     14520 

5A 

"  54    .     . 

1417 

18 

"   18 

134 

3 

"   2     . 

7260 

6 

"   6     . 

1210 

19 

"   19 

120 

q 

"   3     . 

4810 

64 

"  64  .    . 

in".  1 

20 

"   20 

108 

34 

"   3i  . 

"    1     . 

.       3555 

7 

"   7      .     . 

888 

25 

"   25 

69 

.     .     10890 

8 

"  8     .     . 

680 

30 

"   30 

48 

4 

"   2     . 

.     .      5445 

9 

"   9 

.       537 

Hi 

"   -10 

.      27 

4 

"   3     . 

.     .      3630 

10 

"10      .     . 

.      435 

5P 

«  50 

17 

4 

"  4     . 

.     .       2722 

11 

« 11      .     . 

.      360 

CO 

«   60 

12 

1-J 

«   44  . 

2151 

12 

"12      .     . 

302 

ill) 

«  66 

. 

40 


314  PYRUS    MALUS. 

In  pruning  apple-trees,  it  is  alike  important  to  regard  the  general  form  of 
their  heads,  as  it  is  the  management  of  their  individual  branches.  A  system 
which  has  long  been  practised  in  Europe,  and  has  been  adopted  for  many  years 
in  the  United  States,  is  to  lead  out  of  the  upright  stem,  at  a  given  height,  a  series 
of  horizontal  branches,  each  series  comprising  four  limbs,  situated  at  proper  inter- 
vals, till  the  tree  can  bear  no  more  of  them.  The  advantages  resulting  from  this 
mode  are,  that  the  boughs  can  be  made  capable  of  producing  fruit  at  an  earlier 
age;  the  strength  of  such  branches,  at  the  place  of  their  insertion  into  the  stem, 
is  much  greater  than  of  those  which  grow  at  more  acute  angles ;  and  that  the 
flat  or  semi-spherical  heads  of  such  trees  seem  designed  not  only  to  lessen  the 
hold  of  the  wind,  but  to  diminish  the  influence  of  the  shade  on  the  crops  around 
them,  as  well  as  to  admit  light,  heat,  and  ventilation  within  them.  It  has  been 
recommended  that  the  head  of  the  tree  be  somewhat  hemisphe- 
rical, with  a  hollow  space  left  in  the  line  of  its  central  parts; 
for  these  parts  are  more  secluded  from  the  light  and  air,  than 
the  rest  of  the  tree,  and  consequently  are  not  adapted  to  the  pro- 
duction of  fruit.  In  forming  the  head  of  a  tree  in  the  Atlantic 
parts  of  the  United  States,  it  has  also  been  recommended  to  diminish  the  weight 
and  quantity  of  boughs  on  its  east  or  north-east  side,  (the  side  opposite  to  the 
prevailing  winds,)  as  trees  generally  incline  that  way;  and  to  encourage  the 
branches  on  the  opposite  side  to  screen  the  sun  from  the  trunk,  in  order  to  pre- 
vent its  powerful  rays  in  summer  from  killing  the  bark,  and  causing  canker  and 
ruin  to  the  tree.  Mr.  Knight  recommends  most  attention  to  be  paid  to  the  lateral 
branches,  which,  if  unchecked  by  occasional  pruning,  are  apt  to  load  the  tree  too 
much  at  the  extremities.  Mr.  Joseph  Cooper,  of  New  Jersey,  entertained  a  simi- 
lar opinion.  "Young  fruit-trees,"  said  he,  "  should  not  have  the  side-shoots  cut 
close  to  the  stem,  which  forces  the  growth  the  whole  way  up  the  top;  which 
becomes  so  weighty,  as  to  bend  and  spoil  the  trees.  I  have  found  it  better  to  cut 
the  ends  of  the  side-shoots  *****  which  will  encourage  the  growth  of  the 
stem  or  trunk,  till  it  acquires  strength  to  support  a  good  top."  After  the  head  of 
the  tree  is  properly  formed,  nothing  more  is  necessary  than  to  cut  out  all  the 
branches  that  cross  each  other,  or  are  likely  to  be  in  the  way  within  three  years. 
As  the  trees  produce  their  fruit  upon  cursions,or  spurs,  care  must  be  observed  not 
to  cut  off  or  destroy  them,  as  they  continue  to  be  fruitful  for  several  seasons.  It 
has  also  been  recommended  to  "  prune  at  a  fork,"  or  at  least,  "  at  a  bud ;"  on  the 
ground  that  a  wound  is  best  protected  when  covered  by  bark  from  without ;  and 
as  the  bark  never  spreads  over  the  end  of  a  long  stump,  but  only  over  the  place 
from  which  it  has  been  taken,  the  new  cover  must  be  supplied  by  the  extension 
of  the  bark  of  another  branch,  and  such  a  branch,  even  a  bud  may  become  in 
time.  Till  this  extension  of  bark  be  effected,  however,  an  artificial  covering 
should  be  substituted,  by  shaving  the  wounded  surface  close  and  smooth,  and 
applying  immediately  a  plaster  composed  of 

Parts. 

White  Burgundy  pitch, 16 

Black  pitch, 4 

Resin, 4 

Bees-wax, 4 

Tallow, 8 

Pounded  mastic, 1 

Salt-petre, 1 

This  mixture  should  be  warmed  over  a  slow  fire  for  three  fourths  of  an  hour ; 
and  when  melted,  but  not  too  hot,  be  put  on  with  a  brush  to  a  depth  of  one 
sixteenth  to  one  half  of  an  inch  in  thickness,  according  to  the  size  of  the  wound. 


COMMON    APPLE-TREE.  3jg 

In  performing  these  operations,  particular  care  must  be  observed  not  to  injure  the 
remaining  branch  or  bud  ;  and  should  a  cut  accidentally  be  made,  the  wounded 
part  should  by  no  means  be  removed,  but  be  pressed  fast  together,  and  a  coat  of 
the  composition  immediately  laid  over  it.  The  bearing  capabilities  of  apple-trees 
of  considerable  age  may  be  much  improved  by  judicious  pruning,  in  removing 
decayed  branches,  and  old,  unprofitable  boughs,  where  the  head  is  too  much 
crowded.  These  should,  in  all  cases,  be  taken  off  by  a  clean  cut,  close  to  the 
branch  from  which  they  are  separated,  or  at  least  to  a  lateral  shoot,  so  that  the 
part  may  heal  over  as  soon  as  possible.  The  proper  season  for  pruning  is  about 
mid-summer,  or  about  the  time  the  downward  motion  of  the  sap  commences,  and 
when  a  more  perfect  cicatrization  of  the  wounded  parts  take  place,  than  if  pruned 
in  the  winter  or  spring.  Another  important  rule  in  pruning  is,  to  remove  every 
part  of  the  tree  "incurably  diseased;"  not  only  because  the  disease  may  be  con- 
tagious, but  because  rottenness  of  itself  occasions  increased  evils,  from  the  wea- 
ther, from  insects,  and  other  causes.  When  the  adjoining  wood  and  bark  are 
pruned  to  the  quick,  and  properly  sheltered,  room  is  given,  as  we  have  pointed 
out,  for  a  natural  cover  to  be  made  for  the  wound.  But  we  must  repeat, 
that  the  wound,  if  possible,  must  be  protected,  or  the  evil  may  be  made  worse, 
from  various  causes.  When  consistent,  the  wound  occasioned  by  pruning  should 
be  on  the  lower  side  of  the  branch,  rather  than  on  the  upper  side ;  especially  where 
no  composition  is  intended  to  be  applied,  as  the  lower  side  is  least  exposed  to  the  sun 
and  rain.  It  is  a  good  rule  to  have  no  reliance  on  boughs  which  are  kept  contin- 
ually damp  by  the  drippings  of  other  boughs,  or  upon  those  which  are  kept  con- 
stantly screened  from  the  sun.  "The  general  shape  of  an  old  tree"  should  be 
kept  substantially  the  same,  in  order  that  the  ascending  juices  may  continue  as 
nearly  as  possible  in  their  established  channels ;  or  if  changes  are  aimed  at,  they 
should  be  gradual.  Hence,  care  must  be  taken  not  to  cut  off  "  too  many  large 
limbs  at  a  time,"  lest  the  sap  of  some  of  the  roots,  and  particularly  those  corre- 
sponding to  these  limbs,  should  be  too  suddenly  checked  in  its  ascent.  Sometimes 
trees,  which  at  first  were  good  bearers,  become  stag-headed  and  unfruitful.  It  is 
more  than  probable  that  this  condition  is  owing  to  some  defect  in  the  soil.  The 
proper  remedy  to  be  resorted  to  in  this  case  is,  what  is  called  "  heading  down ;" 
that  is,  removing  all  the  branches  to  within  a  foot  or  two  of  the  main  forks,  or 
the  stem  of  the  tree,  in  order  to  encourage  the  formation  of  a  healthy  and  vigor- 
ous head.  This  operation  should  be  accompanied  by  a  heavy  dressing  of  com- 
post, formed  of  lime,  ashes,  and  loam,  extending  for  a  considerable  distance 
round  the  tree,  which  should  be  dug  in  with  the  turf.  According  to  the  opinion 
of  some  orchardists,  pruning,  after  the  head  of  the  tree  is  properly  formed,  is  to 
be  avoided  as  much  as  possible,  as  it  creates  numerous  useless  shoots,  and  pre- 
vents the  production  of  fruit.  A  very  important  advantage,  however,  may  be 
derived  from  this  principle,  by  provoking  young  shoots  to  appear  by  skilfully 
wounding  the  bark  in  the  vacant  spaces  of  a  branch,  and  thereby  regulate  the 
symmetry  of  the  tree. 

Accidents,  Diseases,  and  Insects.  The  apple-tree,  as  a  standard,  is  more  liable 
to  accidents,  the  attacks  of  insects,  and  to  diseases,  than  the  pear-tree.  Its  branches 
are  more  frequently  broken  by  tempestuous  winds,  whereby  their  wounded  parts, 
in  being  exposed  to  the  vicissitudes  of  the  weather,  sooner  decay,  and  tend  greatly 
to  lessen  the  productiveness  and  the  duration  of  the  tree.  When  situated  near  the 
borders  of  woods,  orchards  are  often  injured  by  the  American  grouse,  or  partridge, 
(Tetrao  umbellus,)  which  greedily  devours  the  flower-buds,  in  winter,  when  the 
ground  is  covered  with  snow.  The  apple-tree  is  also  subject  to  canker:  more 
especially  when  planted  deep,  or  in  a  soil  which  is  annually  dug  round  it  to  some 
depth,  and  cropped  with  vegetables.  In  some  soils,  also,  particularly  those  which 
contain  much  oxide  of  iron,  the  tree  is  liable  to  canker  under  any  mode  ol  cul- 


316  PYRUS    MALUb. 

ture;  and  the  remedy,  or  palliative,  in  such  soils,  is  liming  abundantly,  to  neu. 
tralize  the  oxide ;  and  planting  on  the  surface,  without  digging  the  ground,  but 
only  hoeing,  or  keeping  it  entirely  in  pasture.  The  trunk  and  branches,  in  some 
soils,  and  in  moist  situations,  are  liable  to  be  infested  with  lichens  and  moss, 
which  must  be  scraped  off;  and  in  others,  the  mistletoe  is  apt  to  take  root,  which 
must  be  cut  out.  The  fungus,  iEcidium  cancellatum,  which  also  grows  on  the 
leaves  of  the  pear-tree,  and  produces  what  is  called  mildew,  is  not  unfrequent  on 
those  of  the  apple-tree. 

The  leaves,  flowers,  fruit,  and  wood  of  the  apple-tree  are  subject  to  the  attacks 
of  numerous  insects,  or  their  larvae,  against  which  there  are  few  or  no  remedies. 
One  of  the  most  common  enemies  to  this  tree,  in  Europe,  particularly  in  England, 
is  the  cotton  insect,  or  woolly  aphis  {Aphis  lanigera,  of  Linnaeus,  and  Eriosoma 
mali,  of  Leach.)  This  insect  was  first  described  by  Hausmann,  in  1801,  as  infest- 
ing the  orchards  of  Germany ;  but  it  was  noticed  in  England  as  early  as  the  year 
1787,  and  has  since  acquired  in  that  country,  though  improperly,  the  name  of 
"American  blight,"  from  the  belief  that  it  had  been  imported  from  America. 
Although  it  exists  in  the  United  States,  it  is  exceedingly  rare;  but  it  is  thought 
not  to  be  indigenous,  but  was  brought  to  this  country  on  fruit-trees  from  Europe. 
It  appears  to  have  been  known,  also,  by  the  French  gardeners  for  a  long  time 
previous  to  either  of  the  above-named  dates  ;  and  according  to  Mr.  Rennie,  it  is 
found  in  the  orchards  in  the  vicinity  of  Harfieur,  in  Normandy,  and  is  very 
destructive  to  the  trees  in  the  department  of  Calvados.  The  eggs  of  this  insect 
are  so  small  that  they  cannot  be  distinguished  without  the  aid  of  a  microscope. 
They  are  enveloped  in  a  cotton-like  substance,  furnished  by  the  body  of  the 
insect,  and  are  deposited  in  the  forks  of  the  branches,  and  in  the  chinks  of  the 
bark,  at  or  near  the  surface  of  the  ground,  especially  if  there  are  suckers  springing 
from  that  place.  The  young,  when  first  hatched,  are  covered  with  a  very  short, 
fine  down,  and  appear,  in  the  spring  of  the  year,  like  so  many  little  specks  of 
mould.  As  the  season  advances,  and  the  insects  increase  in  size,  their  downy 
coats  become  more  distinct,  and  grow  in  length  daily.  This  down  is  very  easily 
removed,  adheres  to  the  fingers,  when  touched,  and  appears  to  issue  from  all  the 
pores  of  the  skin  of  the  abdomen.  When  fully  grown,  the  insects  of  the  first 
brood  are  one  tenth  of  an  inch  in  length,  and,  when  the  down  is  rubbed  off,  the 
head,  antennas,  sucker,  and  shins,  are  found  to  be  of  a  blackish  colour,  and  the 
abdomen  of  a  honey-yellow.  The  young  are  produced  alive  during  the  summer, 
are  buried  in  masses  of  the  down,  and  derive  their  nourishment  from  the  sap  of 
the  bark  and  of  the  alburnum  or  young  wood  directly  under  the  bark.  The 
adult  insects,  it  is  said,  never  acquire  wings  nor  honey  tubes,  but  from  time  to 
time,  they  emit  drops  of  an  adhesive  fluid  from  the  extremities  of  their  bodies. 
Although  destitute  of  wings,  they  are  conveyed  from  tree  to  tree  by  means  of 
their  long  down,  which  is  so  plentiful  and  so  light,  that  they  are  easily  wafted 
by  the  winds  of  autumn,  and  thus  the  evil  will  gradually  spread  throughout  an 
extensive  orchard.  The  numerous  punctures  of  these  insects  produce  on  the  ten- 
der shoots  a  cellular  appearance,  and  wherever  a  colony  of  them  is  established 
warts  or  excrescences  arise  on  the  bark ;  the  limbs  thus  attacked,  become  sickly, 
the  leaves  turn  yellow  and  drop  off;  and,  as  the  infection  spreads  from  limb  to 
limb,  the  whole  tree  becomes  diseased,  and  eventually  perishes.*  A  writer  in 
the  London  "  Entomological  Magazine"  describes  the  mode  of  propagation  of  this 
insect,  and  gives  a  method  of  destroying  it  as  follows: — "  These  blights  wander 
wherever  it  pleases  the  wind  to  carry  them;  and,  if  bad  luck  should  drive  one 
of  them  against  the  branch  of  an  apple-tree,  there  it  will  stick,  creep  into  a  crack 
in  the  bark,  bring  forth  its  young,  and  found  a  colony.     The  white  cotton  soon 

*  See  Harris'  Report,  p.  193.     Also  Illiger's  Magazine,  i.,  p.  440  ;  and  Rennie's  Insect  Miscellanies, 
p.  180.  l 


COMMON    APPLE-TREE.  317 

appears  in  large  bunches;  branch  after  branch  becomes  infected;  the  tree  grows 
cankery,  pines,  and  dies.  How  this  is  effected,  no  one  knows,  though  the  cause 
and  effect  are  too  evident  to  escape  the  notice  of  the  commonest  clown.  In  laro-e 
orchards,  it  is  vain  to  hope  for  a  cure ;  but  not  so  in  gardens.  Directly  you  see 
the  least  morsel  of  cotton,  make  up  your  mind  to  a  little  trouble,  and  you  will 
get  rid  of  it.  In  the  first  place,  get  a  plasterer's  white-washing  brush  ;  then  get 
i  large  pot  of  double  size ;  make  your  man  heat  it,  till  it  is  quite  liquid ;  then  go 
with  him  into  the  garden,  and  see  that  he  paints  over  every  patch  of  white, 
though  not  bigger  than  a  sixpence ;  the  next  morning  have  the  size-pot  heated 
again,  and  have  another  hunt;  and  keep  on  doing  so  every  morning  for  a  fort- 
night. Your  man  will  tell  you  it's  no  use— tell  him  that's  your  business,  not 
his.  Your  neighbours  will  laugh  at  you  for  your  pains — do  it  before  they  are  up. 
I  have  tried  it,  and  know  it  to  be  effectual.  Spirit  of  tar  has  been  used  with  par- 
tial effect;  so  also  has  resin.  White- washing  has  been  often  tried,  and,  as  it 
contains  some  size,  is  not  entirely  useless;  and  some  horticulturists  think  it 
ornamental — I  do  not."* 

The  apple-tree,  as  well  as  the  quince,  mountain  ash,  June  berry,  and  various 
species  of  thorns  and  aronias  are  attacked  by  the  larvae  of  the  two-striped  saperda, 
(Saperda  biviliata,  Say,)  denoted  by  the  adjoining  figure.  The 
upper  side  of  the  body  of  the  perfect  insect  is  marked  with  two 
longitudinal  white  stripes  between  three  others  of  a  light-brown 
colour,  while  the  face,  the  antennae,  the  under  side  of  the  body, 
and  the  legs,  are  white.  This  beetle  varies  in  length  from  a  lit- 
tle more  than  one  half  to  three  fourths  of  an  inch.  It  comes  forth 
from  the  trunks  of  the  trees  early  in  June,  making  its  escape  in  the 
night,  during  which  time  only  it  uses  its  ample  wings  in  passing 
from  one  tree  to  another  in  search  of  companions  and  for  food. 
In  the  day-time,  it  keeps  at  rest  among  the  leaves  of  the  plants 
on  which  it  feeds.  In  the  months  of  June  and  July,  the  females 
deposite  their  eggs  upon  the  bark  of  the  trees,  near  the  roots,  and  the  larvae  or 
borers  hatched  from  them  consist  of  fleshy  whitish  grubs,  without  legs,  nearly 
cylindrical  in  their  form,  and  tapering  a  little  from  the  first  ring  to  the  end  of 
the  body.  The  head  is  small,  horny,  and  of  a  brownish  colour.  The  first  ring 
is  much  larger  than  the  others,  the  next  two  very  short,  and,  like  the  first,  are 
covered  with  punctures  and  very  minute  hairs.  This  grub,  with  its  strong  jaws, 
cuts  a  cylindrical  passage  through  the  bark,  and  pushes  its  castings  backwards 
out  of  the  hole,  while  it  bores  upwards  into  the  wood.  It  continues  in  the  larva 
state  two  or  three  years,  during  which  it  penetrates  eight  or  ten  inches  into  the 
trunk  of  the  tree,  its  burrow  at  the  end  approaching  to,  and  being  covered  only 
by,  the  bark.  It  is  in  this  situation  that  its  transformation  takes  place,  which  is 
completed  about  the  first  of  June,  when  the  beetle  gnaws  through  the  bark  that 
covers  the  end  of  the  burrow,  and  comes  out  of  its  place  of  confinement  in  the  night. 
One  of  the  oldest,  safest,  and  most  successful  modes  of  destroying  this  borer  is,  to 
thrust  a  wire  into  the  hole  it  has  made ;  or,  what  would  probably  answer  as 
well,  to  plug  it  up  with  soft  wood.f 

Young  apple-trees,  and  the  extremities  of  the  limbs  of  older  trees,  are  very 
much  subject  to  the  attacks  of  a  small  species  of  bark-louse,  {Coccus  ***#*■?) 
The  limbs  and  smooth  parts  of  the  trunks  are  sometimes  completely  covered  with 
these  insects.  They  measure  about  one  tenth  of  an  inch  in  length,  are  of  an 
oblong-oval  shape,  gradually  decreasing  to  a  point  at  one  end,  and  are  of  a  brown- 
ish colour,  very  near  to  that  of  the  bark  of  the  tree.  There  is  also  another  spe- 
cies of  coccus,  which  inhabits  the  apple-tree,  differing  from  the  one  above  men- 

*  See  London  Gardener's  Magazine,  ix..  p.  335.     t  See  Harris'  Report,  p.  89. 


318  PYRUS    MALUS. 

tioned  in  several  important  particulars.  It  is  one  of  the  kind  in  which  the  body 
of  the  female  is  not  large  enough  to  cover  her  eggs,  for  the  protection  whereof, 
provision  is  made,  consisting,  in  this  species,  of  a  kind  of  membraneous  shell,  of 
the  colour  and  consistence  almost  of  paper.  In  autumn,  and  during  winter,  these 
insects  are  seen  in  a  torpid  state,  and  of  two  different  forms  and  sizes,  on  the  bark 
of  the  trees.  The  larger  ones  measure  less  than  a  tenth  of  an  inch  in  length,  and 
are  in  the  shape  of  a  common  oyster-shell,  being  broad  at  the  hinder  extremity, 
but  tapering  towards  the  other,  which  is  surmounted  by  a  little  oval,  brownish 
scale.  The  small  ones,  which  are  not  much  more  than  half  the  length  of  the 
others,  are  of  an  oblong-oval  shape,  or  almost  four-sided,  with  the  ends  rounded, 
and  one  extremity  is  covered  by  a  dark-coloured,  minute,  oval  scale.  For  a 
description  of  the  general  habits  of  this  family  of  insects,  the  reader  is  referred  to 
our  article  on  the  orange-tree,  under  the  head  of  "  Insects."* 

The  tender  buds  and  young  leaves  of  the  apple-tree  are  sometimes  attacked,  in 
May  and  June,  by  multitudes  of  small  caterpillars,  described  by  Dr.  Harris, 
under  the  name  of  the  eye-spotted  penthina  {Penthina  ocula?ia.)  They  are  of 
a  pale  and  dull-brown  colour,  warty  and  slightly  downy,  with  the  head  and  the 
top  of  the  first  ring  of  a  dark  shining  brown.  They  usually  acquire  their  growth 
by  the  middle  of  June,  at  which  time  they  transform,  and  come  out  in  the  winged 
state  early  in  July.  These  caterpillars  live  singly  in  the  buds  or  opening  foli- 
age, which  they  fasten  together  and  devour.  The  only  sure  mode  recommended 
to  destroy  them  is,  to  crush  the  withered  clusters  of  leaves  containing  them  or 
their  chrysalides,  and  thus  "  nip  them  in  the  bud."  But  one  of  the  greatest 
pests  to  the  American  orchards,  as  well  as  to  the  foliage  of  the  elm,  and  some- 
times of  the  cherry,  plum,  linden,  and  other  trees,  is  the  canker-worm,  first 
described  by  Professor  Peck  under  the  name  of  Phalcena  vemata.  According  to 
Dr.  Harris,  the  canker-worm  moths  begin  to  make  their  appearance  after  the 
first  hard  frost  in  the  autumn,  usually  towards  the  end  of  October,  and  they  con- 
tinue to  come  forth,  in  greater  or  smaller  numbers,  according  to  the  mildness  or 
severity  of  the  weather  after  the  frosts  have  begun.  Their  general  time  of  rising, 
however,  is  in  the  spring,  beginning  about  the  middle  of  March,  but  sometimes 
before,  and  at  others,  after  this  time ;  and  they  continue  to  come  forth  for  the 
space  of  about  three  weeks.  It  has  been  observed  that  there  are  more  females 
than  males  among  those  that  appear  in  the  autumn  and  winter,  and  that  the 
males  are  the  most  abundant  in  the  spring.  The  sluggish  and  wingless  females 
instinctively  make  their  way  towards  the  nearest  trees,  and  creep  slowly  up  their 
trunks.  In  a  few  days  afterwards  they  are  followed  by  the  winged  and  active 
males,  which  flutter  about  and  accompany  them  in  their  ascent,  during  which, 
the  two  sexes  pair.  Soon  after  this,  the  females  lay  their  eggs  upon  the  branches 
of  the  trees,  placing  them  on  their  ends,  close  together  in  rows,  forming  clusters 
of  sixty  to  one  hundred  eggs  or  more,  which  is  the  number  usually  laid  by  each. 
The  eggs  are  glued  to  each  other,  and  to  the  bark,  by  a  grayish  varnish,  which 
is  impervious  to  water;  and  the  clusters  are  thus  securely  fastened  in  the  forks 
of  the  small  branches,  or  close  to  the  young  twigs  and  buds.  The  eggs  are  usu- 
ally hatched  between  the  first  and  the  middle  of  May,  or  about  the  time  that  the 
red  currant  is  in  blossom,  and  the  young  leaves  of  the  apple-tree  begin  to  expand. 
The  little  canker-worms,  upon  making  their  escape  from  the  eggs,  gather  upon 
the  tender  leaves,  and,  on  the  occurrence  of  cold  and  wet  weather,  seek  shelter 
in  the  bosom  of  a  bud,  or  into  the  flowers,  when  the  latter  appear.  The  leaves, 
when  first  attacked,  will  be  found  pierced  with  small  holes,  which  become  larger 
and  more  irregular  as  the  worms  increase  in  size,  until  nearly  all  the  pulpy  parts 
are  consumed.     A  very  great  difference  of  colour  is  observable  among  these 

*  See  also  Harris'  Report,  pp.  201  et  203. 


COMMON    APPLE-TREE.  319 

worms  of  different  ages,  and  even  among  those  of  the  same  age  and  size.  When 
very  young,  they  have  two  minute  warts  on  the  top  of  the  last  rings,  and  they 
are  then  generally  of  a  blackish  or  dusky-brown  colour,  with  a  yellowish  stripe 
on  each  side  of  the  body  ;  there  are  two  whitish  bands  across  the  head  ;  and  the 
belly  is  whitish.  When  fully  grown,  these  individuals  become  ash-coloured  on 
the  back,  and  black  on  the  sides,  below  which,  the  pale,  yellowish  line  remains. 
Some  are  found  of  a  dull  greenish-yellow,  and  others  of  a  clay-colour,  with  slen- 
der interrupted  blackish  lines  on  the  sides,  and  small  spots  of  the  same  colour  on 
the  back.  The  head  and  feet  partake  of  the  general  colour  of  the  body  ;  the  belly 
is  paler.  When  not  eating,  they  remain  stretched  out  at  full  length,  and  resting 
on  their  fore  and  hind  legs,  beneath  the  leaves.  When  fully  grown  and  well  fed, 
they  measure  nearly  or  quite  an  inch  in  length.  They  cease  feeding  when  about 
four  weeks  old,  at  which  time  they  begin  to  quit  the  trees.  Some  creep  down 
by  the  trunks,  but  great  numbers  let  themselves  down  by  their  slender  threads 
from  the  branches,  their  instincts  prompting  them  to  get  to  the  ground  by  the 
easiest  and  most  direct  course  possible.  After  reaching  the  ground,  they  imme- 
diately burrow  into  the  earth,  to  the  depth  of  two  to  six  inches,  unless  prevented 
by  weakness,  or  by  the  hardness  of  the  soil.  In  the  latter  case,  they  die,  or 
undergo  their  transformations  on  the  surface.  In  the  former,  they  make  little 
cavities  or  cells  in  the  ground,  by  turning  round  repeatedly,  and  fastening  the 
loose  grains  of  earth  about  them  with  a  few  silken  threads;  and,  within  twenty- 
four  hours  afterwards,  they  are  changed  into  chrysalides,  and  in  due  time,  emerge 
from  these  retreats  in  their  perfect  form.  In  order  to  protect  the  trees  from  the 
ravages  of  the  canker-worm,  the  only  thing  that  would  seem  necessary  would  be 
to  prevent  the  wingless  females  from  ascending  the  trunks  to  deposit  their  eggs. 
The  expedients  usually  resorted  to  for  this  purpose,  are,  to  fit  a  close  collar  of 
lead,  tin,  wood,  or  other  materials,  around  the  trunks  of  the  trees,  or  a  circular 
trough  filled  with  oil.  The  application  of  belts  of  tar,  liquid  Indian  rubber,  and 
other  viscid  substances,  to  the  bodies  of  the  trees  have  been  employed  with 
partial  success. 

The  apple-tree  is  also  infested  by  the  larvae  of  the  white-marked  orgia,  or 
tussock-moth  {Orgia  leucostigma,  Harris.)  These  small,  slender  caterpillars 
are  of  a  bright-yellow  colour,  and  are  sparingly  clothed  with  long  and  fine  yellow 
hairs  on  the  sides  of  their  bodies.  The  females,  in  the  adult  state,  though  seem- 
ingly wingless,  have  two  little  scales  or  stinted  wings,  while  the  males  have 
large  ashen-gray  wings,  the  upper  pair  of  which  are  crossed  by  dark  wavy 
bands,  with  a  small  black  spot  near  the  tip,  and  a  minute  white  crescent  near 
the  outer  hind  angle.  The  body  of  the  male  is  small  and  slender,  with  a  row  of 
little  tufts  along  the  back,  and  the  wings  expand  one  inch  and  three  eighths.  The 
females  are  of  a  lighter  gray  than  the  males,  and  their  bodies  are  much  thicker, 
and  are  of  an  oblong-oval  shape.  Different  broods  of  these  insects  appear  at 
various  times  in  the  course  of  the  summer,  but  the  greater  number  come  to 
maturity  and  lay  their  eggs  in  the  latter  part  of  August  and  the  beginning  of 
September,  which  are  not  hatched  before  the  following  spring.  It  is  stated  by 
the  late  Mr.  B.  H.  Ives,  of  Salem,  Massachusetts,  in  vol.  i.,  p.  52,  of  Hovey's  "  Gar- 
dener's  Magazine,"  that  on  passing  through  an  apple  orchard  in  February,  he 
"  perceived  nearly  all  the  trees  speckled  with  occasional  dead  leaves,  adhering  so 
firmly  to  the  branches  as  to  require  considerable  force  to  dislodge  them.  Each 
leaf  covered  a  small  patch  of  from  one  to  two  hundred  eggs,  united  together,  as 
well  as  the  leaf,  by  a  gummy  and  silken  fibre,  peculiar  to  the  moth."  In  the 
March  following,  he  visited  the  same  orchard,  and  as  an  experiment,  cleared 
three  trees,  from  which  he  took  twenty-one  bunches  of  eggs.  The  remainder  of 
the  trees  he  left  untouched  until  the  10th  of  May,  when  he  found  the1  caterpillars 
were  hatched  from  the  egg,  and  had  commenced  their  slow,  but  sure  work  ot 


320  PYRUS    MALUS. 

destruction.  He  watched  them  from  time  to  time,  until  many  branches  had  been 
spoiled  of  their  leaves,  and  in  the  autumn  were  entirely  destitute  of  fruit ;  while 
the  three  trees,  which  had  been  cleared  of  the  eggs,  were  flush  with  foliage,  each 
limb,  without  exception,  ripening  its  fruit.  In  addition  to  a  brief  notice  of  the 
American  lackey  caterpillar,  {Clisiocampa  amoicana,)  in  our  article  on  the  Vir- 
ginian cherry-trees,  under  the  head  of  "Insects,"  it  may  be  proper  here  to  state, 
that,  where  proper  attention  has  not  been  paid  to  prevent  its  ravages,  it  prevails 
to  such  an  extent  as  almost  entirely  to  strip  the  apple  orchards,  as  well  as  the 
cherry-tree  of  their  foliage.  This  insect,  from  its  abundance  in  all  parts  of  the 
country,  and  being  known  almost  exclusively  in  common  language,  by  the  name 
of  the  caterpillar,  requires  no  further  description.  Various  methods  have  been 
recommended  to  destroy  this  insect,  such  as  burning  and  crushing  the  nests, 
early  in  the  morning  or  evening  while  the  vermin  are  at  their  repose,  and  the 
collection  and  destruction  of  their  eggs  in  the  winter  or  early  part  of  spring.  If 
a  liberal  bounty  for  the  collection  of  the  eggs  were  to  be  offered,  as  was  suggested 
by  the  late  Judge  Lowell,  and  continued  for  the  space  of  ten  years,  this  destruc- 
tive caterpillar  would  be  nearly  exterminated  at  the  end  of  that  time.  Another 
insect,  which  may  be  called  the  tent-caterpillar  of  the  forest,  (Clisiocampa  sylvat- 
ica,  Harris,)  very  much  resembling  the  preceding  in  its  habits,  preys  upon  the 
leaves  of  the  oak,  the  hickory,  aud  more  rarely  upon  those  of  the  apple-tree.  Two 
other  species  of  gregarious  caterpillars,  Notodonta  co?icinna,  and  Pygcera  minis- 
tra,  of  Harris,  also  swarm  on  the  apple,  cherry  and  plum-trees,  towards  the  end 
of  summer,  stripping  whole  branches  of  their  leaves.  The  caterpillar  of  the 
American  lappet-moth,  (Gastropacha  americana,  Harris,)  appears  in  September, 
and  makes  the  leaves  of  the  apple  its  food,  which  it  only  eats  in  the  night.  A 
large  green  caterpillar,  (Attacus  cecropia,  Harris,)  also  makes  its  appearance  on 
the  apple-tree  in  the  months  of  July  and  August,  as  well  as  upon  the  currant,  the 
berberry,  the  cherry,  and  the  plum.* 

Among  the  insects  which  create  the  greatest  havock  in  orchards,  in  Europe, 
are  the  larvae  of  the  Tinea  padella,  of  Linnaeus,  which  congregate  in  such  vast 
numbers,  that  the  leaves  vanish  before  them,  and  by  mid-summer,  the  trees  arc 
often  completely  defoliated  by  them. 

Apples  often  fall  off  prematurely,  both  in  Europe  and  in  America,  from  being 
worm-eaten.  The  cause  of  this  is  a  beautiful  little  insect,  called  the  apple- worm 
moth,  Tinea  pomonella,  of  Linnaeus;  Pyralis  poniana,  of  Fabricius ;  and  Carpo- 
capsa  pomonella,  of  modern  entomologists.  The  habits  and  economy  of  this  moth 
have  been  satisfactorily  pointed  out  by  a  writer  in  the  London  "Entomological 
Magazine,"  and  a  good  account  of  it  is  also  given  by  Dr.  Harris,  in  his  "  Report  on 
the  Insects  of  Massachusetts  injurious  to  Vegetation,"  p.  353.  The  larvae  of  this 
insect  leave  their  chrysalides  from  the  middle  of  June  to  the  first  of  July,  or  at  the 
time  the  young  apples  become  well  set.  The  moth  now  lays  her  eggs  in  the  eye 
of  the  apple,  one  only  in  each,  by  introducing  its  long  ovipositor  between  the  leaves 
of  the  calyx,  which  form  a  tent  above  it,  that  effectually  shields  it  from  the  inclem- 
ency of  the  weather,  or  other  casualties.  "  As  soon  as  the  egg  hatches,"  says  the 
writer  above  referred  to,  "  the  little  grub  gnaws  a  hole  in  the  crown  of  the  apple,  and 
soon  buries  itself  in  its  substance ;  and  it  is  worthy  of  remark,  that  the  rind  of  the 
apple,  as  if  to  afford  every  facility  to  the  destroyer,  is  thinner  here  than  in  any 
other  part,  and,  consequently,  more  easily  pierced.  *****  The  grub,  controlled 
by  an  unvarying  instinct,  eats  into  the  apple  obliquely  downwards,  and,  by  thus 
avoiding  the  core  and  pips,  in  no  way  hinders  its  growth.  At  first,  it  makes  but 
slow  progress,  being  little  bigger  than  a  thread ;  but,  after  a  fortnight,  its  size  and 
its  operations  have  much  increased.  It  has  now  eaten  half-way  down  the  apple ; 
and  the  position  of  the  hole  at  the  top,  if  the  apple  continue  upright,  or  nearly  so, 

*  See  Harris'  Report,  pp.  261,  269,  273,  279,  307,  312,  332,  et  318. 


COMMON   APPLE-TREE.  321 

is  convenient  for  a  purpose  it  has  up  to  this  tune  been  used  for,  that  is,  as  a  pass 
to  get  rid  of  its  little  pellets  of  excrement,  which  are  something  like  fine  saw- 
dust, or  coarse  sand.  Another  communication  with  the  outer  air  is  therefore 
required ;  and  it  must  be  so  constructed  as  to  allow  the  power  of  gravity  to  assist 
in  keeping  it  clear.  It  is  accordingly  made  directly  downwards,  towards  that 
part  of  the  apple  which  is  lowest ;  and  thus  the  trouble  of  thrusting  the  pellets 
upwards  through  the  eye  of  the  apple  is  saved,  and  a  constant  admission  given 
to  a  supply  of  air  without  any  labour.  The  hole  now  made,  is  not,  however, 
sufficiently  open  for  an  observer  to  gain  by  its  means  any  knowledge  of  what  is 
going  on  within;  this  is  only  to  be  obtained  by  cutting  open  a  number  of  the 
apples,  as  they  gradually  advance  towards  ripeness;  the  hole  is,  however,  very 
easily  seen,  from  its  always  having  adhering  to  it,  on  the  outside,  an  accumula- 
tion of  the  little  grains  which  have  been  thrust  through.  Having  completed  this 
work,  the  grub  returns  towards  the  centre  of  the  apple,  where  he  feeds  at  his 
ease.  When  within  a  few  days  of  being  full  fed,  he,  for  the  first  time,  enters  the 
core,  through  a  round  hole  gnawed  in  the  hard  horny  substance  which  always 
separates  the  pips  from  the  pulp  of  the  fruit ;  and  the  destroyer  now  finds  him- 
self in  that  spacious  chamber,  which  codlings,  in  particular,  always  have  in  their 
centre.  From  this  time,  he  eats  only  the  pips,  never  again  tasting  the  more  com- 
mon pulp,  which  Jiitherto  had  satisfied  his  unsophisticated  palate ;  now  nothing 
less  than  the  highly-flavoured  aromatic  kernels  will  suit  his  tooth;  and  on  these, 
for  a  few  days,  he  feasts  in  luxury.  Somehow  or  other,  the  pips  of  an  apple  are 
connected  with  its  growth,  as  the  heart  of  an  animal  with  its  life.  Injure  the 
heart,  an  animal  dies — injure  the  pips,  an  apple  falls.  Whether  the  fall  of  his 
house  gives  the  tenant  warning  to  quit,  I  cannot  say,  but  quit  he  does,  and  that 
almost  immediately.  He  leaves  the  core,  crawls  along  his  breathing  and  clear- 
ing-out gallery,  the  mouth  of  which,  before  nearly  closed,  he  now  gnaws  into  a 
smooth  round  hole,  which  will  permit  him  free  passage,  without  hurting  his  fat. 
soft,  round  body ;  then  out  he  comes,  and,  for  the  first  time  in  his  life  finds  him- 
self in  the  open  air.  He  now  wanders  about  on  the  ground  till  he  finds  the  stem 
of  a  tree ;  up  this  he  climbs,  and  hides  himself  in  some  nice  little  crack  in  the 
bark.  I  should  remark  that  the  fall  of  the  apple,  the  exit  of  the  grub,  and  his 
wandering  to  this  place  of  security,  usually  take  place  in  the  night-time.  In  this 
situation  he  remains  without  stirring  for  a  day  or  two,  as  if  to  rest  himself  after 
the  uncommon  fatigue  of  a  two  yards'  march ;  he  then  gnaws  away  the  bark  a 
little,  in  order  to  get  further  in  out  of  the  way  of  observation ;  and,  having  made 
a  smooth  chamber,  big  enough  for  his  wants,  he  spins  a  beautiful  little  milk- 
white  silken  case,  in  which,  after  a  few  weeks,  he  becomes  a  chrysalis,  and  in 
this  state  remains  throughout  the  winter,  and  until  the  following  June,  unless 
some  unlucky  black-headed  tit,  running  up  the  trunk,  peeping  into  every  cranny, 
and  whistling  out  his  merry  see-saw,  happens  to  spy  him ;  in  which  case,  he 
is  plucked  without  ceremony  from  his  retreat,  and  his  last  moments  are  spent  in 
the  bird's  crop.  But,  supposing  no  such  ill-fortune  betide  him,  by  the  middle  of 
June  he  is  again  on  the  wing,  and  hovering  round  the  young  apples  on  a  mid- 
summer evening  as  before.  By  burning  weeds  in  your  garden,  at  this  time  of 
the  year,  you  will  effectually  drive  away  this  little  moth.  If  you  have  trees,  the 
crops  of  which  you  value,  make  a  smoking  fire  under  each.  It  will  put  you  to 
some  inconvenience  if  your  garden  be  near  your  house;  but  the  apples  will  repay 
you  for  that."  As  the  apple-worm  instinctively  leaves  the  fruit  soon  after  it  falls 
from  the  trees,  it  has  been  recommended  to  gather  up  all  wind-fallen  fruit  daily, 
and  give  it  to  cattle  or  swine,  in  order  to  kill  these  insects,  before  they  have  time 
to  escape.  Mr.  Joseph  Burrellc,  of  Quincy,  Massachusetts,  in  vol.  xviii.  of  the 
'•New  England  Farmer,"  says  that,  "if  any  old  cloth  is  wound  around  or  hung 
in  the  crotches  of  the  trees,  the  apple-worms  will  conceal  themselves  therein 

41 


322  PYRUS   MALUS. 

and  by  this  means  thousands  of  them  may  be  obtained  and  destroyed,  from  the 
time  when  they  first  begin  to  leave  the  apples,  until  the  fruit  is  gathered." 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  apple-tree,  in  a  wild  state,  is  fine- 
grained, hard,  and  of  a  brownish  colour ;  and  that  of  the  cultivated  tree  is 
believed  to  be  of  a  still  finer  and  closer  grain,  which  is  a  result  of  cultivation 
contrary  to  what  is  usual.  The  weight  of  the  wood  of  this  species  varies  much 
according  to  the  locality  in  which  it  grows.  In  a  green  state,  it  weighs  from 
fortv-eight  to  sixty-six  pounds  to  a  cubic  foot ;  and  it  loses  from  one  eighth  to 
one'twelfth  of  its  bulk  in  drying,  and  about  one  tenth  of  its  weight.  The  wood 
of  the  cultivated  varieties  weighs  more  than  that  of  the  wild  tree,  in  the  propor- 
tion of  about  sixty-six  to  forty-five.  In  Britain,  apple-tree  wood  was  formerly 
much  used  in  turnery,  and  as  cogs  for  wheels,  for  which  latter  purpose  it  was 
found  to  be  durable,  when  kept  dry ;  but  if  exposed  to  the  alternations  of  mois- 
ture and  dryness,  it  did  not  last  long  in  any  situation.  The  bark  of  this  tree 
affords  a  yellow  dye ;  and  the  leaves  are  eaten  by  horses,  cows,  sheep,  and  goats. 
In  France  and  some  parts  of  Germany,  the  thorny  wild-apple,  or  crab,  is  formed 
into  live  hedges,  the  branches  of  which,  according  to  Agricola,  were  inarched  into 
each  other,  in  order  to  give  them  more  strength  to  resist  cattle.  In  some  of  the 
forests  of  France,  its  fruit  is  a  great  resource  for  the  wild  boar,  and  it  is  also 
given  in  that  country  to  swine  and  cows.  Apples,  for  the  yarious  purposes  in 
domestic  economy,  recommend  themselves  to  our  choice  by  very  different  quali- 
ties ;  though  some  few  varieties  are  almost  equally  well  adapted  to  all  purposes. 
In  those  for  the  table,  we  require,  sweetness,  with  a  subdued  and  pleasant  acidity, 
and  a  delicate,  aromatic  flavour.  In.  the  kitchen-apple,  size,  the  quality  of  keep- 
ing, and  considerable  acidity  are  the  principal  requisites;  and  those  intended  for 
boiling  and  for  making  sauce,  acidity  is  an  indispensable  property.  The  best 
apples  for  cider,  are  those  which  yield  a  juice  of  the  greatest  specific  gravity ; 
and  it  is  said  that  cider  made  from  trees  grown  on  a  strong  clayey  soil,  has  more 
strength,  and  will  keep  better  than  that  made  from  trees  on  a  sandy  soil.  The 
red  and  yellow  colour  of  the  rind  is  considered  as  good  indications  of  cider  fruit, 
and  apples  of  the  various  degrees  of  these  colours  are  decidedly  preferable  to  those 
of  which  the  rind  is  green.  The  pulp  should  be  yellow,  the  taste  rich,  and 
somewhat  astringent.  Apples  of  a  small  size,  if  equal  in  quality,  are  always  to 
be  preferred  for  cider  to  those  of  a  larger  size,  in  order  that  the  rind  and  kernel 
may  bear  the  greatest  proportion  to  the  pulp,  the  latter  of  which,  affords  the 
weakest  and  the  most  watery  juice. 

With  regard  to  the  preservation  of  apples,  it  is  a  practice,  with  many  persons, 
to  gather  them  in  October,  and  first  spread  them  on  the  floor  of  an  upper  room,  in 
order  to  let  them  dry,  and  then  to  pack  them  in  casks  or  boxes,  and  store  them 
away  in  a  cellar ;  but  experience  has  shown  that  this  mode  of  treatment  causes 
them  to  wither,  and  lose  their  flavour,  without  acquiring  any  additional  dura 
bility.  The  apples  intended  to  be  preserved  for  winter  and  spring  use,  should 
remain  on  the  trees  until  quite  ripe,  which  will  usually  take  place  at  the  coming 
of  the  first  heavy  frost.  They  should  then  be  plucked  from  the  trees  by  hand,  in 
a  fair  day,  and  packed  up  immediately  in  casks,  in  alternate  layers  of  dry  sand, 
plaster,  chaff,  saw-dust,  or  bran,  and  conveyed  to  a  cool,  dry  place  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible. The  sand  or  saw-dust  may  be  dried  in  the  heat  of  summer,  or  may  be 
baked  in  an  oven  at  the  time  required  to  be  used.  The  peculiar  advantages  aris- 
ing from  packing  apples  in  sand,  are  explained  and  commented  upon  as  follows, 
by  the  lale  Mr.  Webster,  author  of  the  "American  Dictionary  of  the  English 
Language  ;" — "  1st,  the  sand  keeps  the  apples  from  the  air,  which  is  essential  to 
their  preservation  ;  2d,  the  sand  checks  the  evaporation  or  perspiration  of  the 
apples,  thus  preserving  in  them  their  full  flavour— at  the  same  time  any  moisture 
yielded  by  the  apples  is  absorbed  by  the  sand— so  that  the  apples  are  kept  dry, 


COMMON    APPLE-TREE.  323 

and  all  mustiness  is  prevented.  My  pippins  in  May  and  June,  are  as  fresh  as 
when  first  picked.  Even  the  ends  of  the  stems  look  as  if  just  separated  from  the 
twigs;  3d,  the  sand  is  equally  a  preservative  from  frost,  rats,  &c.  But  after  the 
extreme  heat  of  June  takes  place,  all  apples  speedily  lose  their  flavour,  and 
become  insipid." 

The  uses  of  the  apple,  as  an  eatable  fruit,  are  very  numerous.  They  are 
equally  good  for  the  kitchen  and  the  dessert;  and  may  not  only  be  used  in  vari- 
ous dishes  by  themselves,  but  enter  into  numerous  combinations  with  other  fruits. 
In  confectionary,  apple-jelly  forms  a  most  beautiful  medium  for  preserving  Sibe- 
rian crabs,  and  many  other  kinds  of  fruit;  and  dried  apples  (beaufins)  are  pre- 
pared in  great  numbers  in  some  parts  of  England,  by  drying  them  slowly  in 
bakers'  ovens  after  the  bread  has  been  drawn,  and  occasionally  taking  them  out 
and  flattening  them  with  the  hand,  till  they  are  perfectly  soft,  and  of  a  rich 
deep-brown  colour.  In  France,  a  kind  of  jam  or  rob.  called  raisine  compose,  is 
prepared  by  boiling  apples  in  unfermented  wine.  The  must  or  wine  should  be 
diminished  by  boiling  to  one  half  of  its  bulk,  to  be  continually  skimmed  as  fresh 
scum  arises,  and  afterwards  strained  through  a  cloih  or  a  fine  sieve.  The  apples 
are  then  pared,  cut  into  quarters,  and  put  into  this  liquor,  (raisine,)  and  left  to 
simmer  gently  over  a  fire,  with  a  continual  stirring  with  a  wooden  spatula,  till 
the  apples  become  thoroughly  amalgamated  with  the  liquor,  and  the  whole  forms 
a  species  of  marmalade,  which  is  extremely  agreeable  to  the  taste.  When  pre- 
pared in  the  northern  departments,  the  raisine,  after  the  first  boiling,  skimming, 
and  straining,  should  be  set  in  a  cool  place  for  twenty-four  hours,  when  a  saline 
liquor,  like  a  scum,  will  appear  on  the  surface.  This  must  be  removed,  and 
the  liquor  strained,  before  it  is  mixed  with  the  apples,  as  above.  This  scum  con- 
sists principally  of  tartaric  acid,  which  would  spoil  the  rasine,  and  prevent  it 
from  keeping  sweet,  but  which  is  not  perceivable  when  the  grapes  have  ripened 
in  a  southern  climate.  The  raisine,  when  properly  prepared,  is  sweet,  but  with 
a  slight  flavour  of  acidity,  like  lemon  juice  mixed  with  honey.  The  best  raisine 
is  made  in  Burgundy.  In  Normandy,  a  similar  marmalade  is  composed  of  cider 
and  pears,  much  resembling  the  "apple-butter"  or  "apple-sauce,"  of  the 
United  States;  but  it  is  not  so  good  as  the  raisine,  being  apt  to  ferment.  In 
some  cases,  the  pears  are  put  into  an  earthen  vessel  without  water,  and  placed 
in  a  baker's  oven  after  the  bread  has  been  drawn,  previously  to  mixing  with 
cider.  The  best  raisine  is  considered  very  wholesome,  particularly  for  children, 
who  eat  it  spread  on  bread,  and  for  persons  in  delicate  health,  whose  stomachs 
will  not  bear  butter.  In  Italy,  the  raisine  is  eaten  with  preparations  either  of 
Indian  corn,  or  of  maccaroni,  to  give  a  flavour  to  these  dishes.* 

A  kind  of  wine  is  also  made  from  apples  with  water  and  sugar ;  but  it  is  by  no 
means  so  good  as  the  better  classes  of  cider,  from  which  a  spirit  is  extracted  equal 
to  brandy,  for  preserving  fruit.  In  some  parts  of  England  and  France,  a  drink  called 
boisso?i,  is  made  from  the  wild  crab ;  and  verjuice  is  a  well  known  vinegar,  pro- 
duced from  the  most  austere  of  this  fruit.  In  the  United  States,  a  liquor  is  made 
from  cider  by  distillation,  which  is  called  cider  brandy  ;  and  a  very  agreeable, 
and  at  the  same  time,  a  very  strong  liquor,  is  obtained  by  allowing  cider  to  freeze, 
and  drawing  off  the  unfrozen  part,  which,  of  course,  includes  all  the  spirit  the 
cider  contained.  A  liquor  is  also  made  in  America,  called  pontona  wine,  by  add- 
ing one  gallon  of  brandy  to  six  gallons  of  new  cider  after  it  is  racked  off,  which, 
when  eight  or  twelve  months  old,  is  a  very  good  substitute  for  wine. 

Apples  are  stated,  by  persons  who  have  made  exact  experiments,  to  yield  about 
seventy  per  cent,  of  their  weight  of  juice ;  or  nearly  seven  imperial  gallons,  or  eiglit 
and  thirty-five  hundredths  wine  gallons  of  juice  to  one  hundred  pounds  of  apples 

*  See  Nouv.  Cours  d'Agr.,  xiii.,  p.  44. 


324  PYRUS    MALUS. 

which  may  serve  as  some  sort  of  guide  to  those  who  may  wish  to  purchase  apples 
for  the  purpose  of  making  cider.  It  has  also  been  stated  that  the  quantity  of 
apples  required  to  make  a  hogshead  of  cider,  in  England,  is  from  twenty-four  to 
thirty  bushels ;  and  from  eight  to  twelve  bushels  to  make  a  barrel  of  that  liquor, 
in  the  United  States.  As  the  strength  of  cider  always  depends  upon  the  weight 
of  the  juice,  there  is  no  surer  way  of  determining  its  value  than  by  its  specific 
gravity.  The  specific  gravity  of  the  juice  of  the  best  quality  of  apples  should 
vary  from  1-080  to  1-095. 

Medicinally,  apples  are  considered  particularly  cooling,  and  excellent  in  all 
inflammatory  disorders ;  and  apple- water  is  a  most  refreshing  drink  in  fevers. 
Dr.  Short,  in  speaking  of  the  properties  of  cider,  says,  "  Long  observation  assures 
us,  that  such  as  chiefly  drink  cider,  are  more  healthy  and  strong,  and  have  better 
complexions  than  those  that  are  accustomed  to  wine  and  ale."  Both  Lord  Bacon 
and  Dr.  Baynard  tell  us  of  several  persons  nearly  a  hundred  years  of  age,  and 
some  more,  who  seldom  drank  any  other  liquor,  and  were  very  active  and  vigor- 
ous at  that  age. 

The  apple-tree,  as  an  object  in  landscape  scenery,  cannot  be  recommended  as 
harmonizing  well  with  other  forms ;  but,  as  it  has  a  character  of  its  own,  and  as 
it  affords  an  agreeable  variety  to  the  husbandman's  hopes  and  pursuits,  and  no 
inconsiderable  addition  to  his  domestic  comforts  and  enjoyments,  it  deserves  a 
place  in  every  garden  and  in  every  hedge-row.  In  the  latter,  it  is  more  espe- 
cially desirable,  as  it  does  very  little  injury  to  the  surrounding  crops  by  its  shade ; 
and,  on  the  authority  of  Mr.  Loudon,  it  may  be  added,  that,  in  nurseries  and 
market-gardens,  particularly  in  the  former,  it  gives  protection  to  the  young  trees. 
And  indeed,  in  viewing  a  "heaven-showered"  orchard,  whether  covered  in 
spring  with  a  profusion  of  blossoms,  or  laden  in  autumn  with  fruit  of  rich  and 
varied  flavour,  more  beautiful  than  the  grape,  and  yielding  a  juice  scarcely  less 
agreeable  to  the  palate,  our  admiration  is  excited  with  the  prodigal  bounty  and 
beauty  of  nature. 


Pyrus  aucuparia, 
THE  MOUNTAIN  ASH. 

Synonymes. 


Sorbus  aucuparia, 
Pyrus  aucuparia, 

Sorbier  des  oiseleurs,  Sorbier  des  oiseaux, 
Aillame,  Cochesne,  Timier, 

Sperberbaum,  Vogelbeerbaum, 

Sorbo  lazzerola  salvatica  ottobrina;  Sorba , 
salvatica   ottobrina,    Sorbo    salvatico, 
Sorba  della  Ragnaja  del  Palagio  di 
Gianfigliazzi,  Sorba  della  Romola, 

Serbal  sylvestre,  Serbal  de  cazadores, 

Mountain  Ash,  Wild  Ash,  Wild   Sorb,  ^ 
Wild  Service,  Mountain  Service,  Fowl- 
er's    Service,     Quicken-tree,     Quick 
Beam  ,  Witchen-tree,  Wichen,  Whitch- 
en,  Whitten,  Wiggen-tree, 

Rowan-tree,  Rowne-tree,  Roan-tree,  Rod- 
dan,  Roddon,  Rhodon,  Routry,  Rantry, 

Mountain  Ash,  Wild  Service-tree, 


Linnjeus,  Species  Plantarum. 
De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 
Don,  Miller's  Dictionary. 
Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 

France. 

Germany. 

•  Italy. 

Spain. 

England. 

Scotland. 
Anglo-America. 


Derivations.  The  specific  name  aucuparia  is  derived  from  the  Latin  aucupor,  to  seek  or  get  by  cunning ;  having  reference 
to  the  use  made  of  the  berries  of  this  tree  in  all  countries  where  it  grows,  and  from  time  immemorial,  to  bait  birds  with 
Whence  the  French  names,  Sorbier  des  oiseleurs,  the  Bird-catcher's  Service-tree,  and  Sorbier  des  oiseaux,  the  Bird  Service- 
tree.  The  German  name  signifies  the  Bird's  Berry  tree.  This  species  is  called  Mountain  Ash,  from  its  growing  on  mountains, 
and  the  pinna?  of  its  leaves  bearing  some  resemblance  to  those  of  the  common  ash.  Witchen,  and  all  its  derivatives,  bear  rela 
tion  to  the  supposed  power  of  this  tree,  as  a  protection  against  witches  and  evil  spirits. 

Engravings.    Audubon,  Birds  of  America,  iv.,  pi.  ccclxiii. ;  Selby,  British  Forest  Trees,  pp.  76  et  80;  Loudon,  Arboretum 
Britannicum,  vi.,  pi.  183  et  184;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.  Petals  spreading,  flat.  Styles  2—5.  Pomes  globose.  Buds  softly  tomentose. 
Leaves  impari-pinnate,  serrated,  and  slightly  glabrous.  Flowers  in  branched  corymbs. — De  Candolle, 
Prodromus. 


Description. 


"  But  what  is  higher  beyond  thought  than  thee  ? 
Fresher  than  berries  of  a  mountain-tree  V 

Keats. 


>jWMH.E  Mountain  Ash  forms  an 
sg  erect-stemmed  tree,  some- 
%€  times  growing  to  a  height 
^®8i  of  twenty  or  thirty  feet,  with 
i  trunk  a  foot  or  more  in  diameter.  When  fully 
grown,  like  most  of  its  congeners,  it  assumes  a  some- 
what formal  character,  having  an  orbicular  head ;  but  f{j 
in  a  young  state,  its  branches  are  disposed  in  a  more 
loose  and  graceful  manner.  The  bark  is  smooth  and 
gray  on  the  old  wood,  but  when  young,  it  is  of  a  pur- 
plish-brown. The  leaves  are  composed  of  eight  or 
nine  pair  of  leaflets,  which  are  spear-shaped,  notched 
at  the  edges,  except  at  the  base,  and  terminated  by 
an  odd  one.  They  are  smooth  above,  and  nearly  so 
beneath,  with  channelled  midribs,  but  no  foot-stalks. 


326  PYRUS   AUCUPARIA. 

The  flowers,  which  put  forth  in  May  and  June,  occur  in  large  white  corymbs,  of 
an  almond-like  scent,  and  are  succeeded  by  brilliant  scarlet,  or  purplish  berries 
of  a  sour  or  bitterish  taste.     They  usually  begin  to  ripen  in  September,  and  often 
remain  upon  the  trees  until  the  following  spring. 

Varieties.     The  varieties  of  the  mountain  ash  are  as  follows  : — 

1.  P.  a.  fructu  lutea,  Loudon.  Yellow-fruited  Mountain  Ash,  which  may  be 
continued  by  grafting. 

2.  P.  a.  foliis  variegatis,  Loudon.      Variegated-leaved  Mountain  Ash. 

3.  P.  a.  fastigiata,  Loudon.  Fastigiate-branched  Mountain  Ash,  having  rigid 
and  upright  branches. 

4.  P.  a.  Americana.  American  Mountain  Ash ;  Pyrus  americana,  of  De  Can- 
dolle  and  Loudon ;  and  Sorbus  americana,  var.  ft  of  Michaux.  The  leaflets  of 
this  race  are  acute,  almost  equally  serrated,  glabrous,  as  is  the  petiole.  Although 
a  native  of  Canada,  Newfoundland,  Labrador,  and  the  most  northern  parts  of 
America,  it  closely  resembles  the  European  variety,  being,  apparently,  a  more 
robust-growing  tree,  with  larger  leaves,  shining  above,  and  smooth  beneath.  The 
young  shoots  are  of  a  dark  purplish  colour,  and  are  thought  to  be  more  tender 
than  those  of  the  common  cultivated  variety.  The  fruit  is  of  a  dark  purplish- 
red,  approaching  to  the  colour  of  copper,  and  like  the  European  variety,  is  of  a 
globose  form.  This  tree  may  be  propagated  from  seeds,  or  by  grafting  on  the 
Pyrus  aucuparia;  and,  from  the  brilliant  colour  of  the  fruit,  and  the  large  size  of 
the  bunches,  it  well  deserves  a  place  in  collections. 

5.  P.  a.  microcarpa.  Small- fruited  Mountain  Ash;  Pyrus  microcarpa,  of  De 
Candolle  and  Loudon;  and  Sorbus  aucuparia,  var.  «,  of  Michaux.  This  variety, 
which  is  indigenous  to  the  mountainous  parts  of  the  United  States,  particularly 
to  the  whole  range  of  the  Alleghanies,  may  be  distinguished  from  the  preceding, 
by  the  young  branches  being  covered  with  a  dark-brown  gloss,  and  by  having 
small  scarlet  berries.  The  leaflets  are  unequally  incisely  serrated,  with  the  teeth 
tipped  with  a  bristle-like  mucro. 

Geography  and  History.  The  Pyrus  aucuparia  is  a  native  of  most  parts  of 
Europe,  from  Iceland  to  the  Mediterranean  Sea.  It  is  found  in  Asia  from  Rus- 
sia and  Siberia,  as  far  as  the  Eastern  Ocean ;  and  from  the  cold  woody  region  of 
the  north,  to  the  Alpine  parts  of  Caucasus  and  Mount  Libanus.  In  the  former 
situations  it  is  a  low  shrubby  bush,  and  in  the  latter,  a  handsome  tree  of  the 
third  rank.  It  also  occurs  in  Japan,  and  probably  on  other  islands  of  the  Indian 
Ocean ;  and,  as  stated  above,  two  of  its  varieties  are  indigenous  to  North  Amer- 
ica. In  Britain,  it  is  common  in  woods  and  hedges,  and  in  almost  every  cool  and 
mountainous  part  of  the  island,  as  well  as  in  Ireland.  In  France,  Germany,  and 
Switzerland,  it  occurs  wild  in  the  woods,  and  in  the  higher  and  colder  regions  of 
the  mountains  of  Sicily,  Italy,  and  Spain. 

This  tree  was  known  to  the  Greeks  and  Romans,  and  frequent  mention  is 
made  of  it  by  their  poets  and  historians.  Thus  they  tell  us  that  the  Amazons  of 
ancient  mythology  formed  their  spears  of  its  wood ;  and  Virgil  was  aware  that  it 
was  susceptible  of  being  grafted  upon  the  pear,  and  that  its  fruit  was  sure  to 
attract  the  thrush  and  the  black-bird  to  any  grove  where  it  grew.  Pliny  consid- 
ered it  as  a  species  of  ash;  and  Matthiolus,  an  Italian  physician  who  wrote 
about  the  middle  of  the  XVIth  century,  describes  it  under  the  name  of  Sorbus 
sylvestris.  And  to  come  down  to  more  recent  times,  Evelyn,  in  speaking  of  this 
tree,  says,  that  "ale  and  beer  brewed  with  these  berries,  being  ripe,  is  an  incom- 
parable drink,  familiar  in  Wales."  They  form,  continues  he,  a  tempting  bait  for 
the  thrushes;  so  that,  "as  long  as  they  last  in  your  woods,  you  will  be  sure  of 
their  company."  "  Besides  the  use  of  it  for  the  husbandman's  tools,  goads,  &c, 
(he  wheelwright  commends  it  for  being  all  heart;  our  fletchers  commend  it  for 
bows,  next  to  the  yew,  which  we  ought  not  to  pass  over,  for  the  glory  of  our  once 


MOUNTAIN    ASH.  327 

English  ancestors.  In  a  statute  of  Henry  VIII.,  yon  have  it  mentioned;  and 
there  is  no  churchyard  in  Wales  without  a  mountain  ash  tree  planted  in  it,  as  the 
yew  trees  are  in  the  churchyards  of  England.  So,  in  a  certain  day  in  the  year, 
everybody  in  Wales,  religiously  wears  a  cross  made  of  the  wood;  and  the  tree 
is,  by  some  authors,  called  Fraxinus  cambro-britannica." 

The  largest  tree  of  this  species  on  record,  in  Britain,  and  probably  on  the  globe, 
is  at  Old  Montrose,  in  Forfarshire,  which,  at  sixty-five  years  after  planting,  had 
attained  a  height  of  fifty  feet,  with  a  trunk  two  feet  and  ten  inches  in  diameter, 
and  an  ambitus  or  spread  of  branches  of  forty  feet. 

The  introduction  of  the  Pyrus  aucuparia  into  the  British  colonies  of  North 
America,  probably  dates  back  to  the  early  periods  of  their  settlements.  It  is 
much  cultivated  for  ornament  within  the  environs  of  Boston,  New  York,  Phila- 
delphia, and  other  places  in  the  United  States,  where  there  are  trees  to  be  found 
from  twenty  to  thirty  feet  in  height,  which  have  been  planted  from  forty  to  sixty 
years ;  but  owing  to  the  depredations  of  several  species  of  borers  hereafter  men- 
tioned, this  tree  does  not  often  surpass  that  age. 

Poetical  and  Legendary  Allusions.  In  ancient  days,  when  superstition  held 
that  place  in  society  which  dissipation  and  impiety  hold  in  the  more  advanced 
stages  of  civilization,  the  mountain  ash  was  regarded  as  an  object  of  great  vener- 
ation. Gilpin,  in  his  "  Forest  Scenery,"  in  speaking  of  this  tree,  says,  that  often 
in  his  time,  "  a  stump  of  the  mountain  ash  was  found  in  some  old  burying-place, 
or  near  the  circle  of  a  Druid's  temple,  the  rites  of  which  were  formerly  performed 
under  its  shade."  On  this  passage,  Sir  Thomas  Dick  Lauder  observes  that,  "a 
branch  of  the  roan-tree  is  still  considered  good  against  evil  influences  in  the  high- 
lands of  Scotland,  and  in  Wales,  where  it  is  often  hung  up  over  doorways,  and 
in  stables  and  cow-houses,  to  neutralize  the  wicked  spells  of  witches  and  war- 
locks." And  Lightfoot,  in  his  "  Flora  Scotica,"  says,  "It  is  probable  that  this 
tree  was  in  high  esteem  with  the  Druids ;  for  it  may  to  this  day  be  observed  to 
grow  more  frequently  than  any  other  in  the  neighbourhood  of  those  Druidical 
circles  of  stones,  so  often  seen  in  the  north  of  Britain ;  and  the  superstitious  still 
continue  to  retain  a  great  veneration  for  it,  which  was  undoubtedly  handed  down 
to  them  from  early  antiquity.  They  believe  that  any  small  part  of  this  tree,  car- 
ried about  them,  will  prove  a  sovereign  charm  against  all  the  dire  effects  of 
enchantments  and  witchcraft.  Their  cattle,  also,  as  well  as  themselves,  are  sup- 
posed to  be  preserved  by  it  from  evil ;  for  the  dairy-maid  will  not  forget  to  drive 
them  to  the  shearlings,  or  summer  pasture,  with  a  rod  of  the  rowan-tree,  which 
she  carefully  lays  up  over  the  door  of  the  sheal-boothy,  or  summer-house,  and 
drives  them  home  again  with  the  same.  In  Strathspey  they  make,  on  the  1st  of 
May,  a  hoop  with  the  wood  of  this  tree,  and  in  the  evening  and  morning  cause 
the  sheep  and  lambs  to  pass  through  it."  That  a  belief  in  the  supernatural  vir- 
tues of  this  tree  still  prevails  in  some  parts  of  Yorkshire,  as  appears  from  the  fol- 
lowing anecdote,  related  by  Waterton,  author  of  the  celebrated  "Wanderings," 
in  the  Magazine  of  Natural  History,  we  have  not  the  slightest  doubt: — "In  the 
village  of  Walton,"  says  he,  "I  have  two  small  tenants.  The  name  of  one  is 
James  Simpson,  and  that  of  the  other  Sally  Holloway ;  and  Sally's  stands  a  little 
before  the  house  of  Simpson.  Some  three  months  ago,  I  overtook  Simpson  on 
the  turnpike-road,  and  I  asked  him  if  his  cow  was  getting  better,  for  his  son  had 
told  me  that  she  had  fallen  sick.  'She's  coming  on  surprisingly,  sir,'  quoth  he; 
'  the  last  time  the  cow-doctor  came  to  see  her,  "  Jem,"  said  he  to  me,  looking  ear- 
nestly at  old  Sally's  house;  "Jem,"  said  he,  "mind  and  keep  your  cow-house 
door  shut  before  the  sun  goes  down,  otherwise  I  won't  answer  lor  what  may  hap- 
pen to  the  cow."  '  Ay,  ay,  my  lad,'  said  1,  '  I  understand  your  meaning:  bin  1 
am  up  to  the  old  slut,  and  I  defy  her  to  do  me  any  harm  now  !'  And  what  has 
old  Sally  been  doing  to  you,  James?  said  I.     'Why,  sir,'  replied  he,  'we  all 


328  PYRUS    AUCUPARIA. 

Know  too  well  what  she  can  do.  She  has  long  owed  me  a  grudge  ;  and  my  cow, 
which  was  in  very  good  health,  fell  sick  immediately  after  Sally  had  been  seen 
to  look  in  at  the  door  of  the  cow-house,  just  as  night  was  coming  on.  The  cow 
grew  worse,  and  so  I  went  and  cut  a  bit  of  wiggin,  (mountain  ash,)  and  I  nailed 
the  branches  all  up  and  down  the  cow-house;  and,  sir,  you  may  see  them  there, 
if  you  will  take  the  trouble  to  step  in.  I  am  a  match  for  old  Sally,  now,  and  she 
can't  do  me  any  more  harm,  so  long  as  the  wiggin  branches  hang  in  the  place 
where  I  have  nailed  them.  My  poor  cow  will  get  better  in  spite  of  her.'  Alas  ! 
thought  I  to  myself,  as  the  deluded  man  was  finishing  his  story,  how  much  there 
is  yet  to  be  done  in  our  country  by  the  school-master  of  the  nineteenth  century." 
The  author  of  "  Woodland  Gleanings,"  says,  ':The  mountain  ash,  so  esteemed 
among  our  northern  neighbours  as  a  protection  against  the  evil  designs  of  wizards 
and  witches,  is  propagated  by  the  Parisians  for  a  very  different  purpose.  They 
are  used  as  one  of  the  principal  charms  for  enticing  the  French  belles  into  the 
public  gardens,  where  they  are  permitted  to  use  all  the  spells  and  witcheries  of 
which  they  are  mistresses ;  and  certainly  this  tree,  ornamented  by  its  brilliant 
scarlet  fruit,  has  a  most  enchanting  appearance  when  lighted  up  with  lamps,  in 
the  months  of  August  and  September."  Miss  Kent,  in  her  "Sylvan  Sketches," 
in  alluding  to  this  tree,  says,  "In  former  times,  this  tree  was  supposed  to  be  pos- 
sessed of  the  property  of  driving  away  witches  and  evil  spirits ;  and  this  property 
is  recorded  in  one  of  the  stanzas  of  a  very  ancient  song,  called  The  Laidley 
Worm  of  Spindleston  Heughs, — 

'Their  spells  were  vain ;  the  hags  return'd 

To  the  queen  in  sorrowful  mood, 
Crying  that  witches  have  no  power 

Where  there  is -roan-tree  wood.' 

The  last  line  of  this  stanza  leads  to  the  true  reading  of  a  line  in  Shakspeare's 
tragedy  of  Macbeth.  The  sailor's  wife,  on  the  witch's  requesting  some  chesnuts, 
hastily  answers,  '  A  rown-tree,  witch  ! '  but  all  the  editions  have  it  '  Aroint 
thee,  witch!'  which  is  nonsense,  and  evidently  a  corruption."  If  the  phrase 
"  Aroint  thee^  had  occurred  but  once  in  Shakspeare,  we  might  be  disposed  to 
adopt  the  above  explanation ;  but  as  it  is  to  be  found  twice,  we  have  reason  to 
suppose  that  it  is  of  Saxon  origin,  and  signifies  away!  run  !  The  Saxon  glos- 
saries supply  ryne  for  running ;  and  the  old  Icelandic  runka,  signifies  to  agitate, 
or  to  move.  Hone,  in  his  "Religious  Mysteries,"  gives  a  fac-simile  of  an  old 
drawing  called  the  Descent  into  Hell,  in  which  our  Saviour  is  represented  with  a 
roan-tree  cross  in  his  left  hand,  while  with  the  right  he  appears  to  draw  a  contrite 
spirit  from  the  jaws  of  hell.*  It  is  remarkable,  that  nearly  the  same  superstitions 
should  exist  also  in  India,  as  maybe  seen  by  perusing  Bishop  Heber's  "Journal," 
&c.  And  it  is  no  less  remarkable  than  true,  that  the  American  mountain  ash  is 
regarded  by  our  native  Indians  as  an  object  of  veneration  and  awe.  From  time 
immemorial,  they  have  made  offerings  to  the  spirits  of  their  departed  heroes,  by 
casting  round  it  the  boughs  of  other  trees.  Ask  them  why  they  do  this,  and 
they  will  tell  you  that  its  branches  "  are  eloquent  with  the  ghosts  of  their  war- 
rior-sires, who  will  come  at  evening,  in  the  chariot  of  cloud,  to  fire  the  young  to 
deeds  of  war."  Their  offerings,  or  their  remains,  are  frequently  to  be  found  at 
the  foot  of  this  tree,  and  in  some  cases,  mounds  have  been  formed  from  the 
immensity  of  their  numbers,  which  have  passed  into  decay. 

Soil  and  Situation.  The  mountain  ash  will  grow  in  any  soil,  and  in  the  most 
exposed  situations,  as  it  is  found  near  the  sea-shore,  and  on  the  tops  of  mountains 
in  various  parts  of  the  globe.  Hence  it  is  an  excellent  tree  for  plantations  intended 
to  resist  the  sea-breeze,  or  to  be  placed  in  situations  exposed  to  the  fury  of  the 

*  See  Sylvan  Sketches,  pp.  251  et  252. 


MOUNTAIN   ASH.  329 

winds ;  but,  wherever  it  is  wanted  to  attain  a  large  size,  it  ought  to  be  planted  in 
a  free  soil  in  a  moist  climate,  or  near  water,  and  in  a  situation  that  is  open  and 
dry.  Few  trees  suffer  more  from  extreme  heat  and  drought  than  the  mountain 
ash. 

Propagation  and  Culture.  This  species,  and  most  of  its  varieties  may  be 
propagated  from  seeds,  which  should  be  gathered  as  soon  as  ripe,  to  prevent  their 
being  eaten  by  birds.  When  gathered,  the  fruit  should  be  macerated  in  water 
till  the  seeds  are  separated  from  the  pulp,  after  which,  they  may  be  immediately 
sown ;  but,  as  they  will  remain,  in  that  case,  eighteen  months  in  the  ground, 
before  coming  up,  the  common  mode  adopted  by  nurserymen  is,  to  mix  the  ber- 
ries with  light  sandy  soil,  and  spread  them  out  in  the  rotting-ground,  in  a  layer 
ten  or  twelve  inches  in  thickness ;  then  to  cover  this  layer  with  ashes  or  sand  to 
a  depth  of  two  or  three  inches,  and  allow  them  to  remain  in  that  state  for  a  year. 
They  are  then  separated  from  the  soil  by  sifting,  and  sown  in  beds  of  light,  rich 
soil,  being  covered  to  the  depth  of  a  quarter  of  an  inch.  The  seeds  should  not 
be  dropped  nearer  together  than  two  inches,  which  will  allow  the  plants  to  come 
up  with  sufficient  strength,  and  without  the  interference  of  their  leaves.  They 
may  be  sown  late  in  autumn  or  very  early  in  spring,  which  will  cause  them  to 
come  up  in  the  June  or  July  following ;  and,  by  the  end  of  the  season,  the  strong- 
est plants  will  be  eighteen  inches  high,  and  fit  to  separate  from  the  others,  and  to 
plant  out  in  nursery  lines.  They  will  grow  rapidly  for  the  first  three  or  four 
years,  and  in  five  years  will  acquire  a  height  of  eight  or  nine  feet.  At  this  period 
they  will  be  ready  to  plant  out  in  the  situations  where  they  are  permanently  to 
remain,  after  which,  they  will  begin  to  form  their  heads,  and  in  ten  years  more 
will  attain  the  height  of  twenty  feet.  Each  head  will  continue  to  increase  slowly, 
though  the  tree  seldom  grows  higher  than  twenty-five  or  thirty  feet  in  a  hundred 
years.  This  tree  will  not  bear  lopping,  but  grass  and  herbage  will  grow  well 
under  its  shade.* 

Insects.  The  trunk  and  roots  of  the  mountain  ash  are  perforated  by  several 
species  of  borers,  among  which  are  the  larvae  of  the  beetles  called  Saperda  bivit- 
tata  and  Saperda  vesiita,  both  of  which  are  described  in  our  articles  on  the  com- 
mon apple,  and  the  European  lime-tree,  under  the  head  of  "Insects,"  and  nee'T 
no  further  notice  here. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  mountain  ash,  when  dry,  weighs  fifty- 
one  pounds  to  a  cubic  foot,  is  homogeneous,  fine-grained,  hard,  capable  of  being 
stained  any  colour,  and  is  susceptible  of  taking  a  high  polish.  It  is  much  used 
in  Europe  in  the  small  manufactures,  such  as  the  handles  of  knives  and  forks, 
wooden  spoons,  &c. ;  and  for  musical  instruments,  and  various  articles  of  turnery. 
When  of  sufficient  dimensions,  it  is  also  used  for  axle-trees,  naves,  and  felloes  to 
wheels,  carpenter  and  husbandman's  tools,  cogs  to  the  wheels  of  machinery,  and 
for  a  variety  of  other  purposes.  In  Britain,  the  tree  forms  excellent  coppice- wood, 
the  shoots  being  well  adapted  for  poles,  and  for  making  excellent  hoops ;  and  tin- 
bark  is  used  in  tanning.  In  Livonia,  Sweden,  and  Kamtschatka,  the  berries  ot 
this  tree  are  eaten,  when  ripe,  as  a  fruit,  and  a  very  good  spirit  is  distilled  from 
them ;  and  in  various  other  parts  of  northern  Europe,  these  berries  are  dried  and 
ground  into  flour,  and  used  as  a  substitute  for  the  flour  made  of  wheat,  in  times 
of  great  scarcity.  Infused  in  water,  the  berries  make  an  acid  drink,  somewhat 
resembling  perry,  which  is  much  used  in  Wales  by  the  poor,  who  call  it  diod-gra- 
viole.  In  the  island  of  Java,  the  juice  of  these  berries  is  used  as  an  acid  for 
punch.  In  Germany,  the  fowlers  bait  springes,  or  nooses  of  hair  with  the  berries 
of  this  tree,  which  they  hang  in  the  woods  to  entice  the  red-wings  and  field-fares. 

As  an  ornamental  tree,  the  mountain  ash  is  well  adapted  for  small  gardens,  ami 

*  See  Loudon's  Arboretum,  pp.  916  et  920. 

42 


330  PYRUS    AUCUPARIA. 

also  deserves  a  place  in  every  plantation,  where  the  harbouring  of  singing  birds 
is  an  object.  "In  the  Scottish  Highlands,"  observes  Gilpin,  in  his  "Forest 
Scenery."  "it  becomes  a  considerable  tree.  There,  on  some  rocky  mountains 
covered  with  dark  pines  and  waving  birch,  which  cast  a  solemn  gloom  over  the 
lake  below,  a  few  mountain  ashes,  joining  in  a  clump,  and  mixing  with  them, 
have  a  fine  effect.  In  summer,  the  light-green  tint  of  their  foliage,  and,  in 
autumn,  the  glowing  berries  which  hang  clustering  upon  them,  contrast  beauti- 
fully with  the  deeper  green  of  the  pines ;  and,  if  they  are  happily  blended,  and  not 
in  too  large  a  proportion,  they  add  some  of  the  most  picturesque  furniture  with 
which  the  sides  of  those  rugged  mountains  are  invested."  One  great  advantage 
of  the  mountain  ash,  in  all  situations,  is,  that  it  never  requires  pruning,  and  never 
grows  out  of  shape. 


Genus  CYDONIA,   Tourn. 


Rosaceae. 

St/st.  Nat. 

Icosandria  Di-Pentagynia. 
Syst.  Lin. 

Synonymes. 

Pyrus,  Sorbus,  Cydonia, 

Of  Authors. 

Derivations.    The  genus  Cydonia  is  so  called  from  Cydon,  in  Candia,  its  native  place.    It  was  formerly  classified  with  tha 
genera  Pyrus  and  Sorbus,  from  the  resemblance  of  its  fruit  to  that  of  the  service  and  the  pear. 

Generic  Characters.    Fruit  a  pome.    Carpels  5,  each  including  many  seeds.     Testa  mucilaginous.    Calyx 
5-parted,  with  leafy  divisions. 

^HE  genus  Cydonia  consists  of  low,  deciduous  trees  or  shrubs, 
natives  of  Europe  and  Asia,  which  are  easily  propagated  by  lay- 
ers, and  by  grafting  on  the  common  thorn.  The  species  most 
worthy  of  culture  are  the  Cydonia  vulgaris,  hereafter  described, 
and  the  Cydonia  japonica,  commonly  known  by  the  name  of 
Pyras  japonica.  The  latter  is  a  shrub,  native  of  China  and 
Japan,  growing  to  a  height  of  five  or  six  feet,  and  flowering  a  great  part  of  the 
year,  more  especially  if  supplied  with  water  during  the  hottest  months.  It  is  one 
of  the  most  desirable  deciduous  shrubs  in  cultivation,  whether  as  a  bush  in  the 
open  lawn,  trained  against  a  wall,  or  treated  as  an  ornamental  hedge  plant.  It 
has  also  been  trained  up  with  a  single  stem  as  a  standard;  and,  in  this  charac- 
ter, its  pendent  branches  and  numerous  flowers,  give  it  a  rich  and  striking 
appearance,  particularly  in  early  spring.  It  has  ripened  fruit  in  Europe  and 
America,  both  as  a  bush,  and  when  trained  against  a  wall ;  which,  even  when 
ripe,  is  unfit  to  eat,  though  it  has  so  fragrant  an  odour  as  to  induce  some  persons 
to  keep  it  among  their  clothes.  Miss  Twamley,  in  her  "  Romance  of  Nature,"  in 
speaking  of  this  shrub,  calls  its  flowers  "fairy  fires," 

"  That  gleam  and  glow  amid  the  wintry  scene, 
Lighting  their  ruddy  beacons  at  the  sun, 
To  melt  away  the  snow.     See  how  it  falls 
In  drops  of  crystal  from  the  glowing  spray ; 
Wreathed  in  deep  crimsoned  buds — the  fairy  fires." 

To  the  same  natural  family  belong  the  following  genera : — 

1.  Photinia,  embracing  evergreen  trees,  with  undivided,  coriaceous,  serrated, 
or  entire  leaves,  and,  in  most  cases,  with  corymbose  flowers,  and  small  fruit. 
They  are  natives  of  China,  India,  Japan,  and  California. 

2.  Cotoneaster,  consisting  of  several  species  of  very  desirable  garden  shrubs  or 
low  trees,  natives  of  Europe  and  India.  The  C.  frigida  and  aifinis,  in  particular, 
from  the  abundance  of  intense  scarlet-coloured  fruit  they  bear,  which  remains 
on  the  trees  a  greater  part  of  the  winter,  well  deserve  a  place  in  every  collection. 

3.  Raphiolepis,  a  genus,  the  species  of  which  are  evergreen  trees  or  shrubs, 
native  of  China,  with  crenulated,  coriaceous,  reticulated  leaves. 

4.  Erlobotrya.  a  genus  of  Japanese  trees,  evergreen  in  their  foliage,  which  is 
large,  and  independently  of  their  flowers,  are  strikingly  picturesque  and  orna- 
mental.    The  species  the  most  worthy  of  cultivation  is  the  E.  japonica. 

5.  Kageneckia,  a  genus  of  evergreen  trees,  native  of  Chili  and  Peru,  the  leaves 


332  CYDONIA. 

of  which  are  intensely  bitter,  and  are  sometimes  used  by  the  Chilians  to  cure 
intermittent  fevers. 

6.  Mar gyr  war  pus,  one  species  of  which,  (M.  setosus,)  is  a  native  of  arid  hills 
in  Brazil,  with  white,  pearl-like  fruit,  resembling  that  of  the  mistletoe,  but  differ- 
ent from  it,  in  having  a  grateful  acid  taste. 

7.  Cercocarpus,  a  genus  comprising  the  C.  fothergilloides,  a  tree  native  of 
Mexico,  with  elliptic,  coriaceous,  glabrous  leaves,  and  conspicuous  flowers  and 
fruit. 


Cydonia  vulgaris, 
THE  COMMON  QUINCE-TREE. 

Synonymes. 


Pyrus  cydonia, 
Cydonia  vulgaris, 


Linn^tis,  Species  Plantarum. 

IDe  Candolle,  Prodromus. 
Don,  Miller's  Dictionary. 
Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
Coignassier,  Coigner,  Uoignier,  Coudounier,  France. 
Quittenbaum,  Germany. 

Cotogno,  Melo  cotogno,  Pero  cotogno,         Italy. 
Membrillo,  Membrillero,  Spain. 

Marraeleiro,  Portugal. 

Armud,  Russia. 

Quince-tree,  Quince  Bush,       •  Britain  and  Anglo-America. 

Engravings.    Lindley,  Pomologia  Britannica ;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  vi.,  pi.  188 ;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.    Leaves  ovate,  obtuse  at  the  base,  entire,  tomentose  beneath.    Calyx  tomentose  ;  Its 
lobes  serrulated,  and  a  little  leafy.     Stamens  in  one  row. — De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 


Description. 

iHE  Common  Quince  is  a 
HH  js  low  tree,  seldom  exceed- 
L|  gl  ing  fifteen  or  twenty  feet 
II^IK^l  in  height,  with  a  crooked 
stem,  and  tortuous,  rambling  branches.  The  bark 
is  smooth  and  brown,  approaching  to  black.  The 
leaves  are  roundish  or  ovate;  dusky-green  above, 
and  whitish  underneath.  The  flowers,  which  put 
forth  in  England  by  the  middle  of  April,  and  in  the 
middle  and  northern  parts  of  the  United  States,  in 
May  and  June,  are  large,  with  the  petals  pale-red  or 
white,  and  the  sepals  of  the  same  length  as  the  petals.  The  flowers  are  suc- 
ceeded by  large  fruit  of  a  globular,  oblong,  or  pear-shaped  form,  of  a  rich  yellow 
or  orange-colour,  when  ripe,  of  an  austere  taste,  and  emitting  a  peculiar  and 
rather  pleasant  smell. 

Varieties.  In  nursery  catalogues,  and  also  in  botanical  works  generally,  there 
are  designated  five  or  more  varieties  of  this  species ;  but  Mr.  Thompson  of  the 
London  Horticultural  Society's  garden,  has  judiciously  remarked  that  there  are, 
in  reality,  only  the  three  following : — 

1.  C.  v.  pyriformis.  Pear-shaped  Quince;  Coignassier  pyriforme,  of  the 
French,  which  may  be  considered  as  the  normal  form  of  the  species.  For  orna- 
mental purposes,  this  variety,  and  the  apple-shaped  quince,  are  much  to  be  pre- 
ferred to  the  Portugal  quince. 

2.  C.  v.  maliformis.  Apple-shaped  Quince;  Coignassier  d  fruit  pomxformv. 
Coignassier  male,  of  the  French.  This  variety  requires  to  be  continued  by 
extension;  because  it  is  found  that  seedling  plants  of  both  this  and  the  preceding 
variety  are  not  quite  true  to  their  kinds.  They  most  frequently  produce  pear- 
shaped  fruit. 

3.  C.  v.  lusitanica.  Lusitanian  or  Portugal  Quince ;  Coigwissicr  de  Por- 
tugal, of  the  French.     This  variety  has  broader  leaves,  and  larger  fruit,  than  Ihe 


334  CYDONIA    VULGARIS. 

two  preceding,  and  being  of  a  more  vigorous  growth,  it  is  better  adapted  for  stocks 
to  graft  upon.  It  is  not  so  good  a  bearer  as  either  of  the  other  two  varieties ;  and 
the  fruit  is  not  of  so  deep  an  orange ;  but  it  is  considered  the  best  for  marmalade, 
as  its  pulp  turns  to  a  fine  purple  or  crimson,  when  stewed  or  baked,  and  becomes 
much  softer,  and  less  anstere. 

Geography  and  History.  The  quince  is  supposed  to  have  been  originally  a 
native  of  Sidon,  a  city  of  ancient  Crete,  now  the  island  of  Candia;  but  it  is  much 
more  probable  that  it  was  only  first  brought  into  notice  in  that  city.  It  is  con- 
sidered, at  present,  as  indigenous  to  the  south  of  France,  particularly  on  the 
borders  of  the  Garonne,  and  to  Germany,  on  the  banks  of  the  Danube.  By  some, 
the  tree  is  thought  to  be  indigenous  to  Britain;  and  Phillips  states,  in  his  "  Poma- 
rium  Britannicum,"  that  quinces  grow  in  such  abundance  in  some  parts  of  the 
Wealds  of  Sussex,  as  to  enable  private  families  to  make  quince  wine  in  quanti- 
ties of  from  one  hundred  to  two  hundred  gallons  in  a  season." 

The  quince  was  known  to  the  Greeks  and  Romans,  and  both  nations  held  it  in 
high  estimation.  Columella  says,  "  Quinces  not  only  yield  pleasure,  but  health." 
He  speaks  of  three  kinds — the  "  Struthian,"  the  "  Must  Quince,"  and  the  "Orange 
Quince."  Pliny  mentions  many  kinds,  some  growing  wild  in  Italy,  and  others 
in  cultivation,  so  large  that  they  weighed  the  boughs,  on  which  they  grew,  down 
to  the  ground.  He  also  says  that  some  were  of  a  green,  and  others  of  a  golden 
colour,  the  latter  of  which  were  called  chrysomela.  The  only  kind  that  was 
eaten  raw,  he  states  to  have  been  raised  by  grafting  the  large  quince  upon  the 
stock  of  a  small  variety,  called  strathla.  "All  kinds  of  this  fruit,"  contin- 
ues he,  "  are  grown  in  boxes,  and  placed  within  the  waiting-chambers  of  our 
great  personages,  in  which  men  wait  to  salute  these  personages  as  they  come 
forth,  every  morning."  It  appears  from  the  same  author,  that  quinces  were  used 
to  decorate  the  images  of  the  gods,  which  were  placed,  in  sleeping-chambers, 
round  the  beds;  whence  it  follows,  that  the  Romans  did  not  think  that  there  was 
anything  either  injurious  or  unpleasant  in  their  smell.  He  gives  directions  for 
preserving  the  fruit,  by  excluding  the  air  from  them,  or  boiling  them  in  honey; 
or,  by  plunging  them  in  boiling  honey,  a  practice  in  use  with  this,  and  other  fruits, 
in  Genoa,  at  the  present  day.  He  also  writes  much  on  the  medicinal  qualities 
of  this  fruit.  "  Quinces,"  says  he,  "  when  eaten  raw,  if  quite  ripe,  are  good  for 
those  who  spit  blood,  or  are  troubled  with  hemorrhage."  The  juice  of  raw 
quinces,  he  states  to  be  a  sovereign  remedy  for  the  swollen  spleen,  the  dropsy, 
and  difficulty  of  taking  breath,  particularly  to  those  who  cannot  conveniently 
breathe,  except  when  in  an  upright  position.  The  flowers  of  the  quince,  either 
fresh  or  dried,  he  tells  us,  are  good  for  inflamed  eyes.  The  root  of  the  tree  was 
used,  not  only  as  a  medicine,  but  as  a  charm  against  scrofula. 

The  date  of  the  introduction  of  the  quince  into  Britain  is  unknown.  Gerard 
mentions  it  as  growing  in  gardens  and  orchards,  and  as  being  "planted  often- 
times in  hedges  and  fences  belonging  to  gardens  and  vineyards  ;"  from  which  we 
may  infer,  that  it  was  by  no  means  rare  in  his  time ;  and,  indeed,  in  all  proba- 
bility, it  has  existed  in  England  from  the  time  of  the  Romans. 

The  largest  recorded  tree  of  this  species  in  Britain,  is  in  Radnorshire,  at  Maes- 
lough  Castle,  which  is  twenty-one  feet  in  height,  with  a  trunk  ten  inches  in  diam- 
eter, and  an  ambitus,or  spread  of  branches,of  twenty-two  feet. 

The  quince,  like  most  of  our  orchard  fruits,  was  probably  introduced  into 
the  North  American  colonies  at  the  early  periods  of  their  settlements.  It  is  very 
generally  cultivated  for  its  fruit,  and  is  usually  planted  in  clumps  of  bushes, 
T.ther  than  as  individual  trees  or  shrubs.  Of  late,  however,  orchards  of  it  have 
been  formed  on  the  rich  loamy  spots  of  Long  Island,  and  other  parts  of  the 
country,  and  doubtless,  in  time,  their  owners  will  derive  a  handsome  profit. 

Mythological  and  Legendary  Allusions.     The  quince  was  considered  by  the 


QUINCE-TREE.  335 

ancients,  to  be  the  emblem  of  love,  happiness,  and  fruitfulness.  It  was  dedicated 
to  Venus,  and  the  temples  of  that  goddess  at  Cyprus  and  Paphos  were  decorated 
with  it.  The  nuptial  chambers  of  the  Greeks  and  Romans  were  adorned  with 
the  fruit;  and  the  bride  and  bridegroom  also  ate  of  it  as  soon  as  the  marriage 
ceremony  was  performed.  The  learned  Goropius  maintains  that  quinces  were  the 
"golden  apples  of  the  Hesperides,"  and  not  oranges,  as  some  commentators  have 
supposed.  In  support  of  his  argument,  he  says  that  it  was  a  fruit  much  revered 
by  the  ancients ;  and  he  assures  us,  that  there  has  been  discovered  at  Rome,  a 
statue  of  Hercules,  that  held  in  its  hand  three  quinces.  "This,"  he  says, 
"agrees  with  the  fable  which  states,  that  Hercules  stole  the  golden  apples  from 
the  gardens  of  the  Hesperides."  The  Farnese  Hercules,  however,  has  apples  in 
his  hand,  but  not  quinces.  It  has  also  been  alleged,  that  the  golden  fruit  thrown 
by  Hippomenes  to  Atalanta  were  quinces,  and  that  the  fruit  of  the  "forbidden 
tree,"  which  the  Jewish  traditions  describe  as  "  golden,"  was  the  quince. 

Soil  and  Situation.  The  quince  prefers  a  moist  but  free  soil,  near  water,  and 
a  situation  rather  open,  but  sheltered.  In  dry  soils,  neither  the  tree  nor  the  fruit 
will  attain  a  large  size;  and  in  situations  exposed  to  high  winds,  the  fruit  is  lia- 
ble to  fall  before  mature.  The  finest  specimens  of  quince-trees,  in  Britain,  are 
said  to  be  found  in  old  orchards  adjoining  ponds;  it  being  customary,  formerly, 
to  plant  a  quince-tree  in  every  apple  orchard.  If  the  soil  be  too  dry  or  meagre,  an 
artificial  one  may  be  prepared,  as  recommended  for  the  Gordonia  lasianthus;  or, 
a  hole  may  be  excavated  for  each  tree  to  a  depth  of  ten  or  twelve  feet,  and  then 
filling  it  with  loose  stones  to  within  two  or  three  feet  of  the  surface,  and  the 
remainder  with  rich  loamy  earth  or  mould.  Such  a  preparation  is  well  worthy 
of  the  expense  in  every  garden  where  this  tree  will  not  otherwise  grow. 

Propagation  and  Culture.  The  quince  may  be  as  readily  propagated  from 
seeds  as  the  apple  and  pear ;  but  the  quickest  mode  of  raising  plants  is  by  layers. 
It  will  also  grow  by  cuttings,  planted  in  autumn  in  a  moist,  sandy  soil.  The  trees, 
when  planted  as  standards,  should  be  situated  about  ten  feet  apart,  and  once  set 
out,  require  but  little  attention,  beyond  that  of  removing  the  suckers  from  the 
roots,  and  the  side-shoots  from  the  main  stems.  To  have  the  fruit  of  a  large  size, 
the  head  of  the  tree  should  be  kept  open  by  thinning  out  the  shoots;  and  the 
fruit  ought  also  to  be  thinned  out,  leaving  no  more  on  the  tree  than  it  can  well 
mature.  The  tree  is  of  moderately  rapid  growth,  when  young,  acquiring,  in 
four  or  five  years,  a  height  of  six  or  eight  feet;  and  in  ten  or  twelve  years,  it 
attains  an  elevation  of  fifteen  feet,  after  which,  it  continues  to  increase  chiefly  in 
the  width  of  its  head. 

Insects.  The  greatest  enemy  to  the  quince-tree  is  the  borer,  or  larva, of  the 
Saperda  bivittata,  described  in  our  article  on  the  common  apple-tree.  It  perfo- 
rates the  stems,  in  a  similar  manner  as  it  does  the  trunks  of  the  apple,  the  haw- 
thorn, the  June  berry,  and  the  mountain  ash,  and  may  be  destroyed  by  the  same 
modes  recommended  for  the  apple-tree. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  quince,  when  found  of  sufficient  dimen- 
sions, is  applied  to  the  purposes  of  turnery;  but  from  its  small  size,  this  tree  is 
almost  entirely  cultivated  for  its  fruit,  or  as  stocks  on  which  to  graft  the  moun- 
tain ash,  and  the  pear.  In  France,  however,  this  tree  is  sometimes  grown  for 
hedges.  The  fruit  is  seldom  eaten  by  itself,  but  is  generally  preserved  in  syrup, 
or  is  made  into  marmalade,  or  mixed  with  apples  in  tarts.  In  France,  it  is  man- 
ufactured into  "  marmelades,"  "pates,"  and  "gelees,"  known  by  tin1  general 
name  of  cot ignac ;  and  a  very  agreeable  liquor  is  extracted  from  it,  called  eau  d( 
coings.  According  to  Gerard,  quinces  are  hurtful  to  the  head,  by  reason  of  their 
strong  smell;  and,  when  eaten  from  the  tree,  they  have  "a  kind  of  choking 
taste."  Medicinally,  they  are  considered  as  cooling,  astringent,  and  stomachic. 
The  expressed  juice  of  this  fruit,  taken  in  small  quantities,  is  of  service  in  nausea, 


336  CYDONIA   VULGARIS. 

vomiting,  &c. ;  and  a  syrup  made  of  the  juice  may  be  taken  to  strengthen  the 
stomach.  Quince  wine  is  made  with  sugar  and  water,  in  a  similar  manner  as 
other  fruit  wines.  The  fruit  should  first  he  deprived  of  their  cores,  (as  the  seeds 
impart  an  unpleasant  flavour  to  the  wine,)  then  mashed  or  ground  to  a  pulp, 
and  mixed  in  equal  proportions,  by  measure,  with  water.  After  standing  from 
twenty-foui  to  thirty-six  hours,  separate  the  juice  from  the  pulp  by  straining; 
add  to  each  gallon  of  the  liquid  three  pounds  and  a  quarter  of  muscovado 
sugar,  and  put  it  up  in  air-tight  casks,  and  let  it  remain  until  the  March  or  April 
following.  Then,  rack  it  off;  cleanse  the  cask  of  sediment;  put  back  the  liquor 
again ;  and  a  year  after  bottle  it  up.  It  will  be  greatly  improved  by  age,  and  is 
much  esteemed  by  asthmatic  persons.  The  rind  of  the  quince  imparts  to  wool  a 
yellowish-brown ;  and,  when  mixed  with  the  salts  of  iron,  it  gives  a  blackish- 
green.  A  mucilage  prepared  from  the  seeds  of  this  fruit  was  formerly  much  in 
use,  but  is  now  supplanted  by  the  simple  gums. 

Independently  altogether  of  its  value  as  a  fruit-tree,  or  of  the  young  plants  foi 
stocks,  the  quince  richly  deserves  a  place  in  ornamental  plantations,  on  account 
of  the  velvety  surface  of  its  leaves,  its  fine,  large,  pale-pink  flowers,  and,  above 
all,  its  splendid  golden  fruit,  which,  when  ripe  on  the  tree,  reminds  us  of  the 
orange  groves  of  Italy  and  of  the  torrid  zone,  and  may  very  well  justify  the  con- 
jecture that  it  was  the  true  "  golden  apple"  of  the  Hesperides. 


Genus  PUNICA,   Tourn. 

Granataceas.  Icosandria  Monogynia. 

Syst.  Nat.  gyst.  Lin. 

Synonyrnes. 

Punka,  Malus,  Of  Authors. 

uenvalion.  According  to  the  "  Nouveau  Du  Hamel,"  Punica  is  said  to  be  derived  either  from  puniceus,  Bcarlet,  in  allu- 
sion to  the  colour  of  the  flowers;  or  from  the  same  word,  or  punicus,  both  signifying " of  Carthage;"  near  which  city  Pliny 
tells  us,  it  was  first  found. 

Generic  Characters.  Calyx  with  its  tube  top-shaped ;  its  limb  with  5 — 7  lobes  ;  their  atstivation  valvate. 
Petals  5 — 7.  Stamens  numerous,  with  distinct  filaments,  which  bear  the  anthers  on  their  inner  side. 
Style  1.  Stigma  1.  Fruit  spherical,  crowned  with  the  upper  part  of  the  calyx,  the  lower  part  of  which, 
forms  the  rind.  The  fruit  does  not  open,  but  is  divided  into  two  parts  by  a  horizontal  diaphragm.  The 
upper  portion  consists  of  5 — 9  cells ;  the  lower  one  is  smaller,  and  consists  of  3  cells  only.  In  both, 
the  cells  are  separated  by  membraneous  partitions  ;  in  the  upper  ones',  fleshy  placenta?  extend  from  the 
sides  of  the  fruit  to  the  centre,  and  in  the  lower,  irregular  processes  arise  from  the  bottom.  Seeds  very 
numerous,  surrounded  by  a  transparent,  shining  pulp.  Embryo  oblong  ;  its  radicle  short  and  straight ; 
its  cotyledons  leafy,  and  spirally  convolute.  Leaves  deciduous,  opposite,  more  rarely  whorled  or 
alternate ;  in  many  instances  in  groups  in  the  axils  ;  oblong  and  entire.  Flowers  scarlet,  2 — 5  together, 
almost  sessile,  and  almost  terminal  upon  the  branchlets. — Be  Candollc,  Prodromus. 

kHE  genus  Punica  was  separated  from  the  order  Myrtacege  by  Pro- 
fessor Don,  in  1826.  It  consists  of  small  trees  or  shrubs,  with 
branchlets  imperfectly  square,  and  becoming  spiny  with  age. 
There  are  several  species  described  by  botanists,  but  we  have 
regarded  them  only  as  varieties  of  the  same  tree. 

Nearly  allied  to  the  natural  family  to  which  this  genus  belongs, 
is  the  order  Calycanthacese,  including  two  genera,  Calycanthus  and  Chimonan- 
thus.  "In  the  stems  of  all  the  plants  belonging  to  this  order,  there  is  the  usual 
deposit  of  concentric  circles  of  wood  around  the  pith,  and,  in  addition,  four  very 
imperfect  centres  of  deposition  on  the  outside  next  the  bark ;  a  most  singular 
structure,  which  may  be  called,  without  much  inaccuracy,  an  instance  of  exo- 
genous and  endogenous  growth  combined  in  the  same  individual."*  The  spe- 
cies belonging  to  these  genera,  most  worthy  of  note,  are  the  Carolina  allspice, 
(Calycanthus  floridus,)  American  allspice,  (Calycanthus  loevigatus,)  and  the 
fragrant-flowered  chimonanthus,  (Chimonanthus  fragrans,)  the  latter  of  which 
is  a  native  of  Japan. 

*  Lindley's  Introduction  to  the  Natural  System  of  Botany,  p.  160. 

43 


Pimica  granafum, 
THE  POMEGRANATE-TREE. 

Synonymes. 


Punka  granatum, 


Linn-eus,  Species  Plantarum. 

De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 

Loudon   Arboretum  Britannicum. 

France. 

Germany. 

Italy. 

Spain  and  Spanish  America. 

Portugal. 


Grenadier,  Balaustier,  Miouganier, 

Grenadier,  Granatbaum, 

Melograno,  Granato, 

Granado, 

Romeira, 

Pomegranate-tree,   Carthaginian   Apple-  )  bkitain 

tree  ) 

Pomegranate-tree,  United  States. 

Derivations.    The  specific  name  granatum,  is  derived  from  the  Latin  granum,  a  grain,  on  account  of  the  numerous  grains  01 
seeds  in  its  fruit.     Most  of  the  European  names  are  derived  from  the  botanical  one. 

Engravings.    Sims,  Botanical  Magazine,  pi.  1832;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  ii.  fig.  664 j  Encyclopaedia  of  Plants, 
fig.  7019 ;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.    Stem  arboreous.    Leaf  lanceolate.— De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 

* 

Description. 

"  Let  us  get  up  early  to  the  vineyards ; 
Let  us  see  if  the  vine  flourish, 
Whether  the  tender  grape  appear, 
And  the  pomegranates  bud  forth." 

Song  op  Solomon,  vii.  12. 

HE   Punica  granatum  is  a   tree,  in 

magnitude  and  ligneous   character, 

bearing  considerable  resemblance  to 

the  common  hawthorn.  In  a  wild 
state,  it  forms  a  thorny  bush ;  but  when  cultivated  in 
gardens  and  in  plantations,  under  favourable  circum- 
stances, it  often  attains  a  height  of  fifteen  or  twenty  feet. 
The  leaves,  which  are  of  a  beautiful  green,  stand  oppo- 
site, and  are  about  three  inches  long,  and  from  half  an  inch 
to  an  inch  broad  in  the  middle.  The  flowers,  which 
are  somewhat  in  the  shape  of  a  bell,  and  of  a  bright- 
scarlet  colour,  come  out  at  the  ends  of  the  branches, 
sometimes  occurring  in  clusters  of  three  or  four,  and  the  times  of  their  blooming 
are  so  irregular,  that  the  succession  is  often  continued  for  months.  Their  petals 
are  handsome,  very  thick  and  fleshy,  and  their  odour  is  as  fragrant  as  their  col- 
our is  bright.  The  fruit,  which  is  very  beautiful  to  the  eye  and  pleasant  to  the 
taste,  is  nearly  round,  encircled  at  the  end  opposite  the  stem,  with  something 
resembling  a  crown,  and  is  covered  with  a  thick,  hard  rind,  that  is  easily  broken. 
When  fully  grown,  it  is  about  as  big  as  a  large-sized  orange,  sometimes  weighing 
a  pound,  and  when  perfectly  ripe,  varies  in  the  colour  of  its  rind,  from  bright- 
yellow  or  green,  to  a  dark-red,  and  is  often  blended  with  all  of  these  tints. 
Varieties.  The  varieties  recognized  under  this  species  are  as  follows : — 
1.  P.  g.  rubrum,  Loudon.  Red-floioered  Pomegranate-tree ;  Grenadier  des  bois. 
of  the  French,  known  by  the  reddish  tinge  of  the  pulp  of  the  fruit,  and  as  grow- 
ing wild  in  Mauritania,  and  in  the  south  of  Europe. 


POMEGRANATE-TREE.  33Q 

2.  P.  g.  rubrum  flore  pleno,  Loudon.  Double-flowering  Red-flowered  Pome- 
granate-tree, distinguished  by  its  red  double  flowers,  and  reddish  pulp. 

3.  P.  g.  albescens,  Loudon.  White-petalled  Pomegranate-tree,  known  by  the 
white  petals,  and  slightly  yellowish  calyx  of  its  flowers,  and  by  the  pale-red 
tinge  of  the  pulp  of  its  fruit. 

4.  P.  g.  albescens  flore  pleno,  Loudon.  Double-flowering  wldte-petalled  Pome- 
granate-tree, distinguished  by  its  double  flowers,  which  are  nearly  white. 

5.  P.  g.  flavum,  Loudon:  Yellow -flowered  Pomegranate-tree,  has  the  flowers 
yellow,  but  very  rare  in  gardens. 

6.  P.  g.  nana,  Loudon.  Dwarf  Pomegranate-tree ;  Grenadier  nain,  of  the 
French.  This  variety,  which  is  usually  treated  as  a  species,  is  a  native  of  the 
Caribbee  Islands,  and  of  South  America,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Demerara.  It 
may  be  distinguished  by  its  shrubby  stem,  linear  leaves,  red  flowers,  and  dwarfy 
habit,  usually  not  exceeding  five  or  six  feet  in  height. 

Geography  and  History.  The  Punica  granatum  is  indigenous  to  Barbary, 
Persia,  Japan,  and  various  parts  of  Asia ;  and  has  long  been  naturalized  in  the 
south  of  Europe,  the  West  Indies,  Mexico,  and  in  South  America.  In  the  Him- 
alayas, Mr.  Royle  informs  us  that  the  pomegranate  grows  wild ;  and,  also,  that 
it  is  planted  near  villages.  It  forms  quite  a  wood  i-n  Mazanderan,  whence  the 
dried  seeds  are  exported  for  medical  use.  The  famous  seedless  pomegranates  are 
grown  in  the  rich  gardens  lying  under  the  snowy  hills  near  the  river  Caubul. 
They  are  also  described  as  delicious  about  Hadgiabad,  and  throughout  Persia. 
"  Though  grown  in  most  parts  of  India,"  says  Mr.  Royle,  "  large  quantities,  of 
superior  quality,  are  yearly  brought  down  by  the  northern  merchants  from  Cau- 
bul, Cashmere,  and  Boodurwar." 

The  pomegranate-tree,  which  partakes  of  the  antiquity  of  the  vine,  the  fig,  and 
the  olive, — and  which,  in  point  of  utility,  is  numbered  with  the  grain-bearing 
plants,  and  with  honey,  all  constituting  the  principal  food  of  the  eastern  nations, 
in  the  early  stages  of  civilization, — must  possess  no  small  degree  of  historical 
interest.  It  is  mentioned  by  Theophrastus  under  the  name  of  roa ;  the  Phoeni- 
cians called  it  sida ;  the  Greeks,  cytinos  ;  and  the  Romans,  according  to  Pliny, 
mains  punica.  The  Jews  appear  to  have  held  the  tree  in  great  veneration,  and 
still  employ  the  fruit  in  their  ceremonials.  It  is  mentioned,  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, as  one  of  the  fruits  discovered  in  the  "  Promised  Land  :" — 

"A  land  of  wheat,  and  barley,  and  vines,  and  pomegranates; 
a  land  of  oil  olive,  and  honey ;" 

Deuteronomy,  viii.  8. 

and,  while  the  Israelites  sojourned  in  the  wilderness,  it  was  selected  as  one  of  the 
ornaments  to  the.  robe  of  the  ephod.  The  two  large  pillars  of  brass,  made  by 
Hiram  for  the  porch  of  Solomon's  Temple,  were  ornamented  with  carvings  of  the 
pomegranate.  In  the  Canticles,  Solomon  speaks  of  "an  orchard  of  pomegran- 
ates, with  pleasant  fruits;"  and,  from  other  passages  of  Holy  Writ,  a  wine 
appears  to  have  been  made  from  this  fruit.  In  the  ancient  island  Euboea,  now 
Negropont,  there  was  a  statue  of  Juno,  holding  in  one  hand  a  sceptre,  and  in  the 
other  a  pomegranate.  Pliny  speaks  of  extracting  a  colour  from  the  flowers  for 
dyeing  cloth  a  light-red.  He  mentions  nine  varieties;  including  the  sweet,  the 
sour,  the  temperate,  the  austere,  and  the  wine-flavoured.  The  rind  of  the  sour 
kind,  he  says,  is  the  best  for  tanners  and  curriers  to  dress  their  leather  with. 
The  celebrated  kingdom  of  Granada  is  supposed  to  have  derived  its  name  from 
the  trees  planted  in  it  by  the  Moors;  which  is  rendered  highly  probable,  by  the 
arms  of  their  capital  being  a  split  pomegranate. 

The  earliest  mention  of  the  pomegranate  in  Britain,  is  in  Turners  "  Herbal." 
in  1548;  but  it  was  probably  introduced  long  before  that  time  by  the  monks,  and 
planted  in  the  gardens  of  the  religious  houses.     For  a  long  period,  it  was  kepi 


310  PUNICA    GRANATITM. 

exclusively  in  houses,  along  with  orange-trees,  and  we  find,  accordingly,  that  it 
fruited  in  the  orangery  of  Charles  I.,  as  Parkinson  informs  us,  under  the  care  of 
Tradescant,  when  he  was  that  king's  gardener.  At  present,  it  is  found  in  most 
collections  as  an  ornamental  wall  tree,  and,  in  fine  seasons,  in  the  neighbourhood 
of  London,  frequently  ripens  its  fruit,  or  at  least,  produces  it  of  the  full  size ;  but 
the  varieties  most  generally  cultivated,  are  those  with  double  flowers.  The  larg- 
est tree  of  this  species,  in  England,  is  supposed  to  be  that  trained  against  the 
walls  of  Fulham  Palace,  which  is  said  to  be  forty  feet  in  height  and  fifty  feet 
broad. 

In  the  south  of  Europe,  the  pomegranate  is  cultivated  for  its  fruit;  and,  in 
some  places,  as  a  hedge  plant.  It  is  also  grown  as  an  ornamental  tree,  the  stem 
being  trained  to  a  height  of  six  or  eight  feet,  and  the  head  afterwards  allowed  to 
spread,  and  droop  down  on  every  side.  In  the  orange  nurseries  about  Nice  and 
Genoa,  young  trees  are  grown  in  boxes,  in  which  they  are  exported  to  various 
parts  of  the  world.  In  the  conservatories  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Paris,  and  in 
France  generally,  the  double-flowered  varieties  are  planted  in  large  boxes,  and 
treated  like  the  orange-tree ;  but,  at  Paris  and  Versailles,  they  will  not  bear 
exposure  to  the  open  air  too  early  in  the  spring,  although  they  may  be  removed 
from  the  house  eight  or  ten  days  before  the  orange.  At  the  two  last-named  cities, 
there  are  specimens  of  the  pomegranate,  which  are  known,  with  certainty,  to 
have  existed  nearly  two  hundred  and  fifty  years.  Both  the  single  and  double- 
flowered  varieties  are  very  frequently  trained  against  walls,  in  Italy,  as  well  as  in 
France ;  and  the  more  ingenious  cultivators  intermingle  the  branches  of  one  sort 
with  those  of  the  other,  so  as  to  make  a  display  of  both  double  flowers  and  fruit, 
apparently  on  the  same  tree. 

The  discovery  and  settlement  of  the  Spanish  colonies  of  the  West  Indies  and 
of  South  America,  led  to  the  early  introduction  of  this  tree  into  all  the  warmer 
parts  of  those  countries,  where  it  is  much  cultivated  for  ornament  in  gardens,  and 
along  the  avenues  of  plantations,  and  where  it  is  greatly  admired,  both  for  its 
flowers  and  its  fruit.  In  the  southern  states  of  North  America,  too,  it  is  frequently 
to  be  met  with  in  gardens,  and  about  houses  and  plantations,  and  is  much  esteemed 
as  an  ornamental  tree.  It  is  also  cultivated  as  a  wall  tree,  or  as  a  conservatory 
plant,  in  various  parts  of  the  middle  and  northern  states  of  the  union,  where  it  is 
highly  prized. 

Poetical,  Mythological,  and  Legendary  Allusions.  The  pomegranate  is  men- 
tioned by  the  poets  of  all  ages.  Ovid  tells  us  that  when  Ceres  discovered  that 
Pluto  had  stolen  her  daughter  Proserpine,  she  implored  Jupiter  so  earnestly  to 
restore  her,  that  he  consented,  provided  she  had  eaten  nothing  during  her  resi- 
dence in  the  infernal  regions.  Unfortunately,  however,  while  walking  the  Elys- 
ian  Fields,  Proserpine  had  gathered  a  pomegranate,  and  eaten  several  grains  of 
it,  which  had  been  observed  by  Ascalaphus,  who,  on  informing  Pluto  of  what 
had  been  done,  was  turned  by  Ceres  into  an  owl,  for  his  interference.  Rapin,  in 
his  poem  entitled  "  Les  Plasirs  du  Gentilhomme  Champetre,"  published  in  1583, 
gives  the  following  origin  of  this  tree  : — A  young  girl  of  Scythia,  having  consulted 
the  diviners  to  know  her  fortune,  was  told  by  them  that  she  was  destined  one  day 
to  wear  a  crown.  This  rendered  her  so  proud  and  vain,  that  she  was  easily  seduced 
by  Bacchus,  on  his  promising  to  give  her  a  crown.  He  soon  grew  tired,  and 
abandoned  her ;  and,  when  she  afterwards  died  of  grief,  he  metamorphosed  her 
into  a  pomegranate-tree,  on  the  fruit  of  which,  he  affixed  a  crown ;  thus  tardily 
and  ambiguously  redeeming  his  promise.  In  the  language  of  poets,  this  shrub  is 
regarded  as  the  symbol  of  democracy ;  "  probably,"  says  Loudon,  "  from  its  fruit 
consisting  of  numerous  seeds,  which  form  its  valuable  part,  and  a  worthless 
crown.  In  allusion  to  the  latter  circumstance,  Queen  Anne,  of  Austria,  had  for 
a  device  a  pomegranate,  with  the  motto,  "My  worth  is  not  in  my  crown;"  and 


POMEGRANATE-TREE.  24 1 

Phillips,  in  his  "  Pomarium  Britannicum,"  says  that,  the  French,  in  the  island 
of  St.  Vincent,  had  a  riddle  on  the  pomegranate,  which  was  "  Quelle  est  la  reine 
qui  porte  son  royaume  dans  son  sein)"  alluding  to  the  same  properties.  "The 
nightingale,"  says  Russell,  in  his  account  of  Aleppo,  "  sings  from  the  pomegran- 
ate groves  in  the  day-time." 

Soil,  Situation,  Propagation,  fyc.  The  single  wild  pomegranate  will  grow  in 
almost  any  soil;  but  the  double-flowered  varieties,  and  the  species,  when  intended 
to  bear  fruit,  require  a  rich,  free  soil.  The  double-flowering  trees,  grown  in  boxes 
by  the  French  gardeners,  are  planted  in  the  very  richest  soil  that  can  be  com- 
posed ;  and  a  portion  of  this  soil  is  renewed  every  year.  The  plant  is  easily  prop- 
agated by  cuttings  of  the  shoots  of  the  roots,  by  layers,  or  by  grafting  one  kind 
on  another.  It  also  rises  freely  from  seeds ;  but  these  ought  to  be  sown  immedi- 
diately  on  being  removed  from  the  fruit;  because  they  very  soon  lose  their  vital 
powers.  In  pruning  this  tree,  the  head  should  be  thinned  out  in  such  a  manner 
as  to  multiply  as  much  as  possible,  short,  slender  shoots,  on  the  points  of  which 
alone,  the  flowers  are  produced.  In  training  it  against  a  wall,  it  is  necessary  to 
keep  this  constantly  in  view;  for,  if  these  slender  shoots  are  cut  off,  no  flowers 
will  be  produced.  In  very  rich  soils,  an  advantage  is  derived  by  annually  prun- 
ing the  roots. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  general  diffusion  of  the  pomegranate  throughout 
the  climates  suited  to  its  growth,  implies  that  it  possesses  highly  valuable  proper- 
ties. In  hot  countries,  its  utility  is  incontestable ;  for  its  juice  is  most  grateful  to 
the  palate,  and  assuages  thirst  in  a  degree  quite  peculiar  to  it,  from  its  pleasant 
acid — an  acid  so  soft,  that  it  may,  in  truth,  be  said  to  be  "  full  of  melting  sweet- 
ness," as  Moore  expresses  himself.  The  pulp,  however,  which  encloses  the  seeds, 
is  sometimes  acid,  sometimes  sweet ;  and  in  some  cases,  vinous,  astringent,  and 
always  refreshing.  A  syrup  is  made  from  the  pulp  by  the  druggists,  as  well  as 
from  the  dried  flowers,  which  is  employed  as  an  astringent  and  detergent.  The 
rind  of  the  fruit,  on  account  of  its  astringent  properties,  is  sometimes  employed  in 
materia  medica  as  well  as  in  the  veterinary  art.  It  has  also  been  used  as  a 
substitute  for  galls,  in  the  manufacture  of  black  ink,  and  is  said  to  be  still 
employed,  in  some  parts  of  Germany,  in  dyeing  leather  red,  in  imitation  of 
morocco.  In  the  Himalayas,  Mr.  Royle  informs  us,  the  rind  of  the  fruit,  called 
naspal,  "being  very  astringent,  is  used  in  medicine,  as  well  as  in  dyeing.  The 
employment,  by  the  natives  of  India,  of  the  bark  of  the  root  for  the  expulsion  of 
the  tape-worm,  being  now  well  known,  since  the  subject  was  communicated  by 
Drs.  Hamilton  and  Fleming,  is  a  remarkable  instance  of  the  oblivion  into  which 
even  a  valuable  medicine  may  fall,  as  this  property  was  well  known  to  Diosco- 
rides."  Lord  Bacon  recommends  the  juice  of  pomegranates  as  good  for  liver 
complaints ;  and  Dr.  Woodville  says,  it  is  preferable  to  that  of  oranges,  in  cases 
of  fever.  From  the  flowers,  with  the  addition  of  alum,  there  may  be  obtained  a 
fine  red  ink.     The  flowers,  also,  were  formerly  used  to  dye  cloth  a  light-red 


Genus    MYRTUS,    Linn. 

Myrtacese.  Icosandria  Monogynia. 

Syst.  Nat'.  Syst-  Lin- 

Synonymes. 

Myrtus,  Eugenia,  Caryophillus,  Calyp-  j  qf  ^uthors. 
tranthes,  Pimenta,  j 

Derivations.  The  word  Myrtus,  according  to  some  lexicographers,  is  derived  from  the  Greek  muron,  a  perfumed  oif;  in  allu- 
sion to  the  grateful  perfume  of  the  leaves,  flowers,  and  fruit  of  most  of  the  species  of  this  genus.  The  other  names  belong  to 
genera  which  were  supposed  by  some  botanists  to  include  species  more  properly  coming  under  the  head  of  Myrtus. 

Generic  Characters    Calyx  5-cleft.    Petals  5.    Berry  2  or  3-celled,  many-seeded.     Radicle  and  cotyledons 
distinct. — Loudon,  Enc.  of  Plants. 

\E.E  genus  Mytrus  belongs  to  that  natural  group  of  woody  plants, 
which,  in  general,  may  be  recognized  by  their  opposite,  entire 
leaves,  full  of  transparent  dots,  which  indicate  the  presence  of  a 
fragrant,  aromatic,  pungent,  volatile  oil.  Hence,  the  grateful  per- 
fume of  the  leaves,  flowers,  and  fruit,  of  the  greater  part  of  the 
trees  and  shrubs  belonging  to  this  order.  Like  most  highly  aro- 
matic woody  plants,  the  species  are  chiefly  inhabitants  of  warm  climates.  The 
common  myrtle,  however,  is  a  native  of  Europe ;  but.  all  the  other  kinds  belong 
to  North  or  South  America,  Africa,  Asia,  or  Australia.  All  the  species  may  be 
propagated  by  cuttings,  and  many  of  them,  from  their  being  evergreen,  and  from 
the  beauty  of  their  foliage  and  flowers,  are  very  appropriate  for  hedges,  in  a  mild 
climate,  or  for  conservatory  walls,  in  a  cold  one. 

To  the  same  natural  family  belongs  the  common  guava,  (Psidium  pyriferum,) 
of  the  tropics,  so  much  esteemed  by  all  classes,  both  when  formed  into  a  jelly, 
and  when  eaten  raw ;  also  the  Florida  guava,  (Psidium  buxifolium,)  the  excel- 
lent flavour  of  the  fruit  of  which  has  been  compared  to  that  of  strawberries  and 
cream.  Nearly  allied  to  the  genus  myrtus  are  the  common  clove  of  commerce, 
(Caryophyllus  aromaticus,)  a  native  of  the  Molucca  Islands;  and  the  Jamaica 
pepper,  or  allspice  (Pimenta  vulgaris.)  This  order  also  includes  the  Jambolana 
or  Java  plum-tree,  (Calyptranthes  jambolana,)  bearing  a  black  esculent  berry ; 
the  forked  calyptranthes,  (Calyptranthes  chytraculia,)  indigenous  to  the  West 
Indies  and  Southern  Florida;  the  Malay  apple,  (Eugenia  malaccensis,)  cultivated 
between  the  tropics,  for  its  fruit ;  the  Eugenia  dichotoma,  procera,  and  buxifolia, 
of Southern  Florida,  Cuba,  Jamaica,  &c. ;  and  the  pitanga,  (Myrtus  braziliensis,) 
the  latter  of  which  is  much  cultivated  in  Brazil  for  its  highly  delicious,  sub-acid 
fruit,  from  which  there  is  manufactured  an  excellent  jelly. 

Among  other  ligneous  plants  nearly  allied  to  this  group,  and  which  are  hardy, 
are  the  Tamarix  gallica,  indica,  and  dioica,  and  the  Myricaria  germanica.  The  for- 
mer is  interesting,  from  its  ascending,  spreading  stems,  numerous  slender  branches, 
abundant,  minute  foliage,  and  its  splendid  panicles  of  racemes,  of  pale  rose-col- 
oured flowers.  From  its  bitter  and  highly  astringent  properties,  it  is  occasionally 
employed  as  a  tonic  in  medicine ;  and,  in  Denmark,  it  is  sometimes  substituted 
for  hops  in  making  beer.  When  grown  near  the  sea,  its  ashes  contain  a  large 
proportion  of  sulphate  of  soda.  By  means  of  the  puncture  of  the  Coccus  manni- 
parius.  a  species  of  manna  is  produced,  known  in  commerce  by  the  name  of  Ara- 
bian, to  distinguish  it  from  the  Persian  manna,  which  is  the  produce  of  the  Alhagi 
niaurorum.  The  Myricaria  germanica  is  interesting  from  its  close  upright  habit 
of  growth,  and  the  glaucous  hue  of  its  persistent  foliage.  To  the  foregoing  may 
be  added  the  common  syringa  or  mock  orange,  (Philadelphus  coronarius,)  a  native 
nf  the  south  of  Europe;  Philadelphus  verrucosus,  laxus,  and  hirsutus,  of  North 
America:  and  the  Philadelphus  tomentosus,  of  Nepal. 


Myrtus  communis, 

THE   COMMON  MYRTLE-TREE. 

Synonymes. 


Myrtus  communis, 

Myrte,  Meurthe,  Herbe  du  lagui, 

Myrthe, 

Myrter, 

Myrten, 

Mirto, 

Mirto,  Arrayan, 

Myrta,  Murta, 

Myrtle, 


'  Linn^us,  Species  Plantarum. 

De  Candolle,  Prodromus. 
'  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 

France. 

Germany. 

Denmark. 

Sweden. 

Italy. 

Spain. 

Portugal. 

Britain  and  Anslo-America. 


Derivations.    This :  species  was  called  murtos  by  the  Greeks,  and  it  is  remarkable  that  from  this  word  originated  the  namai 
Of  this  tree  in  all  the  languages  of  Europe.  3>«»vou  mo  uaui»» 

fi  frefbelow58'    LoU<3on'  Arboretum  Briunnicum,  ii.  fig.  706  and  figs.  2469  et  2470 ;  Encyclopedia  of  Plants,  fig.  6971 ;  and  the 
Specific  Characters.    Flowers  solitary,  white.    Involucre  2-leaved— Loudon,  Enc.  of  Plants. 


Description. 

"In  the  hollow  breast  of  Appenine, 
Beneath  the  shelter  of  encircling  hills, 
A  myrtle  rises,  far  from  human  eye, 
And  breathes  its  balmy  fragrance  o'er  the  wild." 

Thomson. 

|HE  Myrtus  commu- 
nis is  a  beautiful 
evergreen  shrub, 
growing  to  a  height 
of  five  or  six  feet, 
in  a  wild  state,  and 
when  cultivated  under  favourable  circumstances,  it  attains 
four  or  five  times  that  elevation.  When  trained  as  a  tree 
with  a  clear  stem,  the  head  is  thickly  crowded  with  small  u 

branches,  which  only  bear  leaves  at  their  extremities,  and  it 
presents,  when  the  eye  is  beneath  it,  a  meagre  appearance, 
"looking,"  as  is  observed  in  the  "Nouveau  Du  Hamel,"  "more  like  a  magpie's 
nest,  or  a  dead  bush  placed  on  a  pole,  than  a  living  tree;"  but,  when  trained 
against  a  wall,  or  formed  into  groves  or  hedges,  perfuming  the  air  in  the  months 
of  July  and  August,  with  its  elegant  green  leaves  and  snow-white  flowers,  it 
forms  one  of  the  most  beautiful  objects  of  the  vegetable  kingdom. 

Varieties.     The  following  forms,  or  varieties  of  myrtle,  the  first  of  which  may 
be  considered  as  the  species,  are  given  in  Don's  Miller's  Dictionary  : — 

1.  M.  c.  romana.     Common  Broad-leaved  or  Roman  Myrtle  ;    Myrte  romain, 
of  the  French,  with  ovate  leaves,  long  pedicels,  and  black  fruit.     This  kind  is 


344  MYRTUS    COMMUNIS. 

sometimes  called  the  "Flowering  Myrtle,"  because  it  flowers  in  England  more 
than  any  other  variety. 

2.  M.  c.  tarentina.  Tarentum  or  Box-leaved  Myrtle ;  Myrte  de  Tarente,  of 
the  French.  The  leaves  of  this  variety  are  small  and  ovate,  Flowers  small, 
and  opening  late  in  autumn.     Berries  round  and  black. 

3.  M.  c.  italica.  Italian  or  Upright  Myrtle,  the  leaves  of  which  are  ovate- 
lanceolate,  and  the  branches  erect.     Fruit  black. 

4.  M.  c.  BffiTicA.  Andalusian  or  Orange-leaved  Myrtle;  Myrte  d) Andahisie, 
of  the  French,  the  leaves  of  which  are  lanceolate  and  acuminate.     Fruit  black. 

5.  M.  c.  lusitanica.     Portugal  Myrtle,  with  black  fruit. 

6.  M.  c.  belgica.  Broad-leaved  Dutch  Myrtle;  Myrte  de  Belgique,  of  the 
French,  the  leaves  of  which  are  lanceolate,  acuminated,  crowded  together,  and 
of  a  dark-green.     Fruit  black. 

7.  M.  c.  mucronata.  Sharp-pointed-leaved  or  Thyme-leaved  Myrtle;  Myrte 
pointu,  of  the  French,  the  leaves  of  which  are  linear-lanceolate,  and  acuminated. 
Fruit  black.  This  variety  and  all  the  preceding  ones  are  frequent  in  the  south 
of  Europe,  and  comprise  several  sub-varieties  with  double  flowers  and  variegated 
leaves. 

8.  M.  c.  leucocarpa.  White-berried  Myrtle,  a  native  of  Greece  and  the  Belearic 
Islands.  The  fruit,  which  is  white,  is  rather  large,  and  edible,  with  a  grateful 
taste  and  smell. 

All  of  the  above-named  varieties  are  constant ;  but  there  are  many  others 
growing  in  gardens,  which  are  more  variable.  The  following  are  the  names  of 
most  of  these  : — 

«.   Gold-striped  Broad-leaved  Myrtle. 

/9.  Broad-Leaved  Jews'  Myrtle,  having  leaves  frequently  in  threes,  on  which 
account  it  is  said  to  be  in  esteem  among  the  Jews  in  their  religious  ceremonies. 

'(.   Gold-striped  Orange-leaved  Myrtle. 

d.  Silver-striped  Italian  Myrtle. 

s.  Striped-leaved  Myrtle. 

£.  Silver-striped  Rosemary  or  Thyme-leaved  Myrtle. 

n-  Silver-striped  Nutmeg  Myrtle,  apparently  a  sub-variety  of  the  "  Portugal 
Myrtle." 

6.   Cock"1  s-comb  or  Bird's-nest  Myrtle. 

t.  Spotted-leaved  Myrtle. 

a.  Double-flowered  Myrtle,  apparently  a  sub-variety  of  the  "  Broad-leaved 
Dutch  Myrtle." 

Geography  and  History.  The  Myrtus  communis  is  indigenous  to  the  south  of 
Europe,  and  is  found  wild  in  abundance  in  France,  about  Marseilles,  and  from 
that  city,  along  the  coast  to  Genoa,  growing  in  thickets,  even  within  the  spray 
of  the  sea,  and  throughout  Italy.  It  is  cultivated  as  a  standard  or  for  hedges  in 
collections  and  gardens  in  most  of  the  warm  and  temperate  countries  of  the  globe ; 
and  in  climes  less  congenial  to  its  growth,  it  is  made  to  ornament  the  conserva- 
tory or  to  grace  the  garden  wall. 

Although  the  myrtle  is  now  common  as  an  underwood,  in  Italy,  Pliny  tells  us 
that  it  was  not  a  native  of  that  country ;  and  that  the  first  myrtle  seen  in  Europe 
was  planted  near  the  tomb  of  one  of  the  companions  of  Ulysses  at  Circeii ;  and  he 
adds  that  it  still  retained  its  Greek  name  murtos.  He  mentions  eleven  sorts  of 
myrtle,  and  says  that  the  most  odoriferous  grew  in  Egypt.  Cato  only  speaks  of 
two  kinds. 

The  first  cultivation  of  the  myrtle  in  Britain  is  assigned,  in  the  "  Hortus  Kew- 
ensis,"  to  the  year  1629 ;  when  Parkinson  informs  us  that  he  had  three  sorts  in 
his  garden,  namely,  the  broad-leaved,  and  two  varieties  of  the  box-leaved  myrtle. 
Gerard,  however,  in  1597,  says  that  "myrtles  never  bear  fruit  in  England;" 


COMMON   MYRTLE-TREE.  315 

which  surely  implies  that  it  was  cultivated  in  that  country  before  that  period. 
Bradley,  who  wrote  a  treatise  on  British  husbandry  and  gardening,  states  that 
myrtles  were  introduced  by  Sir  Frances  Carew  and  Sir  Walter  Raleigh,  in  1585. 
When  they  returned  to  England,  after  a  residence  in  Spain,  jnst  before  the  inva- 
sion of  the  armada,  one  of  these  myrtles  was  planted  by  Sir  Francis  at  Bedding- 
ton.  In  the  environs  of  London,  the  broad  and  narrow-leaved  myrtles  stand  out, 
in  dry,  warm  situations,  as  bushes,  sometimes  having  the  extremities  of  their 
shoots  killed  down  by  frost,  but  more  frequently  by  the  direct  influence  of  the 
sun  after  a  frosty  night,  accompanied  with  snow  and  sleet.  Both  double  and 
single  varieties  of  the  common  myrtle  cover  large  spaces  of  a  wall  in  the  Horti- 
cultural Society's  garden. 

At  Cobham  Hall,  in  Kent,  England,  there  are  several  trees  against  the  house, 
thirty  feet  high.  In  the  isle  of  Wight  and  in  Devonshire,  the  myrtle  forms 
hedges  to  gardens. 

At  the  Willows,  near  Swansea,  in  Glamorganshire,  Wales,  there  were,  in  1828, 
two  myrtles  fifteen  feet  high,  grown  in  the  open  ground  as  standards,  the  branches 
of  the  largest  of  which  covered  a  space  of  ninety  feet  in  circumference. 

In  East  Lothian,  Scotland,  more  especially  at  Biel,  the  myrtle  grows  against 
a  wall  with  very  little  protection. 

In  Ireland,  in  Trinity  College  botanic  garden,  at  Dublin,  all  the  varieties, 
except  the  orange-leaved,  have  stood  out  against  a  wall  with  a  southern  aspect ; 
and  at  Youghall,  near  Cork,  there  was  a  plant  in  the  open  garden  twenty  feet 
high,  which,  in  1835,  never  had  been  protected. 

In  the  neighbourhood  of  Paris,  in  France,  the  myrtle  will  not  stand  out  against 
a  wall,  without  a  good  deal  more  protection  than  it  requires  at  London ;  but  in 
the  southern  states  of  the  American  union,  it  grows  in  great  perfection  in  the  open 
air,  without  protection,  in  the  severest  winters. 

Poetical,  Mythological  and  Legendary  Allusions.  The  name  "  Myrtus,"  is 
said  to  have  been  taken  from  that  of  Myrsine,  an  Athenian  maiden,  a  favourite 
of  Minerva,  who,  suffering  love  to  overpower  her  wisdom,  was  changed  into  a 
myrtle  by  her  offended  mistress,  and  taken  pity  on  by  Venus.  Others  say  that 
Venus,  when  she  first  sprang  from  the  bosom  of  the  sea,  had  a  wreath  of  myrtl' 
on  her  head.  The  temples  of  this  goddess  were  always  surrounded  by  groves  ot 
myrtle ;  and  in  Greece,  she  was  adored  under  the  name  of  Myrtilla.  According 
to  Pliny,  the  Romans  and  Sabines,  when  they  were  reconciled,  laid  down  their 
arms  under  a  myrtle-tree,  and  purified  themselves  with  its  boughs.  Wreaths  of 
myrtle  were  the  symbols  of  authority  worn  by  the  Athenian  magistrates.  The 
weapons  of  war  of  the  Greeks  were  also  formed  of  this  tree ;  and  sprigs  of  myrtle 
were  entwined  with  the  laurel  wreaths  worn  by  those  conquerors  during  their 
triumphs,  who  had  gained  a  victory  without  blood-shed.  The  victors  in  the 
Olympic  and  other  games  were  also  adorned  with  myrtles.  In  Rome,  two  myr- 
tles were  placed  before  the  temple  of  Romulus  Quirinus,  to  represent  the  plebeian 
and  patrician  orders,  which  were  predicted  to  be  in  the  ascendency  according  to 
the  state  of  the  trees.  The  Roman  ladies  put  the  leaves  of  the  myrtle  into  thpir 
baths,  persuaded  that  the  plant  of  Venus  must  be  favourable  to  beauty.  The 
branches  and  berries  were  steeped  in  wine  to  give  it  a  flavour;  and  the  fruit  was 
used  in  cookery,  as  the  entire  plant  was  in  medicine.  The  ancient  poets  made 
the  myrtle  their  favourite  theme ;  and  Virgil  represents  jF,neas  discovering  it  to 
be  the  metamorphosed  Polydorus.  In  modern  times  it  has  been  frequently  noticed 
by  British  poets.     Thus,  Spencer  says  in  his  "  Faerie  Uuccne," — 

"Right  in  the  middest  of  thai  Paradise, 

There  Stood  a  stalely  mount,  on  whose  round  top 
A  gloomy  ynive  of  myrtle  I  reBs  did  rise. 

Whose  shady  houghs  sharp  steel  did  never  lop, 
Nor  wicked  beasts  llieir  lender  boughs  did  crop  ; 

44 


346  MYRTUS    COMMUNIS. 

But,  like  a  girland  compassed  the  height, 
And  from  their  fruitful  sides  fresh  gum  did  drop, 

That  all  the  ground  with  precious  dew  bedight, 
Threw  forth  most  dainty  odours,  and  most  sweet  delight." 

And  Thomson,  in  those  beautiful  lines,  beginning  "  The  lovely  young  Lavinia 
once  had  friends,"  &c.,  compares  her  to  a  myrtle.  Milton  places  this  tree  in  the 
bower  of  Eve. 

Propagation,  Culture,  <$fc.  All  the  varieties  of  the  common  myrtle  are  readily 
propagated  by  cuttings;  and  those  which  ripen  their  fruit,  as  the  Roman  myrtle, 
come  up  in  abundance  from  seeds.  Cuttings  may  either  be  made  of  the  ripe 
wood,  or  of  that  which  is  in  a  growing  state  ;  the  latter  take  root  the  soonest,  but 
require  the  most  care,  and  success  will  be  the  most  certain  when  they  are  planted 
in  sand,  and  covered  with  a  bell-glass.  The  finer  varieties  might  be  grafted  on 
the  common  and  more  hardy  sorts ;  and  perhaps  something  might  be  gained  in 
rendering  the  Australian  Myrtacese  more  hardy,  by  grafting  them  on  the  common 
myrtle.  Perhaps,  also,  something  might  be  done  in  the  way  of  cross-fecundation 
between  the  genera  Myrtus,  Psidium,  &c.  Whenever  the  myrtle  has  been 
exposed  to  cold,  snowy,  or  frosty  nights,  it  should  either  be  dashed  all  over  with 
water,  to  thaw  the  frost;  or  covered  with  a  mat,  to  prevent  it  from  thawing 
too  suddenly  by  the  rays  of  the  sun.  The  safest  mode  in  such  weather  is,  to 
cover  the  plants  with  mats  at  night;  because,  though  frost  may  not  kill  them,  yet 
it  will  always  injure  the  foliage. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  common  myrtle  is  very  hard,  and  is 
used  for  various  purposes  in  turnery.  The  leaves  and  bark  are  aromatic  and 
slightly  astringent,  and  are  sometimes  employed  as  a  tonic  or  stimulant.  From  the 
leaves  and  flowers  a  cosmetic  is  distilled,  called,  in  France,  eau  dange.  In  some 
parts  of  Italy,  the  leaves  are  also  used  in  the  preparation  of  skins.  In  Tuscany, 
the  berries  are  used  as  a  substitute  for  pepper;  and  in  Germany  they  serve  to 
make  a  slate-coloured  dye.  In  Provence,  the  myrtle  is  employed  for  garnishing 
arbours,  bowers,  and  hedge-rows,  and  is  not  only  formed  into  hedges,  but  is 
sometimes  trained  as  a  tree  with  a  clear  stem. 


Genus  CORNUS,  Linn. 

Cornaceae.  Tetrandria  Monogynia. 

Syot-^at.  Syst.Lin. 

Synonymes . 

Cornus,  Of  Authors. 

Cornouiller,  France. 

Hartriegel,  Hornstrauch,  Kornel-Kirsch-  )  „ 
baum,  j  Germany. 

Corniolo,  Corgnolo,  Italy. 

Cornizo,  Spain.' 

Dogwood,  Cornelian  Cherry-tree,  Britain  and  Anglo-America. 

iJenvations.  The  word  Cornus  is  derived  from  the  Latin  cornu,  a  horn  ;  the  wood  of  some  of  the  trees  of  this  eenus  bein- 
thought  to  be  as  hard  and  as  durab  e  as  horn  The  French,  Spanish,  and  Italian  names  have  the  same  meaning  as  U,e  bola  c 
one.  The  German  name  Hartriegel  signifies  hard  rail,  or  hard  wood  ;  Hornstrauch,  means  Horn-bush ;  and  the  other  German 
name  signifies  .Cornelian  Cherry-tree.  The  name  Dogwood  is  applied  to  this  genus,  because,  as  Parkinson  says  in  his  -  Pa™ 
disus,  the  fruit  of  most  of  the  species  is  not  fit  even  for  dogs;  but  it  is  more  likely  to  have  been  given  to  it,  from  the  aslrincent 
properties  of  the  bark  and  leaves,  a  decoction  of  which  was  formerly  used  as  a  wash  for  curing  the  mange,  &c,  in  dogs. 

Generic  Characters.  Tube  of  the  calyx  adhering  to  the  ovarium.  Limb  small,  4-toothed.  Petals  4 
oblong,  sessile  ;  valvate  in  aestivation.  Stamens  4.  Style  1.  Pome  baccate,  marked  by  the  vestiges 
of  the  calyx,  containing  a  2-celled,  rarely  3-celled,  nut.  Seed  solitary,  pendulous.  Albumen  fleshy. 
Radicle  of  embryo  shorter  than  the  cotyledons.— Don,  Miller's  Diet. 

HE  genus  Cornus  consists  of  deciduous  trees  and  shrubs,  all  with 
opposite  leaves,  (except  those  of  the  Cornus  alternifolia,)  entire 
and  feather-nerved.  The  flowers  are  sometimes  capitate  and 
umbellate,  involucrated ;  sometimes  corymbose  and  panicled,  with- 
out an  involucre,  with  petals  white,  and  rarely  yellow.  They  are 
in  general  very  hardy,  and  may  be  easily  propagated  from  seeds, 
suckers,  or  by  cuttings  and  layers.  Beside  the  Cornus  florida,  hereafter 
described,  the  following  species  and  varieties  are  well  worth  the  attention  of 
amateurs,  as  being  particularly  suitable  for  small  suburban  gardens,  in  which 
several  of  them  will  form  fit  associates  for  small  trees  of  Crataegus,  Berberis, 
Rhamnus,  Euronymus,  Hamamelis,  &c.  : — 

1.  Cornus  alternifolia.  Alternate-leaved  Dogwood  ;  a  native  of  North  Amer- 
ica, from  Canada  to  Carolina,  in  shady  woods  on  river  banks,  where  it  forms  a 
tree,  fifteen  or  twenty  feet  in  height,  and  flowers  from  May  to  July.  This  spt 
cies  is  known  from  every  other,  by  the  horizontal  umbelliferous  character  assumed 
by  the  branches,  which  are  also  dichotomous,  with  clusters  of  leaves  at  the  joints ; 
and  the  general  colour  is  that  of  a  lively  green.  The  fruit,  when  ripe,  is  purple, 
and  about  the  size  of  a  grain  of  pepper. 

2.  Cornus  purpurea.  Purple-fruited  Dogwood;  Cornus  sauguinca,  of  Lin- 
naeus, Don,  Loudon,  and  others;  Cornouiller  femelle,  Cornouiller  sauvage,  Bois 
de  chien,  Bois  sanguin,  Savignon,  Puine  noire,  or  Bois  punais,  of  the  French; 
Rother  Hartriegel,  of  the  Germans;  ISanguinella,  of  the  Italians;  Female  Cor- 
nel, Wild  Cornel,  Dogberry -tree,  Hound-tree,  Prickwood,  Gattcn-trcc,  Gatter-tri  e, 
and  Catteridge-tree,  of  the  British  and  Anglo-Americans.  This  species  is  indi- 
genous to  Northern  Africa,  and  is  plentiful  in  hedges  and  thickets,  especially  on 
chalk  and  limestone  soils,  in  most  of  the  temperate  parts  of  Europe.  It  has  been 
introduced  into  the  United  States,  and  is  found  wild  in  New  York,  New  Jersey, 
Pennsylvania,  and  other  parts  of  the  country.  There  is  also  a  variety  of  this 
species,  described  by  Don  and  Loudon,  under  the  name  of  Cornus  sangvinea 
purshii,  indigenous  in  New  York,  from  Long  Island  to  the  lakes,  which  only 


343  CORAL'S. 

differs  from  that  of  Europe,  in  having  the  leaves  pubescent,  and  hi  beLig  jf  a 
taller  stature.  The  Cornus  purpurea  grows  to  a  height  of  from  four  to  fifteen 
feet,  flowering  in  June  and  July,  and  ripening  its  dark-purple  fruit  in  August  and 
September.  It  is  easily  known  irom  all  its  congeners  by  its  dark-red  branches, 
dark-purple  fruit,  and  the  intensely  dark-red  of  its  leaves  before  they  fall  in 
autumn.  This  species  is  called  "Female  Cornel,"  because  it  bears  fruit  when 
very  young;  whereas,  the  Cornus  mas.  is  barren  for  many  years  after  it  shows 
flowers.  The  wood  of  this  species,  which  is  not  quite  so  hard  as  that  of  the 
Cornus  mas.  was  formerly  much  used  in  Europe  for  mill-cogs,  and  for  various 
purposes  in  rustic  carpentry;  and  is  still  made  into  skewers  for  butchers,  tooth- 
picks, and  other  small  articles.  It  makes  excellent  fuel,  and  the  very  best  char- 
coal for  gunpowder.  The  fruit,  like  the  bark  and  leaves,  is  bitter  and  styptic; 
and,  when  treated  like  that  of  the  olive,  it  yields  thirty-four  per  cent.,  by  weight, 
of  an  oil,  that  is  used,  in  France,  for  lamps,  and  in  the  manufacture  of  soap. 

3.  Cornus  alba.  White-fruited  Dogwood ;  Coi-nouiller  a  fruit  bleu,  of  the 
French;  Weisser  Hornstrauch,  of  the  Germans,  is  a  native  of  North  America, 
from  Virginia  to  Canada  and  Newfoundland,  on  the  banks  of  streams  and  lakes ; 
and,  if  we  take  into  account  the  Cornus  stricta,  paniculata,  sericea,  and  some 
states  of  Cornus  circinata,  all  of  which  are  considered,  by  Sir  W.  J.  Hooker,  to 
be  too  nearly  allied  to  be  made  separate  species,  it  is  also  a  native  of  Siberia, 
Oregon,  Texas,  Mexico,  and  California.  The  Cornus  alba,  when  wild,  grows  to 
a  height  of  from  four  to  ten  feet,  and  to  double  these  heights  in  a  state  of  cultiva- 
tion. In  summer,  it  is  particularly  interesting  from  its  fine  large  leaves,  and 
white  flowers;  in  autumn,  from  its  bluish-white  fruit,  which  is  about  the  size 
and  colour  of  that  of  the  mistletoe ;  and  in  winter  and  spring,  from  the  fine  red 
colour  of  its  young  branches  or  shoots. 

4.  Cornus  mascula.     Male  Dogwood;  Cur nouiller  male,  Cornouiller  des  bois, 
Cornier,  Cuernier,  Caneule,  Aournier,  of  the  French;  Kornel-Kirsche  Hart  Hegel, 

of  the  Germans;  Corniolo  maschio,  Sanguine  maschio,  Corgnolo,  of  the  Italians  ; 
Cornel-tree,  Cornelian  Cherry-tree,  Long  Cherry,  of  the  English.  This  species  is 
a  native  throughout  Europe,  Britain  excepted,  and  the  north  and  west  of  Asia,  in 
woods  and  hedges.  In  a  wild  state,  it  is  seldom  found  above  ten  or  twelve  feet 
in  height;  but  in  a  state  of  cultivation,  it  often  attains  double  these  elevations. 
It  has  ash-coloured,  pubescent  shoots,  ovate-lanceolate  leaves,  and  yellow  flow- 
ers, which,  in  mild  winters,  come  out  in  January  or  February;  and  the  greater 
part  of  which,  in  trees  not  exceeding  twelve  or  fifteen  years  of  age,  have  only 
stamens,  and  drop  off  without  producing  fruit.  The  fruit,  which  ripens  in  Sep- 
tember or  October,  is  about  the  size  of  a  small  acorn,  and  of  a  fine,  rich,  transpa- 
rent scarlet.  It  remains  a  long  time  on  the  tree  after  it  is  ripe,  and  is  very  omar 
mental.  The  wood  of  this  tree  has  been  celebrated  in  all  ages,  for  its  hardness 
and  durability.  In  a  dry  state,  it  weighs  sixty-nine  and  a  quarter  pounds  to  a 
cubic  foot.  The  heart-wood  is  of  a  brownish  tint,  and  the  sap-wood  white,  with 
a  slight  tint  of  red.  In  ancient  times,  it  was  much  in  repute  as  shafts  for  jave- 
lins; and  both  Homer  and  Virgil  mention  its  use  for  these  weapons.  Pliny,  also, 
informs  us,  that  it  was  nearly  equal  to  iron  in  hardness,  and  was  used  by  the 
Romans  for  making  wedges  and  pins,  and  the  spokes  of  wheels.  In  France, 
when  it  can  be  procured  of  sufficient  size,  it  is  employed  for  mill-work,  especially 
as  cogs  to  wheels.  The  small  branches  are  made  into  ladder  rongs,  or  spokes, 
forks  for  turning  hay,  hoops,  vine-props,  butchers'  skewers,  &c.  The  wood  of 
the  cornel,  like  that  of  all  the  species  of  the  genus,  makes  excellent  fuel  and  char- 
coal ;  and  the  young  shoots  form  a  good  substitute  for  those  of  the  willow,  in  mak- 
ing baskets,  and  tying  up  packages  of  various  kinds.  The  leaves,  small  branches, 
and  fruit,  may  be  employed  for  tanning  skins;  or  may  be  used  for  dyeing  a  yel- 
lowish-brown.    The  fruit,  when  perfectly  ripe,  is  somewhat  sweet,  and  not  disa- 


cornus.  349 

greeable  to  eat ;  and,  on  the  continent  of  Europe,  it  is  frequently  used  in  confec- 
tionary, and  for  making  marmalades,  robs,  and  liqueurs.  It  is  mixed  with  apples, 
and  pears  in  making  cider ;  and,  gathered  in  an  unripe  state,  and  preserved  in 
salt  and  water,  it  is  used  as  a  substitute  for  pickled  olives.  When  mature,  and 
treated  like  ripe  olives,  it  yields  an  oil,  which  may  be  used  for  various  purposes, 
but  not  for  the  table.  As  an  ornamental  tree,  the  cornel  is  not  only  valuable  on 
account  of  its  early  flowering,  and  the  fine  display  made  by  its  ripe  fruit,  but 
because  it  is  a  low  tree,  and  one  which,  after  it  has  attained  a  height  of  ten  or 
twelve  feet,  is  of  slow  growth,  and  of  very  great  duration.  For  these  last  rea- 
sons, it  is  particularly  suitable  for  small  suburban  gardens,  or  for  situations  of 
limited  space. 

The  order  Cornacse  includes  but  one  other  genus,  the  Benthamia,  which 
embraces  the  strawberry-bearing  benthamia,  (Benthamia  fragifera,)  a  native  of 
Nepal,  where  it  grows  to  a  small  tree,  approaching,  in  the  general  appearance 
and  character  of  its  leaves  and  flowers,  to  the  Cornus  florida,  but  differing  from 
that  species  in  its  fruit.  Allied  to  the  same  natural  family  are  the  various  species 
of  currants  and  gooseberries,  (Ribes)  ;  the  Virginian  itea,  (Itea  virginica)  ;  seve- 
ral species  of  Escallonia,  sub-evergreen,  half-hardy  shrubs,  natives  of  South 
America ;  the  Carolinian  angelica-tree,  (Aralia  spinosa) ;  the  Chinese  guilder 
rose,  (Hydrangea  hortensia,)  well  known  by  its  ample  corymbs  of  snowball-like 
flowers,  which  are  of  a  whitish-green  when  they  first  appear,  but  which  after- 
wards become  of  a  fine  rose-colour,  and  finally  die  off  with  a  purplish  tinge ;  the 
shrubby  bupleurum,  or  hare's  ear,  (Bupleurum  fruticosom,)  a  beautiful  evergreen 
shrub,  a  native  of  the  south  of  Europe,  with  smooth,  shining  foliage  of  a  glau- 
cous hue ;  and  the  common  ivy,  (Hedera  helix,)  well  known  to  the  classical  an- 
cients as  well  as  to  the  amateurs  and  cultivators  of  the  present  day.  And 
still  more  nearly  allied  to  the  genus  Cornus  is  the  witch-hazel,  (Hamamelis  vir- 
ginica,) a  curious  shrub,  native  of  North  America  from  Canada  to  Florida ;  some- 
times growing  to  a  height  of  twenty  or  thirty  feet;  and  putting  forth,  late  in 
autumn  or  early  in  winter,  small  yellowish  flowers.  The  male  plant  sometimes 
shows  a  few  female  flowers ;  but  no  male  flowers  have  been  observed  on  a  female 
plant.  The  male  blossoms  usually  appear  in  October,  and  continue  throughout 
the  winter ;  and  ttie  female  flowers,  which  are  very  ornamental,  begin  to  open  by 
the  1st  of  November.  This  shrub  is  much  esteemed  by  the  American  Indians 
for  its  medicinal  virtues ;  and  it  was  formerly  held  in  high  repute  by  the  super- 
stitious, for  its  supposed  divining  powers. 


Cornus  Jlorida, 
THE  FLOWERY  DOGWOOD. 

Synonymes. 


Cornus  jlorida, 

Cornouiller  a  grandes  fleurs,  Cornouiller 

fleuri,  Bois  de  chien, 
Bliihender  Hartriegel,  Bliihender  Horn- 

strauch, 
Florida  Dogwood,  Virginian  Dogwood, 
Dogwood,  New-England  Box -wood, 


Linnaeus,  Species  Plantarum. 
Miciiaux,  Nonh  American  Sylva. 
Loudon,  Arboretum  Bntannicum. 

France. 


Germany. 

Britain. 
United  States. 


Derivations.    The  specific  name  Jlorida,  is  derived  from  the  Latin  fiorto,  to  blossom,    in  allusion  to  the  profusion  of 
flowers  which  this  tree  puts  forth.    The  French  and  German  names  are  derived  from  the  botanic  one. 

Engravings.    Michaux,  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  48 ;  Bigelow,  Medical  Botany,  ii.,  pi.  28;  Audubon,  Birds  of  America,  i., 
pi.  viii.  et  lxxiii. ;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  ii.,  fig.  769;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.  Branches  shining.  Leaves  ovate,  acuminated,  pale  beneath,  beset  with  appressed 
hairs  on  both  surfaces.  Flowers  umbellate,  protruded  after  the  leaves.  Leaves  of  involucre  large, 
roundish,  retuse,  or  nearly  obcordate.  Pomes  ovate.  Leaves  of  involucre  white.  Flowers  greenish- 
yellow,  and  very  large.    Pomes  scarlet,  about  half  the  size  of  those  of  C.  mas. — Don,  Miller's  Diet. 

Description. 


"Cropp'd  the  fair  bloom  with  which  young  Spring  adorna 
The  flow'ring  Cornua." 

Traits  of  the  Aborigines. 

F  all  the  species  of  the 
i  genus,  the  Cornus  flor- 
P  ida  is  allowed  to  be  the 
■gS^  most  beautiful.  In  its 
natural  habitat,  when  grown  under  favourable 
circumstances,  it  forms  a  tree,  attaining  a 
height  of  thirty  to  thirty-five  feet,  with  a  trunk 
nine  or  ten  inches  in  diameter ;  but,  in  general, 
it  does  not  much  exceed  one  half  of  these 
dimensions.  The  trunk  is  covered  with  a 
blackish  bark,  chopped  into  many  small  por- 
tions, which  are  often  in  the  shape  of  squares 
more  or  less  exact.  The  branches,  which  are 
not  so  numerous  as  on  most  other  trees,  are  reg- 
ularly disposed,  with  their  young  twigs  inclining 
upwards  in  a  semi-circular  direction.  The  leaves 
are  opposite,  about  three  inches  in  length,  ovate, 
acuminated,  of  a  dark-green  above,  and  whit- 
ish beneath,  with  the  upper  surface  very  dis- 
tinctly sulcated.  Towards  the  close  of  summer,  they  are  often  marked  with 
black  spots;  and  at  the  approach  of  winter  they  change  to  dull-red.  The  flow- 
ers, which  appear  in  Florda  in  March,  and  in  New  York  in  May,  are  small,  yel- 
lowish, and  connected  in  bunches,  surrounded  with  a  very  large  involucre,  com- 
posed of  four  white  floral  leaves,  sometimes  inclining  to  violet.  This  fine  involucre 
constitutes  the  chief  beauty  of  the  flowers,  which  are  vptv  nnmprou<5  and  whi^1. 


FLOWERY    DOGWOOD.  35 1 

in  their  season,  "  robe  the  tree  in  white,  like  a  full-blown  apple-tree,  and  render 
it  one  of  the  fairest  ornaments  of  the  American  forests."  The  fruits,  which  are 
of  a  vivid  glossy  red,  and  of  an  oval  shape,  are  always  united,  and  remain  upon 
the  trees  till  the  appearance  of  the  first  autumnal  frosts,  when,  notwithstanding 
their  bitterness,  they  are  devoured  throughout  the  winter,  in  the  southern  states, 
by  the  mocking-bird  (Turdus  polyglottus,)  and  the  American  robbin,  or  red- 
breasted  thrush,  (Turdus  migratorius,)  the  latter  of  which,  about  this  period, 
arrives  from  the  regions  of  the  north. 

Geography  and  History.  The  Cornus  florida  is  first  met  with  at  the  north,  on 
the  Columbia  River,  near  its  confluence  with  the  Pacific,  and  on  the  Atlantic 
coast,  in  New  Hampshire  and  Massachusetts,  between  the  parallels  of  forty-two 
and  forty-three  degrees  of  north  latitude.  In  proceeding  southward,  it  is  unin- 
terruptedly found  throughout  the  country  east  of  the  banks  of  the  Mississippi,  and 
in  some  situations,  is  one  of  the  most  common  trees.  It  particularly  abounds  in 
New  Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  Maryland,  and  Virginia,  where  the  soil  is  moist,  grav- 
elly, and  somewhat  uneven ;  but  further  south,  in  the  Carolinas,  Georgia,  and 
Florida,  it  is  found  only  on  the  borders  of  swamps,  but  never  in  the  pine-barrens, 
where  the  soil  is  too  dry  and  sandy  to  sustain  its  vegetation.  In  the  most  fertile 
districts  of  Ohio,  Kentucky,  and  Western  Tennessee,  it  does  not  appear  in  the 
forests,  except  where  the  soil  is  gravelly,  and  of  a  middling  quality. 

This  fine  tree  was  first  noticed  by  Rev.  John  Bannister,  in  Ray's  "  Historia 
Plantarum,"  published  in  16S0;  and  afterwards  by  Catesby,  in  his  "  Natural 
History  of  Carolina,"  &c.  It  was  cultivated  in  Britain  by  Mr.  Thomas  Fair- 
child,  in  about  the  year  1731 ;  by  Miller,  in  1739  ;  and  has  since  been  introduced 
and  propagated  into  most  of  the  European  collections.  In  England,  this  tree  does 
not  thrive  so  well  as  in  its  native  country,  seldom  being  found,  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  London,  higher  than  seven  or  eight  feet,  although  there  is  a  fine  speci- 
men at  Syon  Hill,  exceeding  twenty  feet  in  height,  and  others  at  White  Knights, 
which  flower  freely  every  year.  Miller,  however,  in  1752,  says  that  "  the  tree  is 
common  in  British  gardens  under  the  name  of  '  Virginian  Dogwood,'  that  it  is  as 
hardy  as  any  of  the  other  species ;  and  that,  though  it  produces  abundance  of 
large  leaves,  it  is  not  plentiful  of  flowers ;"  nor  had  he  seen  any  plants  of  it  which 
had  produced  fruit  in  England.  Catesby,  in  describing  this  tree,  says,  that  "the 
blossoms  break  forth  in  the  beginning  of  March,  being  at  first  not  so  wide  as  a 
sixpence,  but  increasing  gradually  to  the  breadth  of  a  man's  hand;  being  not  of 
their  full  bigness  till  about  six  weeks  after  they  begin  to  open."  And  Mr.  Wil- 
liam Bartram,  in  his  "  Travels  in  Georgia  and  Florida,"  published  in  1791,  gives 
the  following  glowing  account  of  its  appearance  near  the  banks  of  the  Alabama : 
— "We  now  entered  a  remarkable  grove  of  dogwood-trees,  (Cornus  florida,) 
which  continued  nine  or  ten  miles  unaltered,  except  here  and  there  by  a  tower- 
ing Magnolia  grandiflora.  The  land  on  which  they  stand  is  an  exact  level;  the 
surface  a  shallow,  loose,  black  mould,  on  a  stratum  of  stiff,  yellowish  clay. 
These  trees  were  about  twelve  feet  high,  spreading  horizontally;  and  their  limbs 
meeting,  and  interlocking  with  each  other,  formed  one  vast,  shady,  cool  grove,  so 
dense  and  humid  as  to  exclude  the  sunbeams,  and  prevent  the  intrusion  of  almost 
every  other  vegetable  ;  affording  us  a  most  desirable  shelter  from  the  fervid  sun- 
beams of  noonday.  This  admirable  grove,  by  way  of  eminence,  has  acquired  the 
name  of  the  Dog  Woods.  During  a  progress  of  nearly  seventy  miles  through  this 
high  forest,  there  were  constantly  presented  to  view,  on  one  hand  or  the  other, 
spacious  groves  of  this  fine  flowering  tree,  which  must,  in  the  spring  season, 
when  covered  with  blossoms,  exhibit  a  most  pleasing  scene;  when,  at  the  same 
time,  a  variety  of  other  sweet  shrubs  display  their  beauty,  adorned  m  their  gay 

apparel." 

Soil,  Situation,  Propagation,  fyc.     The  Cornus  florida  thrives  best  in  a  peat 


352  COKNUS    FLORIDA. 

soil,  which  must  be  kept  moist ;  and  the  situation  should  be  sheltered,  though  the 
foliage  of  the  plants  must  be  fully  exposed  to  the  influence  of  the  sun,  otherwise 
they  will  not  flower  freely.  They  may  be  propagated  from  seeds,  and  by  cut- 
tings or  layers. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  this  tree  is  hard,  compact,  heavy,  and  fine- 
grained, and  is  susceptible  of  a  brilliant  polish ;  from  which  circumstances,  it 
may  be  substituted  for  numerous  purposes  to  which  box-wood  is  applied.  The 
sap-wood  is  perfectly  white,  and  the  heart-wood  is  of  the  colour  of  chocolate.  In 
the  United  States,  it  enters  into  the  construction  of  many  articles  both  for  utility 
and  ornament,  such  as  the  handles  of  light  tools,  mallets,  toys,  &c.  It  is  some- 
times used  by  farmers  for  harrow  teeth,  for  the  hames  of  horse-collars,  and  also 
for  shoeing  the  runners  of  sleds  ;  but  to  whatever  purpose  it  is  applied,  being  lia- 
ble to  split,  it  should  never  be  wrought  till  it  is  perfectly  seasoned.  The  shoots, 
when  three  or  four  years  old,  are  found  suitable  for  the  light  hoops  of  small 
casks ;  and  in  the  middle  states,  the  cogs  of  mill-wheels  are  made  of  them,  and 
the  forked  branches  are  converted  into  the  yokes  which  are  put  upon  the  necks 
of  swine,  to  prevent  them  from  breaking  into  inclosed  fields.  In  the  parts  of  the 
country  where  it  abounds,  it  serves  for  excellent  fuel.  The  inner  bark  of  this 
tree  is  extremely  bitter,  and  has  proved  an  excellent  substitute  for  the  Peruvian 
bark.*  The  bark,  also,  may  be  substituted  for  galls  in  the  manufacture  of  ink ; 
and  from  the  bark  of  the  more  fibrous  roots,  the  American  Indians  obtain  a  good 
scarlet  dye.  An  infusion  of  the  flowers  of  this  tree  is  also  used  by  them  in  the 
cure  of  intermittents.  The  fruit  is  sometimes  taken  as  a  tonic,  in  the  form  of  a 
spirituous  impregnation ;  and  it  likewise  affords  a  favourite  repast  for  various  spe- 
cies of  birds.  In  England,  the  sole  use  of  this  species  is  an  ornamental  shrub ; 
and,  from  its  large  white  flowers,  "  emulous  of  the  purity  of  snow,"  which  finely 
contrast  with  the  "  forest  green,"  it  richly  deserves  a  place  in  every  collection 
wherever  it  will  thrive. 

*  Dr.  Walker  of  Virginia,  in  an  inaugural  dissertation  on  the  comparative  virtues  of  the  Cornus  florida, 
Cornus  sericea,  and  Cinchona  officinalis,  of  Linnaeus,  after  detailing  a  great  number  of  experiments, 
remarks  : — "  A  summary  recapitulation  of  these  experiments  shows,  that  the  Cornus  florida,  sericea,  and 
Peruvian  bark,  possess  the  same  ingredients ;  that  is,  gum,  mucilage,  and  extracts ;  which  last  contain 
the  tannin  and  gallic  acid,  though  in  different  proportions.  The  florida  has  most  of  the  gum  mucilage 
and  extracts  ;  the  sericea  the  next,  which  appears  to  be  an  intermediate  between  the  florida  and  cinchona  ; 
while  the  latter  possesses  most  of  the  resin.  Their  virtues  appear  similar,  and  equal,  in  their  residence. 
The  extract  and  resin  possess  all  their  active  powers.  The  extract  appears  to  possess  all  their  tonic  pow- 
ers. The  resin,  when  perfectly  separated  from  the  extract,  appears  to  be  purely  stimulant ;  and  probably 
the  tonic  powers  of  the  extract,  are  increased  when  combined  with  a  portion  of  the  resin,  as  in  the -spirit- 
uous tincture." 


Genus  PINCKNEYA,  Mich. 

Rubiaceae.  Pentandria  Monogynia. 

Si/st.  Nat.  Sl/Sl.  Lin_ 

Synonymes. 

Pinckneya,  Pincneya,  Cinchona,  Musscenda,  Of  Authors. 

Derivations.  The  name  Pinckneya  was  so  called  by  Michaux,  in  honour  of  Mr.  Charles  Pinckney,  of  South  Carolina  a 
gentleman  who  was  engaged  in  the  cause  and  advancement  of  botanical  science.  The  other  names  have  been  applied  to  the  trees 
of  this  genus,  from  the  resemblance  they  were  supposed  to  bear  to  the  Cinchona,  and  Mussasnda. 

Generic  Characters.  Sepals  unequal,  one  or  two  of  them  foliaceous.  Corolla  a  long  tube.  Filaments  in 
the  base  of  the  tube.  Capsules  2-valved,  valves  bearing  the  divisions  in  the  middle.— Loudon,  Enc.  of 
Plants. 

HIS  genus  is  nearly  allied  to  Mussaenda,  and  embraces  but  one  spe- 
cies, a  native  of  North  America.  To  the  same  order  belong  a  great 
number  of  genera;  but  a  few  of  the  species  of  which  are  suffi- 
ciently hardy  to  withstand  the  climate  of  Britain,  and  the  middle 
and  northern  parts  of  the  United  States,  even  when  protected  by 
garden  walls.  The  only  truly  hardy  kind  is  the  button-bush. 
(Cephalanthus  occidentalis,)  a  shrub  growing  to  a  height  of  six  or  eight  feet,  in 
the  margins  of  ponds  and  of  streams  leading  from  them,  from  Canada  to  Florida. 
Allied  to  the  same  natural  family  are  the  mistletoe  (Viscum  album)  ;  the  various 
species  of  elder  (Sambucus)  ;  the  European  guilder  rose-  (Viburnum  opulus) : 
the  cranberry-fruited  guilder  rose,  (Viburnum  oxycoccus,)  a  native  of  elevated 
lands  from  New  Jersey  to  the  Rocky  Mountains  and  Hudson's  Bay ;  and  the 
edible-fruited  guilder  rose  or  tree-cranberry,  (Viburnum  edule,)  found  from  New 
York  to  Canada,  and  celebrated  for  its  subglobose  red  berries,  of  an  agreeable 
acid  taste,  and  when  completely  ripe,  are  frequently  employed  as  a  substitute  for 
cranberries;  also,  the  various  species  of  woodbine  and  honeysuckle  (Lonicera)  : 
and  the  beautiful  Leycesteria,  (Leycesteria  formosa.)  much  admired  for  the  deep- 
green  hue  of  its  stems  and  leaves,  and  its  beautiful,  large  bracteas  of  flowers  and 
fruit.  To  these  may  be  added  the  coffee-tree,  (Coffea  arabica,)  which  produces 
the  coffee  of  commerce,  and  may  be  distinguished  by  its  conical-shaped  head ; 
light-brown  bark ;  opposite,  oblong,  wavy,  shining,  light-green  leaves,  with  clus- 
ters of  white,  fragrant  flowers  at  their  base;  and  its  bright-red  berries,  when  fully 
grown,  but  black,  when  perfectly  ripe. 

45 


Pinckneya  pubescens, 

THE  PUBESCENT  PINCKNEYA. 


Synonymes. 


Pinckneya  pubens, 

Pincneya  pubesce.ns, 

Pincneya  pubescent, 

Behaarte  Pincneya, 

Pinckneya, 

Georgia  Bark,  Pinckneya, 


Michaux,  North  American  Sylva. 

Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 

Persoon,  Enchyridium  Botanicum. 

France. 

Germany. 

Britain. 

United  States. 


novations  The  word  pubescens  is  derived  from  the  Latin  pubesco,  to  become  downy ,  in  allusion  to  the  down  which  grows 
nno the  flowers  leaves,  and  branches  of  this  tree.  Pubescens  signifies  an  incipient  state  of  becommg  covered  with  hair  or 
npon  me  nt™erB>  ininl'ips  fullv  erown  with  hair  or  down.  The  French  and  German  names  have  the  same  signification  as  the 
totanfc  one  f  FtZ  Z^o^JoHte  bark  of  this  species,  and  from  its  abounding  in  the  state  of  Georgia,  it  is  called  Georgia 
Bark. 

Engravings.  Michaux,  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  49;  Audubon,  Birds  of  America,  ii.,  pi.  clxv. ;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Bri 
tannicum,  ii.,  fig.  830;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.    Branches  and  leaves  tomentose.    Flowers  rather  large,  pubescent,  white,  and  tinned 
with  red. 


Description. 

|  HE  Pinckneya  pubes- 
cens is  a  low  tree,  di- 
viding itself  into  nu- 
merous branches,  and 

rarely  exceeds"  the  height  of  twenty -five  feet, 

with  a  stem  five  or  six  inches  in  diameter.     Its 

leaves  are  opposite,  four  or  five  inches  long,  of 

a  light-green  colour,  and  downy  beneath.     The 

flowers,  which  put  forth  in  May  and  June,  are 

white,  with  longitudinal  rose-coloured  stripes, 

and  occur  in  panicles  at  the  extremity  of  the 

branches.     Each  flower  is  accompanied  by  a 

floral  leaf,  bordered  with  rose-colour,  near  the 

upper  edge.     The   capsules  are  round,   com- 
pressed in   the  middle,   and  contain  a  great 

number  of  small  winged  seeds. 

Geography,  <$fc.  The  Pinckneya  is  indige- 
nous to  the  southern  parts  of  the  United  States, 
and  particularly  abounds  on  the  borders  of 
swamps  in  Georgia  and  Florida,  where  the  soil  is  deep  and  fertile,  and  where 
the  situation  is  rather  cool  and  shady.  In  England,  the  plant  is  generally  kept 
in  green-houses  or  cold-pits ;  but  it  will  thrive  much  better  if  planted  in  the  free 
ground,  and  trained  against  a  wall  with  a  southern  exposure.  It  requires  a 
shady  situation,  and  is  said  to  thrive  best  in  a  mixture  of  sand  and  peat. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  Pinckneya  is  soft,  which,  together 
with  its  diminutive  size,  renders  it  unfit  for  use  in  the  arts.  The  inner  bark  is 
extremely  bitter,  and  appears  to  partake  of  the  febrifugal  virtues  of  the  Cinchona 
officinalis;  for,  the  inhabitants  of  the  southern  parts  of  Georgia  successfully 
employ  it  in  the  cure  of  the  intermittent  fevers,  which,  during  the  latter  part  of 
c-immpr  nnd  in  autumn,  prevail  in  that  countrv. 


Genus   LYONIA,   Mitt. 

Ericaceae.  Decandria  Monogynia. 

Syst.  Nat.  Syst.  Lin, 

Synonymes. 

Lyonia,  Andromeda,  Of  Authors. 

Derivations.  This  genus  was  named  Lyonia,  in  commemoration  of  Mr.  John  Lyon,  an  indefatigable  English  collector  of 
North  American  plants,  who  fell  a  victim  to  a  dangerous  epidemic  amidst  those  savage  and  romantic  mountains  which  had  so 
often  been  the  theatre  of  his  labours.  Andromeda  was  the  name  of  the  daughter  of  Cephalus,  king  of  Ethiopia.  She  was  lied 
naked  to  a  rock,  and  exposed  to  be  devoured  by  a  sea-monster  to  appease  the  wrath  of  Neptune  ;  but  was  delivered  by  Perseus, 
who  afterwards  married  her,  and  they  had  many  children.  The  following  reasons  for  the  application  of  the  name  of  Andromeda 
to  this  genus  of  plants  are  extracted  from  Linnaeus'  "  Lachesis  Lapponica"  : — "Andromeda  polifolia,"  says  Linnseus,  "  was  now 
(June  12,)  in  its  highest  beauty,  decorating  the  marshy  grounds  in  a  most  agreeable  manner.  The  flowers  are  quite  blood-red 
before  they  expand  ;  but,  when  full  grown,  the  corolla  is  of  a  flesh-colour.  Scarcely  any  painter's  art  can  so  happily  imitate  the 
beauty  of  a  fine  female  complexion ;  still  less  could  any  artificial  colour  upon  the  face  itself  bear  a  comparison  with  this  lovely 
blossom.  As  I  contemplated  it,  I  could  not  help  thinking  of  Andromeda,  as  described  by  the  poets:  and  the  more  I  meditated 
upon  their  descriptions,  the  more  applicable  they  seemed  to  the  little  plant  before  me ;  so  that,  if  these  writers  had  it  in  view, 
they  could  scarcely  have  contrived  a  more  apposite  fable.  Andromeda  is  represented  by  them  as  a  virgin  of  most  exquisite  and 
unrivalled  charms;  but  these  charms  remain  in  perfection  only  so  long  as  she  retains  her  virgin  purity,  which  is  also  appli- 
cable to  the  plant  now  preparing  to  celebrate  its  nuptials.  This  plant  is  always  fixed  on  some  little  turfy  hillock  in  the  midst 
of  the  swamps,  as  Andromeda  herself  was  chained  to  a  rock  in  the  sea,  which  bathed  her  feet,  as  the  fresh  water  does  the 
roots  of  this  plant.  Dragons  and  venomous  serpents  surrounded  her,  as  toads  and  other  reptiles  frequent  the  abode  of  her  vege- 
table resembler,  and,  when  they  pair  in  the  spring,  throw  mud  and  water  over  its  leaves  and  branches.  As  the  distressed  virgin 
cast  down  her  blushing  face  through  excessive  affliction,  so  does  this  rosy-coloured  flower  hang  its  head,  growing  paler  and  pale* 
till  it  withers  away.  Hence,  as  this  plant  forms  a  new  genus,  I  have  chosen  for  it  the  name  of  Andromeda."  Our  great  mas- 
ter has  drawn  this  fanciful  analogy  still  further  in  his  "Flora  Lapponica."  "At  length,"  says  he,  "comes  Perseus,  in  the 
shape  of  summer,  dries  up  the  surrounding  water,  and  destroys  the  monsters,  rendering  the  damsel  a  fruitful  mother,  who  then 
carries  her  head  (the  oapsule)  erect." 

Generic  Characters.  Calyx  5-parted.  Carolla  ovate  or  tubular,  with  a  contracted,  5-toothed  mouth.  Fil- 
aments short,  flat,  downy.  Anthers  with  membranous  cells  that  open  lengthwise.  Style  5-cornered. 
Stigma  obtuse.  Capsule  5-cornered.  Flowers  for  the  most  part  terminal,  disposed  in  racemose  pani- 
cles.— Loudon,  Arboretum. 

(YONIA  embraces  evergreen  and  deciduous  shrubs,  and  also  one 
tree,  natives  of  North  America,  and  bearing  the  common  charac- 
ter of  the  plants  of  the  order  Ericaceae,  both  in  respect  to  beauty, 
soil,  situation,  propagation,  and  culture.  All  the  species  which 
compose  this  family  have  hair-like  roots,  and  require  a  peat  soil, 
or  a  soil  of  a  close,  cohesive  nature,  but  which  is  yet  susceptible 
of  being'readiiy  penetrated  by  their  finest  fibrils.  They  all  may  readily  be  prop- 
agated from  seeds,  by  cuttings,  or  by  layers. 


Lyonia  arborea, 
THE  TREE  LYONIA. 

Synonymes. 


Andromeda  arborea, 


Lyonia  arborea, 

Andromede  en  arbre,  Arbre  a  Poseille, 

Sauerampferbaum, 

Albero    dell'   Andromeda,   Albero    dell'  j  jTAIiY 

acetosa,  ) 

Sorrel-tree, 


Linnjeus,  Species  Plantarum. 
Michaux,  North  American  Sylva. 
Don,  Miller's  Dictionary. 
Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
France. 
Germany. 


Britain  and  Anglo-America. 

Derivations  The  specific  name  arborea  is  derived  from  the  Latin  arbor,  a  tree;  on  account  of  the  large  size  which  this 
species  attains.  It  is  called  Sorrel-tree  from  the  acidity  of  its  leaves.  The  French,  German,  and  Italian  names  signify  Androm- 
eda-tree, and  Sorrel-tree. 

Engravings.  Michaux,  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  85 ;  Catesby,  Natural  History  of  Carolina,  i.,  pi.  71 ;  and  the  figures 
below. 

Specific  Characters.  Branches  taper.  Leaves  deciduous,  oblong,  acuminate,  serrate,  with  mucronate 
teeth,  glabrous,  acid.  Flowers  in  terminal  panicles  of  many  racemes.  Corollas  white,  ovoid-cylindri- 
cal; downy. — Don,  Miller's  Diet. 

Description. 

F  all  the  species  of  the 

?  genus,  the  Lyonia  arbo- 

i  rea  is  the  only  one  which 
rises  to  a  sufficient  height 
to  be  ranked  among  trees.  In  favourable  sit- 
uations, it  usually  grows  to  a  height  of  from 
forty  to  sixty  feet,  with  a  trunk  from  twelve 
to  eighteen  inches  in  diameter;  but,  in  dry 
and  gravelly  soils  this  tree  is  observed  to  be 
so  much  stinted  that  it  presents  itself  only  in 
the  form  of  a  shrub.  The  bark  of  the  trunk 
is  very  thick,  and  deeply  furrowed.  The 
leaves,  which  are  downy  in  the  spring,  and 
become  smooth  and  glabrous  in  acquiring 
their  growth,  are  alternate,  oval-acuminate, 
finely  denticulated,  and  from  four  to  five 
inches  long.  The  flowers,  which  put  forth  from  June  to  August,  occur  in  white 
spikes  five  or  six  inches  in  length,  and  are  succeeded  by  small  capsules  contain- 
ing a  number  of  exceedingly  minute  seeds.  United  in  groups,  the  flowers  have 
a  fine  effect,  which  renders  this  tree  very  proper  for  the  embellishment  of  gardens 
and  ornamental  plantations. 

Geography  and  History.  This  species  is  indigenous  to  the  United  States, 
from  Pennsylvania  to  Florida ;  and  is  found  in  the  valleys  of  the  Alleghanies 
from  Virginia  to  their  termination  in  Georgia ;  but,  in  advancing  either  east- 
ward or  westward  from  these  mountains,  it  becomes  more  rare,  and  ceases 
entirely  in  the  maritime  parts  of  the  southern  states.  It  was  introduced  into  Brit- 
ain in  1752,  where  it  is  found  in  several  collections,  from  fifteen  to  twenty  feet 
in  height,  and  ripens  seeds  every  year,  from  which  an  abundance  of  plants  have 
been  raised. 


TREE   LYONIA.  357 

Propagation,  fyc.  The  Lyonia  arborea,  like  all  the  plants  of  the  order  Erica- 
ceae, requires  a  very  fine  loamy  or  sandy  soil,  which  must  be  kept  equally  moist, 
or  one  that  is  mixed,  more  or  less,  with  leaf-mould,  or  with  well-rotted  peat. 
When  propagated  from  seeds,  they  must  be  thinly  covered  in  pots,  as  they  are 
small,  and  would  rot,  if  buried  deep.  When  the  young  trees  are  about  an  inch 
high,  they  should  be  carefully  planted  out  in  other  pots,  where  they  will  acquire 
strength,  in  time;  and,  when  large  enough,  may  be  planted  in  open  ground. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  Lyonia  arborea  is  very  soft,  of  a  pale 
rose-colour,  and  is  totally  rejected  in  the  arts  and  for  fuel.  The  leaves  have  a 
very  pleasant  acid  taste,  and  are  frequently  made  use  of  by  hunters,  in  the  moun- 
tains, to  allay  their  thirst.  They  are  sometimes  employed,  in  the  form  of  a 
decoction,  as  a  refreshing  beverage  for  fevers,  in  the  parts  of  the  country  where 
this  tree  abounds.  The  branches  and  bark  produce  a  black  dye,  with  the  addi- 
tion of  the  salts  of  iron.  In  Tennessee,  the  inhabitants  prefer  this  plant  to 
sumach,  in  imparting  colour  to  wool. 


Genus  RHODODENDRON,  Linn. 


Ericaceae. 

Syst.  Nat. 


Penta-Decandria  Monogynia. 
Syst.  Lin. 


Synonymes. 


Rhododendron,    Rhododendrum,   Rhodora,  j  qf  authors> 
Chamcerhododendros,  Azalea, 

Rhododendron, 

Alpbalsam, 

Rododendro, 

Rhododendron,  Rose  Bay-tree, 


France. 

Germany. 

Spain  and  Italy. 

Britain  and  Anglo- America. 


Derivations.    The  word  Rhododendron  is  derived  from  the  Greek  rhodon,  a  rose,  and  dendron,  a  tree,  having  reference  to 
the  terminal  bunches  of  flowers,  which  are  red,  or  rose-colour,  in  many  of  the  plants  of  this  genus. 

Generic  Characters.    Calyx  5-parted.    Corolla  somewhat  funnel-shaped,  5-cleft.    Stamens  5 — 10.   Anthers 
opening  by  terminal  pores.    Capsule  5-celled,  5-valved,  opening  at  the  tip. — Don,  Miller's  Diet. 

F  all  the  genera  in  existence,  the  Rhododendron,  including  the 
Azaleas,  comprises  the  most  handsome,  the  most  elegant,  and  the 
most  showy  shrubs  which  grace  the  lawns  and  shrubberies  of 
both  hemispheres.  Although  these  plants  are  cultivated  in  Europe 
and  America  almost  exclusively  for  ornament,  yet,  from  their 
stimulant  and  even  deleterious  properties,  in  many  parts  of  the 
globe  where  they  grow  wild,  they  are  not  without  their  other  uses.  Thus,  the 
Rhododendron  ponticum,  maximum,  ferrugineum,  and  the  Rhododendron  chrys- 
anthum  are  poisonous  to  cattle  which  feed  on  their  leaves ;  and  yet,  they  are 
used  in  moderate  doses  in  medicine,  for  the  cure  of  rheumatism,  &c.  The  former 
was  known  to  the  ancient  inhabitants  of  Pontus,  who  were  well  acquainted  with 
the  poisonous  qualities  of  its  flowers,  which  had  such  influence  on  the  honey 
of  that  country,  that  the  Romans  would  not  receive  it  in  tribute,  but  obliged  the 
Greeks  to  pay  them  a  double  portion  of  wax  in  lieu  of  it.  Both  this  rhododen- 
dron and  the  Azalea  pontica  were  abundant  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Trebisond 
in  the  time  of  Xenophon,  who  reports  that,  when  the  army  of  ten  thousand 
Greeks,  in  their  celebrated  retreat,  approached  that  city,  his  soldiers,  having 
eaten  the  honey  which  they  found  in  the  environs,  were  seized  with  a  violent 
vomiting  and  purging,  followed  by  a  species  of  delirium,  so  severe,  that  those 
.east  affected  resembled  drunken  persons,  and  the  others  madmen.  The  ground 
was  strewed  about  with  bodies  of  the  soldiers,  as  it  is  after  a  battle.  No  one 
died,  however,  and  the  malady  disappeared  in  twenty-four  hours  after  it  had 
commenced,  leaving  only  a  sensation  of  great  weakness.  According  to  Mr. 
Ptoyle,  the  Himalayan  species,  Rhododendron  arboreum,  is  more  remarkable  for 
its  uses  as  a  timber-tree ;  but  its  flowers  are  eaten  by  the  hill  people,  and  are 
formed  into  a  jelly  by  European  visitors.  The  leaves  of  the  Rhododendron  cam- 
panulatum,  being  used  as  a  snuff  by  the  natives  of  India,  are  imported  from 
Cashmere,  under  the  names  of  hoolas-kasmeeree,  (Cashmere  snuff,)  and  burg-i- 
Hbbut,  (Thibet  leaf,)  though  easily  procurable  within  the  British  territories. 
And  it  is  not  a  little  remarkable  that  the  American  aborigines  employ  the  dust 
which  adheres  to  the  petioles  of  the  kalmias  and  rhododendrons  for  a  similar 
purpose. 

The  shrubs  and  trees  of  the  genus  Rhododendron,  are  usually  evergreen,  but 
in  the  azalea  division  they  are  almost  entirely  deciduous,  with  quite  entire  alter- 
nate leaves,  terminated  by  a  withered  tip,  or  yellow  gland;  and  with  terminal, 
rorymbose,  showy  flowers.  They  may  all  be  cultivated  in  sandy  peat,  kept 
rathe'*  moist,  and  propagated  by  layers,  seeds,  or  by  cuttings. 


Rhododendron  maximum, 


Rhododendron  maximum, 
THE  AMERICAN  ROSE  BAY-TREE 

Synonymes. 

'  Linnjeus,  Species  Plantarum. 
Michaux,  North  American  Sylva. 
Don,  Miller's  Dictionary. 
(  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
Rhododendron  maximum,  Rhododendron  )  „ 

d'Amerique,  j  France. 

Grosster  Alpbalsam,  Germany. 

American  Rose  Bay-tree,  Britain. 

Rose  Bay-tree,  Dwarf  Rose  Bay-tree,  United  States. 

Demotion,    The  specific  name  maximum  is  derived  from  the  Latin  magnus,  great,  and  signifies  "  the  largest  •"  in  reference 
to  the  laige  size  of  this  tree  when  compared  with  the  minor  species  of  this  genus.  ' 

Engravings     Michaux  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  67;  Audubon,  Birds  of  America,  ii.,  pi.  ciii.;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Bri- 
tannicum, u.,  fig.  932;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.  Arborescent.  Leaves  elliptic-oblong,  acute,  convex,  bluntish  at  the  base,  whitish  or 
rusty  beneath,  glabrous.  Calycine  segments  oval-obtuse.  Segments  of  corolla  roundish.  Flowers 
pale-red,  in  umbellate  corymbs,  studded  with  green,  yellow,  or  purple  protuberances.— Don,  Millers 
Diet. 


Description. 

"  Pleased  with  their  toil,  the  healers  sought  the  cell, 
Where  Rhododendron,  like  some  drooping  maid, 
Timid  and  beauteous,  hides  its  golden  locks; 
Or  lur'd  her  statelier  sister's  aid,  to  bribe 
Relentless  Chronic  Rheumatism  to  loose 
The  rigid  sinew." 

Traits  of  the  Aborigines. 

HE  Rhododendron  max- 
imum generally  presents 
itself  in  the  form  of  a 
'"^^SP  shrub,  less  than  ten  feet 
high ;  but  it  sometimes  attains  a  height  of  twenty 
or  twenty-five  feet,  with  a  stem  four  or  five 
inches  in  diameter.  When  the  leaves  are  begin- 
ning to  unfold  themselves  they  are  rose-coloured, 
and  are  covered  with  a  reddish  down.  When 
fully  expanded,  they  are  smooth,  five  or  six 
inches  long,  of  an  elongated-oval  form,  and  of  a 
thick,  coriaceous  texture.  Although  the  tree  is 
evergreen,  it  renews  its  leaves  once  in  three  or 

four  years.  It  puts  forth  flowers  from  June  till  August,  which  are  commonly 
rose-coloured,  with  yellow  dots  on  the  inside,  and  sometimes  they  are  perfectly 
white.  They  always  occur  at  the  extremity  of  the  branches  in  beautiful  groups, 
which  derive  additional  lustre  from  the  foliage  that  surrounds  them.  The  seeds 
are  extremely  minute,  and  are  contained  in  capsules  which  open  in  autumn,  for 
their  escape. 

Varieties.     The  varieties  recognized  in  this  species  are  as  follows : — 

1.  R.  m.  album,   Loudon.       While-flowered  Rose  Bay-tree,  with  pure  white 
flowers,  and  is  comparatively  rare. 

2.  R.   M.  hybridum,   Loudon.     Hybrid  Rose  Bay-tree,  supposed  to  have  been 
produced  by  fertilizing  the  common  white  glaucous-leaved  Azalea  with  the  pol- 


360  RHODODENDRON    MAXIMUM. 

len  of  the  Rhododendron  maximum.     The  flowers  of  this  variety  are  very  Ira- 
grant,  which  circumstance  alone,  entitles  it  to  a  place  in  collections. 

3.  R.  m.  purpureum,  Loudon.  Purple-flowered  Rose  Bay-tree.  This  variety, 
which  has  large  purple  flowers,  grows  to  an  immense  size,  its  stem  being  often 
found  eighteen  inches  in  diameter,  and  its  foliage  triple  the  size  of  that  of  any 
other  species.  It  is  a  native  of  Virginia  and  Carolina,  on  the  highest  mountains, 
near  lakes,  where  it  forms  a  large  shrub,  or  low  tree,  growing  to  the  height  of 
twenty-five  feet,  flowering  in  the  months  of  May  and  June. 

Geography,  fyc.  The  Rhododendron  maximum  is  found  on  Long  Island,  and 
on  the  banks  of  the  Hudson  below  the  Highlands,  in  the  state  of  New  York,  and 
rarely  as  far  north  as  Massachusetts ;  but  these  places  may  be  considered  far 
beyond  the  limits  where  this  tree  ceases  to  be  an  inhabitant  of  the  forests.  It 
frequently  occurs  in  the  middle  and  southern  states  of  the  union,  particularly  in 
the  mountainous  tracts  of  Carolina  and  Georgia.  It  is  almost  exclusively  seen 
on  the  borders  of  rivers  and  creeks,  and  is  observed  to  be  more  multiplied  in 
approaching  the  Alleghanies,  till,  in  the  midst  of  these  mountains,  especially  in 
Virginia,  it  becomes  so  abundant  on  the  sides  of  the  torrents,  as  to  form  impene- 
trable thickets.  Deeply-shaded  situations,  in  the  vicinity  of  cool  and  crystal 
waters  flowing  among  rocks,  where  the  atmosphere  is  charged  with  vapour,  are 
the  most  congenial  to  the  growth  of  this  tree. 

This  species  was  introduced  into  Britain  by  Peter  Collinson,  in  1736;  but  it 
did  not  flower  in  England,  as  Miller  informs  us,  until  1756 ;  and  the  only  person 
who  then  succeeded  in  raising  it,  was  Mr.  James  Gordon,  at  Mile  End.  It  has 
also  been  introduced  into  many  of  the  gardens  and  collections  on  the  continent  of 
Europe ;  but  as  it  is  not  nearly  so  easy  of  cultivation  as  the  Rhododendron  pon- 
ticum,  it  does  not  grow  to  so  large  a  size.  In  Derbyshire,  England,  at  Shipley 
Hall,  there  is  a  specimen  of  the  Pontic  rhododendron  exceeding  sixteen  feet  in 
height,  the  branches  of  which  cover  a  space  nearly  sixty  feet  in  diameter.  In 
the  Bartram  botanic  garden,  at  Kingsessing,  near  Philadelphia,  there  is  a  Rho- 
dodendron maximum  fifteen  feet  in  height,  with  a  top  forty-five  feet  in  circum- 
ference. 

Propagation  and  Culture.  The  Rhododendron  maximum,  like  all  its  conge- 
ners, may  be  propagated  by  cuttings  of  the  young  shoots,  taken  off  in  a  growing 
state,  when  their  lower  ends  have  begun  to  ripen,  and  planted  in  pure  sand,  and 
covered  with  a  bell-glass,  or  by  layers;  but  the  best  plants  of  this,  and  ali  the 
other  species,  are  procured  from  seeds.  They  are  ripe  in  August  or  September ; 
and,  though  they  will  retain  their  vital  principle  for  upwards  of  a  year,  it  is  con- 
sidered safest  to  sow  them  soon  after  they  are  gathered.  They  should  be  sown 
in  peat  soil,  or  very  fine  sandy  loam,  in  pots  or  boxes,  or  in  a  border  shaded  from 
the  direct  influence  of  the  sun ;  and  kept  in  a  uniform  state  of  moisture,  and  pro- 
tected from  the  frost.  In  sowing,  the  surface  of  the  soil  should  previously  be 
made  quite  smooth,  and  gently  pressed  down,  or  watered  till  it  has  settled  to  a 
level  surface ;  and,  after  the  seeds  have  been  equally  distributed  over  this  sur- 
face, they  should  be  covered  with  no  more  soil  than  is  barely  requisite  to  conceal 
them  from  the  eye.  Seeds  sown  in  autumn  will  germinate  in  the  following 
spring,  and  will  be  fit  for  transplanting  by  the  next  autumn,  or  by  the  spring  of  the 
following  year.  After  seedling  plants  have  been  a  year  in  pots,  or  in  the  seed- 
bed, they  may  be  planted  into  nursery  lines,  and  removed  every  year,  or  every 
second  year,  and  placed  at  greater  distances,  till  they  have  acquired  the  size  at 
which  it  is  considered  desirable  to  sell  them,  or  to  plant  them  where  they  are 
finally  to  remain.  At  whatever  age  or  size  they  are  removed  from  the  nursery, 
they  require,  in  common  with  all  hair-rooted  plants,  to  have  a  small  ball  of  earth 
attached  to  their  roots,  and  to  have  these  carefully  protected  from  drought  by 
mats.     In  consequence  of  almost  all  the  rhododendrons  and  azaleas  being  remov- 


AMERICAN    ROSE    BAY-TREE.  3(31 

able  with  balls,  they  may  be  transplanted  at  every  season  of  the  year,  though 
autumn  and  spring  are  the  periods  generally  made  choice  of.  In  consequence, 
also,  of  peat  soil  readily  adhering  to  the  fibrils  of  the  plants  of  this  genus,  and. 
indeed,  of  all  the  Ericaceae,  it  becomes  less  necessary  to  grow  them  in  pots  for 
the  convenience  of  removal,  than  is  the  case  with  most  other  rare  and  valuable 
trees  and  shrubs. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  American  rose  bay  is  hard,  compact, 
and  fine-grained ;  but,  from  its  diminutive  size  and  comparative  scarcity  in  the 
more  populous  parts  of  the  country  where  it  grows,  it  has  not,  hitherto,  been 
appropriated  to  any  particular  use  in  the  arts.  The  leaves  are  sudorific  and  nar- 
cotic, and  have  been  successfully  employed  in  the  cure  of  rheumatism.  The 
almost  entire  use  to  which  this  species  is  applied,  both  in  Europe  and  in  America, 
is  for  ornament;  and,  from  its  delicately-coloured  flowers,  of  the  beautiful  red 
and  white  tints  of  the  apple  blossom  and  of  the  rose,  which  strikingly  contrast 
with  its  smooth,  evergreen  leaves,  it  richly  deserves  a  place  in  every  collection. 
46 


Genus   KALMIA,    Linn. 

Ericaceae.  Decandria  Monogynia. 

Syst.  Nat.  Syst.  Lin. 

Derivation.    Named  by  Linnasus  in  honour  of  Peter  Kalm,  professor  at  Abo,  in  Sweden ;  author  of  "  Travels  in  America,' 
in  1753. 

Generic  Characters.  Corolla  of  the  shape  of  a  wide-spread  bell,  and  with  10  cavities  on  the  inside,  in 
which  the  anthers  of  10  stamens  repose  before  shedding  their  pollen.  Capsule  5-celled.  Dissepiments 
marginal. — Don,  Miller's  Diet. 

lHE  genus  Kalmia  consists  of  low  evergreen  shrubs,  highly  orna- 
mental in  their  foliage  and  flowers ;  natives  of  North  America ;  of 
easy  culture  in  peaty  soil,  and  propagated  by  layers,  seeds,  or  by 
cuttings.  Most,  if  not  all  the  species  are  accounted  poisonous,  and 
honey  collected  by  bees  from  their  flowers  is  of  a  deleterious 
nature.  The  leaves  of  the  shrub  called  "Lamb-kill,"  or  "Sheep 
Laurel,"  (Kalmia  angustifolia,)  is  highly  poisonous  to  sheep  and  lambs,  often 
causing  their  death  when  eaten  by  them,  particularly  the  latter.  Hence  the 
name. 

To  the  same  natural  family  belong  the  various  species  of  heath  (Erica,  Gyp- 
socallis,  Calluna,  etc.) ;  also  the  several  kinds  of  strawberry-trees  (Arbutus) ;  whor- 
tleberries (Vaccinium) ;  and  several  genera  of  procumbent  and  trailing  shrubs, 
among  which  are  the  common  bearberry,  (Arctostaphylos  uva-ursi,)  the  partridge- 
berry  or  winter-green,  (Gaultheria  procumbens,)  the  Labrador  tea,  (Ledum  lati- 
folitwn,)  and  the  common  marsh  cranberry   (Oxycoccus  palustris.) 


Kalmia  latifolia, 
THE  BROAD-LEAVED  KALMIA. 

Synonymes. 


Kalmia  latifolia. 


( Linnjeus,  Species  Plantarum. 
I  Michaux,  North  American  Sylva. 
■j  Bigelovv,  Medical  Botany. 
'  Don,  Miller's  Dictionary. 

Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 

France. 

Germany. 

Britain. 

Anglo-America. 


Kalmia  a  larges  feuilles, 
Breitblattrige  Kalmia, 
Broad-leaved  Kalmia, 
Laurel,    Mountain   Laurel,   Ivy,   Calico 
Bush,  Calico-tree,  Calico  Flower, 

Derivations.  The  specific  name  latifolia  is  derived  from  the  Latin  latus,  broad,  and  folium,  a  leaf,  havin?  reference  to  the 
broad  eaves  of  this  species.  The  French  anil  German  names  have  the  same  signification  as  the  botanic  one.  It  is  called  Calico- 
tree,  Calico  Flower,  &c,  on  account  of  its  beautiful  spotted  flowers. 

Engravings.  Michaux  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  63;  Catesby,  Natural  History  of  Carolina,  ii..  pi.  93;  Audubon,  Birds  of 
America,  i.,  lv. ;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  ii.,  fig.  959;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.    Leaves  on  long  petioles,  scattered,  or  3  in  a  whorl,  oval,  coriaceous,  smooth,  and 
green  on  both  surfaces.     Corymbs  terminal,  downy,  and  viscid.— Don,  Miller's  Diet. 


Description. 


HE 


Kalmia    latifolia 

is   a  large  evergreen 

shrub    or    low    tree, 

growing  to  a  height 
of  fifteen  or  twenty  feet,  in  favourable  situa- 
tions, with  a  stem  three  or  four  inches  in  dianir 
eter;  but  ordinarily  it  does  not  attain  more 
than  one  half  of  these  dimensions.  Its  leaves 
are  of  a  coriaceous  texture,  oval-acuminate, 
entire,  and  about  three  inches  long.  The 
flowers,  which  put  forth  from  May  to  July,  are 
sometimes  of  a  pure  white,  tinted  with  pale- 
pink,  delicately  spotted ;  but,  in  general,  they 
are  of  a  beautiful  rose-colour,  and  are  destitute 
of  odour.  They  are  disposed  in  corymbs  at  the 
extremity  of  the  branches;  and,  as  they  are 
always  numerous,  their  brilliant  effect  is  height- 
ened by  the  richness  of  the  surrounding  foliage. 
The  seeds  are  very  minute,  and  are  contained 
in  small,  globular  capsules. 

Geography  and  History.  The  Kalmia  latifolia  is  indigenous  to  North  Amoi- 
ica,  from  Canada  to  Carolina.  It  rarely  occurs,  however,  north  of  the  forty-sec- 
ond or  forty-third  degrees  of  north  latitude,  and  is  but  sparingly  produced  in 
Kentucky  and  western  Tennessee,  and  disappears  entirely  in  the  southern  states 
wherever  the  rivers  enter  the  low  country,  or  where  the  pine-barrens  begin. 
Although  it  is  comparatively  abundant  along  the  rivers  of  the  middle  and  south- 
ern states,  it  is  nowhere  seen  more  profusely  multipl'^d,  nor  of  a  greater  height, 


364  KALMIA   LATIFOLIA. 

and  of  more  luxuriant  vegetation,  than  in  North  Carolina,  on  the  loftiest  parts  of 
the  Alleghanies.  It  there  occupies  large  tracts,  and  forms  thickets  upon  their 
summits,  and  for  a  third  of  the  distance  down  their  sides,  which  are  rendered 
almost  impenetrable  by  the  crooked  and  unyielding  trunks,  crossed  and  locked 
with  each  other.  As  the  shrubs  which  compose  these  copses  are  nearly  of  the 
same  height,  and  richly  laden  with  evergreen  foliage,  they  present,  at  a  distance, 
the  appearance  of  verdant  meadows,  surrounded  by  tall  trees. 

This  species  was  introduced  into  Britain  in  1734,  by  Peter  Collinson,  who  pro- 
cured it  from  Pennsylvania,  and  planted  it  in  Catesby's  garden,  at  Fulham,  where 
it  flowered  for  the  first  time  in  England,  in  1741.  It  was  introduced  into  France, 
by  the  elder  Michaux,  in  about  the  year  1790,  and  is  to  be  found  in  many  of  the 
European  collections. 

Soil,  Situation,  fyc.  The  Kalmia  latifolia,  in  its  natural  habitat,  usually  occurs 
on  the  sides  of  stony  hills,  near  water,  where  the  soil  is  sterile ;  but  when  culti- 
vated, it  flourishes  best  in  a  soft,  loose,  and  cool  soil,  with  a  northern  exposure. 
For  propagation  and  culture,  the  reader  is  referred  to  our  article  on  the  Rhodo- 
dendron maximum. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  Kalmia  latifolia,  particularly  that  of 
the  roots,  is  very  compact,  fine-grained,  and  marked  with  red  lines.  When 
green,  it  is  of  a  soft  texture,  and  is  easily  wrought ;  but,  when  well  seasoned,  it 
is  very  hard,  and  more  nearly  resembles  the  European  box,  (Buxus  semper- 
virens,)  than  any  other  American  wood.  Consequently  it  is  worthy  of  the  atten- 
tion of  mathematical  instrument-makers,  and  of  engravers  on  wood.  It  is 
sometimes  employed  in  the  United  States  for  the  handles  of  light  tools,  for  screws, 
boxes,  &c. ;  and  it  is  said,  also,  to  make  good  clarionets.  It  is  used  by  the 
American  Indians  for  making  small  dishes,  spoons,  and  other  domestic  utensils. 
The  whole  plant  is  regarded  as  poisonous  to  young  cattle,  and  sheep,  but  not  to 
goats  and  deer.  A  decoction  of  the  leaves  of  this  tree  was  formerly  taken  by  those 
miserable  natives  who  had  determined  on  self-destruction.  But  modern  enter- 
prise has  successfully  enlisted  it  in  the  service  of  medicine,  and  it  is  applied,  in  a 
pulverized  form,  internally,  in  fevers,  or  topically,  for  the  relief  of  cutaneous 
affections.  A  few  drops  of  the  tincture  poured  upon  the  body  of  a  large  and  vig- 
orous rattlesnake,  killed  the  reptile  in  a  short  time.  The  powder  which  covers 
the  leaves  is  popularly  employed  in  some  parts  of  the  country  where  it  grows, 
for  snuff.  The  honey  collected  from  the  flowers  by  bees,  is  accounted  deleteri- 
ous, which,  with  other  noxious  qualities  of  this  elegant  shrub,  lessens  that  esteem 
which  its  beauty  claims. 


Genus  HALESIA,  Ellis. 

Halesiaceae.  Dodecandria  Monogynia. 

Syst.  Nat.  Syst.  Lin. 

Derivation.    Named  by  Ellis  in  honour  of  the  learned  and  venerable  Stephen  Hales,  D.  D.  F.  R.  S.,  author 
of  "  Vegetable  Statics,"  &c.,  published  in  1727. 

Generic  Characters.  Corolla  monopetalous,  ventricosely  campanulate,  with  a  4-lobed  erect  border. 
Stamens  12  to  16.  Filaments  combined  into  a  tube  at  the  base,  and  adnate  to  the  corolla.  Anthers 
oblong,  erect,  2-celled,  dehiscing  lengthwise.  Ovarium  inferior.  Style  1.  Stigma  simple.  Drupe 
dry,  corticate,  oblong,  with  2 — 4-winged  angles,  terminated  by  the  permanent  style,  containing  a  2 — 4- 
celled  putamen,  which  is  acute  at  both  ends.  Cells  1 -seeded.  Seeds  attached  to  the  bottom  of  the 
cells.  Testa  of  seeds  simple,  very  thin.  Embryo  the  length  of  albumen,  with  linear-oblong  cotyle- 
dons, and  a  long,  linear,  compressed,  inferior  radicle.  Albumen  fleshy.  Trees,  with  alternate  serrated 
leaves,  and  lateral  fascicles  of  pedicellate,  drooping,  white  flowers. — Don,  Miller's  Diet. 

pHE  genus  Halesia  embraces  but  two  species,  natives  of  Caro- 
lina and  Georgia,  both  of  which  are  highly  ornamental  and 
sufficiently  hardy  to  withstand  the  climate  of  Britain  and  the 
temperate  parts  of  the  United  States.  The  Halesia  diptera,  a 
native  of  Georgia,  has  leaves  which  closely  resemble  those  of  the 
Styrax  grandifolium,  but  differ  from  them  in  not  being  downy  be- 
neath, and  is  frequently  sold  for  it  in  nurseries.  Indeed,  in  affinity,  as  well  as  in 
general  appearance,  this  genus  approaches  near  to  that  of  styrax ;  and  there  is  so 
close  a  resemblance  among  all  the  allied  species  of  styrax,  that  they  may  possibly 
be  only  varieties  of  one  form.  To  the  last-named  genus  belongs  the  officinal  sto- 
rax  of  apothecaries,  (Styrax  officinale,)  much  used  at  the  present  day  in  Catholic 
countries  to  burn  as  incense.  The  common  storax  of  commerce  differs  from  that 
of  the  shops,  and  is  a  liquid  balsam,  said  to  be  obtained  from  the  Liquidambar 
styracifiua. 


Halesia  tetraptera, 
THE  COMMON  SNOWDROP-TREE. 

Synonymes. 


Halesia  tetraptera, 

Halesia  tetraptera, 
Snowdrop-tree,    Silver    Bell-tree, 
Olive-tree, 


Wild 


Linn^us,  Species  Plantarum. 
Don,  Miller's  Dictionary. 
Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
France  and  Germany. 

Britain  and  Anglo-America. 


Derivations.    The  specific  name  tetraptera  is  derived  from  the  Greek  tetra,  four,  and  pteron,  a  wing,  in  allusion  to  the  foul 
wings  of  the  fruit  of  this  tree.     It  is  called  Snowdrop-tree,  from  the  resemblance  which  its  flowers  bear  to  those  of  the  snowdrop. 

Engravings.    Curtis,  Botanical  Magazine,  pi.  910 ;  Audubon,  Birds  of  America;  Lou&m,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  ii.,  fig. 
1012  and  vi.,Bpl-  196  et  197  ;  and  the  figures  below. 
Specific  Characters.    Leaves  ovate-lanceolate,  acuminated,  sharply  serrated.    Petioles  glandular.    Fruit 

with  4  wings.     Leaves  acuminated,  with  the  middle  depressed.    Flowers  pure  white,  9—10  in  a  fascicle, 
drooping,  resembling  those  of  the  snowdrop.— Don,  Miller's  Diet. 

Description. 

22^11  HE  Halesia  tetraptera  is  a  beauti- 
S r3  \$  f"l  l°w  tree  or  large  shrub,  grow- 
((£  ing  from  fifteen  to  thirty  feet  in 
&«55»all  height,  with  a  trunk  from  five  to 
eighteen  inches  in  diameter.  The  bark  of  the  trunk  is  of  a 
darkish  colour,  with  many  irregular  fissures.  The  leaves  are 
ovate-acuminate,  serrate,  with  the  middle  depressed.  The 
flowers,  which  are  of  a  pure  white,  put  forth  in  April  and 
May,  and  are  succeeded  by  an  acid  fruit,  of  a  rhomboidal 
form,  with  four  wings.  Its  flowers  are  produced  in  great 
abundance;  and,  from  their  shape,  colour,  and  pendulous 
appearance,  they  are  considered  as  resembling  those  of  the 
snowdrop   (Galanthus  nivalis.) 

Variety.  H.  t.  parviflora.  Small-flowered  Four -winged- fruited  Halesia,  o/ 
Snowdrop-tree ;  Halesia  parviflora,  of  Pursh,  Michaux,  and  others.  This  vari- 
ety, though  usually  considered  as  a  distinct  species,  differs  from  the  Halesia 
tetraptera,  chiefly  in  having  the  leaves  downy  and  glaucous  beneath. 

Geography,  fyc.  The  Halesia  tetraptera  is  found  in  shady  woods,  on  the 
banks  of  streams,  from  Carolina  to  Texas.  It  was  introduced  into  Britain  in 
1756,  and  is  to  be  met  with  in  most  of  the  European  collections.  The  largest 
recorded  trees  of  this  species  in  Britain,  are  at  Purser's  Cross,  and  at  Syon  House, 
near  London,  which  exceed  thirty  feet  in  height,  with  trunks  about  eighteen 
inches  in  diameter.  At  Schwobber,  in  Hanover,  Germany,  there  is  another  tree 
of  about  the  same  dimensions. 

This  species  may  be  propagated  from  seeds  which  often  remain  in  the  ground 
more  than  a  year  without  vegetating.  It  may  also  be  increased  by  cuttings  or 
by  layers. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  Halesia  tetraptera  is  hard,  brittle,  and 
veined ;  but  owing  to  its  small  size,  and  comparative  scarcity,  it  is  appropriated 
to  no  particular  use  in  the  arts.  The  fruit,  when  ripe,  is  eaten  in  a  crude  state, 
by  some  people;  and,  when  green,  it  is  sometimes  employed  as  a  pickle.  As 
this  species  is  one  of  the  most  ornamental  of  the  American  deciduous  trees,  it 
richly  deserves  a  place  in  every  collection. 


Genus  DIOSPYROS,   Linn. 

EbenaceaD.  Polygamia  Dioeci». 

S»"-  Na'-  Syst.  Lin. 

Synonymes. 

Diospyros,  Ebenus,  Guaiacam,  Of  Authors. 

Plaqueminier,  France. 

Dattelpflaume,  Germany. 

Diospiro,  Italy. 

Date  Plum-tree,  Britain  and  Anglo-America. 

Derivation.  The  word  Diospyros  is  thought  to  be  corrupted  from  the  Greek  Diospuros,  (dios,  divine,  and  puros,  wheat,;  a 
name  given  by  the  ancients  to  the  Lithospermum  officinale.  Its  application  to  the  date  plum  is  supposed  to  have  arisen  by  con- 
founding the  Greek  puros,  wheat,  with  the  Latin  ptjrus,  a  pear-tree,  to  the  fruit  of  which  the  date  plum  may  have  been  thought 
to  bear  some  resemblance. 

Generic  Characters.  Flowers  polygamous.  Calyx  deeply  4-cleft,  sometimes  3  or  6-cleft.  Corolla  urceo 
late,  4-cleft ;  sometimes  3  or  6-cleft.  Male  flowers  having  the  stamens  inserted  by  pairs  into  the  base 
of  the  corolla,  twice  the  number  of  its  segments,  with  double  or  twin  filaments,  and  the  rudiment  of  a 
pistil.  Hermaphrodite  flowers  having  fewer  and  sterile  stamens.  Ovarium  8 — 12-celled  :  cells  1- 
seeded.  Berry  globose,  with  a  spreading  calyx  which  is  at  length  reflexed.  Albumen  horny. — Don, 
Miller's  Diet. 

\HF,  genus  Diospyros  embraces  deciduous  low  trees,  with  white  oi 
pale-yellow  flowers ;  natives  of  Europe,  Northern  Africa,  West- 
ern Asia,  the  islands  of  the  Indian  Archipelago,  and  INorth  Amer- 
ica. The  only  hardy  species  cultivated  to  much  extent  in  Europe 
or  America,  are  the  European  lotus,  (Diospyros  lotus,)  and  the 
Virginian  date  plum,  or  persimon  (Diospyros  virginiana.)  The 
former  grows  to  twenty  or  thirty  feet,  or  more,  in  height,  and  is  characterized  by 
the  beautiful  dark,  glossy  green  of  the  upper  sides  of  its  leaves,  which,  when 
mature  and  exposed  to  the  air,  assume  a  purplish  hue  beneath.  Its  fruit  is  some- 
times brought  to  the  market  at  Constantinople,  under  the  name  of  Tarabresan 
Curmasi;  and  in  that  part  of  Europe,  it  appears  to  grow  much  larger  than  either 
in  Britain  or  in  Italy,  being  nearly  of  the  size  of  a  walnut;  it  is  austere,  however, 
and  unfit  for  the  table,  unless  made  into  a  conserve. 

Nearly  allied  to  the  same  natural  family  are  the  iron-wood  argania,  (Argania 
sideroxylon,)  a  native  of  Morocco,  and  several  species  of  bumelia,  natives  of  the 
southern  states  of  the  American  union. 


Diospyros  virginiana, 
THE  VIRGINIAN  DATE  PLUM  OR,  PERSIMON-TREE. 

Synonymes. 


Diospyros  virginiana. 


ILinn^us,  Species  Plantarum. 
Michaux,  North  American  Sylva. 
Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum 
Plaqueminier  de  Virginie,  France. 

Virginische  Dattelpflaume,  Germany. 

Diospiro  di  Virginia,  Italy. 

Virginian  Date  Plum-tree,  Persimon-tree,    Britain  and  Anglo-America. 

Engravings.    Michaux,  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  93;  Audubon,  Birds  of  America,  i.,  pi.  Ixsjh.-  ,  Louuon,  Arooietum 
Britannicum,  vi.,  pi.  200  et  201 ;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.  Leaver  ovate-oblong,  acuminated,  glabrous,  shining  above,  jvnd  paler  beneath,  retic- 
ulately  veined.  Petioles  short  and  curved,  and,  as  well  as  the  branchlets,  downy.  Leaf  buds  glabrous 
Flowers  quadrifid,  rarely  quinqueiid.    Flowers  pale-yellow. — Don,  Miller's  Diet. 

Description. 

"If  Fever's  fervid  rage 
Glow'd  in  the  boiling  veins,  with  care  they  sought 
The  firm  Diospyros." 

Traits  of  the  Aborigines 


pffigpHE  Virginian  Date  Plum, 
la  h  H  IP  when    grown    under    fa- 
SI    LJ    fS  vourable  conditions,  some- 
times attains  a  height  of 


sixty  or  seventy  feet,  with  a  trunk  eighteen  or 
twenty  inches  in  diameter;  but,  under  ordinary 
circumstances,  it  does  not  usually  exceed  one 
half  of  these  dimensions.  The  trunk  of  a  full- 
grown  tree  is  covered  with  a  deeply-furrowed 
blackish  bark,  from  which  exudes  a  greenish  gum, 
without  taste  or  odour.  This  tree  is  readily  dis- 
tinguished from  the  European  date  plum,  by  its 
leaves  being  nearly  of  the  same  shade  of  green 
on  both  surfaces;  while  those  of  the  latter  are 
of  a  dark  purplish-green  above,  and  much  paler, 

and  furnished  with  a  somewhat  pinkish  down  beneath.  Those  of  the  Virginian 
date  plum  are  from  four  to  six  inches  in  length,  oblong,  entire,  of  a  fine  green 
above,  glaucous  beneath,  and  often,  in  autumn,  are  variegated  with  black  spots. 
The  terminal  shoots  are  observed  to  be  usually  accompanied,  at  the  base,  by 
small  rounded  leaves.  This  species  belongs  to  that  class  of  vegetables,  the  sexes 
of  which  are  confined  to  different  trees.  Both  the  barren  and  fertile  flowers  are 
of  a  greenish-yellow,  but  not  strikingly  conspicuous.  They  put  forth  in  June 
and  July,  and  are  succeeded  by  a  round  fruit,  about  the  size  of  a  bullace  plum, 
of  a  reddish  complexion,  with  a  fleshy  pulp,  containing  six  or  eight  semi-oval 
stones,  slightly  swollen  at  the  sides,  and  of  a  dark-purple  colour.  The  fruit  is 
not  palatable  till  it  has  been  softened  by  frost,  when  it  becomes  sweet,  though 
still  astringent.  In  the  southern  states  of  the  union  it  adheres  to  the  branches 
long  after  the  leaves  have  dropped ;  and  when  it  falls,  it  is  eagerly  devoured  by 
wild  and  domestic  animals. 


VIRGINIAN    DATE    PLUM.  3gQ 

Varieties.     The  varieties  recognized  under  this  species  are  as  follows : — 

1.  D.  v.  pubescens.  Pubescent-leaved  Virginian  Date  Plum-tree :  Diospyros 
pubescefis,  of  Pursh,  Don,  and  others.  The  chief  distinction  between  this  variety 
and  the  Diospyros  virginiana  is,  in  its  fruit  having  fewer  seeds,  and  the  downiness 
of  its  leaves  on  their  under  sides,  which  are  also  slightly  different  in  their  shape. 
Michaux  makes  this  only  a  variety  of  this  species,  occasioned  by  different  of 
climate ;  which,  he  observes,  exerts  an  extraordinary  influence  on  the  develop- 
ment of  all  trees  that  are  common  to  different  parts  of  the  United  States. 

2.  D.  v.  dulcis,  Prince.  Sweet-fruited  Virginian  Date  Plum-tree,  character- 
ized in  having  sweeter  fruit  than  that  of  the  species. 

Geography  and  History.  The  Diospyros  virginiana  is  found  wild  in  the 
United  States  from  the  forty-second  degree  of  north  latitude  to  Texas.  It  is 
quite  common  in  New  Jersey,  still  more  so  in  the  middle  and  southern  states,  and 
abounds  also  in  the  west.  When  it  was  introduced  into  Britain  is  uncertain ; 
but  it  has  been  in  cultivation,  in  England,  though  not  very  common,  ever  since 
the  time  of  Parkinson. 

The  largest  tree  of  this  species  in  Britain,  is  in  the  arboretum  at  Kew,  which 
exceeds  forty  feet  in  height. 

In  France,  Germany,  and  Italy,  there  are  specimens  of  about  the  same  height 
as  at  Kew. 

The  largest  recorded  tree  of  this  kind  on  the  globe,  is  in  the  Bartram  botanic 
garden,  at  Kingsessing,  near  Philadelphia,  which  exceeds  seventy  feet  in  height, 
with  a  trunk  two  feet  in  diameter. 

Soil,  Situation,  Propagation,  <§'c.  The  Diospyros  virginiana  seems  to  prefer 
a  soft,  black  soil,  rather  moist,  and  requires  a  sheltered  situation.  It  is  usually 
propagated  from  seeds;  but  may  be  increased  either  by  grafting  or  by  layers. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  fresh  sap-wood  of  the  Virginian  date  plum,  is  of  a 
greenish  colour,  which  it  preserves  after  it  is  seasoned;  and  the  heart-wood  is 
brown,  hard,  compact,  strong,  and  elastic,  but  liable  to  split.  At  Baltimore, 
screws  and  mallets  have  been  made  of  it;  at  Philadelphia,  shoe-lasts;  and  in 
Carolina,  wedges  for  splitting  trees.  Michaux  says  that  he  was  assured  by  the 
coach-makers  in  Charleston,  that  they  had  employed  it  for  the  shafts  of  chaises, 
and  found  it  preferable  to  the  ash,  and  all  other  species  of  wood,  except  the  lance- 
wood  of  the  West  Indies.  The  inner  bark,  which  is  exceedingly  bitter,  is  said  to 
have  been  employed  with  success,  not  only  by  the  American  Indians,  but  by 
the  inhabitants  of  the  regions  where  this  tree  abounds,  in  the  cure  of  intermittent 
fevers.  The  bark  of  the  root  has  also  been  considered  a  tonic  favourable  to  the 
treatment  of  dropsies.  A  greenish  gum  exudes  from  the  tree,  but  in  very  small 
quantities,  which  never  has,  as  yet,  been  applied  to  any  useful  purpose  either  as 
a  medicine  or  in  the  arts.     In  the  middle  and  western  states,  the  fruit  is  soine- 


and  fermented,  yields  an  ardent  spirit,  which  is  said  to  improve  with  ag< 
has  been  asserted  by  the  farmers  of  Virginia  that,  grass  grows  more  vigorously 
beneath  the  persimon  than  beneath  any  other  tree,  and  this  lact  is  attributed  to 
the  speedy  decay  of  its  leaves,  as  well  as  to  those  of  the  common  locust,  which 
form  an  excellent  manure. 


47 


Genus   CHIONANTHUS,    Lrnn. 

Oleaceae.  Diandria  Monogynia. 

Syst.  Nat.  Syst.  Lin. 

Derivation.    From  the  Greek  chion,  snow,  and  anthos,  a  flower,  m  reference  to  the  snow-white  flowers  of  the  species. 

Generic  Characters.  Calyx  small,  4-parted,  or  4-toothed.  Corolla  with  a  short  tube  and  a  4-parted  limb ; 
segments  of  the  limb  long  and  linear.  Style  hardly  any.  Stigma  2-lobed.  Anthers  almost  sessile 
Drupe  baccate,  containing  a  striated  nut.     Seeds  albuminous. — Don,  Miller's  Diet. 

,HE  order  to  which  this  genus  belongs  embraces  trees  and  shrubs, 
natives  of  both  hemispheres,  and  for  the  most  part  are  deciduous. 
Some  of  them  are  timber-trees ;  others  medicinal,  which,  in  gene- 
ral, are  bitter.  One  genus,  (Olea,)  produces  a  valuable  oil ;  and 
from  others,  (Ornus  and  Fraxinus,)  is  obtained  the  sweet  purgative 
manna.  The  Syringa  supplies  some  of  the  most  beautiful  decid- 
uous shrubs,  and  the  Ligustrum  and  Phillyrea  some  useful  evergreens.  As  most 
of  the  species  of  this  order  may  be  grafted  on  one  another,  it  is  probable  that  their 
flowers  might  be  reciprocally  fecundated ;  in  which  case,  some  curious  hybrids 
might  be  produced  between  the  privet  and  the  lilac,  the  privet  and  the  olive,  the 
lilac  and  the  ash,  &c. 


Ckionanthns  virginica, 

THE  VIRGINIAN  SNOW  FLOWER-TREE. 

Synonymes. 


Chionanthus  virginica, 


ILinx^us,  Species  Plantarum. 
Don,  Miller's  Dictionary. 
Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
Arbre  de  neige,  (Jtnonanthe  de  Virginie,      France. 
Schneeblume,  Germany. 

Albero  di  neve,  Italy. 

Virginian  Snow  flower-tree,  Fringe-tree,      Britain. 
Virginian  Snow  flower-tree,  Snowdrop-tree,  United  States. 

Engravings.    Catesby,  Natural  History  of  Carolina,  i  ,  pi.  98 ;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  ii.,  figs.  1029  et  1030-  and 
the  figures  below.  '    b  »"«~i  <mu 

Specific  Characters.    Racemes  terminal.    Peduncles  3-flowered.    Flowers  pedicellate.     Leaves  lanceo- 
late, glabrous,  resembling  those  of  a  deciduous  magnolia.    Drupe  purplish.— Don  Miller's  Diet. 


Description. 

HE  Chionanthus  virginica  is  a 
^f<|Tjrt  beautiful  low  tree,  growing  to  a 
height  of  from  ten  to  thirty  feet ; 
UNI?  a  native  of  North  America ;  in- 
troduced into  Britain  in  1796 ;  flowering  from  May  to 
July;  and  requires  to  be  grown  in  moist  soil,  either 
sandy  peat  or  sandy  loam,  and  in  a  sheltered  situation. 
It  may  be  propagated  by  layers,  or  by  grafting  on  the 
ash,  which,  if  done  standard  high,  would,  from  its  large 
leaves  and  the  singular  appearance  of  its  snow-white 
flowers,  form  a  splendid  tree.  The  leaves  are  often  a 
foot  long,  and  nearly  half  as  broad ;  but  neither  the  leaves  nor  the  flowers  will 
attain  any  degree  of  perfection,  unless  the  soil  be  kept  moist.  The  bark  of  the 
root,  bruised,  is  sometimes  employed  in  healing  wounds. 

Varieties.     Under  this  species  are  recognized  the  following  varieties : — 

1.  C.  v.   latifolia,   Loudon.     Broad-leaved   Virginian  Snow  flower-tree,  with 
broad  coriaceous  leaves,  a  native  of  Carolina,  &c. 

2.  C.  v.  angustifolia,  Loudon.     Narroio-leaved  Virginian  Snow  flower-tree. 

3.  C.  v.  maritima,  Loudon.     Sea-side-inhabiting  Virginian  Snoio  flowcr-trcc,  a 
native  of  North  America,  growing  in  boggy  woods  by  the  sea-side. 


Genus  OLEA,  Linn. 

OleaceaD.  Diandria  Monogynia. 

Syst.  Nat.  Syst.  Lin. 

Derivation.    The  word  Oka  is  derived  from  the  Greek  elaia,  the  oMve-tree ;  and,  in  its  turn,  as  De  Theis  conjectures,  from 
the  Celtic  oletv,  oil. 

Generic  Characters.    Corolla  quadrifid,  with  the  segments  nearly  ovate.    Drupe  a  monospermous  plum 

^HE  genus  Olea  embraces  more  than  twenty  species,  either  indi- 
genous or  cultivated  in  the  temperate  parts  of  Europe,  Asia, 
Africa,  and  America.  Besides  the  Olea  europsea  and  americana, 
hereafter  described,  may  be  noted,  as  worthy  of  cultivation,  the 
Olea  excelsa,  a  native  of  Madeira,  and  sufficiently  hardy  to  with- 
stand the  climate  of  Britain  and  the  temperate  parts  of  the  United 
States;  the  Olea  emarginata,  indigenous  to  Madagascar;  the  Olea  capensis,  a 
native  of  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope;  and  the  Olea  fragrans,  of  China  and  Japan, 
where  it  is  much  cultivated  for  the  sake  of  its  sweet-scented  flowers ;  which,  it  is 
said,  are  used  for  giving  flavour  to  schulang  tea.  The  scent  of  this  plant,  Messrs. 
Loddiges  observe,  "  is  astonishing ;  and  so  diffusive,  that  we  distinctly  noticed  it, 
when  in  bloom,  on  the  back  wall  of  our  green-house,  at  considerable  more  than 
one  hundred  yards'  distance." 


Ulea  europcea. 


Olivier, 

Oehlbaum,  Olivenbaum, 

Olivo,  Ulivo, 

Olivo, 

Oliveyra, 

Olive-tree, 


Oka  europma, 
THE  EUROPEAN  OLIVE-TREE. 

Synonymes. 


'Linn-eus,  Species  Plantarum. 

Michaux,  North  American  Sylva. 

Don,  Miller's  Dictionary. 
k  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 

France. 

Germany. 

Italy. 

Spain. 

Portugal. 

Britain  and  Anglo- America. 


Engravings.     Michaux,  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  87;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  ii.,  fig.  1032:  and  the  fieurea 
Oelow. 

Specific  Characters.    Leaves  lanceolate,  pointed,  entire,  hoary  beneath.    Branches  angular,  not  spiny. 

Loudon,  Enc.  of  Plants. 

Description. 


"  The  trees  went  forth  on  a  time  to  anoint  a  king  over  them ; 
and  they  said  to  the  olive-tree,  reign  thou  over  ua." 

Judges,  ix.  8. 


zjWMHE  Olea  europsea, 

RJ  h  H  ci  in   its  general  ap- 

Vi    U    ftS  pearance,  is  a  tree 

M^ra  bearing  considera- 


ble resemblance  to  the  common  willow,  which 
has  been  lopped,  and  acquired  a  new  summit 
of  three  or  four  years'  growth.  It  seldom  ex- 
ceeds thirty  feet  in  height,  with  a  trunk  two 
feet  in  diameter,  and  frequently  it  does  not 
attain  one  half  of  these  dimensions.  It  rami- 
fies at  a  small  height  from  the  ground,  and 
forms  a  compact  summit.  The  bark  of  the 
trunk  and  branches,  when  young,  is  smooth, 
of  an  ashy  hue,  and  when  the  epidermis  is 
removed,  the  cellular  integument  appears  of  a 
light-green.  On  old  trees,  the  bark  upon  the 
trunk,  and  upon  the  base  of  the  principal  limbs,  is  brown,  rough,  and  deeply 
furrowed.  In  spring  and  autumn,  when  the  sap  is  in  motion,  the  bark  is  easily 
detached  from  the  body  of  the  tree.  The  main  limbs  are  numerously  divided, 
with  their  branchlets  opposite,  and  in  pairs,  alternately  placed  upon  conjugate 
axes.  The  foliage  is  of  a  pale,  impoverished  evergreen  verdure,  but  a  part  of  it 
turns  yellow,  and  falls  in  the  summer,  and  in  three  years  it  is  completely  renewed. 
In  spring  or  early  autumn,  when  the  vegetation  of  this  tree  is  in  its  greatest  activ- 
ity, the  young  leaves  put  forth  directly  above  the  cicatrix  of  the  former  leaf- 
stalks, and  are  distinguished  by  their  suppleness,  and  by  the  freshness  of  their 
tint.  The  colour  of  the  leaves  varies  in  the  different  varieties  of  this  species,  but 
they  are  generally  smooth,  of  a  light-green  above,  and  whitish  or  glaucous  and 
somewhat  downy,  with  a  prominent  midrib,  beneath.  On  most  of  the  culti- 
vated varieties,  they  are  from  an  inch  and  a  half  to  two  inches  long,  and  from 


374  OLEA    EUROP-EA. 

half  of  an  inch  to  an  inch  broad,  narrow,  with  both  ends  acute,  even,  and  entire 
at  the  edge,  joined  to  the  main  stem  by  very  short  foot-stalks,  and  opposite, 
after  the  manner  of  the  branchlets.  The  flower-buds  begin  to  appear  about  the 
middle  of  April,  but  the  bloom  is  not  full  before  the  end  of  May  or  the  beginning 
of  June.  The  flowers,  which  are  borne  by  the  shoots  of  the  preceding  year,  are 
small,  white,  slightly  odoriferous,  and  are  disposed  in  axillary  racemes,  some  of 
which  are  almost  as  numerous  as  the  leaves,  and  garnish  the  tree  with  wanton 
luxuriance,  while  other  bunches  are  thinly  scattered  over  the  branches,  or  are 
seen  only  at  their  extremities.  A  week  after  the  expansion  of  the  flower,  the 
corolla  fades  and  falls.  If  the  calyx  remains  behind,  a  favourable  presage  is 
formed  of  the  fruitfulness  of  the  season ;  but  the  hopes  of  the  husbandman  are 
liable  to  be  blasted,  at  this  period,  at  the  slightest  intemperateness  of  the  ele- 
ments, which  causes  the  germ  to  fall  with  the  flower ;  whereas,  warm  weather, 
accompanied  by  gentle  breezes  that  agitate  the  tree  and  facilitate  the  fecundation, 
is  most  propitious  to  his  wishes.  The  fruit  of  the  olive  is  egg-shaped,  pointed  at 
the  extremity,  and  is  usually  from  a  half  to  three-fourths  of  an  inch  in  diameter, 
in  one  direction,  and  from  three-fourths  of  an  inch  to  an  inch  and  a  half  in  the 
other;  but,  on  wild  trees,  it  scarcely  exceeds  the  size  of  a  common  currant.  The 
skin  is  smooth,  and  generally  of  a  violet  colour,  when  ripe ;  but  in  certain  varie- 
ties, it  is  of  various  shades  of  red,  yellow,  and  black.  The  pulp  is  greenish,  con- 
taining an  oblong,  pointed  stone,  divided  into  two  cells,  one  of  which  is  usually 
void.  The  oil  of  the  olive  is  furnished  by  the  pulp,  which  is  a  characteristic 
almost  peculiar  to  this  fruit,  and  that  of  the  Cornus  mas.  and  purpurea,  being 
extracted  from  the  seeds  of  other  oleaginous  vegetables.  The  young  olives 
set  in  June;  increase  in  size,  and  remain  green  during  the  summer;  begin  to 
change  colour  early  in  October ;  and  are  ripe  at  the  end  of  November,  or  by  the 
beginning  of  December.  On  the  wild  olive,  five  or  six  fruits  are  ripened  upon 
each  peduncle ;  but  on  the  cultivated  tree  a  great  part  of  the  flowers  prove  abor- 
tive, and  the  green  fruit  is  cast  at  every  stage  of  its  growth,  so  that  rarely  more 
than  one  or  two  germs  upon  a  cluster  arrive  at  maturity. 

Varieties.  The  olive,  like  many  other  kinds  of  fruit,  has,  by  long  cultivation, 
become  exceedingly  multiplied  in  its  varieties,  which  may  be  considered  as  more 
or  less  accidental  or  temporary.  From  the  extensive  distribution  and  long  culti- 
vation of  this  tree,  it  is  utterly  impossible  to  trace  the  multitude  of  cultivated 
sorts  to  their  original  form.  The  wild,  thorny  olive,  (Olea  oleaster,)  indigenous 
to  Spain,  Portugal,  the  south  of  France,  and  Italy  is  thought  by  some,  to  bear 
the  same  relation  to  the  cultivated  olive,  as  the  crab  does  to  the  apple,  and  the 
pyraster  to  the  pear.  The  following  varieties,  however,  appear  to  be  suffi- 
ciently distinct,  the  first  of  which,  may  be  considered  as  the  normal  form  of  the 
species : — 

1.  O.  e.  longifolia,  Loudon.  Long-leaved  European  Olive-tree;  Olea  europcea, 
ofMichaux;  Olivier  a" Europe,  of  the  French;  Langbldttriger  Qehlbaum,  of  the 
Germans.  This  variety  is  that  which  is  principally  cultivated  in  France  and 
Italy,  and  answers  to  the  general  description  at  the  commencement  of  this  article. 

2.  O.  e.  latifolia,  Loudon.  Broad-leaved  European  Olive-tree;  Olea  hispan- 
ica,  of  Blackwell,  in  Miller's  Dictionary;  Olivier  d'Espagne,  of  the  French; 
Breitbldttriger  Oehlbaum,  of  the  Germans.  This  variety  is  chiefly  cultivated  in 
Spain,  the  fruit  of  which  is  nearly  double  the  size  of  the  common  olive  of  Pro- 
vence or  Italy ;  but  the  oil  made  from  it  is  too  rank  in  flavour  for  most  palates. 

3.  O.  e.  ferruginea,  Loudon.  Ferruginous-leaved  European  Olive-tree,  a  native 
of  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  and,  according  to  Mr.  Royle,  of  the  Himalayas,  with 
the  leaves  narrow,  acute  at  both  ends,  and  rusty  beneath. 

4.  O.  e.  curvifolia.  Twisted-leaved  European  Olive-tree;  Olivier  a  feuilles 
torses,  of  the  French,  with  oblong  leaves  bent  obliquely,  and  pale  beneath. 


EUROPEAN    OLIVE-TREE.  37t"5 

5.  O.  e.  buxifolia,  Loudon.  Box-leaved  European  Olive-tree  ;  Olivier  dfeuilles 
de  bids,  of  the  French,  with  oblong-ovate  leaves,  and  divaricate  branches. 

6.  O.  e.  laurifolia.  Laurel-leaved  European  Olive-tree ;  Olivier  a  feullles  de 
laurier,  of  the  French. 

7.  O.  e.  tjmbracula.  Umbrella  European  Olive-tree;  Olivier  en  parasol,  of  the 
French. 

8.  O.  e.  pendula.  Pendulous-branched  European  Olive-tree;  Olivier  a  ra- 
meaux  pendans,  of  the  French. 

9.  O.  e.  polymorphs.  Many -formed- fruited  or  Weeping  European  Olive-tree ; 
Olivier  pleureur  or  Olivier  de  grasse,  of  the  French.  This  variety  is  one  of  the 
largest  and  finest  trees.  Its  branches  are  numerous  and  pendant,  like  those  of  the 
weeping  willow.  Its  fruit  is  good  for  the  table,  and  yields  a  pure  and  abundant 
oil.  It  should  be  grown  in  valleys  rather  than  on  elevated  ground,  as  there  is 
more  to  be  feared  from  drought  than  cold.  It  is  said  there  are  individuals  of 
this  kind,  in  Languedoc,  that  have  three  times  survived  the  general  destruction 
of  the  olive,  in  France,  by  frost. 

10.  O.  e.  macrocarpa.  Ear ge-frulted  European  Olive-tree  ;  Olivier  a  gros  fruit, 
of  the  French. 

11.  O.  e.  minima.  Small-fruited  European  Olive-tree ;  Olivier  a  petit  fruit 
rond  or  Olivier  de  salon,  of  the  French.  This  variety  produces  a  small  round 
fruit,  good  for  oil,  and  prefers  dry  and  elevated  grounds. 

12.  O.  E.  rotundata.  Round-fruited  European  Olive-tree;  Olivier  a  fruit 
rond,  of  the  French.  This  variety  is  among  the  less  hardy  kinds,  and  requires 
moisture,  a  good  soil,  and  an  abundance  of  manure.  Its  fruit  yields  an  oil  of 
superior  quality. 

13.  O.  e.  uvaria.  Grape-llke-frulted  European  Olive-tree ;  Olivier  a ]  grappe,oi 
the  French. 

14.  O.  e.  amygdalina.  Almond-like-fruited  European  Olive-tree;  Olivier  ayni/g- 
dalin,  of  the  French,  much  esteemed  about  Montpellier,  for  its  fine  and  abun- 
dant oil. 

15.  O.  e.  oblonga.  Oblong-fruited  European  Olive-tree  ;  Olivier  a  fruit  oblong, 
of  the  French. 

16.  .0.  e.  fructu  longo.  Long-fruited  European  Olive-tree;  Olivier  d  fruit 
long  or  Olivier  a  olives  pichollnes,  of  the  French.  This  variety  yields  the  kind 
of  olives  most  celebrated  for  pickling,  and  is  not  very  particular  in  the  choice  of 
soil  and  climate. 

17.  O.  e.  nigerrima.  Black-fruited  European  Olive-tree;  Olivier  a  fruit  noir, 
of  the  French,  a  variety  common  in  Palestine. 

18.  O.  e.  biflorens.  Seml-annual-Flowerlng  European  Olive-tree  ;  Olivier  de 
deux  saisons,  of  the  French. 

19.  O.  e.  semperflorens.     Ever-flowering  European  Olive-tree;   Olivier  de  tons 

les  mois,  of  the  French. 

20.  O.  e.  prjecox.     Early-flowering  European   Olive-tree ;   Olivier  precoce,  of 

the  French. 

21.  O.  e.  serotina.     Late-flowering  European  Olive-tree;  Olivier  turd  if ,  ol  the 

French. 

Geography  and  History.  The  Olea  europaea  is  found  indigenous  in  Syria. 
Greece,  northern  Africa,  on  the  lower  slopes  of  Mount  Atlas,  and  is  naturalized 
in  different  parts  of  France,  Spain,  and  Italy,  where  it  is  found  growing  wild  in 
hedges  and  woods;  but  its  fruit  is  small  and  unfit  for  use.  The  cultivated  olive 
grows  spontaneously  in  the  temperate  parts  of  Asia  and  Africa,  by  the  sea-coast : 
and  it  promises,  also,  to  be  a  valuable  tree  in  Australia.  It  abounds  in  many 
parts  of  Syria,  particularly  about  Aleppo  and  Mount  Libanus;  and  is  easily 
reared  in  all  parts  of  the  shores  of  the  Levant  that  are  not  visited  by  frosty 


376  0LEA    EUROPJEA. 

winds.  The  beautiful  plain  of  Athens,  as  seen  towards  the  north-west  from 
Mount  Hymettus,  it  is  said,  appears  entirely  covered  with  olive-trees.  Tuscany, 
the  south  of  France,  and  the  plains  of  Spain  are  the  places  in  Europe  in  which 
this  species  was  first  cultivated.  The  Tuscans  were  the  first  who  exported  olive- 
oil  largely,  and  thus  it  has  obtained  the  name  of  "  Florence  oil."  The  particu- 
lar departments  of  France,  in  which  the  olive  is  most  successfully  cultivated,  are 
those  of  the  mouths  of  the  Rhone,  of  the  Var,  of  the  Gard,  and  some  others ;  but 
it  does  not  ripen  its  fruit  to  the  north  of  a  line  drawn  from  the  Pyrenees,  near 
Narbonne,  to  the  foot  of  the  Little  St.  Bernard  in  the  Alps ;  nor  in  that  part  of 
France  which  may  be  considered  as  forming  a  portion  of  the  basin  of  the  Medi- 
terranean, and  which  is  enclosed  between  that  sea  and  the  mountains  of  Ceven- 
nes  and  the  Alps.  The  province  of  Suse,  in  Morocco,  particularly  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  Mersa,  produces  a  great  abundance  of  olive  oil,  which  is  stated  to  be 
equal,  in  quality,  to  the  best  Florence  oil.  The  olive  grows  in  Britain ;  but,  from 
the  severity  of  the  climate,  its  character  is  changed.  In  its  native  country  it  is 
an  evergreen;  but  in  England,  it  loses  its  leaves.  Indeed,  it  needs  protection 
even  in  the  mildest  winters ;  and  it  is  only  in  the  very  warmest  summers  that  it 
will  produce  fruit  at  all,  which  then  does  not  ripen,  and  is  of  a  very  poor  flavour. 
Thus  Italy,  south  of  the  Apennines,  and  Turkey,  south  of  the  Hsemus,  or  a  line 
running  directly  westward  from  the  Black  Sea  to  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  in  about 
latitude  forty-four  degrees,  appears  to  be  the  general  northern  limit  of  the  culture 
of  this  tree  in  Europe ;  while  on  the  Atlantic  coast  of  North  America,  it  scarcely 
reaches  thirty-four  degrees  of  latitude.  Near  Charleston,  in  South  Carolina,  the 
olive  is  usually  rendered  barren  by  the  vernal  frosts ;  and  in  the  southern  parts  of 
Florida  and  Louisiana,  where  it  would  be  secure  in  winter,  it  languishes  through 
the  sultry  heats  of  summer,  for  the  want  of  those  refreshing  breezes  which  invig- 
orate this  tree  on  the  shores  of  the  Mediterranean.  But,  doubtless,  there  are  tracts 
in  this  country,  uniting  the  conditions  necessary  for  its  growth,  which  have  been 
demonstrated  by  several  experiments — one  in  particular,  we  here  beg  leave  to 
reiate.  While  the  Floridas  were  held  by  the  English,  in  1769,  one  Dr.  Turnbull, 
a  famous  adventurer  of  that  nation,  brought  over  from  Smyrna,  a  colony  of  fifteen 
hundred  Greeks  and  Minorcans,  chiefly  of  the  former,  and  founded  the  settlement 
of  New  Smyrna,  on  Mosquito  River.  One  of  the  principal  treasures  which  they 
brought  from  their  native  land,  was  the  olive.  Mr.  William  Bartram,  who  visited 
this  colony  in  1775,  describes  that  place  as  a  flourishing  town.  Its  prosperity, 
however,  was  of  momentary  duration.  Driven  to  despair  by  hardships,  oppression, 
and  disease,  and  precluded  from  escape  by  land,  where  they  were  intercepted  by 
the  savages  of  the  wilderness,  a  part  of  these  unhappy  exiles  died,  while  others 
conceived  the  hardy  enterprise  of  embarking  for  Havana  in  an  open  boat,  and  in 
three  years  their  number  was  reduced  to  five  hundred.  The  rest  removed  to  St. 
Augustine,  when  the  Spaniards  resumed  possession  of  the  country;  and,  in  1783, 
a  few  decaying  huts,  and  several  large  olive-trees,  were  the  only  remains  to  be 
seen  of  their  wearied  industry.  In  New  California,  on  the  Pacific,  they  cultivate 
the  olive  with  success  along  the  canal  of  Santa  Barbara,  in  latitude  thirty-four 
degrees  north;  and  at  Quito,  in  South  America,  near  the  equator,  this  tree,  for 
eight  thousand  feet  up  the  Andes,  often  attains  the  magnitude  of  the  oak,  but 
seldom  or  never  bears  fruit. 

The  olive,  which  is  called  by  Columella,  the  first  among  trees,  has  constituted, 
from  the  remotest  antiquity,  the  pride  of  some  of  the  most  celebrated  regions  of 
the  globe ;  and,  aside  from  the  commercial  value  of  its  products,  it  is  invested, 
both  in  sacred  and  profane  history,  with  a  thousand  interesting  associations.  It 
appears  to  have  been  cultivated  very  early ;  for  we  read  of  oil  in  the  time  of 
Jacob;  and  the  patriarch  Noah  had  sent  out  a  dove  from  the  ark,  but  she 
returned  without  any  token  of  hope.     Then 


EUROPEAN    OLIVE-TREE.  377 

"  Again  he  seat  forth  the  dove  out  of  the  ark  :  and  the  dove  came 
in  to  him  in  the  evening;  and,  lo,  in  her  mouih  was  an  olive  leaf  plucki  off." 

Genesis  viii.  10,  11. 

That  the  olive  was  anciently  very  much  esteemed  by  the  Hebrews,  is  evident 
from  the  parable  of  Jotham, — "  The  trees  went  forth  on  a  time  to  appoint  a 
king,"  &c. ;  and  David,  also,  seems  to  have  considered  this  tree  as  a  blessing, 
when  he  says,  " Thy  children,  like  the  olive  branches  round  about  thy  table; 
Lo !  thus  shall  the  man  be  blessed  that  feareth  the  Lord." 

The  ancient  Greeks  appear  to  have  thought  no  less  of  the  olive  and  of  its  fruit, 
than  the  Israelites ;  and  the  great  duration  of  the  tree  is  apparent  from  the  his- 
tory of  one  in  the  Acropolis  at  Athens.  Dr.  Clarke,  in  his  "Travels,"  in  speak- 
ing of  the  temple  of  Pandrosus  says,  "  Within  this  building,  so  late  as  the  second 
century,  was  preserved  the  olive-tree  mentioned  by  Apollodorus,  which  was  said 
to  be  as  old  as  the  foundation  of  the  citadel."  A  contribution  of  olives  was  given 
by  all  the  Greeks  who  attended  the  Panathe?uea,  a  festival  held  at  Athens  in 
honour  of  Minerva.  Those  who  excelled  in  any  of  the  games  during  this  festival, 
were  crowned  with  a  wreath  of  olives,  which  grew  in  the  grove  of  Academus, 
a  place  near  the  city,  with  spacious  and  shady  walks,  belonging  to  a  man  of  that 
name. 

The  olive,  it  is  said,  was  first  planted  in  Italy,  in  the  thirteenth  year  of  the 
reign  of  Servius  Tullius,  the  Vlth  king  of  Rome ;  and  during  the  reign  of  Tar- 
quinius  Priscus,  which  was  about  the  one  hundred  and  eighty-third  year  from  the 
foundation  of  that  city,  there  were  no  olive-trees,  either  in  Italy,  Spain,  or  Africa, 
a  strong  presumption  that  they  grew  originally  only  in  Syria.  Theophrastus 
states  that,  in  the  four  hundred  and  fortieth  year  of  the  city,  there  were  no 
olive-trees  in  Italy,  except  on  the  coast,  and  within  forty  miles  of  the  sea ;  but 
Pliny  says,  in  his  time,  they  were  to  be  found  in  the  very  heart  of  France  and 
Spain,  and  that  the  olives  of  Syria,  although  smaller,  produced  the  best  oil.  He 
also  informs  us,  that  in  the  five  hundredth  year  of  the  city,  when  Appius  Clau- 
dius and  L.  Junius  were  consuls  together,  a  pound  of  oil  was  sold  for  twelve 
asses ;  that  in  the  year  680,  ten  pounds  sold  for  one  ass ;  and  that  in  twenty-two 
years  after  that  time,  Italy  was  able  to  furnish  the  provinces  with  oil;  and  that 
it  was  much  used  by  the  Romans  at  their  baths,  possessing,  as  they  supposed, 
the  property  of  warming  the  body,  and  defending  it  against  the  cold.  \  lrgil 
speaks  of  but  three  kinds  of  olives.  Columella  mentions  ten  varieties,  and  says 
he  believes  they  were  much  more  numerous. 

As  the  wood  of  the  olive-tree  is  very  compact  and  durable,  it  is  not  surprising 
that  it  should  furnish  instances  of  extraordinary  longevity.  "In  comparative 
youth,"  says  a  writer  in  the  "North  American  Review,"  "the  stem  increases  in 
diameter  only  at  the  rate  of  an  eighth  of  an  inch  in  a  year.  Therefore,  the  olive 
at  Pescio,  mentioned  by  De  Candolle,  having  a  trunk  of  twenty-four  feet  in  girth, 
should  be  seven  hundred  years  old;  even  supposing  it  to  have  grown,  through- 
out, at  the  ordinary  rate  for  young  trees;  while  the  still  larger  tree  at  Beauheu, 
near  Nice,  described  by  Risso,  and  recently  measured  by  Berthelot,  doubtless  the 
oldest  of  the  race  in  Europe,  should  be  more  than  a  thousand  years  old.  Although 
now  in  a  state  of  decrepitude,  it  still  bears  an  abundant  crop  of  fruit,  or  at  least 
did  so,  as  late  as  the  year  1828.  It  is  not  improbable,  therelore,  that  those  eight 
venerable  trees,  which  yet  survive  upon  the  Mount  of  Olives,  may  have  been  in 
existence,  as  tradition  asserts,  at  the  time  of  our  Saviour's  passion.  Mr.  Loudon 
mentions  some  plantations  of  olive-trees,  in  Italy,  at  Term,  which  he  passed 
through,  in  1819,  on  his  way  to  the  Falls  of  Marmora,  that  were  supposed  to 
have  existed  from  the  time  of  Plin y. 

Mythological  and  Legendary  Allusions.     The  olive  has  been  the  emblem  oi 
peace  among  all  nations;  perhaps,  because  the  olive-leal,  brought  by  the  dove  to 
Noah  in  the  ark,  was  the  first  sign  which  he  received  oi  peace  restored  between 
4S 


378  OLEA    EUROP^A. 

heaven  and  earth,  after  the  bursting  forth  of  God's  awful  wrath  in  the  waters  of 
the  flood.  It  was  also  the  symbol  of  wisdom,  abundance,  and  of  prosperity  of 
every  kind.  The  oil  likewise  became  the  emblem  of  joy  and  gladness.  It 
appears  to  have  been  of  great  utility  to  the  ancients,  since  Aristseus,  son  of 
Apollo,  was  regarded  as  a  rural  deity,  from  having  taught  mankind  to  extract 
it,  as  well  as  to  make  honey,  butter,  and  cheese.  It  was  also  employed  by  the 
ancient  Greeks  in  pouring  out  libations  to  the  gods,  while  the  branches  formed 
the  wreaths  of  the  victors  of  the  Olympic  games.  They  have  a  very  instructive 
fable  in  their  mythology,  on  the  origin  of  the  olive.  The  gods  having  been 
called  on  to  settle  a  dispute  between  Neptune  and  Minerva,  arising  from  the 
desire  of  each  to  give  a  name  to  the  new  city  of  Cecrops,  determined  to  give  the 
preference  to  the  one  who  should  produce  the  most  beneficial  gift  to  mankind. 
Neptune,  with  his  trident,  struck  the  shore,  out  of  which  sprang  a  horse ;  but 
Minerva,  by  causing  an  olive-tree  to  spring  from  the  earth,  gained  her  point,  and 
from  her  was  the  city  called  Athense,  now  Athens ;  since,  the  olive,  the  emblem 
of  peace  or  agriculture,  was  much  preferred  to  a  horse,  the  symbol  of  war  and 
bloodshed.  Minerva  and  the  graces  are  also  represented  as  crowned  with  olive 
branches. 

Three  statues  of  Minerva  were  preserved  in  the  citadel  of  Athens,  which  admi- 
rably exemplified  the  progress  of  the  art  of  sculpture.  The  first,  made  of  olive- 
wood,  and  of  rude  workmanship,  was  said  to  have  fallen  from  heaven ;  the  sec- 
ond, of  bronze,  was  consecrated  after  the  victory  of  Marathon ;  and  the  third  was 
made  of  gold  and  ivory,  which  was  one  of  the  miracles  of  the  age  of  Pericles. 

Soil  and  Situation.  The  olive  flourishes  with  the  most  advantage  on  land  that 
is  rather  barren,  sandy,  and  dry ;  and  delights  in  schistous  calcareous  steeps,  not 
very  elevated,  nor  at  a  great  distance  from  the  sea ;  yet  it  is  found  in  the  centre 
of  Spain,  and  in  Mesopotamia,  at  the  distance  of  a  hundred  leagues  from  the  shore. 
The  best  oil  is  produced  from  fruit  grown  in  calcareous  soils. 

Propagation  and  Culture.  The  olive  may  be  multiplied  by  all  the  modes 
that  are  in  use  for  the  propagation  of  trees,  and  requires  but  little  care  in  culti- 
vation. In  some  parts  of  Italy  it  is  multiplied  by  cuttings,  and  by  what  are 
called  uovoli,  (little  eggs,)  and  in  other  parts  by  seeds.  The  uovoli  are  knots, 
swellings,  or  tumours  in  the  wood,  caused  by  the  sap  not  returning  freely  to  the 
roots,  but  swelling  through  the  bark  of  the  trunk,  and  thus  forming  wens  or 
excrescences  containing  embryo  buds.  They  are  separated  from  the  tree  by 
introducing  a  sharp  knife  between  them  and  the  trunk;  but  the  parent  plant 
suffers  no  injury  from  the  operation.  Sometimes,  however,  an  old  tree  is  cut 
down,  and  the  ccppo,  or  stock,  is  divided  into  pieces  of  nearly  the  size  and  shape 
of  a  mushroom,  and  which,  from  that  circumstance,  are  also  called  uovoli. 
Care  is  observed  that  each  uovolo  shall  contain  a  small  portion  of  bark.  After 
being  dipped  in  manure,  the  uovoli  are  thickly  planted  in  a  bed,  and  covered 
with  earth  to  the  depth  of  three  inches ;  they  soon  throw  up  shoots,  and  are 
transplanted  at  the  end  of  one  year,  and  in  three  years  more  are  fit  to  be  finally 
removed  to  the  plantation.  When  raised  from  the  seed,  the  fruit  should  be 
treated  like  that  of  the  hawthorn  or  the  holly ;  and,  though  some  will  come  up 
in  October,  if  sown  in  spring,  yet  a  greater  number  will  not  make  their  appear- 
ance till  the  May  of  the  second  year.  Seedling  plants  have  the  advantage  of 
never  throwing  up  suckers ;  and  in  Tuscany,  where  this  mode,  of  propagation  is 
generally  practised,  it  is  said  to  produce  invariably  the  largest  and  strongest  trees. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  olive  is  heavy,  compact,  fine-grained, 
and  brilliant.  The  sap-wood  is  white  and  soft,  and  the  heart- wood  hard,  brittle, 
and  of  a  reddish  or  yellowish  tint,  with  the  pith  nearly  effaced,  as  in  the  box.  It 
is  employed  by  cabinet-makers  to  inlay  the  finer  species  of  wood,  which  are  con- 
trasted with  it  in  colour,  and  to  form  light  articles  of  ornament,  such  as  dressing- 


EUROPEAN    OLIVE-TUKE.  379 

cases,  snuff-boxes,  &c.  The  wood  of  the  roots,  which  is  agreeably  marbled,  is 
preferred  to  that  of  the  trunk.  On  account  of  its  hardness  and  durability,  the 
wood  of  this  tree  was  anciently  used  for  the  hinges  of  doors;  and,  before  metal 
became  common,  it  was  selected  by  the  Greeks  for  the  images  of  their  gods. 
From  its  resinous  and  oleaginous  nature,  the  wood  of  this  tree  is  exceedingly 
combustible,  and  burns  as  well  before,  as  after  it  is  dried.  There  exudes  from 
its  wood  a  gum,  which  is  sometimes  sold  for  gum-elemi.  There  is  also  extracted 
from  this  tree  a  substance  called  olivine.  The  bark  contains  a  bitter  principle, 
and  is  regarded  as  tonic  and  febrifugal.     The  leaves  are  astringent. 

But  the  chief  value  of  this  tree  is  the  oil  produced  from  its  fruit,  which  is  used 
as  a  substitute  for  butter,  in  all  the  countries  where  it  grows.  It  is  contained  in 
the  pulp  only,  as  before  observed,  whereas,  most  other  fruits  have  it  in  the  nut 
or  kernel.  The  proper  time  for  gathering  olives  for  the  press  is  the  eve  of  their 
maturity.  If  delayed  too  long,  the  next  crop  is  prevented,  and  the  tree  is  produc- 
tive only  in  alternate  years.  At  Aix,  where  the  olive  harvest  takes  place  early 
in  November,  it  is  annual ;  but  in  Languedoc,  Spain,  and  Italy,  where  it  is  delayed 
till  December  or  January,  it  produces  fruit  but  once  in  two  years.  The  quality 
of  the  oil,  also,  depends  upon  the  gathering  of  the  fruit  in  the  first  stage  of  its 
maturity.  It  should  be  carefully  plucked  by  the  hand ;  and  the  whole  harvest 
completed  if  possible  in  a  day.  To  concoct  the  mucilage,  and  allow  the  water  to 
evaporate,  it  is  spread  out,  during  two  or  three  days,  in  beds  three  inches  deep. 
The  oil  is  obtained  by  simple  pressure,  in  the  following  manner : — The  olives  are 
first  bruised  by  a  mill-stone,  sufficiently  hard  as  not  to  break  the  kernels,  and 
are  then  put  into  sacks  of  coarse  linen,  feather-grass,  or  of  wool,  and  subjected 
to  heavy  pressure,  by  which  means  the  most  fluid  and  the  best  liquor  is  forced 
out,  and  is  called  virgin-oil.  It  is  received  into  vessels  half  filled  with  water, 
from  which  it  is  skimmed,  and  put  up  into  tubs,  barrels,  and  bottles,  for  use. 
Several  coarser  kinds  of  oil  are  afterwards  obtained,  by  adding  hot  water  to  the 
bruised  fruit.  The  best  olive  oil  is  of  a  bright  pale-amber  colour,  without  smell, 
and  bland  to  the  taste.  Kept  warm,  it  becomes  rancid,  and  at  38°  F.  it  congeals. 
It  is  of  the  same  nature  as  all  mild  expressed  vegetable  oils ;  of  these,  the  most 
fluid  are  preferred,  and  hence  the  oils  of  olives  and  almonds  are  those  chiefly 
used  in  medicine.  One  of  the  most  esteemed  kinds  of  oil  is  that  produced  at  Aix 
{Huile  aVAix  en  Provence.')  Florence  Oil  is  also  a  fine  kind,  imported  from  Leg- 
horn in  flasks  surrounded  by  a  kind  of  network,  formed  of  the  leaves  of  a  mono- 
cotyledonous  plant.  These  are  the  kinds  of  olive  oil  in  most  frequent  use  at  the 
tables  for  salads  (hence  they  are  called  Salad  Oils.)  Lucca  Oil  is  imported  in 
jars  holding  about  nineteen  gallons  each.  Genoa  Oil  is  a  fine  kind.  GalUpoli 
Oil  is  imported  in  casks;  and  constitutes  the  largest  portion  of  the  olive  oil  im- 
ported into  England.  Sicily  Oil  is  of  an  inferior  quality.  Spanish  Oil  is  the 
worst.  The  foot  deposited  by  olive  oil  is  used  for  oiling  machinery,  under  the 
name  of  Droppings  of  Sweet  Oil.     Olive  oil  consists  of 

Parts. 

Oleine, 72 

Margarine, 28 

In  cold  weather,  the  latter  constituent  congeals  in  the  form  of  white  or  yel- 
lowish globules.*     Oily  substances  do  not  unite  with  the  contents  of  acid  Stora 
achs;  but  to  healthy  persons  they  afford  much  nourishment,  and  medicinally 
are  supposed  to  correct  acrimony,  to  lubricate,  and  relax.     Olive  oil  is  applied 
externally  to  bites  and  stings  of  poisonous  animals,  and  to  burns  alone,  with 

*  See  Pereira's  Treatise  on  Food  and  Diet,  p.  86. 


380  OLEA    EUEOP^A. 

chalk,  or  in  liniments  and  poultices.  The  ancients  rubbed  their  bodies  with  it  in 
dropsies,  and  for  various  purposes ;  but  it  is  now  little  used  as  a  medicine,  except- 
ing for  coughs,  burns,  and  a  few  other  cases. 

Another  important  advantage  afforded  by  this  tree,  is  its  fruit  in  a  pickled 
state.  It  is  gathered  unripe,  and  suffered  to  steep  in  water  for  some  days,  and 
is  afterwards  put  into  a  lye  of  water  and  barilla,  or  kali,  with  the  ashes  of  olive- 
stones,  or  with  lime.  It  is  then  put  up  in  earthen  bottles,  or  in  barrels,  with  salt 
and  water,  and  in  this  state,  is  ready  for  use.  Olives  are  eaten  before,  as  well 
as  after  meals,  and  are  believed  to  excite  appetite  and  promote  digestion.  The 
finest  kind  of  prepared  fruit  is  known  in  commerce  by  the  name  of  Picholines, 
after  one  Picholini,  an  Italian,  who  first  discovered  the  art  of  pickling  olives. 

The  fruit  of  the  olive  is  of  a  pleasant  taste,  and  is  eaten  by  the  modern  Greeks, 
during  Lent,  in  its  ripe  state,  without  any  preparation,  except  with  the  addition 
of  a  little  pepper,  salt,  and  oil. 

From  the  value  of  its  products,  in  a  commercial  point  of  view,  aside  from  other 
considerations,  the  culture  of  the  olive  strongly  claims  the  attention  of  the  Amer- 
ican agriculturist,  and  the  trial  should  be  made  in  every  place  where  its  failure 
is  not  certain,  and  for  this  purpose,  young  grafted  trees  of  hardy  and  choice 
varieties  should  be  obtained  from  Europe,  and  the  formation  of  nurseries  imme- 
diately begun.  A  portion  of  Texas,  Louisiana,  the  islands  of  Georgia,  and 
chosen  exposures  of  the  interior  of  the  last-named  state,  as  well  as  of  some  of  the 
western  states,  California,  or  of  Oregon,  will  be  the  scene  of  this  species  of  cul- 
ture, if  ever  attended  with  success  in  North  America. 


Olea  americana, 
THE  AMERICAN  OLIVE-TREE. 

Synonymes. 


Olea  americana, 

Olivier  d'Amerique, 
Amerikanischer  Oehlbaum, 
Olivo  americano, 
American  Olive-tree, 
American  Olive-tree,  Devil-wood, 


LiNNiEtrs,  Mantissa. 
[  Michaux,  North  American  Sylva. 
Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
France. 
Germany. 
Italy. 
Britain. 
United  States. 


Engravings.    Michaux,  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  86;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  ii.,  fig.  1031:  and  the  fieurei 
Below. 

Specific  Characters.    Leaves  elliptic-lanceolate.    Bractes  all  persistent,  connate,  ovate.    Racemes  sub- 
compound,  narrow. — Loudon,  Enc.  of  Plants. 


Description. 

HE  Olea  americana  is  a 
large  evergreen  shrub  or 
low  tree,  sometimes  grow- 
ing to  a  height  of  thirty 
or  thirty-rive  feet,  with  a  trunk  ten  or  twelve 
inches  in  diameter;  but  usually  it  does  not  attain 
one  half  of  these  dimensions.  The  bark  which  cov- 
ers the  trunk  is  smooth,  and  of  a  grayish  colour. 
The  leaves  are  four  or  five  inches  long,  opposite, 
entire,  smooth,  and  brilliant  on  the  upper  surfaces, 
and  of  an  agreeable  light-green.  The  fertile  and 
barren  flowers  grow  on  separate  trees.  They  are 
very  small,  strongly  scented,  of  a  pale-yellow  col- 
our, and  axillary.  They  put  forth  at  St.  Mary's, 
in  Georgia,  by  the  last  of  March,  and  a  month  later 
in  Virginia.  The  fruit,  which  is  round,  is  about  the 
size  of  a  small  grape,  of  a  purple  colour,  approach- 
ing to  blue,  and  contains  a  hard  stone,  thinly  coated 
with  pulp.  It  ripens  in  October,  and  remains  attached  to  the  branches  during  a 
part  of  the  winter,  forming  an  agreeable  contrast  with  the  light-green  leaves. 

Geography,  fyc.  The  Olea  americana,  which  belongs  exclusively  to  the  south- 
ern states  of  the  American  union,  is  not  often  found  north  of  Norfolk,  in  Virginia  ; 
and,  like  the  live  oak  and  cabbage-tree,  is  confined  almost  exclusively  to  tin 
sea-shore.  It  grows  in  soils  and  exposures  extremely  variable.  In  the  maritime 
parts  of  Carolina,  Georgia,  and  Florida,  it  springs  up  with  the  live  oak  in  the 
most  barren  spots;  and  in  other  places  it  is  associated  with  the  Magnolia  grandi- 
flora,  umbrella-tree,  &c,  in  cool,  fertile,  and  shady  situations.  This  tree  was 
introduced  into  Britain  in  1758,  and  is  considerably  more  hardy  than  the  Euro- 
pean olive.  It  is  said  there  is  a  very  handsome  flourishing  plant  againsl  the  wall 
of  the  arboretum  of  Messrs.  Loddiges,  at  Hackney,  which  receives  no  protection 
whatever.     It  may  be  propagated  by  layers,  by  seeds,  or  by  cuttings. 


382  OLEA    AMERICANA. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  Olea  americana  is  compact,  of  a  fine 
grain,  and  when  perfectly  dry,  is  excessively  hard  and  difficult  to  cut  and  split. 
Hence,  the  provincial  name  of  devil-wood.  From  its  small  size,  and  difficulty  of 
being  wrought,  it  is  appropriated  to  no  particular  use  in  the  arts.  On  laying 
bare  the  cellular  integument  of  the  bark,  its  natural  yellow  hue  immediately 
changes  to  a  deep-red ;  and  the  wood,  by  contact  with  the  air,  soon  assumes  a 
rosy  complexion. 


Genus  FRAXINUS,   Tourn. 

Oleaceae.  Polygamia  Dioccia. 

Syst.  Nat.  SyH.  Lin. 

Synonymes. 

Fraxinus,  Of  Authors. 

Frene,  Fresne,  France. 

Esche,  Germany. 

Frassino,  Italy. 

Fresno,  Spain. 

Freixo,  Portugal. 

Jas,  Jasen,  Russia. 

Ash,  Britain  and  Anglo- America. 

Dtrivations.  The  derivation  of  Fraxinus,  given  by  Don,  in  Miller's  Dictionary,  is  from  the  Greek  phrassd,  to  enclose;  the 
ash  having  been  formerly  used  for  making  hedges.  Linnseus  derives  it  from  the  Greek  phraris,  a  separation ;  because  the  wood 
splits  easily.  Others  derive  it  from  the  Latin  frangitur,  because  the  young  branches  are  easily  broken;  or  which  may  have 
been  applied  ironically,  in  allusion  to  the  extreme  toughness  of  the  wood.  The  English  name  Ask,  may  be  derived  either 
from  the  Saxon  word  asc,  a  pike ;  or  from  the  colour  of  the  bark  of  the  trunk  and  branches,  which  resembles  that  of  wood-ashes. 

Generic  Characters.  Flowers  polygamous.  Calyx  none,  or  4-parted,  or  4-toothed.  Corolla  none.  Sta- 
mens 2,  in  the  male  flowers.  Anthers  sessile,  or  on  short  filaments,  dehiscing  outwardly.  Female 
flowers  the  same,  except  that  they  have  no  stamens,  but  have  each  a  pistil,  that  has  a  bifid  stigma. 
Fruit,  or  samara,  2-celled,  compressed,  winged  at  top.     Cells  1-seeded. — Don,  Miller's  Diet 

HE  genus  Fraxinus  consists  of  deciduous  trees,  with  opposite, 
impari-pinnate,  rarely  simple  leaves,  and  lateral  racemes  of  green- 
(X\  ish-yellow  flowers  :  and  natives  of  Europe,  northern  Africa,  a  part 
of  Asia,  and  of  North  America.  They  are  raised  from  seeds,  or 
by  grafting  on  the  Fraxinus  excelsior.  In  all  the  species,  there  is 
a  great  tendency  to  sport  into  varieties ;  and  most  of  those  which 
are  described  by  botanists  as  species,  do  not  appear  to  be  entitled  to  that  distinc- 
tion. Indeed,  with  two  or  three  exceptions,  the  trees  belonging  to  this  genus  bear 
so  close  a  resemblance  to  each  other,  when  young,  that  it  is  difficult  to  deter- 
mine which  are  species  and  which  are  varieties ;  and,  in  pursuance  of  the  idea 
advanced  by  Mr.  Loudon,  that,  "no  plant  can  be  truly  a  species,  th.it  is  n.jt 
readily  distinguished  from  every  other,  in  every  stage  of  its  growth,  and  at  every 
season  of  the  year,"  we  are  inclined  to  believe  that  there  are  no  more  than  two 
species  of  ash  hitherto  discovered,  either  in  Europe  or  America,  viz. : — Fraxinus 
excelsior,  and  americana.  We  have  accordingly,  for  the  sake  of  brevity,  and 
convenience  of  classification,  brought  them  all  under  these  two  heads,  and  have 
considered  them  only  as  varieties.  Those,  however,  who  differ  from  us  in  opin- 
ion, will  find  no  difficulty  in  recognizing  among  our  synonymes,  the  names  as 
given  by  Michaux,  Don,  Loudon,  and  others,  and  will  be  enabled  to  know  under 
what  head  they  are  described  in  the  works  of  these  authors. 


Fraxinus  excelsior. 
THE  EUROPEAN  ASH-TREE. 

Synonymes. 


Fraxinus  excelsior, 

Frene    eleve,    Frene    commun,    Grand 

frene, 
Esche,  Aesche, 
Frassino,  Frassine,  Nocione, 
Ash, 
European  ash, 


'  Linnjeus,  Species  Plantarum. 
Michaux,  North  American  Sylva. 
Seley,  British  Forest  Trees. 
Loi;don,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 

Fkance. 

Germany. 
Italy. 
Britain. 
Anglo-America. 


Derivation.    The  specific  name  excelsior  is  derived  from  the  Latin  ex,  from,  and  cello,  to  lift  up,  and  signifies  taller,  or 
more  elevated,  from  the  superior  height  which  this  species  attains. 

Engravings.    Michaur,  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  121 ;  Selby,  British  Forest  Trees,  pp.  84,  86  et  101 ;  Loudon,  Arboretum 
Britannicum,  ii.,  figs.  1044  et  1045,  and  vi.,  pi.  202,  203  et  204;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.    Leaflets  almost  sessile,  lanceolate-oblong,  acuminate,  serrated,  cuneated  at  the  base. 
Flowers  naked.     Samara  obliquely  emarginate  at  the  apex. — Don,  Miller's  Diet. 

Description. 

"The  ash  asks  not  a  depth  of  fruitful  mould, 
But,  like  frugality,  on  little  means 
It  thrives;  and  high  o'er  creviced  ruins  spreads 
Its  ample  shade,  or  in  the  naked  rock, 
That  nods  in  air,  with  graceful  limbs  depends." 

BlDLAKE 

HE  Fraxinus  ex- 
celsior is  one  of 
the  noblest  trees 
^P"^  of  the  European 
forests.  In  a  close  grove,  and  in  a  free, 
deep  soil,  it  becomes  a  lofty  tree,  from 
eighty  to  one  hundred  feet  in  height,  with 
a  trunk  free  from  branches  for  more  than 
half  its  length.  Standing  singly,  it  throws 
Dut  large  limbs,  which  divide  into  numer- 
ous branches,  forming  a  full  spreading 
head,  with  a  short,  but  very  thick  trunk.  In  some  situations,  particularly  on 
rocky  steeps,  the  branches  of  old  trees  become  pendent ;  but,  in  most  cases  of  old 
trees  of  this  species,  there  is  a  tendency  in  the  extremities  of  the  lower  branches 
to  curve  upwards.  The  bark  is  of  a  dark-gray,  when  young,  and  ash-coloured 
as  the  tree  advances  in  age.  The  roots,  which  are  numerous  and  take  a  hor- 
izontal direction,  are  furnished  with  more  fibres  than  those  of  most  other  forest 
trees.  Both  fibres  and  roots  are  white,  which,  indeed,  is  the  case  in  all  the  olea- 
ceae.  The  buds  are  short,  oval,  obtuse,  and  constantly  black;  and,  by  this  last 
circumstance,  this  tree  is  easily  distinguished  from  the  American  species.  The 
leaves  are  opposite,  and  are  composed  of  from  five  to  thirteen  leaflets,  slightly 
pedicellate,  smooth,  oval,  acuminated,  and  serrated.  The  common  petiole  is 
semi-cylindrical,  with  a  channel  on  the  upper  side.  The  flowers,  which  put 
forth  in  March  and  April,  are  produced  in  long,  loose  spikes,  from  the  sides  of 
the  branches.     On  some  there  are  onlv  female  flowers  ;  on  others,  hermaphrodite 


EUROPEAN    ASH-TREE.  386 

ones;  while  on  some  there  are  only  male  flowers,  and  frequently  trees  are  to  !••• 
met  with  containing  flowers  in  two  of  these  states,  and  even  in  all  of  them.  The 
seeds,  which  are  included  in  what  are  commonly  called  keys,  or  botanically 
samarae,  are  generally  ripe  in  October;  and.  like  those  of  the  aceraceae  and  the 
ailantus,  from  their  wedge-like  shape,  they  are  liable  to  fix  themselves  in  the 
crevices  of  rocks,  ruins,  walls,  and  even  in  the  clefts  of  old  trees,  where  they 
often  vegetate  and  grow.* 

Varieties.  These  are  very  numerous;  but  we  shall  first  give  those  which  arc 
universally  allowed  to  be  varieties,  and  are  described  as  such  by  Don  and  Lou- 
don ;  and  afterwards  indicate  those  which  are  treated  by  botanists  as  species. 

1.  F.  e.  pendula.  Pendulous-branched  European  Ash ;  Frene  pleureur,  Frene 
parasol,  of  the  French ;  Trailer  Esche,  of  the  Germans.  This  singular  and  beau- 
tiful variety  was  discovered  about  the  middle  of  the  last  century,  in  a  field 
belonging  to  the  vicar  of  Gamlingay,  near  Wimpole,  in  Cambridgeshire.  The 
tree  was  standing  as  late  as  1835,  but  comparatively  in  ruins.  There  are  many 
individuals  growing  in  England,  which  have  been  propagated  from  it;  some  in 
Scotland,  Ireland,  France,  and  Germany,  and  a  few  in  America.  In  a  list  of 
trees  planted  in  the  government  gardens  at  Odessa,  by  M.  Descemet,  is  an  ash 
with  pendent  branches,  found  in  a  bed  of  seedlings,  which  may  possibly  be  some- 
what different  from  the  English  variety.  The  weeping  ash  is  commonly  grafted 
standard  high;  and,  as  it  is  very  hardy,  and  grows  with  great  rapidity,  it  is  a 
valuable  tree  for  forming  arbours,  or  for  covering  seats  more  especially  in  public 
gardens. 

2.  F.  e.  kincairnijE.  Kincairney  Ash,  with  the  spray  alternately  pendulous, 
and  rigidly  upright,  and  thus  forms  a  tree  of  fantastic  shape.  The  original  speci- 
men grows  on  the  estate  of  Mr.  Mungo  Murray,  in  Kincairney,  in  the  parish  of 
Caputh,  near  Dimkeld,  Perthshire,  in  Scotland. 

3.  F.  e.  aurea.  Golden-barked  European  Ash;  Frene  dori,  of  the  French. 
This  variety  has  the  bark  of  the  trunk  and  branches  yellow  and  dotted;  and  the 
leaflets  sessile,  lanceolate,  unequally  serrated,  acuminated,  cuneated  at  the  base, 
and  glabrous.  It  is  particularly  conspicuous  in  winter,  not  only  from  the  yellow- 
colour  of  its  bark,  but  from  the  curved,  contorted  character  of  its  branches,  which 
somewhat  resemble  the  horns  of  an  animal. 

4.  F.  e.  aurea  pendula.  Pendulous-branched  Golden-barked  European  Ash, 
which  is  of  as  vigorous  growth  as  the  F.  e.  pendula. 

5.  F.  e.  crispa.  Curled-lea jleted  European  Ash.  The  darkness  of  the  green 
of  the  leaves  of  this  variety  is  remarkable,  which,  with  their  crumpled  appear- 
ance, combined  with  the  rigid  stunted  character  of  the  whole  plant,  renders  it  a 

striking  object. 

6.  F.  e.  jaspidea.  Striped-barked  European  Ash  ;  Frene  jaspe,  of  the  French. 
The  bark  of  the  trunk  and  branches  of  this  variety,  is  streaked  with  reddish- 
white. 

7.  F.  e.  purpurascens.  Purple-barked  European  Ash,  with  the  hark  purple. 
It  was  found  in  a  bed  of  seedlings,  by  M.  Descemet,  who  had  plants  of  it  under 
his  care  at  Odessa. 

*  On  the  piers  of  the  entrance  to  Blenheim  Park  from  Woodstock,  in  England,  there  were,  in  1834,  a 
sycamore  established  on  one  pier,  and  an  ash  on  the  other,  each  about  live  feet  high.     "On  the  ruins  oi 
Sweetheart  Abbey,  in  Dumfriesshire,"  Mr.  Loudon  observe,  '•  there  is  ;i  hu-e  tree  o!  the  common  syca 
more  on  the  top  of  a  wall,  winch,  in  1806,  when  we  last  saw  it,  had  sent  down  a  fibrous  root  ....  Uie  out. 
side  of  the  wall,  completely  exposed  to  the  air.  tor  the  height  of  ten  or  twelve  feet,  nil  il  reached  tfe. 
'round.     This  fibre  soon  afterwards  acquired  considerable  thickness,  and  now  constitutes,  as  W( 
informed,  the  main  stem  of  the  tree."     Gilpin  quotes  an  instance  from   Dr.  Plot,  ol  an  ash  estabUs hi..-; 
itself  on,  and  finally  destroying  a  willow.     A  similar  circumstance  also  took  place  with  a  weeping  wiuow, 
in  the  botanic  garden  of  Carlsruhe;  and  the  same  thing  not  unfrequently  happens  with  the  oak  u 
trees.    In  the  city  of  New  York,  where  the  ailantus  is  much  cultivated  for  ornamenting  the  streets,  i  i 

not  uncommon  to  see  small  plants  of  it  rrom  two  to  three  feet  hi  mg  on  the  r -  ind  gutters 

houses,  wlw  they  have  taken  root  from  seeds. 

49 


386  FRAXINUS    EXCELSIOR. 

8  F.  e.  foliis  argenteis.  Silver-striped-leafleted  European  Ash  ;  F.  e.  ar gen- 
tea,  of  Loudon ;  Frene  ar  genii,  of  the  French,  with  leaflets  variegated  with 
white. 

9.  F.  e.  lutea.      Yellow-edged-leafleted  European  Ash,  with  the  leaflets  edged 

with  yellow. 

10.  F.  e.  erosa.  Erose-leafleted,  European  Ash,  with  the  leaflets  erosely 
toothed. 

11.  F.  e.  horizontals.  Horizontal-branched  European  Ash;  Frene  horizon- 
tal, of  the  French,  with  the  branches  spreading  horizontally. 

12.  F.  e.  verrucosa.  Warted-barked  European  Ash;  Frene verruqueux,  of  the 
French,  with  its  branches  warty. 

13.  F.  e.  verrucosa  pendula.     Pendulous-branched  Warted-barked  European 

Ash. 

14.  F.  e.  nana.  Dwarf  European  Ash,  which  seldom  exceeds  a  yard  in  height. 
The  leaves  of  this  variety  resemble  those  of  the  species,  but  the  leaflets  are  much 
smaller  and  closer  together. 

15.  F.  e.  fungosa.     Fungous-barked  European  Ash. 

16.  F.  e.  verticillata.  Whorled-leaved  European  Ash  ;  Frene  d  feuille  verti- 
cillees,  of  the  French. 

17.  F.  e.  villosa  nova.  Villous-leajleted  European  Ash,  a  new  seedling,  acci- 
dentally discovered  by  M.  Descemet,  of  which  there  are  plants  in  the  Odessa  col- 
lection. 

18.  F.  e.  heterophylla.  Various-leaved  European  Ash  ;  Fraxinus  heterophylla, 
of  Don,  Loudon,  and  others;  Frene  d  une  feuille,  of  the  French;  Verschieden- 
bUttrige  Esche,  of  the  Germans.  The  leaves  of  this  variety  are  trifoliate,  den- 
tately  serrated,  usually  simple,  but  sometimes  with  three  or  five  leaflets,  three  or 
four  inches  long,  ovate,  sub-cordate,  or  acuminate  at  the  base  and  apex.  The 
samara?  are  oblong-lanceolate,  one  inch  in  length,  obtuse  and  emarginate  at  the 
apex.  The  branches  are  dotted,  and  the  buds  are  black.  Some  botanists  con- 
sider this  kind  as  a  species;  but  Sir  T.  Dick  Lauder  states  that  Mr.  McNab, 
of  the  Edinburgh  botanic  garden,  sowed  seeds  produced  by  the  tree  in  that  gar- 
den, supposed  to  have  been  originally  planted  by  Southerland,  and  found  that 
the  plants  had  pinnated  leaves;  and  M.  Sinning,  garden  inspector  of  Poppilsdorf, 
near  Bonn,  sowed  seeds  of  the  common  European  ash,  which  he  gathered  in  a 
distant  forest,  many  of  which  came  up  with  simple  leaves.  Nearly  one  thou- 
sand of  these  plants  were  transplanted,  and  left  to  become  trees;  when  they  were 
about  eight  feet  high,  nearly  twenty  of  them  were  observed  to  have  simple  leaves, 
and  almost  as  many  to  have  only  three  leaflets;  though  occasionally  they  showed 
a  greater  number. 

19.  F.  e.  heterophylla  veriegata.  Variegated  Various-leaved  European  Ash, 
discovered  in  1830,  in  the  grounds  of  Captain  Moore,  of  Eglantine,  near  Hillsbo- 
rough, in  the  county  of  Down,  in  Ireland.  The  variegation  appeared  in  sum- 
mer, on  the  point  of  one  of  the  shoots  of  a  tree  of  fifteen  years'  growth ;  and 
Captain  Moore  marked  it,  and  had  the  portion  of  shoot  which  showed  the  varie- 
gated leaves  taken  off,  and  grafted  the  following  spring.  The  parent  tree,  it  is 
said,  never  has  since  shown  the  slightest  tendency  to  variegation,  but  the  grafted 
plants  continue  true. 

20.  F.  e.  angustifolia.  Narrow-leaved  European  Ash  ;  Frene  a  feuilles  etroites, 
of  the  French  ;  Schmalblattrige  Esche,  of  the  Germans.  The  leaflets  of  this  vari- 
ety are  sessile,  lanceolate,  remotely  denticulated,  occurring  in  three  or  four  pairs, 
from  an  inch  and  a  half  to  two  inches  long.  The  peduncles  below  the  leaves  are 
solitary,  and  about  two  inches  in  length.  The  flowers,  which  put  forth  in  May 
are  naked ;  and  the  samara  are  entire  at  the  apex,  and  acute  at  the  base.  The 
branchlets  are  green,  dotted  with  white,  and  the  buds  brown.  This  tree  is  a 
native  of  Spain. 


EUROPEAN    ASH-TREE.  337 

21.  F.  e.  parvifolia.  Small-leaved  European  Ash ;  Fraxinus  partrifolia,  of  Don, 
Loudon,  and  others;  Frened  petites  feuillcs,  of  the  French  ;  KleinbMttrige  Esche, 
of  the  Germans.  This  variety  is  a  native  of  the  Levant,  having  from  five  to 
seven  pairs  of  leaflets,  which  are  sessile,  roundish,  ovate,  and  oblong.  They  are 
attenuated,  and  quite  entire  at  the  base,  but  mucronate  and  sharply  serrated  at 
the  apex.  The  flowers  are  naked,  and  put  forth  in  April  and  May.  And  the 
branches  are  purplish,  and  trigonal  at  the  top. 

22.  F.  e.  argentea.  Silvery '-leaved  European  Ash ;  Fraxinus  argentea,  of  Don, 
Loudon,  and  others ;  Frene  du  Corse,  of  the  French.  The  leaves  of  this  variety 
are  of  a  silver-gray,  and  usually  have  three  pairs  of  rather  coriaceous,  elliptic- 
ovate,  shortly-cuspidate,  bluntly-toothed  leaflets,  on  short  petiolules.  It  is  a 
native  of  the  island  of  Corsica,  in  the  fissures  of  rocks. 

23.  F.  e.  oxycarpa.  Sharp-fruited  European  Ash;  Fraxinus  ozycarpa,  of 
Don,  Loudon,  and  others;  Frene  a  fruits pointu,  of  the  French.  The  leaves  of 
this  variety  are  of  a  dark  glossy  green,  and  are  produced  in  tufts  at  the  ends  of 
the  branches.  They  have  from  two  to  three  pairs  of  leaflets,  almost  sessile, 
which  are  lanceolate,  acuminated,  serrated,  and  glabrous.  The  flowers  are 
naked.  The  samarse  lanceolate,  attenuated  at  both  ends,  and  mucronate.  The 
branchlets  are  green,  with  white  dots;  and  the  buds  are  brown.  This  tree  is  a 
native  of  Caucasus. 

24.  F.  e.  pallida.  Pale-barked  European  Ash;  Fraxinus  pallida,  of  Don, 
Loudon,  and  others.  The  leaves  of  this  variety  have  three  pairs  of  leafh  ts, 
which  are  glabrous,  almost  sessile,  ovate-lanceolate,  and  toothed.  The  branches 
are  yellow. 

Geography  and  History.     The  Fraxinus  excelsior  is  indigenous  to  most  parts 

of  Europe,  northern  Africa,  and  Japan.     It  nowhere  arrives  at  greater  perfection 

,han  in  Britain,  where  it  is  found  from  the  county  of  Ross  to  Cornwall.     It 

ilso  abounds  in  the  forests  of  France,  Germany,  Sweden,  Norway,  and  of  Russia. 

The  ash  was  known  to  the  Greeks,  whose  name  for  it  was  melia,  or  boumelia  ; 
and  to  the  Romans,  who,  it  is  said,  named  it  Fraxinus,  quia  facile  frangituri  to 
express  the  fragile  nature  of  the  wood,  as  the  boughs  of  it  are  easily,  broken;  and 
both  the  Greeks  and  Romans  made  their  spears  of  its  wood.  By  the  Roman 
agricultural  writers  it  is  recommended  as  peculiarly  fit  for  making  implements 
of  husbandry,  to  which  purpose  it  is  chiefly  applied  in  modern  times.  In  Britain, 
it  ranks  amongst  the  most  beautiful  of  their  trees,  although,  in  the  ancient 
history  of  that  country,  it  was  very  little  regarded;  indeed,  some  idea  of  the 
value  set  upon  it  may  be  formed,  from  the  fact,  that  in  the  laws  of  the  celebrated 
Howel  Dda,  while  a  branch  of  mistletoe  was  valued  at  thirty  shillings,  the  ash 
was  unmentioned,  and  therefore  must  be  ranked  with  trees  after  the  thorn,  and 
rated  at  fourpence.  Druidical  superstition,  however,  has  vanished,  and  now. 
while  the  mistletoe  is  but  little  valued  except  by  the  bird-catcher,  tor  the  manu- 
facture of  his  lime,  the  ash  is  styled  by  way  of  eminence,  the  "husbandman  s 
tree,"  on  account  of  its  celebrity  for  the  formation  of  agricultural  implements  and 
for  purposes  of  domestic  economy.  . 

Among  numerous  ashes  of  extraordinary  size,  recorded  as  growing  m  Britain, 
may  be  mentioned  those  spoken  of  by  Evelyn,  "lately  sold  in  Essex,  in   length 
one  hundred  and  thirty-two  feet,"  and  the  celebrated  tree  which  formerly  stood 
in  the  churchyard  of  Kilmalie,  in  Lochaber.     The  latter  was  considered  the 
largest  and  the  most  remarkable  tree  in  the  Highlands.     Lochiel,  and  his  numer- 
ous kindred  and  clan  held  it  in  great  veneration  for  generations,  which  is  sup- 
posed to  have  been  the  cause  of  its  destruction;  it  being  burnt  to  the  ground 
the  brutal  soldiery,  in  1746.     En  one  direction,  its  diameter  was  seventeen 
and  three  inches,  and  the  cross  diameter  twenty-one  feet;  its  circumference- 
the  ground  was  fifty-eight  feet. 


338  FRAXINUS    EXCELSIOR. 

At  Cobham  Hall,  in  Kent,  there  is  a  tree  of  this  species,  one  hundred  and 
twenty  feet  in  height,  with  a  trunk  six  feet  and  eight  inches  in  diameter,  straight, 
and  without  a  branch,  for  a  great  height. 

In  Ayrshire,  at  Kilkerran,  there  is  an  ash,  which,  at  thirty  years  after  plant- 
ing, had  attained  the  height  of  sixty  feet,  with  a  trunk  nine  feet  in  diameter,  and 
an  ambitus  or  spread  of  branches  of  seventy-five  feet. 

In  Fermanagh,  at  Enniskillen,  Ireland,  there  is  an  old  tree,  with  a  trunk 
twelve  feet  in  diameter,  three  feet  from  the  ground.  And,  in  Limerick,  at  Adare, 
there  is  an  ash  of  unknown  age,  under  which  the  family  treasure  of  the  ances- 
tors of  the  Earl  of  Dunraven  lay  concealed  during  the  troubles  of  1688. 

In  France,  at  the  Jardin  des  Plantes,  in  Paris,  there  is  a  Fraxinus  excelsior, 
which  in  sixty  years  after  planting,  had  attained  the  height  of  fifty-six  feet. 

At  Monza,  in  Italy,  there  is  a  tree,  which,  at  the  age  of  forty  years,  was  sixty 
feet  high. 

At  Sans  Souci,  near  Berlin,  in  Prussia,  there  is  an  ash,  which,  in  forty  years 
after  planting,  had  attained  the  height  of  fifty  feet. 

In  Russia,  in  the  government  garden  at  Odessa,  there  is  a  tree  of  this  species, 
which  acquired  the  height  of  twenty-three  feet,  in  eleven  years  after  planting. 

The  Fraxinus  excelsior  was  introduced  into  the  North  American  colonies  in 
about  the  year  1740,  and  the  original  tree,  which  has  attained  the  height  of  fifty 
feet,  with  a  trunk  four  feet  in  girth,  is  yet  standing  in  the  Bartram  botanic  gar- 
den, at  Kingsessing.  There  are  also  specimens  of  the  Fraxinus  e.  aurea  and 
pendula,  in  the  nursery  of  Mr.  D.  Landreth,  in  Philadelphia,  fifteen  years  planted, 
and  twenty-five  feet  in  height. 

Poetical,  Mythological  and  Legendary  Allusions.  The  ash  is  mentioned  both 
by  Hesiod  and  Homer ;  the  latter  of  whom  not  only  speaks  of  the  ashen  spear  of 
Achilles,  but  informs  us  that  it  was  by  a  spear  of  this  wood  that  he  was  slain. 

"The  noble  ash  rewards  the  planter's  toil; 
Noble,  since  great  Achilles  from  her  side 
Took  the  dire  spear  by  which  brave  Hector  died." 

In  heathen  mythology,  Cupid  is  said  to  have  made  his  arrows  first  of  ash,  though 
they  were  afterwards  made  of  cypress.  According  to  Virgil,  the  disciples  of  Mars 
used  ashen  poles  for  lances. 

"  A  lance  of  tough  ground  Ash  the  Trojan  threw, 
Rough  in  the  rind  and  knotted  as  it  grew." 

The  Scandinavians  also  introduce  this  tree  into  their  mythology.  It  is  stated  in 
the  "  Edda,"  or  sacred  book  of  the  Northmen,  that  the  court  of  the  gods  is  held 
under  a  mighty  ash,  the  summit  of  which  reaches  to  the  heavens,  the  branches 
overshadow  the  whole  surface  of  the  earth,  and  the  roots  penetrate  to  the  infer- 
nal regions.  An  eagle  rests  on  its  summit  to  observe  everything  that  passes ;  to 
which  a  squirrel  constantly  ascends  and  descends,  to  report  those  things  that  the 
exalted  bird  may  have  neglected  to  notice.  Serpents  are  twined  round  the  trunk ; 
and  from  the  roots  there  spring  two  limpid  fountains,  in  one  of  which  lies  concealed 
wisdom,  and  in  the  other  a  knowledge  of  the  things  to  come.  Three  virgins  con- 
stantly attend  on  this  tree,  to  sprinkle  its  leaves  with  water  from  the  magic  foun- 
tains; and  this  water,  falling  on  the  earth  in  the  form  of  dew,  produces  honey. 
Man,  according  to  the  "Edda,"  was  formed  from  the  wood  of  this  tree;  and 
Hesiod,  in  like  manner,  deduces  his  brazen  race  from 

"The  warlike  Ash,  that  reeks  with  human  blood." 

Ancient  writers  of  all  nations  state  that  the  serpent  entertains  an  extraordinary 
respect  for  the  ash.  Pliny  says  that,  if  a  serpent  be  placed  near  a  fire,  and  both 
surrounded  by  ashen  twigs,  the  serpent  will  sooner  run  into  the  fire  than  pass  over 


EUROPEAN    ASH-TREE.  3QQ 

trie  pieces  of  ash ;  and  Dioscorides  asserts  that  the  juice  of  ash  leaves,  mixed  with 
wine,  is  a  cure  for  the  bite  of  serpents.  Evelyn  mentions  that,  in  some  parts  of 
England  the  country  people  believe  that,  "  if  they  split  young  ash-trees,  and  make- 
ruptured  children  pass  through  the  chasm,  it  will  cure  them;"  and  the  Rev.  \\ . 
T.  Bree  relates  an  instance,  within  his  personal  knowledge,  of  this  extraordinary 
superstition  having  been  practised  within  a  few  years  in  Warwickshire.  Another 
superstition  is  that  of  boring  a  hole  in  an  ash-tree,  and  imprisoning  a  shrew 
mouse  in  it.  A  few  strokes  with  a  branch  of  a  tree  thus  prepared,  is  supposed  to 
cure  lameness  and  cramps  in  cattle,  all  of  which  the  poor  mouse  is  accused  of  hav- 
ing occasioned.  There  is  also  a  proverb  in  the  midland  counties  of  England, 
that,  "if  there  are  no  keys  on  the  ash-trees,  there  will  be  no  king  within  the 
twelvemonth;"  in  allusion  to  the  ash  never  being  totally  destitute  of  keys. 
Lightfoot  says  that,  in  many  parts  of  the  Highlands  of  Scotland,  "  at  the  birth  of 
a  child,  the  nurse  or  midwife  puts  one  end  of  a  green  stick  of  this  tree  into  the 
fire,  and,  while  it  is  burning,  gathering  in  a  spoon  the  sap,  or  juice,  which  oozes 
out  at  the  other  end,  administers  this  as  the  first  spoonful  of  food  to  the  newly- 
born  baby."  Gilpin,  in  his  "Forest  Scenery,"  calls  the  oak  the  Hercules  of  the 
forest,  and  the  ash  the  Venus.  The  Romans  called  the  seed  of  the  ash  lingua 
avis,  from  its  supposed  resemblance  to  a  bird's  tongue.  In  marshy  situations, 
the  ash  strikes  its  roots  deep  into  the  ground.  Hence  arises  the  proverb  in  some 
parts  of  England, — "  May  your  foot-fall  be  by  the  root  of  an  ash  " — may  you  get 
a  firm  footing. 

Soil  and  Situation.  The  Fraxinus  excelsior  always  grows  best  in  a  good  soil, 
somewhat  calcareous,  and  which,  though  not  boggy,  is  generally  adjoining  water. 
Its  most  favourite  situations  are  on  the  steep,  rocky  banks  of  rivers,  or  on  the 
sides  of  glens,  where  the  soil  is  generally  of  a  great  depth,  and  a  stream  not  very 
far  distant.  The  ash,  however,  agrees  with  a  greater  variety  of  soil  and  situa- 
tion, perhaps,  than  any  other  tree  producing  timber  of  equal  value ;  and,  differing 
from  many  other  trees,  its  value  is  increased,  rather  than  diminished,  by  the  rapid- 
ity of  its  growth.  Wherever  its  growth  is  stunted,  the  wood  is  brittle,  and  soon 
affected  by  the  rot ;  but  where  it  has  been  vigorous,  the  compact  part  of  the  several 
layers  bears  a  greater  proportion  to  the  cellular  or  spongy  parts,  and  the  timber 
is  very  tough,  elastic,  and  durable.  Mr.  Sang,  who  is  considered  the  very  best 
modern  authority  in  all  matters  respecting  the  hardier  forest  trees,  observes,  that 
the  ash  "  is  found  in  the  highest  perfection  on  dry,  loamy  soils.  On  such  it  spon- 
taneously grows.  In  moist,  but  not  wet  soils,  it  grows  fast,  but  soon  sickens. 
It  will  grow  freely  on  most  kinds  of  soils,  if  the  situation  be  tolerably  good,  except 
on  retentive  clays  or  tills.  In  wet  soils,  it  soon  sits  up,  (ceases  to  increase  either 
in  girth  or  height,)  languishes,  and  dies.  In  rich  lands,  its  wood  is  short  and 
brittle;  in  sandy  soils  it  is  tough  and  reedy;  qualities  which,  for  several  purposes. 
very  much  enhance  it  value.  In  loam,  mixed  with  decomposed  rock,  at  the  bot- 
tom of  a  mountain,  the  ash  arrives  at  a  greater  size."  Dr.  Walker,  a  close 
observer  of  nature,  and  an  ardent  lover  of  trees,  says,  in  his  "  Highlands  of  Scot- 
land," that,  "The  ash  should  be  planted  on  dry  banks,  in  glens  and  gullies,  in 
places  incumbered  with  large,  loose  stones,  and  in  all  rocky  places,  wherever 
there  is  shelter;"  but,  "the  largest  trees,"  continues  he,  "  will  always  be  found 
where  they  have  running  water  within  reach  of  their  roots."  And  he  addSj 
"There  is  no  situation  too  high,  or  too  cold,  for  the  ash,  provided  it  has  shelter; 
but  without  shelter  it  never  makes  a  considerable  tree  at  a  great  height,  even 
though  standing  in  a  good  soil."  The  most  proper  situation  for  the  ash.  accord- 
ing to  Nicol,  is  the  forest  or  the  grove.  Marshall  recommends  it  to  be  planted 
alternately  with  the  oak;  because,  as  the  ash  draws  its  nourishment  from  the 
surface,  and  the  oak  from  the  sub-soil,  the  ground  would  thus  he  fully  and  profit- 
ably employed 


390  FRAXINUS    EXCELSIOK. 

Propagation  and  Culture.  The  species  is  always  propagated  by  seeds,  and  the 
varieties  by  grafting  or  budding  on  the  species.  The  seeds  should  be  gathered 
as  soon  as  they  are  ripe,  and  taken  to  the  rotting-ground,  where  they  should  be 
mixed  with  light,  sandy  earth,  and  laid  in  a  flat  heap,  not  more  than  ten  inches 
thick,  in  order  to  prevent  them  from  heating.  Here  they  should  be  turned  over 
several  times  in  the  course  of  the  winter ;  and,  as  early  as  the  ground  will  per- 
mit, in  the  spring,  they  may  be  removed,  freed  from  the  sand  by  sifting,  and 
sown  in  beds  in  a  middling  soil.  The  richness  or  quality  of  the  soil,  Sang 
observes,  is  of  little  consequence;  but  it  should  be  well  broken  by  the  rake,  and 
the  situation  should  be  open,  to  prevent  the  plants  from  being  drawn  up  too  slen- 
der. The  seeds  may  be  deposited  at  the  distance  of  half  an  inch  every  way,  and 
covered  about  a  quarter  of  an  inch  deep  with  soil.  The  plants  may  be  taken  up 
at  the  end  of  the  first  season,  and  planted  in  nursery  lines;  and  at  the  end  of  the 
second  year,  they  may  be  removed  to  where  they  are  finally  to  remain.  If 
planted  in  a  good  soil,  they  will  grow  rapidly  when  young,  attaining  a  height  of 
fifteen  feet  and  upwards,  in  ten  years.  When  cultivated  as  a  coppice-wood,  the  ash 
will  continue  throwing  up  shoots  from  stools  or  pollards  for  more  than  a  century. 
The  most  profitable  age  for  felling  its  timber,  appears  to  be  from  eighty  to  one 
hundred  years.  The  drip  of  the  ash  is  injurious  to  the  vegetation  of  almost  every 
other  plant ;  and,  when  planted  in  cultivated  fields,  from  its  numerous  fibrous 
roots,  which  run  close  to  the  surface,  a  certain  portion  of  the  land  around  it  is 
rendered  unproductive.  The  use  of  the  ash  in  plantations,  therefore,  has  been 
objected  to  on  this  account;  although,  it  is  admitted  that  this,  and  its  love  of 
shelter,  constitute  a  decided  reason  why  it  should  not  be  planted  in  hedge-rows, 
or  where  it  is  expected  to  derive  profit  from  plants  growing  under  its  shade,  yet 
it  affords  no  argument  against  planting  it  in  masses,  where  the  object  is  the  pro- 
duction of  timber  or  coppice- wood.  As  the  tree,  when  standing  singly,  forms  a 
most  ornamental  object  on  a  lawn,  and,  though  it  may  impede  the  growth  of 
grass,  yet  does  not  destroy  it,  there  is  no  reason  why  the  ash  should  not  be 
admitted  into  pleasure-grounds,  as  well  as  the  cedar,  or  any  other  dense  ever- 
green, under  which  grass  will  not  thrive.  It  has  been  observed,  that  female  and 
hermaphrodite  trees,  from  the  quantity  of  seeds  which  they  produce,  never  exhibit 
such  a  handsome  clothing  of  foliage  as  the  male  trees;  and  hence,  in  some  situa- 
tions, where  ornament  is  required,  it  may  be  desirable  to  make  sure  of  a  male  by 
grafting. 

Accidents,  Diseases,  and  Insects.  When  standing  alone,  the  far-extended 
branches  of  the  ash,  are  liable  to  be  broken  off  by  high  winds ;  but,  except  on 
unsuitable  soils,  it  is  not  subject  to  the  canker,  or  many  other  diseases.  From 
,  )o  quick  an  ascent  of  the  sap;  or,  as  some  imagine,  from  the  puncture  of  an 
unknown  insect  in  the  tender  twigs,  which  diverts  the  sap  from  its  usual  course, 
the  branches  of  the  ash  sometimes  become  twisted  and  curled  into  a  beautiful 
faciated  form,  resembling  a  ram's  horn,  or  a  crosier.  These  wreathed  excres- 
cences or  facia  are  sometimes  also  found  in  other  trees,  as  the 
willow,  and  particularly  in  the  holly.  As  the  ash  comes  late 
into  leaf,  it  is  by  no  means  so  liable  to  the  attacks  of  insects  as 
fie  various  species  of  orchard  fruits,  which  put  forth  early;  at 
least,  this  is  the  case  in  Britain;  but,  in  France,  its  leaves  are 
liable  to  be  destroyed  by  the  Cantharis  vesicatoria,  denoted  by  / 
the  adjoining  figure;  and  also  by  bees,  ants,  and  birds,  in  the  /  f  | 
middle  of  summer.  "If  nature  had  produced  the  ash  for  no 
other  purpose  than  for  the  embellishment  of  forests,"  says  a 
writer  in  the  "  Nouveau  Du  Hamel,"  "we  might  almost  say 
that  she  had  failed  in  her  end,  or  had  opposed  herself  to  her  own 
destining  the  leaves  of  that  tree  to  be  the  food  of  an  insect,  Cantharis 


EUROPEAN  ASH-TREE.  391 

catoria,  a  beetle  of  a  beautiful  golden-green,  with  black  antenna-,  which  devours 
them  with  avidity.  The  ash  is  no  sooner  covered  with  leaves,  than  they  are 
attacked  by  such  a  number  of  cantharides,  or  Spanish  flies,  thai  the  trees,  during 
the  remainder  of  the  summer,  have  a  dismal  appearance;  and,  though  the 
insect  which  devours  the  leaves  may  please  the  eye  by  its  elegant  form,  and  its 
colours  of  green  and  gold,  yet  it  spreads  abroad  a  smell  which  is  so  disagreeable, 
that  it  causes  the  common  ash  to  be  excluded  from  our  forests,  where  the  flower- 
ing ash,  and  some  of  the  American  species,  are  alone  introduced."  .M.  Pirolle, 
in  the  "  Bon  Jardinier,"  states  that,  "even  when  the  cantharides  are  dead  on  the 
trees,  they  become  dried  to  a  powder,  which  it  is  difficult  to  pass  without  inhal- 
ing. The  particles  of  this  powder,  being  parts  of  those  flies  that  cause  the  Mis- 
tering of  the  skin  when  a  blister-plaster  is  applied,  are,  of  course,  dangerous 
to  persons  who  inhale  them;  and,  on  this  account,  ash-trees  are  seldom  planted 
near  villages  in  France."  Mr.  Mumby,  in  a  paper  in  the  London  "  Magazine 
of  Natural  History,"  states  that  he  saw  "an  ash-tree  overhanging  the  road  near 
Dijon,  so  crowded  with  the  Cantharis  vesicatoria,  that  the  excrement  of  the 
insects  literally  blackened  the  ground."  On  passing  underneath  the  tree,  he  felt 
his  face  as  if  bitten  by  gnats,  and  smelt  a  most  disagreeable  sickening  odour, 
"which  extends,"  says  he,  "twenty  or  thirty  yards  from  the  tree,  according  to 
the  direction  of  the  wind."  These  insects  make  their  appearance,  in  the  south 
of  Europe  about  mid-summer,  more  particularly  on  the  ash,  privet,  and  lilac,  on 
the  leaves  of  which  they  feed.  Fortunately,  they  are  not  very  numerous  in  Eng- 
land; but  in  Russia,  according  to  Pallas,  the  cantharides  abound  on  the  Lonicera 
tatarica,  and  are  collected  from  that  plant  in  great  quantities  for  the  apothecaries. 
In  a  living  state,  the  young  branches  of  the  ash  are  frequently  attacked  by  a 
small  scaly  insect,  (Chermes,)  which,  feeding  on  the  sap,  often  throws  the  tree 
into  a  decline.  The  decayed  wood  of  the  ash,  as  well  as  that  of  many  other  trees, 
is  devoured  by  the  larvas  of  the  Dorcus  parallelopipedus,  and  the  Sinodendron 
cylindricum.  It  has  been  observed,  that,  when  wood-peckers  are  seen  tapping  the 
ash  and  other  timber-trees,  they  ought  to  be  cut  down,  as  these  birds  never 
attempt  to  make  holes  in  a  tree,  till  it  is  in  a  state  of  decay. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  timber  of  the  ash  is  exceedingly  elastic;  so  much 
so,  according  to  Tredgold,  that  a  joist  of  it  will  sustain  more  weight  before  it 
will  break,  than  one  of  any  other  European  tree.  When  green,  it  weighs  about 
sixty-four  and  a  half  pounds  to  a  cubic  foot,  and  about  forty-nine  and  a  half 
pounds  when  dry.  The  value  of  the  timber  is  increased  by  the  rapidity  ol'  its 
growth;  and,  as  in  the  case  of  the  Castanea  vesca,  (sweet  chesnut.)  the  wood  of 
the  young  trees  is  more  esteemed  than  that  of  old  ones.  The  texture  of  the  wood 
is  alternately  compact  and  porous;  and,  where  the  growth  has  been  vigorous,  the 
compact  part  of  the  annual  layers  bears  a  greater  proportion  to  the  porous,  and 
the  timber  is  comparatively  more  tough,  elastic,  and  durable.  In  durability, 
however,  and  also  in  rigidity,  it  is  inferior  to  that  of  the  oak  ;  but  it  is  superior  to 
that  wood,  in  toughness  and  elasticity;  and  hence  its  universal  employment  in 
all  those  parts  of  machinery  which  have  to  sustain  sudden  shocks:  such  as  the 
circumference  teeth,  and  spokes  of  wheels,  beams,  ploughs,  &c .*  Since  the  use  of 
iron  has  become  so  general  in  the  manufacture  of « implements  and  machines,  the 
value  of  the  ash  is  somewhat  diminished ;  still,  however,  it  ranks  next  in  ralue 
to  the  oak,  and  is  held  even  to  surpass  it  for  some  purposes.  It  is  much  in  use 
by  the  coach-maker,  the  wheelwright,  and  the  manufacturer  of  agricultural  imple- 
ments; and  is  also  much  used  for  making  oars,  blocks  for  pulleys,  lV<'.  Ii  is 
highly  valued  for  kitchen  tables,  as  it  may  be  better  scoured  than  any  other 
wood,  and  is  not  so  liable  to  run  splinters  into  the  fingers  of  the  scourer.  For 
the  same  reason,  it  was  formerly  much  used  in  England  for  staircases     and.  m 

*  See  Tredgold's  Carpentry. 


o-)2  FUAXINUS    EXCELM0R. 

many  parts  of  that  country,  milk-pails  are  made  of  thin  boards,  sawed  length- 
wise out  of  this  tree,  by  rolling  them  into  hollow  cylinders,  and  then  affixing  a 
bottom  to  each.  From  the  sonorous  properties  of  the  timber  of  the  ash,  com- 
bined with  strength  and  elasticity,  it  is  preferred  by  watchmen,  for  staves,  to 
any  other  wood.  The  roots  and  knotty  parts  of  the  trunk  of  this  tree  are  in 
demand  by  cabinet-makers,  on  account  of  the  curious  dark  figures  formed  by 
their  veins,  which  make  a  singular  appearance  when  wrought  and  polished. 
There  are  also  certain  knotty  excrescences  in  the  ash,  called  brusca  and  mollusca, 
which,  when  cut  and  polished,  are  remarkably  beautiful.  Evelyn  remarks  in 
his  "Sylva,"  that  "some  ash  is  so  curiously  cambleted  and  veined,  that  skilful 
cabinet-makers  prize  it  equally  with  ebony,  and  call  it  green  ebony."  The  ash 
makes  excellent  fuel,  burning,  even  when  newly  cut,  with  very  little  smoke ;  and 
it  is  said  to  be  the  best  of  all  woods  for  smoke-drying  herrings.  Few  other  tim- 
ber trees  in  England  become  useful  so  soon  after  planting,  it  being  fit  for  walk- 
ing-canes at  four  or  five  years'  growth ;  and  for  handles  to  spades  and  other 
implements,  at  nine  or  ten  years  of  age.  "  An  ash  pole,"  observes  Nicol,  "  three 
inches  in  diameter,  is  as  valuable  and  durable,  for  any  purpose  to  which  it  may 
be  applied,  as  the  timber  of  the  largest  tree."  It  is  particularly  valuable  for  hop- 
poles,  hoops,  crates,  handles  to  baskets,  rods  for  training  plants,  forming  bowers, 
for  light  hurdles,  and  for  wattling  fences.  In  Staffordshire,  in  the  neighbourhood 
of  potteries,  the  ash  is  cultivated  to  a  great  extent,  and  cut  every  five  or  six 
years  for  crate-wood.  In  Kent,  and  in  various  places  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
London,  the  most  profitable  application  of  the  young  ash  is  for  walking-canes, 
plant-rods,  hoops,  and  hop-poles.  For  the  latter  purpose,  coppice-woods  are  cut 
over  every  twelve  or  fourteen  years,  according  to  the  nature  of  the  soil ;  and,  for 
the  former  purposes,  every  five  or  seven  years.  The  ashes  of  the  branches  and 
shoots  of  this  tree  afford  a  very  good  potash.  The  bark  is  used  for  tanning  nets 
and  calf-skins.  With  the  sulphate  of  iron,  it  imparts  a  green  or  greenish-black ; 
with  the  salts  of  alum,  a  yellow;  and  with  the  acetate  of  copper,  a  clear  olive- 
green  colour.  In  many  parts  of  continental  Europe,  the  ash  is  formed  into 
hedges,  and  its  leaves  serve  for  feeding  cattle  in  autumn,  winter,  and  spring.  The 
leaves  and  shoots,  eaten  by  cows,  are  said  to  give  the  milk  and  butter  a  rank 
taste;  but  this  does  not  appear  to  have  been  considered  a  great  evil  by  the 
Romans,  as  they  recommend  the  leaves  of  this  tree  for  fodder  next  to  those  of 
the  elm;  and  Mr.  Sydney,  of  Cowpen,  near  Morpeth,  in  Northumberlandshire, 
who  lives  in  a  country  where  the  ash  is  more  abundant  than  any  other  tree,  says, 
in  a  communication  to  Mr.  Loudon,  that,  "The  statement  made  by  several 
writers,  that  butter  made  from  the  milk  of  cows  which  have  eaten  ash  leaves 
has  a  disagreeable  taste,  is  certainly  not  founded  in  fact."  Medicinally,  the 
leaves,  bark,  seeds,  and  wood  of  this  tree,  are  sudorific,  diuretic,  and  febrifugal ; 
the  bark  having  acquired  the  name  of  the  "  cinchona  of  Europe."  The  Arabian, 
as  well  as  the  Greek  and  Roman  physicians,  highly  extolled  the  medicinal  vir- 
tues of  the  seed,  which,  it  is  said,  is  good  for  the  dropsy,  stone,  and  many  other 
diseases.  M.  De  Perthuis  states  that  the  sap  of  the  ash  is  an  excellent  remedy 
for  the  gangrene.  For  this  purpose  it  is  extracted  from  the  leaves  by  macera- 
tion ;  and  from  the  green  wood  by  putting  one  end  of  a  branch  or  truncheon  into 
the  fire,  and  gathering  the  sap  in  a  spoon  as  it  oozes  out  from  the  other  end.  A 
decoction  of  the  bark,  or  of  the  leaves,  has  been  used  as  a  tonic ;  and  an  infusion 
of  the  leaves  as  an  aperient,  and  as  a  purgative.  They  have  also  been  employed 
in  England  in  adulterating  tea.  The  ash  keys,  which  have  an  aromatic,  though 
rather  bitter  flavour,  were  formerly  gathered  in  a  green  state,  and  pickled  with 
salt  and  vinegar,  to  be  sent  to  the  table  as  a  sauce,  or,  as  Evelyn  expresses  it, 
"as  a  delicate  salading."  In  Siberia,  the  keys  are  infused  in  the  water  used  for 
drinking  to  give  it  what  is  there  considered  an  agreeable  flavour.     The  leaves 


EUROPEAN    ASH-TREE.  393 

and  bark  of  the  Fraxinus  e.  heterophylla,  in  that  country,  distil  a  manna,  a  very 
gentle  purgative,  considerably  used  in  materia  medica,  as  well  as  in  the  veter- 
inary art.  This  manna,  when  freshly  gathered,  serves  as  a  good  substitute  for 
sugar.  From  the  ash,  as  before  observed,  are  obtained  the  cantharides  of  the 
shops,  commonly  known  by  the  name  of  Spanish  flies. 

This  tree,  with  reference  to  its  picturesque  beauties,  is  characterized  by  that 
beautiful  writer,  Bernard  Gilpin,  in  the  following  manner : — "  The  ash  generally 
carries  its  principal  stem  higher  than  the  oak,  and  rises  in  an  easy,  flowing  line; 
but  its  chief  beauty  consists  in  the  lightness  of  its  whole  appearance.  Its  branches' 
at  first,  keep  close  to  the  trunk,  and  form  acute  angles  with  it ;  but  as  they  begin 
to  lengthen,  they  generally  take  an  easy  sweep;  and  the  looseness  of  the  leaves 
corresponding  with  the  lightness  of  the  spray,  the  whole  forms  an  elegant  depend- 
ing foliage.  Nothing  can  have  a  better  effect  than  an  old  ash  hanging  from  the 
corner  of  a  wood,  and  bringing  off  the  heaviness  of  the  other  foliage  with  its  loose 
pendent  branches;  and  yet,  in  some  soils,  I  have  seen  the  ash  lose  much  of  its 
beauty  in  the  decline  of  age.  Its  foliage  becomes  rare  and  meagre;  and  its 
branches,  instead  of  hanging  loosely,  often  start  away  in  disagreeable  forms.  In 
short,  the  ash  often  loses  that  grandeur  and  beauty  in  old  age  which  the  general- 
ity of  trees,  and  particularly  the  oak,  preserve  till  a  late  period  of  their  existence. 
The  ash  also,  on  another  account,  falls  under  the  displeasure  of  the  picturesque 
eye.  Its  leaf  is  much  tenderer  than  that  of  the  oak,  and  sooner  receives  impres- 
sion from  the  winds  and  frost.  Instead  of  contributing  its  tint,  therefore,  in  the 
wane  of  the  year,  among  the  many-coloured  offspring  of  the  woods,  it  shrinks 
from  the  blast,  drops  its  leaf,  and,  in  every  scene  where  it  predominates,  leaves 
wide  blanks  of  desolated  boughs,  amidst  foliage  yet  fresh  and  verdant.  Before 
its  decay,  we  sometimes  see  its  leaf  tinged  with  a  fine  yellow,  well  contrasted 
with  the  neighbouring  greens.  But  this  is  one  of  nature's  casual  beauties ;  much 
oftener,  its  leaf  decays  in  a  dark,  muddy,  unpleasing  tint;  and  yet,  sometimes, 
notwithstanding  this  early  loss  of  its  foliage,  we  see  the  ash,  in  a  sheltered  situa- 
tion, when  the  rains  have  been  abundant,  and  the  season  mild,  retain  its  green, 
when  the  oak  and  the  elm  in  its  neighbourhood  have  put  on  their  autumnal 
attire."  And  the  ash  is  no  less  beautifully  characterized  by  Strutt,  in  his  "  Sylva 
Britannica,"  "  waving  its  slender  branches  over  some  precipice  which  just  affords 
it  soil  sufficient  for  its  footing,  or  springing  between  crevices  of  rock;  a  happy 
emblem  of  the  hardy  spirit  which  will  not  be  subdued  by  fortune's  scantiness. 
It  is  likewise  a  lovely  object  by  the  side  of  some  crystal  stream,  in  which  it  views 
its  elegant  pendent  foliage,  bending,  Narcissus-like,  over  its  own  charms." 
50 


Fraxinus  americana, 
THE  AMERICAN  ASH-TREE. 


Synonymes. 


Fraxinus  americana, 

Frene  d'Amerique,  Frene  blanc, 
Amerikanische  Esche, 
Frassino  americano, 
American  Ash, 
White  Ash,  Green  Ash, 


Willdenow,  Linnsei  Species  Plantarum. 

Michaux,  North  American  Sylva. 

Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 

France. 

Germany. 

Italy. 

Britain. 

Anglo-America. 


Derivations.  This  species  is  called  Frbie  blanc,  or  White  Ash,  from  the  superior  whiteness  of  its  wood,  over  every  othei 
species  of  the  genus. 

Engravi?igs.  Michaux,  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  118  ;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  ii.,  fig.  1055,  and  vi.,  pi.  209  ;  and 
the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.     Leaflets  7,  petiolate,  oblong,  acuminate,  shining  above,  quite  entire,  glaucous  beneath. 
Flowers  calyculate. — Bon,  Miller's  Diet. 


Description. 


iHE 


Fraxinus  ameri- 
cana, from  the  quali- 
ties of  its  wood,  the 
i^l^H  rapidity  of  its  growth, 
and  the  beauty  of  its  foliage,  is  one  of  the  most 
interesting  among  American  trees.  In  favour- 
able situations,  it  sometimes  attains  the  height1 
of  eighty  feet,  with  a  trunk  three  feet  in  diam- 
eter, and  often  is  undivided  for  more  than  half 
of  its  length.  The  bark  is  deeply  furrowed,  with 
the  ridges  crossing  each  other  in  such  a  man- 
ner, as  to  give  the  spaces  between,  the  shape 
of  a  lozenge,  or  what  is  usually  called  diamond 
form.  When  grown  in  an  open  field  or  lawn, 
the  branches  diverge  from  the  central  stem,  in 
a  double  curve,  like  those  of  a  chandelier,  di- 
minishing in  length,  with  great  regularity  as 
they  proceed  upwards.  The  twigs  are  thick, 
and  do  not  taper  to  a  point,  but  end  abruptly,  in  spring,  with  a  large  terminal 
bud.  The  shoots  of  the  first  two  years'  growth  are  of  a  bluish-gray  colour,  and 
are  perfectly  smooth.  The  buds,  which  are  intensely  bitter,  are  large  and  broad, 
and  are  of  a  pale-brown"  colour,  by  which  latter  circumstance  this  tree  is  easily 
distinguished  from  the  European  species.  The  leaves  are  from  twelve  to  four- 
teen inches  long,  opposite,  and  composed  of  three  or  four  pairs  of  leaflets,  sur- 
mounted by  an  odd  one.  They  are  borne  on  short  petiolules,  are  three  or  four 
inches  long,  about  two  inches  broad,  oval-acuminate,  rarely  denticulated,  of  a 
delicate  texture,  with  an  undulated  surface.  Early  in  the  spring,  they  are  cov- 
ered with  a  light  down,  which  gradually  disappears,  and  at  the  approach  of  sum- 
mer, they  are  perfectly  smooth,  of  a  light-green  colour  above,  and  whitish  beneath. 
This  difference  in  the  colour  of  the  surfaces  of  the  leaflets  is  peculiar  to  this  spe- 


AMERICAN   ASH-TREE. 


391 


having 


broader 


eies  from  which  circumstance,  it  lias  been  called  by  some  botanists,  Prasinus 
discolor.  1  he  flowers,  which  put  forth  in  the  month  of  May,  arc  of  a  Light-green 
colour  and  are  succeeded  by  keys  about  an  inch  and  a  half  in  length  cylindrical 
near  the  basu,  and  gradually  flattened  into  a  wing-like  form,  with  their  extremi- 
ties slightly  notched.  They  are  usually  united  in  bunches,  four  or  five  inches 
long,  and  are  ripe  early  in  autumn. 

Varieties.  For  reasons  stated  in  our  remarks  at  the  commencement  of  this 
genus,  we  have  considered  all  the  alleged  species  of  the  American  ash,  only  as 
varieties,  which  will  be  found  to  be  no  more  numerous  than  those  of  the  Euro- 
pean species;  and  not  half  so  much  so  as  those  of  the  Quercus  cerris,  ilex  and 
other  species  of  oak,  of  which  very  little  notice  is  taken,  because  they  cannot  be 
readily  propagated  by  grafting.  The  variations  in  the  American  ash  may  be 
characterized  as  follows;  but  those  who  differ  from  us  in  opinion  will  find  no  dif- 
ficulty in  recognizing  their  names  as  given  by  Michaux,  Loudon,  and  others,  and 
will  thus  be  enabled  to  know  under  what  head  they  are  described  in  the  works 
of  these  authors  : — 

1.  F.  a.    latifolia,    Loudon.      Broad-leaved  American  Ash, 
leaves  than  the  species. 

2.  F.  a.  pubescens.  Pubescent  American  Ash  ;  Fraxinus  tomentosa,  of  Michaux  ; 
Fraxinus  pubescens,  of  Don,  Loudon,  and  others;  Frene  pubescent,  Frene  rouge, 
of  the  French  ;  Red  Ash,  of  the  Anglo-Ameri- 
cans. This  variety  is  a  beautiful  tree,  some- 
times attaining  a  height  of  sixty  feet,  with  a 
trunk  fifteen  or  eighteen  inches  in  diameter. 
The  bark  of  the  trunk  is  of  a  deep-brown  ;  and 
the  wood,  which  is  of  a  reddish  hue,  is  some- 
what harder,  but  less  elastic,  than  that  of  the 
white  ash,  and  is  applied  to  similar  uses  in  the 
arts.  It  is  inferior  to  that  tree,  both  in  size, 
and  in  the  rapidity  of  its  growth ;  the  length 
of  the  annual  shoots,  and  the  distances  between 
the  buds  being  only  about  one  half  as  great. 
The  leaves  are  from  twelve  to  fifteen  inches 
>ong,  and  are  composed  of  three  or  four  pairs 
.of  very  acuminate  leaflets,  terminated  by  an 
odd  one.  The  lower  surface  of  the  leaflets,  as 
well  as  the  shoots  of  the  same  season,  are  cov- 
ered with  a  thick  down,  which,  on  insulated 
trees,  at  the  approach  of  autumn,  becomes  red, 
whence,  probably,  is  derived  the  name  of  the  tree  ;  but  by  others  it  is  thought 
to  be  derived  from  the  reddish  colour  of  its  wood.  The  flowers,  which  put  forth 
in  May,  are  succeeded  by  samarae  similar  in  form  and  arrangement  to  those  (if  the 
white  ash,  but  differing  from  them  in  being  not  quite  so  long,  and  in  having  a 
short  mucro  at  the  apex.  This  variety  is  most  abundant  in  Pennsylvania,  Mary- 
land, and  Virginia;  where  it  prefers  swamps  and  places  frequently  inundated,  or 
liable  to  be  covered  with  water  by  copious  rains.  In  these,  situations,  n  is 
accompanied  by  the  shell-bark  hickory,  (Carya  alba.)  bitter-nut  hickory,  (Carya 
amara,)  swamp  white  oak,  (Quercus  prinus  discolor,)  red  maple,  (  Leer  nihruin.) 
sweet  gum,  (Liquidambar  styraciflna,)  and  the  tupelo-tree  (Nyssa  biflora.J 
This  variety  was  introduced  into  Britain  in  L811,  where  it  can  only  he  consid- 
ered as  an  ornamental  tree. 

3.  F.  a.  sub-pubescens.  Slightly-pubescent  American  Ash,  having  its  leaflets 
petiolate,  elliptic-oblong,  acuminated,  sharply  serrated,  downy  beneath,  with  the 
common  petioles  glabrous. 


396 


FRAXINUS    AMERICANA. 


Anglo-Americans. 


4.  F.  a.  sambucifolia.  Elder -leaved  American  Ash;  Fraxinus  sambucifoha, 
of  Michaux,  Don,  Loudon,  and  others;  Frene  a  feuilles  de  sureau,  Frene  noir, 
of  the  French ;  Black  Ash,  Brown  Ash,  Water  Ash,  of  the 
This  tree,  in  favourable  situations,  frequently 
attains  a  height  of  seventy  or  eighty  feet,  with 
a  trunk  from  two  feet  to  two  feet  and  a  half  in 
diameter.  It  is  easily  distinguished  from  the 
white  ash  by  its  bark, "which  is  more  inclined  to 
a  yellowish  cast,  is  smoother,  with  the  furrows, 
in  old  trees,  parallel  and  perpendicular,  often 
infested  with  bunches  of  moss,  and  may,  in 
some  degree,  be  peeled  off  in  small  thin  plates, 
or  laminae.  It  may  also  be  distinguished  by  its 
buds,  which  are  of  a  deep-blue,  or  nearly  black, 
and  by  the  colour  of  its  heart-wood,  which  is  of 
a  fine  bistre-brown.  The  young  shoots  are  of  a 
bright-green,  beset  with  black  dots,  which  dis- 
appear as  the  season  advances.  The  leaves  at 
their  unfolding  are  accompanied  by  stipuloe 
which  fall  after  two  or  three  weeks,  are  from 
twelve  to  fifteen  inches  long,  when  fully  devel- 
oped, and  are  composed  of  three  or  four  pairs  of  leaflets,  with  an  odd  one. 
The  leaflets  are  sessile,  oval-acuminate,  denticulated,  of  a  deep-green  colour, 
smooth  on  the  upper  surface,  and  coated  with  a  reddish  down  upon  the  main 
ribs,  beneath.  When  bruised,  they  emit  an  odour  like  that  of  the  leaves  of  the 
elder.  This  variety  is  among  the  last  trees  which  put  forth  in  spring,  and  the 
earliest  that  lose  their  leaves  in  autumn.  The  very  first  hard  frost  that  comes, 
not  only  causes  its  leaves  to  fade  and  become  yellow,  as  those  of  the  other  trees, 
but  blackening  and  shrivelling  them  up,  so  that  they  fall  in  showers,  with  the 
least  breath  of  wind.  It  is  often  completely  denuded,  in  the  northern  parts  of 
the  United  States  by  the  20th  of  September.  The  flowers,  which  put  forth  in 
May  or  June,  are  succeeded  by  flat  samaras, or  keys,  disposed  in  bunches  four  or 
five  inches  long,  that  are  nearly  as  broad  at  the  base  as  at  the  summit.  This 
variety  is  found  chiefly  in  the  middle  and  northern  parts  of  the  United  States, 
and  also  abounds  in  the  British  colonies  of  North  America,  particularly  in  the 
forests  of  Nova  Scotia  and  New  Brunswick,  where  it  is  generally  found  in  a 
moist  soil,  or  one  that  is  exposed  to  inundations,  and  is  usually  accompanied  by 
the  red  maple,  (Acer  rubrum,)  yellow  birch,  (Betula  excelsa,)  black  spruce, 
(Abies  nigra,)  and  the  American  arbor  vitse  (Thuja  occidentalis.)  In  the  mid- 
dle states  of  the  union,  this  tree  associates  with  the  Fraxinus  a.  pubescens,  and 
the  Acer  rubrum.  Its  wood  is  tougher  and  more  elastic  than  that  of  the  white 
ash,  but  less  durable  when  exposed  to  the  vicissitudes  of  moisture  and  dryness, 
for  which  reason  it  is  less  extensively  used.  Like  the  European  ash,  the  value 
of  its  timber  is  increased  by  the  rapidity  of  its  growth ;  and,  as  in  the  case  of  that 
species,  the  wood  of  young  trees  is  more  esteemed  than  that  of  old  ones.  The 
sap-wood  of  this  variety  is  very  white,  tough,  and  compact,  when  compared 
with  its  heart- wood,  which,  as  before  observed,  is  of  a  fine  bistre-brown,  and  from 
this  circumstance  the  tree  derives  its  name.  In  the  parts  of  the  country  where 
this  variety  abounds  it  is  split  into  rails  for  rural  fences,  which  rank  next  to  the 
cedar  for  durability,  but  are  far  more  heavy  and  difficult  to  move.  It  has  also 
been  employed  with  advantage  in  the  construction  of  dams,  wharves,  canals,  and 
other  works,  particularly  in  the  parts  above  the  ordinary  flow  of  the  waters  and 
streams,  where  strength  and  durability  are  required.  It  is  not  employed  by 
coach-makers  nor  inill-wrights,  nor  is  it  ever  wrought  into  oars,  pulleys,  or  hand- 


AMERICAN    ASH-TRKE. 


397 


ieni 
ion. 


spikes,  as  the  annual  layers  readily  separate,  by  repeated  blows,  or  by  freqi 
bending  In  Nova  Scotia,  New  Brunswick,  and  the  northern  states  of  the  un 
it  is  preferred  to  the  white  ash  for  hoops;  and,  as  the  concentric  layers  readily 
yield  by  mailing,  they  are  separated  into  long  strips,  often  as  thin  as  a  wafer 
which  are  much  used  in  the  country  in  the  manufacture  of  baskets,  corn-riddles' 
and  sometimes  for  the  bottoms  of  chairs.  The  wood  of  this  variety  is  more 
liable  than  any  other  to  be  disfigured  with  knobs  or  wens,  which  are  sometimes 
of  considerable  size,  and  are  detached  from  the  body  of  the  tree,  and  made  into 
trays  or  bowls.  The  wood  of  these  excrescences  has  the  advantage  of  superior 
solidity,  and  when  carefully  polished,  exhibits  very  singular  undulations  of  fibre 
and  might  be  profitably  employed  by  cabinet-makers  and  other  manufacturers 
of  fancy  work.  This  sort,  like  most  other  kinds  of  ash,  is  particularly  prolific  in 
potash. 

5.  F.  a.  sambucifolia  crispa.  Crisp-leaved  Elder-leaved  American  Ash,  having 
curled  leaves. 

6.  F.  a.  quadrangulata.  Quadrangular-branched  American  Ash;  Frasinus 
quadrangulata,  of  Michaux,  Don,  Loudon,  and  others;  Frhie  quadra ng via ire, 
Frene  bleu,  of  the  French;  Blue  Ash,  of  the  Anglo-Americans.  This  variety,  in 
favourable  situations,  often  attains  a  height  of 

sixty  or  seventy  feet,  with  a  diameter  of  fifteen  or 
twenty  inches.  The  bark  of  the  trunk  cracks 
and  separates  into  thin  plates  much  in  the 
same  manner  as  that  of  the  white  oak  (Quer- 
cus  alba.)  The  leaves  are  from  twelve  to 
eighteen  inches  long,  and  are  composed  of  from 
two  to  four  pairs  of  leaflets,  terminated  by  an 
odd  one.  The  leaflets  are  almost  sessile,  ellip- 
tic-lanceolate, distinctly  toothed,  smooth  on 
the  upper  surface,  and  downy  beneath.  The 
branches  are  quadrangular;  and  the  young 
shoots  to  which  the  leaves  are  attached,  are 
distinguished  by  four  opposite  membranes, 
nearly  one  third  of  an  inch  broad,  that  are  of 
a  greenish  colour,  and  extend  through  their 
entire  length.  This  character  disappears  in 
the  third  or  fourth  year,  leaving  only  the  traces  of  its  existence.  The  flowers, 
which  put  forth  in  May,  are  succeeded  by  samaras  that  are  flat  from  one  extrem- 
ity to  the  other,  and  blunt  at  both  ends,  but  a  little  narrowed  towards  the  base. 
The  blue  ash  is  chiefly  found  in  Tennessee,  Kentucky,  and  the  southern  pari  ol 
Ohio,  where  the  climate  is  mild,  and  the  soil  fertile  in  an  extreme  degree.  This 
fertility  seems  to  serve  as  a  substitute  for  that  degree  of  moisture,  which,  in  the 
Atlantic  states,  appears  to  be  indispensable  to  the  growth  of  the  ash.  The  wood 
of  this  tree  possesses  the  characteristic  properties  of  the  genus;  and,  of  all  the 
varieties  of  the  western  states,  it  is  the  most  extensively  employed,  and  tin1  mosl 
highly  esteemed.  Besides  the  habitual  use  that  is  made  of  it  for  the  frames  ol 
carriages,  and  for  the  felloes  of  wheels,  agricultural  implements.  \i-.,  it  is  i_r<ii«'i- 
ally  selected  for  the  flooring  of  houses,  and  frequently  for  their  exterior  covering; 
and,  where  the  tulip-tree,  (Liriodendron,)  does  not  abound,  it  sometimes  serves 
for  the  shingles  of  their  roofs.  It  is  said  that  a  blue  colour  may  be  extracted 
from  the  bark  of  this  tree;  from  which  circumstance,  probably,  it  derives  its  com- 
mon name.  It  was  introduced  into  Britain  in  1  s i:;.  and  is  to  be  met  with  in 
many  of  the  European  and  American  collections. 

7.  F.  a.  quadrangulata  nervosa.  Conspicuous-nerved-leaved  Quadrangular- 
branched  American  Ash. 


398 


FRAXINUS    AMERICANA. 


This 


8.  F.  a.  juglandifolia.  Walnut-leaved  American  Ash;  Fraxinus  viridis,  of 
Michaux;  Fraxinus  juglandifolia,  of  Don.  Loudon,  and  others;  Frene  d  feidlles 
de  noyer,  Frene  vert,  of  the  French;  Green  Ash,  of  the  Anglo-Americans, 
tree,  in  its  natural  habitat,  usually  attains  a 
height  of  twenty-five  or  thirty  feet,  with  a  trunk 
four  or  five  inches  in  diameter;  but  in  a  state 
of  cultivation,  it  has  exceeded  more  than  double 
of  these  dimensions.  It  is  easily  recognized  by 
the  brilliant  green  colour  of  its  young  leaves ; 
and  by  its  leaves  being  nearly  of  the  same  col- 
our on  both  surfaces.  From  this  uniformity, 
which  is  rarely  observed  in  the  foliage  of  trees, 
Dr.  Muhlenberg  applied  the  specific  name,  con- 
color ;  and  Michaux  gave  this  tree  the  popular 
name  of  the  "Green  Ash."  The  branches  are 
glabrous,  and,  like  the  buds,  are  of  a  grayish - 
brown.  The  leaves  vary  in  length  from  six  to 
fifteen  inches,  with  from  two  to  four  pairs  of 
leaflets,  and  an  odd  one,  according  to  the  vig- 
our of  the  tree,  and  to  the  coolness  of  the  soil  in 
which  it  grows.  The  leaflets,  which  are  about 
three  inches  long,  are  membranous,  glabrous,  but  not  shining,  sometimes  canes- 
cent  or  glaucous  beneath,  downy  in  the  axils  of  the  veins,  stalked,  elliptic-lanceo- 
late, distinctly  denticulated,  with  glabrous  petioles.  The  flowers,  which  put 
forth  in  May,  occur  in  pendulous  corymbs,  and  are  succeeded  by  linear  samaras, 
similar  in  form  to  those  of  the  white  ash,  but  only  about  one  half  as  large.  This 
variety  is  a  native  of  wet,  shady  woods,  from  Canada  to  Carolina;-  but  is  more 
common  in  the  western  parts  of  Pennsylvania,  Maryland,  and  Virginia,  than  in 
any  other  sections  of  the  United  States.  It  is  also  found  in  abundance  on  the 
banks  of  the  Monongahela  and  of  the  Ohio.  Its  wood  is  distinguished  by  similar 
properties  as  that  of  the  other  trees  of  the  genus,  and  is  applied,  in  the  regions 
where  it  abounds,  to  similar  purposes;  but  as  the  white  ash  and  the  brown- 
hearted  variety  are  more  common  where  it  grows,  which  are  much  superior  in 
size,  the  green  ash  is  only  incidentally  employed.  It  was  introduced  into  Britain 
in  1724,  where  it  is  only  considered  as  an  ornamental  tree.  The  finest  specimen, 
probably  existing  in  the  known  world,  is  on  Pope's  Villa,  at  Twickenham,  in 
England,  which  has  attained  a  height  of  nearly  seventy  feet,  with  a  trunk  three 
feet  in  diameter,  and  an  ambitus  or  spread  of  branches  as  great  as  its  height. 
This  splendid  tree,  which  retains  its  foliage  until  Christmas,  flowers,  but  never 
matures  its  seeds.  This  variety  was  introduced  into  France  in  1775,  and  is  cul- 
tivated for  ornament  in  many  of  the  European  gardens  and  collections. 

9.  F.  a.  juglandifolia  subserrata.  Willdenow.  Slightly-toothed  Walnut' 
leaved  American  Ash. 

10.  F.  a.  caroliniana.  Carolina  Ash;  Fraxinus  platycarpa,  of  Michaux; 
Fraxinus  caroliniana,  of  Don,  Loudon,  and  others ;  Frene  de  la  Caroline,  of  the 
French.  This  is  a  very  remarkable  variety,  readily  distinguished  by  the  large 
size  of  its  leaflets,  which  are  nearly  round,  but  acuminated,  petiolate,  serrated, 
glabrous  and  shining  above,  and  seldom  consists  of  more  than  two  pairs  of  leaf- 
lets, with  an  odd  one.  In  spring,  the  lower  surface  of  the  leaves,  and  the  young 
shoots,  are  covered  with  down,  which  disappears  as  the  summer  advances.  The 
stature  of  this  tree  seldom  exceeds  thirty  feet ;  and  it  often  flowers  and  fruits  at 
half  of  this  height.  The  branches  are  glabrous,  and,  like  the  buds,  are  of  a 
brownish  hue.  The  flowers,  which  put  forth  in  May,  as  in  the  other  varieties, 
are  small,  and  not  very  conspicuous.     They  are  succeeded  by  samarse  which  are 


AMERICAN  ASH-TREE. 


399 


OnUke  those  of  any  of  the  preceding  sorts;  being  flat,  oval,  and  often  almost  a* 
broad  as  they  are  long.  This  tree  is  a  native  from  Pennsylvania  to  Georeia 
abounding  chiefly  on  the  river  of  Cape  Fear,  in  North  Carolina,  and  upon  Ishlev 
and  Cooper  Rivers,  in  South  Carolina.  From  its  inferior  dimensions  this  vari- 
ety is  not  much  used  in  the  arts;  although  it  possesses  properties  of  eminent  util- 
ity. It  was  introduced  into  Britain  in  1783,  and  is  cultivated  in  many  parts  of 
Europe,  solely  as  an  ornamental  tree. 

11.  F.  a.  epiptera.  Wing-top ped-seeded  American  Ash;  Fraxinus  epiptera 
of  Don,  Loudon,  and  others.  This  variety  may  be  distinguished  by  its  lanceo- 
late-elliptic leaflets,  which  are  subserrated,  opaque,  and  downy  beneath,  on  the 
veins.  The  samarae  are  cuneated,  obtuse,  and  emarginate  at  the  apex,  and  terete 
at  the  base.  The  young  branches  are  green,  and  covered  with  white  dots;  the 
bark  chinky;  the  buds  brown;  and  the  flowers  calyculate,  which  put  forth  in 
May.  A  tree  thirty  feet  high,  native  of  North  America,  from  Canada  to  Carolina. 
and  was  introduced  into  Britain  in  1823. 

12.  F.  a.  platycarpa.  Broad-fruited  American  Ash;  Fraxinus platycarpa,  of 
Don,  Loudon,  and  others.  The  leaflets  of  this  variety  are  almost  sessile,  very 
distinctly  serrated,  elliptic-lanceolate,  two  inches  long,  and  one  inch  broad;  hav- 
ing the  larger  veins  villous  beneath.  The  samara  are  elliptic-lanceolate,  two 
inches  long,  and  acute  at  both  ends.  A  tree  from  thirty  to  fifty  feet  high;  native 
of  Virginia  and  Carolina;  introduced  into  Britain  in  1724;  and  flowers  in  .May. 
It  is  very  easily  known  from  all  other  American  varieties,  by  the  leaves  dying 
off,  in  autumn,  of  a  fine  purple. 

13.  F.  a.  expansa.  Expanded  American  Ash;  Fraxinus  expansa,  of  Don, 
Loudon,  and  others.  The  leaflets  of  this  variety  occur  in  five  pairs,  three  inches 
long,  ovate-oblong,  unequally  serrated,  acuminated,  glabrous,  but  not  shining,  and 
petiolate.  The  branches  are  glabrous,  smooth,  and  green,  when  young,  with  the 
buds  brown.  A  tree  from  thirty  to  fifty  feet  in  height;  native  of  North  America  : 
introduced  into  Britain  in  1824,  and  flowers  in  May. 

14.  F.  a.  pulverulenta.  Powdery-petioled  American  Ash  ;  Fraxinus  pulceru- 
lenta,  of  Don,  Loudon,  and  others. 

15.  F.  a.  rubicunda.  Reddish-veined  American  Ash  ;  Fraxinus  rubicunda,  of 
Don,  Loudon,  and  others. 

16.  F.  a.  longifolia.  Long-leaved  American  Ash;  Fraxinus  longifolia,  of 
Don,  Loudon,  and  others. 

17.  F.  a.  viridis.  Green-branched  American  Ash;  Fraxinus  riridis,  of  Don, 
Loudon,  and  others   (but  not  F.  viridis  of  Michaux.) 

18.  F.  a.  cinera.  Gray -budded  American  Ash;  fraxinus  cinera,  of  Don,  Leu- 
don,  and  others. 

19.  F.  a.  nigra.  Black-branched  American  Ash;  Fraxinus  nigra,  of  Don 
Loudon,  and  others. 

20.  F.  a.  fusca.  Brown-branched  American  Ash;  Fraxinus  fusca,  of  Don 
Loudon,  and  others. 

21.  F.  a.  rufa.  Rufous-haired-lcajleted  American  Ash;  Fraxinus  Tufa,  of 
Don,  Loudon,  and  others. 

22.  F.  a.  pannosa.  Cloth-like-leaved  American  Ash  :  Fraxinus  pannosa,  ol 
Don,  Loudon,  and  others.  A  tree  with  fulvous  buds,  native  of  Carolina,  intro- 
duced into  Britain  in  1820. 

23.  F.  a.  triptera.  Three-winged-fruited  American  ish;  Fraxinus  triptera 
of  Nuttal,  a  native  of  the  oak  forests  of  South  Carolina. 

Geography  and  History.      The    Fraxinus  americana    is  a    native  oi    N< 
America  from  Labrador  to  Carolina;  is  particularly  abundant  in  Canada  b 
New  Brunswick;  and,  as  a  cold  climate  is  more  congenial  to  its  growth  th 
a   varm  one.  it  is  found  in  greater  numbers  north  of  tin-  river   Hudson  i1 


400  FRAXINUS    AMERICANA 

south  of  it.  In  the  upper  part  of  New  Hampshire,  it  is  always  accompanied  by 
the  white  elm,  (Ulmus  americana,)  yellow  birch,  (Betula  excelsa,)  white  maple, 
(Acer  eriocarpum,)  hemlock  spruce,  (Abies  canadensis,)  and  the  black  spruce 
(Abies  nigra)  ;  and  in  New  Jersey,  it  is  mingled  with  the  red  maple,  (Acer 
rnbrum,)  shell-bark  hickory,  (Carya  alba,)  and  the  sycamore-tree  (Platanus 
occidentalis.) 

This  species  was  first  introduced  into  Britain  by  Mark  Catesby,  in  1723;  and, 
in  about  the  year  1S26,  when  Cobbett  became  a  nurseryman,  and  strongly  recom- 
mended various  kinds  of  American  trees,  several  plantations  of  the  white  ash 
were  formed,  in  different  parts  of  England;  but  a  sufficient  time  has  not  yet 
elapsed  to  judge  of  the  value  of  the  tree,  as  compared  with  the  common  European 
ash.  In  the  neighbourhood  of  London,  young  trees  are  generally  more  or  less 
injured  by  the  spring  frosts ;  nevertheless,  in  Surrey,  at  St.  Ann's  Hill,  there  is  a 
specimen,  which,  in  thirty-six  years  after  planting,  had  attained  the  height  of 
thirty-three  feet. 

In  France,  at  Clairvault,  there  is  a  tree  of  this  species,  which  had  attained  the 
height  of  thirty  feet,  in  thirty  years  after  planting. 

In  Russia,  the  American  ash,  and  several  of  its  varieties,  are  planted  in  the 
government  garden,  at  Odessa,  and  it  is  stated  by  M.  le  Chevalier  Descemet, 
conseiller  de  cour,  that  they  have  the  great  advantage  of  prospering  in  soils 
where  the  European  ash  will  languish.  "They  are  not,"  says  he,  "like  Frax- 
inus  excelsior,  subject  to  lose  their  leaves  by  the  ravages  of  the  insect  Cantharis 
vesicatoria,  in  the  middle  of  summer,  and  may,  consequently,  be  planted  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  dwelling-houses.  They  resist  the  burning  heats  of  summer 
much  better  than  the  European  ash-tree,  and  maintain  a  deep-green  foliage  during 
the  hottest  weather,  when  that  of  the  common  ash  becomes  pale,  and  very  fre- 
quently withers  and  drops."  "In  short,  the  American  ash-trees,"  he  adds, 
"deserve  to  be  extensively  cultivated  in  forests,  in  lines  for  bordering  roads,  and 
in  small  groups  in  parks  and  pleasure-grounds." 

It  is  stated  by  Mr.  John  Pearson,  in  a  communication  to  Dr.  James  Meas;?,  in 
the  "  Memoirs  of  the  Philadelphia  Society  for  promoting  Agriculture,"  for  the 
year  1807,  that,  in  Wayne  county,  Pennsylvania,  there  were  white  ash-trees  five 
feet  in  diameter,  and  from  fifty  to  eighty  feet  in  length. 

Soil,  Situation,  Propagation,  fyc.  The  most  favourite  situations  of  the  Frax- 
inus  americana  are  the  banks  of  rivers  and  streams,  the  edges  or  acclivities  of 
swamps,  where  the  soil  is  deep  and  fertile,  and  intermingled  with  the  fragments 
of  rocks.  The  propagation  and  culture  of  this  tree  is  the  same  as  that  of  the 
European  species. 

Insects,  Accidents,  fyc.  The  Fraxinus  americana,  like  its  European  congener, 
is  but  little  subject  to  accidents  and  to  the  attacks  of  insects.  The  only  insects 
that  prove  particularly  injurious  to  this  tree,  are  the  larvae  or  borers  of  the  Tro- 
chilium  denudatum,  described  by  Dr.  Harris,  in  "  Silliman's  Journal  of  Science," 
and  also  in  his  "  Report  on  the  Insects  of  Massachusetts  injurious  to  Vegetation." 
These  borers  perforate  the  bark  and  the  sap-wood  of  the  trunk  of  the  ash,  from 
the  roots  upwards,  and  are  also  found  in  all  the  branches  of  any  considerable 
size.  The  trees  thus  infested  soon  show  symptoms  of  disease,  in  the  death  of 
the  branches  near  the  summit;  and  when  these  insects  become  numerous,  the 
trees  no  longer  increase  in  size  and  height,  and  premature  decay  and  death  ensue. 
These  insects  assume  the  chrysalis  form  in  June  and  July,  when  they  may  be 
seen  projecting  half  way  out  of  their  round  holes  in  the  bark  of  the  trees,  duriug 
which  months,  their  final  transformation  is  effected,  when  they  burst  forth,  and 
escape  in  the  winged  state. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  white  ash,  in  young,  thrifty  trees,  is 
very  white  from  the  bark  to  the  centre:  but  in  large,  old  trees,  the  heart- wood  is 


AMERICAN    ASH-TREE. 


401 


of  a  reddish  tinge,  and  the  sap-wood  white.  When  the  annual  layers  are  thick 
and  coarse,  it  is  exceedingly  tough  and  elastic,  and  may  be  applied  to  all  the 
various  purposes  for  which  the  Fraxinus  excelsior  is  used  in  Europe.  In  Amer- 
ica, the  wood  of  this  tree  is  highly  esteemed  for  its  strength  and  suppleness,  and 
is  advantageously  employed  for  a  great  variety  of  uses,  of  which  we  shall  men- 
tion only  a  few  of  the  most  common.  It  is  selected  by  coach  and  wagon-makers 
for  the  felloes  of  wheels,  for  shafts,  and  for  the  frames  of  carriage  bodies,  and  for 
those  of  light  wagons.  It  is  also  in  very  general  use  for  agricultural  implements 
and  domestic  wares,  particularly  for  the  handles  of  spades,  hoes,  shovels,  forks, 
rakes,  scythes,  &c.  In  Canada,  and  the  northern  parts  of  the  United  States,  it 
is  extensively  used  for  hoops  and  staves,  the  latter  of  which  are  of  a  quality 
between  those  of  the  white  and  red  oaks,  and  are  esteemed  best  for  casks  con- 
taining salted  provisions  and  flour.  It  has  also  been  admitted  into  the  lowei 
frames  of  vessels,  but  is  considered  inferior  to  that  of  the  yellow  birch,  (Betula 
excelsa,)  and  to  the  heart  of  the  red  beech.  For  the  blocks  to  pulleys,  particu- 
larly those  used  in  ships,  and  the  pins  for  belaying  the  cordage,  this  wood  is  very 
appropriate ;  and,  on  account  of  its  strength  and  elasticity,  it  is  esteemed  as  supe- 
rior to  every  other  species  of  timber  for  oars.  It  is  extensively  exported  to  Europe, 
especially  to  England,  in  the  form  of  planks,  and  the  oars  of  this  wood  are  used  in 
all  the  navies  of  the  world.  The  inner  bark  of  this  tree  imparts  a  very  perma- 
nent yellow  to  skins,  and  may  be  used  with  advantage  in  dyeing  wool. 

51 


Genus  ORNUS,  Pers. 


Oleaceae. 

St/st.  Nat. 


Ornus,  Fraxinus, 


Diandria  Monogynia. 
Syst.  Lin. 


Synonymes. 

Of  Authors. 


Frene  a  fleurs,  Frene  a  la  manne,  Ornier,  )  pRANCE 

Orne,  J 

Bliihende  Esche, 
Orno, 
Flowering  Ash,  Manna  Ash, 


Germany. 

Italy. 

Britain  and  Anglo-America. 


Derivations.    The  word  Omits  is  derived  from  the  Greek  ores,  a  mountain,  having  reference  to  some  of  the  trees  of  tlis 
genus  as  growing  on  hills  and  mountains.    The  species  were  classified  under  the  head  of  Fraxinus  of  the  old  authors. 

Generic  Characters.  Flowers  hermaphrodite,  or  of  distinct  sexes.  Calyx  4-parted  or  4-toothed.  Corolla 
4-parted ;  segments  long,  ligulate.  Stamens  with  long  filaments.  Stigma  emarginate.  Samara  1- 
celled,  1-seeded,  winged. — Don,  Miller's  Diet. 

HIS  genus  embraces  trees  natives  of  Europe,  Asia,  and  of  North 
America;  with  impari-pinnate  leaves,  and  terminal  or  axillary- 
panicles  of  flowers,  distinguished  from  those  of  the  common  ash, 
by  having  corollas.  They  may  all  be  propagated  from  seeds,  by 
grafting  or  budding,  or  by  cuttings  and  layers. 

Several,  if  not  all  the  species  of  both  the  genera  Fraxinus  and 
Ornus,  extravasate  sap,  which,  when  it  becomes  concrete,  is  mild  and  mucilag- 
inous. This  sap  is  produced  more  abundantly  by  the  Ornus  europaea,  and  some 
of  its  varieties,  than  by  any  other  species ;  and,  when  collected,  it  forms  the 
manna  of  commerce.  This  substance  is  chiefly  collected  in  Calabria  and  Sicily, 
where,  according  to  the  "  Materia  Medica"  of.  Geoffrey,  the  manna  runs  of  itself 
from  the  trunks  of  some  trees,  while  it  does  not  flow  from  others  unless  wounds 
are  made  in  the  bark.  Those  trees  which  yield  the  manna  spontaneously  grow 
in  the  most  favourable  situations ;  and  the  sap  runs  from  them  of  its  own  accord 
only  during  the  greatest  heats  of  summer.  It  begins  to  ooze  out  about  mid-day, 
in  the  form  of  a  clear  liquid,  which  soon  thickens,  and  continues  to  run  until 
the  cool  of  the  evening,  when  it  begins  to  harden  into  granules,  that  are  scraped 
off  the  following  morning.  When  the  night  has  been  damp  or  rainy,  the  manna 
does  not  harden,  but  runs  to  the  ground,  and  is  lost.  This  kind  is  called  manna 
in  tears  (manna  lagrima,  of  the  Sicilians)  ;  and  it  is  as  pure  and  white  as  the 
finest  sugar.  About  the  end  of  July,  when  the  liquid  ceases  to  flow  of  itself, 
incisions  are  made  through  the  bark  and  soft  wood  ;  and  into  these  incisions 
slender  pieces  of  straw  or  twig  are  inserted,  on  which  the  manna  runs,  and,  in 
hardening,  entirely  coats  them  over.  This  is  the  common  manna  of  the  shops, 
which  is  thus  collected  in  the  form  of  tubes;  and  is  called  by  the  Sicilians, 
manna  in  carmoli,  or  manna  cannoli.  Another  sort,  which  is  inferior  to  the 
two  preceding,  is  procured  by  making  an  oblong  incision  in  the  trees,  in  July  or 
August,  and  taking  off  a  piece  of  the  bark  about  three  inches  in  length,  and  two 
inches  in  breadth.  This  kind,  which  is  called  manna  grassa,  is  the  coarsest  of 
all ;  but,  as  it  is  obtained  with  the  least  trouble,  and  in  great  abundance,  it  is 
also  the  cheapest.  Sometimes,  instead  of  cutting  out  a  piece  of  bark,  and  leaving 
the  wound  open,  two  horizontal  gashes  arc  made,  one  a  little  above  the  other ; 
in  the  upper  of  which  is  inserted  the  stalk  of  a  maple  leaf,  the  point  of  the  leaf 
being  fixed  in  the  lower  gash,  so  as  to  form  a  sort  of  a  cup  to  receive  the  manna 


ORNUS.  403 

and  to  protect  it  from  dust  and  other  impurities.     The  greater  part  of  the  manna 
of  commerce  is  procured  in  the  latter  manner ;  and  it  is  imported  in  chests,  in 
long  pieces,  or  granulated  fragments,  of  a  whitish  or  pale-yellow  colour,  and  in 
some  degree  transparent.     The  inferior  kind,  which  is  of  a  dark-brown  colour, 
comes  in  adhesive  masses,  and  is  moist  and  unctuous  to  the  touch.     Manna  from 
the  ash  has  a  peculiar  odour,  and  a  sweetish  taste,  accompanied  with  a  slight 
degree  of  bitterness.     It  is  considered  as  aperient,  and  was  formerly  much  used 
in  medicine;  but  it  is  now  chiefly  employed  to  disguise  other  drugs  in  adminis 
tering  them  to  children,  and  is  used  as  a  purgative  in  the  veterinary  art.     This 
kind  of  manna,  however,  must  not  be  confounded  with  that  mentioned  in  the 
Holy  Writ,  which  is  supposed  to  be  identical  with  the  manna  produced  by  th< 
Alhagi  maurorum,  a  low  shrub  two  or  three  feet  high,  native  of  the  deserts  oi 
Egypt,  Syria,  Mesopotamia,  and  other  eastern  countries.     The  Arabians  have  a 
tradition  that,  this  manna  fell  from  the  clouds  upon  this  plant  to  feed  the  Israel- 
ites in  the  desert.     This,  however,  is  contrary  to  what  is  recorded  in  the  Scrip- 
tures, namely,  that  the  miraculous  manna  appeared  only  on  the  rocks,  and  on 
the  sand,  and  hence  the  surprise  of  the  Israelites,  who  would  not  have  been 
astonished  if  they  had  seen  small  portions  of  it  on  the  shrubs;  but  who,  finding 
it  in  such  immense  quantities  on  the  ground,  where  they  had  never  seen  it  before 
could  hardly  believe  it  to  be  the  same  thing,  and  exclaimed  in  Hebrew,  "  Man"  ! 
that  is  to  say,  "  What  is  it?  "  whence,  possibly  the  name.     The  manna  produced 
by  the  alhagi  is  a  natural  exudation  from  the  leaves  and  branches,  which  takes 
place  only  in  very  hot  weather.     At  first,  it  resembles  drops  of  honey ;  but  gran- 
ulates on  exposure  to  the  atmosphere,  into  particles  of  different  sizes,  but  seldom 
larger  than  a  coriander  seed.     Another  species  of  manna  is  obtained  in  Arabia 
from  the  tamarisk-tree,  (Tamarix  gallica,)  by  the  puncture  of  the  Coccus  man- 
niparus.     A  similar  substance  is  also  obtained  from  the  larch,  (Larix  europaea,) 
in  the  south  of  France,  where  it  is  known  by  the  name  of  manne  de  Briangoii. 
This  substance  is  a  kind  of  sap  of  a  sweetish,  but  insipid  taste,  which,  towards 
the  end  of  May,  and  during  the  months  of  June  and  July,  exudes,  according  to 
some,  only  during  the  night,  from  the  bark  of  the  young  shoots;  but  which, 
according  to  others,  transpires  from  the  buds  and  leaves,  on  which  it  coagulates 
in  the  form  of  little  white  glutinous  grains,  that  are  easily  scraped  off.     In  the 
morning,  young  larch-trees,  before  they  are  struck  with  the  rays  of  the  sun,  will 
be  found  covered  with  it ;  but  the  grains,  if  not  gathered,  will  soon  disappear.     It 
resembles  the  manna  of  the  flowering  ash,  (Ornus  europsea  rotundifolia.)  but  is 
less  purgative.    The  rhododendron,  the  walnut,  the  beech,  and  the  Norway  maple, 
also  yield  an  analogous  substance,  as  probably,  do  various  other  trees;  for  the 
sap  of  most  ligneous  plants  is  more  or  less  sweet  and  mucilaginous;  and,  conse- 
quently, when  collected  in  any  quantity,  is  susceptible  of  becoming  concrete  by 
evaporation.     The  manna  of  Lebanon  is  the  gum  mastic  obtained  from  the  IV- 
tacia  lentiscus ;  and  the  manna  of  Poland  is  composed  of  the  seeds  of  the  Glyce- 
ria  lluitans. 


Ornus  americana, 
THE  AMERICAN  FLOWERING  ASH. 


Synonymes. 


Frazinus  americana, 

Ornus  americana, 

Ornier  d'Amerique, 
Amerikanische  Bliihende-Esche. 
Orno  americano, 
American  Flowering  Ash, 


Linnjstjs,  Species  Plantarum. 

Pursh,  Flora  Americse  Septentrionalis. 

Don,  Miller's  Dictionary. 

Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 

France. 

Germany. 

Italy. 

Britain  and  Anglo- America. 


Engravings.    Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  ii.,  fig.  1070;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters  Leaves  with  2 — 5  pairs  of  oblong  or  ovate-acuminated,  shining,  serrated  leaflets,  eacn 
3 — 5  in.  long,  and  2  in.  broad,  and  having  the  larger  veins  rather  villous,  glaucous,  and  paler  beneath, 
the  odd  one  rather  cordate.  Flowers  with  petals,  disposed  in  terminal  panicles.  Branches  brownish- 
gray.    Buds  brown.     Samara  narrow,  obtuse,  mucronate. — Bon,  Miller's  Diet. 


Description. 

I! HE  Ornus  americana  is  a  beautiful 

1J8  h  H  is  tree,  growing  to  a  height  of  thirty 

ifi  LI  !&  or  f°rty  feet)  and  flowering  in 
April  and  May.  The  difference 
between  this  sort  and  the  manna  ash  of  Europe  is  so  very 
slight,  that  doubts  are  entertained  by  some,  of  there  being 
but  one  species.  It  is  a  native  of  North  America,  and  was 
introduced  into  Britain  in  1820,  where  it  is  cultivated  for 
ornament,  and  is  highly  prized.  There  are  plants  of  it 
in  the  Horticultural  Society's  garden,  at  London,  and  in 
the  arboretum  at  Kew,  where,  in  the  last-named  place,  it  is  grafted  on  the  Frax- 
inus  excelsior;  and  the  point  where  the  scion  was  inserted  in  the  stock,  is  said  to 
have  enlarged  nearly  as  much  as  the  stock  itself,  a  proof  that  the  American  flow- 
ering ash  is  a  more  robust-growing  tree  than  the  Ornus  europsea,  which  was  also 
engrafted  in  a  similar  manner,  but  did  not  increase  in  the  same  ratio  with  the 
stock.  When  no  other  mode  can  be  obtained  of  rendering  a  tree  gardenesque, 
Mr.  Loudon  suggests,  that,  in  order  to  give  the  trunk  an  architectural  base,  a  slow- 
growing  species  may  be  grafted  on  one  that  is  more  vigorous ;  and  that  the  appli- 
cation of  the  art  of  grafting  might  be  worth  adopting  for  certain  ornamental  trees 
to  be  planted  in  exposed  situations ;  for  an  architectural  base  to  a  tree  is  strongly 
expressive  of  its  stability. 


Genus  CATALPA,   Juss. 

Bignoniaceoe.  Diandria  Monogynia. 

S*at-  Nat-  Syft.Lin. 

Synonymes. 

Catalpa,  Bignonia,  Of  Authors. 

Derivations.    The  word  Catalpa  is  supposed  to  be  corrupted  from  an  Indian  name  of  a  tree  belonging  to  this  genua ;  and 
Bignonia  was  so  called  by  Tournefort,  in  compliment  to  the  Abbe  Bignon,  librarian  to  Louis  XIV.  ^     ' 

Generic  Characters  Calyx  2-parted.  Corolla  campanulate,  with  a  ventricose  tube,  and  an  unequal  1- 
lobed  limb.  Stamens  5,  2  of  which  are  fertile,  and  3  of  them  sterile.  Stigma  bilamellate.  Capsule 
sihque-formed,  long,  cylindrical,  2-valved.  Dissepiment  opposite  the  valves.  Seeds  membranous.y 
margined,  and  pappose  at  the  base  and  apex.— Don,  Miller's  Diet. 

I  HE  genus  Catalpa  was  constituted  by  Jussieu  from  the  Bignonia 
catalpa  of  Tournefort,  and  comprises  but  one  species,  native  of 
North  America.  Nearly  allied  to  the  same  natural  family  is 
the  order  Scrophulariacege,  which  embraces  that  magnificent  tree, 
the  Paulownia  imperialism  so  called  by  Sieber,  in  honour  of  the 
Hereditary  Princess  of  the  Netherlands,  who  was  daughter  to  the 
Emperor  of  Russia.  The  leaves  of  the  Paulownia  are  cordate,  deeply  serrated,  and 
slightly  ciliated,  having  the  general  appearance  of  those  of  a  gigantic  sun-flower. 
The  flowers,  which  put  forth  in  April  or  May,  are  blue,  resembling  those  of  the 
Gloxinia  caulescens,  and  have  an  agreeable  odour,  somewhat  like  that  of  the 
mock  orange,  (Philadelphus  coronarius.)  but  less  powerful.  This  tree  is  a 
native  of  Japan,  and  was  introduced  into  Britain  in  1S40,  and  into  France  two 
or  three  years  before  that  date.  It  has  proved  quite  hardy  in  the  Jardin  des 
Plantes,  at  Paris,  where  it  withstood  the  winter  of  1838-9  without  any  covering 
and  in  1842,  had  acquired  the  height  of  twenty  feet,  producing  leaves  two  feet  in 
diameter.  The  plants  at  Trianon  have  been  much  more  rapid  in  their  growth, 
having  made  shoots  from  twelve  to  fourteen  feet  in  length  in  a  single  year.  This 
species  was  introduced  into  the  United  States,  in  1843,  by  Messrs.  Parsons,  of 
Flushing,  near  New  York,  where  it  remained  in  the  open  air,  without  any  cov- 
ering, during  the  last  eight  years.  It  has  since  been  propagated  in  several  nur- 
series in  the  union,  and  bids  fair  to  be  a  great  addition  to  our  shrubberies  and 
ornamental  plantations,  particularly  in  situations  where  immediate  eifect  is  the 
object.  It  is  easily  propagated  by  cuttings  of  the  roots,  put  into  thumb-pots,  and 
will  grow  in  any  common  garden  soil;  but  it  thrives  best  in  one  that  is  dry,  ami 
somewhat  loamy. 


Catalpa  syringczfolia, 

THE  LILAC-LEAVED  CATALPA-TREE. 


Synonymes. 


Bignonia  catalpa, 

Catalpa  syringafolia, 

Catalpa, 

Bois  Shavanon, 

Trompetenbaum, 

Catalpa,  Catawba-tree,  Bean-tree, 


Linn^us,  Species  Plantarum. 
Michaux,  North  American  Sylva. 
Don,  Miller's  Dictionary. 
Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
Britain,  France,  and  Italy. 
French  Louisiana. 
Germany. 
United  States. 


Derivations.  The  word  Catalpa  is  supposed  to  be  a  corruption  of  Catawba,  the  name  of  an  Indian  tribe  that  formerly  occu- 
pied a  great  part  of  Georgia  and  the  Carolinas.  The  French  of  Louisiana  call  this  tree  Bois  Shavanon,  from  its  being  found  In 
abundance  on  the  banks  of  the  Shavanon,  now  called  Cumberland  River.  The  German  name  signifies  Trumpet-tree,  from  the 
form  of  its  flowers. 


Engravings. 
figures  below. 


Michaux,  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  64;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  vii.,  pi.  215  et  216;  and  the 


Specific  Characters.    Leaves  cordate,  flat,  3  in  a  whorl,  large,  and  deciduous.    Branches  strong.    Pani- 
cles large,  branchy,  terminal.     Corollas  white,  speckled  with  purple  and  yellow. — Bon,  Miller's  Bict. 


Description. 

plHE  Catalpa  syringae  folia,  in 
h  H  jG|  its  natural  habitat,  fre- 
Ll  (H  quently  exceeds  fifty  feet 
in  height,  with  a  trunk 
from  eighteen  to  twenty-four  inches  in  diameter. 
It  is  easily  recognized  by  its  bark,  which  is  of  a 
silver-gray  colour,  and  but  slightly  furrowed ;  and 
by  its  wide-spreading  head,  disproportioned  in  size 
to  the  diameter  of  its  trunk.  It  also  differs  from 
most  other  trees  in  the  fewness  of  its  branches,  and 
the  fine,  pale-green  of  its  very  large  leaves,  which 
are  late  in  coming  out  in  spring,  and  are  among 
the  first  to  shrink  at  the  approach  of  autumn. 
They  are  heart-shaped,  petiolated,  often  six  or 
seven  inches  in  width,  glabrous  above,  and  downy 
beneath,  particularly  on  the  principal  ribs.  The 
flowers,  which  put  forth  in  July  or  August,  oc- 
cur in  large  bunches,  at  the  extremity  of  the 
branches,  and  are  white,  marked  with  purple  and  yellow  spots.  In  favourable 
seasons,  they  are  succeeded  by  capsules  or  seed-pods,  which  somewhat  resemble 
those  of  the  common  cabbage,  but  on  a  larger  scale;  being  frequently  two  feet 
long,  and  curved  upwards,  resembling  horns.  They  are  cylindrical  and  pendent, 
of  a  brownish  colour,  when  ripe,  and  contain  thin,  flat  seeds,  developed  in  a  long, 
narrow,  membranous  wing,  terminated  by  a  hairy  tuft.  Each  seed  with  its 
wing,  is  about  an  inch  long,  and  one  eighth  of  an  inch  broad. 

Geography  and  History.     The  Catalpa  syringaefolia  is  indigenous  to  the  south- 


LILAC-LEAVED    CATALPA-TREE.  4Q7 

em  states  of  the  American  union,  and  is  first  met  with,  in  a  wild  state,  on  the 
Atlantic  coast,  on  the  banks  of  the  river  Savannah,  and  west  of  the  Alleghanies 
on  those  of  the  Cumberland,  between  the  thirty-fifth  and  thirty-sixth  <!<-,,  ,s  ,,t 
latitude.  Further  south,  it  is  more  common,  and  abounds  near  the  borders  of  all 
the  rivers  which  empty  into  the  Mississippi,  or  water  the  westerly  part  of  Florida. 
In  a  cultivated  state,  it  is  to  be  met  with,  as  an  ornamental  tree,  in  most  of  the 
cities  and  large  towns,  from  New  Orleans,  in  Louisiana,  to  Newburyport,  in  .Mas- 
sachusetts ;  but  in  the  latter  place,  it  dwindles  down  to  a  mere  shrub,  and  is  often 
killed  back  by  the  frost. 

This  species  was  introduced  into  Britain,  by  Mark  Catesby,  in  1726,  and  is 
frequently  to  be  met  with  in  gardens  and  collections,  both  in  that  country,  and 
on  the  continent  of  Europe. 

The  largest  recorded  tree  of  this  species  in  Britain,  is  at  Syon,  which  is  fifty- 
two  feet  in  height,  with  a  trunk  three  feet  in  diameter,  and  an  ambitus  or  spread 
of  branches  of  fifty  feet. 

The  largest  catalpa  in  France  is  at  the  Sceaux,  which,  in  thirty  years  after 
planting,  had  attained  the  height  of  fifty  feet,  with  a  trunk  two  feet  in  diameter, 
and  that  of  the  head  thirty  feet. 

At  Schwobber,  in  Hanover,  Germany,  there  is  a  tree  of  this  species,  exceeding 
thirty  feet  in  height. 

In  Austria,  at  Vienna,  in  the  university  botanic  garden,  there  is  a  catalpa, 
which,  in  twenty-six  years  after  planting,  had  attained  the  height  of  forty  feet, 
with  a  trunk  eighteen  inches  in  diameter,  and  an  ambitus  or  spread  of  branches 
of  twenty-four  feet. 

In  various  parts  of  Italy  and  the  south  of  France,  particularly  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  Milan  and  Montpellier,  the  catalpa  is  planted  as  a  road- side  tree, 
and  along  the  avenues  to  houses  in  the  country,  where,  with  the  Melia  azeda- 
rach,  and  the  tulip-tree,  (Liriodendron,)  and  in  some  places,  where  the  soil  is 
moist,  with  the  Magnolia  acuminata,  and  other  species,  it  forms  a  scene  of  splen- 
dour and  beauty,  worthy  of  a  climate  so  congenial  to  vegetation. 

About  the  first  tree  of  this  species,  which  was  introduced  into  New  England, 
is  said  to  stand  in  front  of  the  late  residence  of  Major  Babcock,  in  Washington 
street,  Hartford,  in  the  state  of  Connecticut.  It  is  represented  as  being  of  a  large 
size,  and  when  in  bloom,  appears  like  one  solid  mass  of  elegant  flowers.  It  is 
believed  to  exceed  fifty  years  of  age. 

Propagation,  fyc.  The  catalpa  is  generally  propagated  by  seeds;  but  it  will 
grow  readily  from  cuttings  of  the  root;  and,  when  thus  raised,  it  will  llower 
much  sooner  than  when  propagated  by  seeds.  The  tree  is  of  rapid  growth  till 
it  reaches  the  height  of  twenty  feet,  which,  in  a  deep,  free  soil,  it  will  usually 
attain  in  ten  years.  Seedling  plants  generally  begin  to  flower,  under  favourable 
circumstances,  in  twelve  or  fifteen  years ;  and  in  soils  and  situations  where  the 
wood  is  well  ripened,  they  continue  flowering  every  year,  making  a  splendid 
appearance,  not  only  from  the  large  size  and  lively  colour  of  the  blossoms,  but 
from  the  fine  pale-green  of  their  leaves. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  catalpa  is  remarkably  light,  of  a  very 
fine  texture,  and  is  susceptible  of  a  brilliant  polish.  Its  colour  is  of  a  grayish- 
white  ;  and,  when  properly  seasoned,  it  is  very  durable.  It  resembles  the  wood 
of  the  sycamore,  (Platanus,)  with  this  exception,  that  the  latter  is  of  a  reddish 
hue,  and  is  less  durable  when  exposed  to  the  alternations  of  moisture  and  dry- 
ness. It  is  sometimes  used  for  posts  to  rural  fences,  and  in  cabinet-making.  If 
a  portion  of  the  bark  of  the  catalpa  be  removed  in  the  spring,  a  venomous  and 
offensive  odour  is  exhaled.  In  a  thesis,  read  at  the  medical  college  of  Philadel- 
phia, the  bark  of  this  tree  was  maintained  to  be  tonic,  and  more  powerfully 


408 


CATA1PA    SYRING^FOLIA. 


antiseptic  than  that  of  the  Cinchona  officinalis.  It  is  considered  to  be  a  good 
antidote  for  the  bite  of  snakes.  It  is  stated  that  the  honey  collected  from  the 
flowers  is  poisonous,  and  that  its  effects,  though  less  alarming,  are  analogous  to 
those  produced  from  the  honey  of  the  yellow  jasmine  (Gelsenium  nitidum.) 
The  flowers  are  extolled  as  being  a  sovereign  remedy  against  asthma. 


Genus  LAURUS,  Plin 

LSS  EaneandriaMonogy^. 

Synonymes. 
Laurus,  Persea,  Borbonia,  Of  Authors. 

B^^^^A^^^^^^  ^  Prai8e'  " referenCe  to  the  anCient  CU8tom  °f  «"""* th8 

Generic  Characters  Sexes  polygamous  or  dioecious.  Calyx  with  6  sepals.  Stamens  9;  6  exterior  3 
interior,  and  each  of  them  having  a  pair  of  gland-like  bodies  attached  to  its  base.  These  have  been 
deemed  imperfect  stamens.  Anthers  adnate  ;  of  2  cells  in  most  of  the  species,  of  4  unequal  ones  in 
the  others  ;  each  cell  is  closed  by  a  vertical  valve,  that  opens  elastically,  and  often  carries  up  the  pol- 
len in  a  mass.  Fruit  a  carpel  that  is  pulpy  externally,  and  includes  1  seed.  Cotyledons  eccentrically 
peltate,  or,  in  other  words,  attached  to  the  remainder  of  the  embryo  a  little  above  the  base  line.— Lou- 
don,  Arboretum. 

\HK  genus  Laurus  has  been  divided  by  modern  botanists,  and  sev- 
eral genera  formed  out  of  it ;  but,  for  the  sake  of  brevity,  and  the 
convenience  of  classification,  we  have  retained  the  Linnsean  names 
in  all  the  species  which  we  have  noticed.  There  are  only  three 
perfectly  hardy  kinds,  namely,  Laurus  nobilis,  sassafras  aiid  ben- 
zoin ;  but  there  are  several  species  that  will  live  in  the  open  air  in 
mild  climates,  or  with  little  protection,  which  are  well  worthy  of  cultivation. 
The  Laurus  benzoin,  (spice  bush,)  is  a  beautiful  deciduous  shrub,  a  native  from 
Virginia  to  Canada,  growing  from  three  to  twelve  feet  in  height,  and  is  readily 
distinguished  by  its  highly  pungent  and  aromatic  bark,  which  is  regarded  as  a 
stimulant  and  tonic,  and  is  extensively  used  in  the  regions  where  it  abounds,  in 
the  cure  of  intermittent  fevers;  and  hence,  is  sometimes  called  fever  bush.  The 
Laurus  cinnamomum  and  cassia,  which  are  natives  of  Ceylon,  Malabar,  Cochin- 
China,  Sumatra,  &c,  and  which  are  cultivated  in  India,  Mauritius,  Jamaica. 
Brazil,  and  other  places,  produce  the  cinnamon  and  cassia  of  commerce.  What 
are  called  cassia  buds,  are  not  obtained  from  the  Laurus  cassia,  but  are  the  hexan- 
gular,  fleshy  receptacles  of  the  seeds  of  the  true  cinnamon-tree.  Cassia  bark 
and  buds  are  used  for  the  same  purposes  as  cinnamon  bark,  but  they  are  consid- 
ered as  inferior  in  value,  on  account  of  containing  a  greater  proportion  of  muci- 
lage. From  the  present  genus  we  also  derive  a  portion  of  the  camphor  of  com- 
merce, which  is  the  product  of  the  Laurus  camphora,  hereafter  considered.  The 
Laurus  indica  is  indigenous  to  Madeira  and  the  Canary  Islands,  the  wood  of 
which  is  highly  esteemed  in  cabinet-making.  It  can  hardly  be  distinguish.. 1 
from  mahogany,  except  that  it  is  somewhat  less  brown  in  its  colour.  Hence  it 
is  imported  into  England  under  the  name  of  Madeira  mahogany. 

To  the  same  natural  order  belong  the  California  bay-tree,  (Drimophyllum  pau- 
cifiorum,)  and  the  Californian  umbellularia,  (Umbellulana  calilorni.a.)  both  ele- 
gant evergreen  trees,  natives  of  Upper  California,  the  former  growing  to  a  height 
of  twenty  or  thirty  feet,  and  the  latter  from  forty  to  one  hundred  and  twenty  feet, 
with  a  trunk  from  two  to  four  feet  in  diameter.  Its  foliage,  according  to  Mr. 
Nuttall,  gives  out,  when  bruised,  a  most  powerful  camphorated  odour,  which, 
from  its  pungency,  is  capable  of  exciting  sneezing.  "The  volatile  oil,"  observes 
the  same  writer,  "obtained  from  some  species  of  Laurus  found  in  the  vast  forests 
between  the  Oronoko  and  the  Parime,  is  produced  in  great  abundance  by  merely 
making  an  incision  into  the  bark  with  an  axe,  as  deep  as  the  liber  or  young  wood 
52 


410  LAURUS. 

It  gushes  out  in  such  quantities,  that  several  quarts  may  be  obtained  by  a  single 
incision."* 

Nearly  allied  to  the  same  natural  family  are  the  genera  Tectona  and  Vitex, 
the  latter  of  which  embraces  several  species  of  deciduous  shrubs  and  trees, 
natives  of  the  south  of  Europe,  India,  China,  and  of  North  America.  The  only 
hardy  kind  is  the  Vitex  agnus-castus,  indigenous  to  Sicily.  The  teak-tree, 
(Tectona  grandis,)  which  is  justly  called  the  "oak  of  the  east,"  abounds  in  the 
vast  forests  of  Java,  Ceylon,  Malabar,  Coromandel,  &c,  more  especially  in  the 
Birman  and  Pegu  empires.  Its  timber  is  considered  superior  to  all  others  for 
ship-building.  It  is  easily  wrought,  and  at  the  same  time  is  both  strong  and  dura- 
ble. This  tree,  Mr.  Royle  informs  us,  has  been  planted  as  far  north  as  Saha- 
runpore,  in  India,  in  about  the  same  latitude  as  the  northern  parts  of  Old  Califor- 
nia, and  of  the  Canary  Islands ;  where,  from  their  mountainous  character,  it  is 
highly  probable  it  might  be  cultivated  with  success. 

*  See  Nuttall's  North  American  Sylva,  p.  89. 


Lauras  nobilis, 
THE  NOBLE  LAUREL-TREE. 

Synonymes. 


Laurus  nobilis, 

Laurier  commun,  Laurier  noble,  Laurier 
franc,  Laurier  sauce,  Laurier  a  jam- 
bons,  Laurier  d'Apollon, 

Gemeiner  Lorberbaum, 

Alloro,  Lauro,  Orbaco, 

Laurel,  Sweet  Bay, 

European  Laurel,  Sweet  Bay, 


Linnaeus,  Species  Plantarum. 
Martyn,  Miller's  Dictionary. 
Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 

France. 

Germany. 
Italy. 
Britain. 
Anglo-America. 


Derivation.    The  specific  name  nobilis  was  so  called  by  Linnreus,  because  this  tree  was  consecrated  to  priests,  sacrifices,  and 
heroes,  in  the  ages  of  antiquity,  and  has  been  celebrated  accordingly. 

Engravings.    Blackwell,  Herbal,  pi.  175 ;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  vii.,  pi.  217;  and  the  figure  below. 

Specific  Characters.    Evergreen.    Flowers  4-cleft.     Sexes  dioecious.    Leaves  lanceolate,  veiny. —  Wdldr- 
now,  Linncei  Species  Plantarum. 

Description. 

"  Deep  in  the  palace,  of  long  growth,  there  stood 
A  laurel's  trunk,  a  venerable  wood; 
Where  rites  divine  were  paid  ;  whose  holy  hair 
Was  kept  and  cut  with  superstitious  care. 
This  plant,  Latinus,  when  his  town  he  wall'd, 
Then  found,  and  from  the  tree  Laurentum  call'd; 
And  last,  in  honour  of  his  new  abode, 
He  vow'd  the  laurel  to  the  laurel's  god." 

Virgil. 

*t52fiHE  Laurus  nobilis  is  a  beautiful 
*■§  R" r1  -el  tree,  or  rather  enormous  shrub, 

J  gl  sometimes  growing  to  a  height 
W0$*m  of  sixty  or  seventy  feet,  but 
always  displaying  a  tendency  to  throw  up  suckers; 
and  rarely,  if  ever,  assuming  a  tree-like  character, 
without  the  aid  of  art.  The  leaves,  which  are  ever- 
green, are  of  a  firm  texture,  and  are  of  an  agreeable 
smell,  with  an  aromatic,  sub-acid,  slightly  bitterish 
taste.  The  flowers,  which  put  forth  in  April  or  May, 
are  dioecious,  or  the  male  and  female  on  different  trees, 
and  are  disposed  in  racemes  shorter  than  the  leaves. 
The  male  tree  is  the  most  showy,  from  the  greater  pro- 
portion of  yellow  in  the  flowers.  The  berries  are 
ovate,  fleshy,  and  of  a  very  dark-purple,  approaching 
to  black,  and  are  about  the  size  of  a  small  olive.  In 
winter,  they  are  greedily  devoured  by  the  European 
black  bird. 

Varieties.     The  varieties  recognized  under  this  species,  are  as  follows  :— 
1.  L.  n.  latifolia,  Loudon.     Broad-leaved  Noble   Laurel;    Laurier  a   ktrsea 
fetulles,  of  the  French.     This  variety  has  leaves  much  broader  and  smoother 
than  those  of  the  species.     It  is  indigenous  to  Spain,  Italy,  and  Asia,  but  is  Lett 
hardy  than  several  other  kinds. 


ZVa,  LAURTJS    NOBILIS. 

2.  L  n.  parvifolia.  Small-leaved  Noble  Laurel;  Laurier  d  petites  feuilles,  of 
the  French,  indigenous  to  the  Caribbee  Islands,  where  its  leaves  are  used  for  sea- 
soning food. 

3.  L.  n.  salicifolia,  Loudon.  Willow-leaved  Noble  Laurel,  a  shrub  six  or  eight 
feet  high,  with  long,  narrow  leaves,  not  so  thick  as  those  of  the  species,  and  of  a 
lighter  green. 

4.  L.  n.  undulata,  Loudon.  TJndidated-leaved  Noble  Laurel,  a  low  shrub,  sel- 
dom growing  higher  than  from  four  to  six  feet,  with  leaves  waved  on  the  edges, 
and  is  said  to  be  more  hardy  than  the  species. 

5.  L.  n.  crispa,  Loudon.  Crisped-leaved  Noble  Laurel,  with  leaves  somewhat 
curled. 

6.  L.  n.  variegata,  Loudon.      Variegated-leaved  Noble  Laurel. 

7.  L.  n.  flore  pleno,  Loudon.     Double- flowered  Noble  Laurel. 

Geography  and  History.  The  Laurus  nobilis  is  a  native  of  the  south  of 
Europe,  and  northern  Africa ;  and,  according  to  St.  Pierre,  remarkably  fine  trees 
of  it  were  found  on  the  banks  of  the  river  Peneus,  in  Thessaly,  which,  probably 
might  have  given  rise  to  the  fable  of  the  nymph  Daphne,  (supposing  the  Greek 
daphne  to  be  this  tree,)  the  daughter  of  that  river. 

The  exact  date  of  the  introduction  of  this  species  into  Britain  is  unknown,  but 
it  must  have  been  previous  to  1562,  as  it  is  mentioned  by  Turner,  in  his  "  Her- 
bal," published  in  that  year;  and  we  find  that,  in  the  reign  of  Elizabeth,  the 
floors  of  the  houses  of  distinguished  persons  were  strewed  with  its  leaves. 

The  largest  recorded  tree  of  this  species  in  Britain,  is  at  Margram,  in  Glamor- 
ganshire, on  the  seat  of  C.  P.  Talbot,  M.  P.,  about  twelve  miles  from  Swansea.  It 
is  upwards  of  sixty  feet  in  height,  with  a  magnificent  bell-shaped  summit,  about 
sixty  feet  in  diameter. 

At  Cypress  grove,  near  Dublin,  in  Ireland,  there  is  a  laurel  fifty  feet  in  height, 
with  a  trunk  two  feet  in  diameter,  and  an  ambitus  or  spread  of  branches  of 
twenty-five  feet. 

Throughout  Germany,  the  Laurus  nobilis  is  a  green-house  plant.  In  Russia, 
in  the  Crimea,  it  requires  protection  during  winter. 

In  Italy  and  Spain,  it  attains  a  larger  size  than  in  any  other  part  of  Europe, 
forming  immense  bushes  from  fifty  to  seventy  feet  in  height. 

In  the  northern  parts  of  the  United  States,  it  is  only  cultivated  as  a  green- 
house plant;  but  in  the  southern  sections  of  the  union,  where  the  climate  is 
more  mild,  it  grows  in  great  perfection  in  the  open  air. 

Mythological  and  Legendary  Allusions.  This  tree  is  celebrated  in  mythology, 
as  having  once  been  Daphne,  the  daughter  of  Peneus,  who,  flying  from  the  embraces 
of  Apollo,  and  reaching  the  banks  of  her  parent  stream,  called  on  the  river  god  for 
protection,  was  changed  into  a  laurel.  In  the  age  of  Roman  greatness,  this  tree 
was  considered  as  the  emblem  of  victory,  and  also  of  clemency.  The  victorious 
generals  were  crowned  with  it  in  their  triumphal  processions;  every  common 
soldier  carried  a  sprig  of  it  in  his  hand,  and  even  the  dispatches  announcing  a 
victory  were  wrapped  up  in,  and  ornamented  with,  its  leaves.  The  aromatic 
odour  of  this  tree  was  supposed  by  the  ancient  Romans  to  have  the  power  of  dis- 
pelling contagion ;  and,  during  a  pestilence,  the  Emperor  Claudius  removed  his 
court  to  Laurentum,  so  called  from  the  bay-trees  which  grew  within  its  walls. 
Theophrastus  tells  us  that  the  superstitious  Greeks  would  keep  a  bay  leaf  in  their 
mouths  all  day,  to  preserve  themselves  from  misfortunes.  The  Greeks,  also,  had 
diviners  who  were  called  Daphnephagi,  because  they  chewed  laurel  leaves, 
which  they  pretended  inspired  them  with  the  spirit  of  prophecy.  The  laurel 
was  dedicated  to  Apollo,  and  the  first  temple  raised  to  that  god  at  Delphi,  was 
formed  of  the  branches  of  this  tree.  It  was  the  favourite  tree  of  the  poets ;  and 
we  are  told  that  Maia,  the  mother  of  Virgil,  dreamed  that  she  was  delivered  of  & 


NOBLE    LAUREL-TREE.  .]];; 

bay-tree;  and  that  one  of  these  trees  sprang  from  Virgil's  ashes,  and  is  still  grow- 
ing over  his  tomb.  In  more  recent  times,  the  laurel  was  supposed  to  be  a  safe- 
guard against  lightning ;  and  Madame  de  Genlis  mentions  the  device  of  the  Count 
De  Dunois,  which  was  a  bay-tree,  with  the  motto,  "  I  defend  the  earth  that  bears 
me."  It  was  a  custom,  in  the  middle  ages,  to  place  wreaths  of  laurel,  with  the 
berries  attached,  on  the  heads  of  those  poets  who  had  particularly  distinguished 
themselves;  hence  the  expression,  "poet  laureate."  The  crowns,  which  have 
for  a  long  time  encircled  the  heads  of  the  young  students  in  the  European  schools 
of  divinity,  law,  and  of  medicine,  who  have  taken  their  degrees,  are  made  of  the 
branches  of  this  tree,  garnished  with  the  berries,  and  thus  indicate  the  title  of 
bachelor  or  baccalaureate,  from  the  Latin  baccai  laurece,  laurel  berries.  These 
students,  formerly,  were  not  allowed  to  marry,  lest  the  duties  of  husband  and 
father  should  take  them  from  their  literary  pursuits;  and,  in  time,  all  single  men 
were  called  bachelors.  The  statues  of  iEsculapius,  crowned  with  sprigs  of  lau- 
rel, announced  the  great  confidence  in  which  the  ancients  held  trie  medicinal 
virtues  of  this  tree.  The  laurel  is  mentioned  by  Chaucer  as  the  crown  of  the 
Knights  of  the  Round  Table. 

Soil,  Propagation,  fyc.  The  Laurus  nobilis  requires  a  good  free  soil,  and  it 
will  not  thrive  in  the  open  air,  in  a  climate  much  colder  than  that  of  London,  in 
England,  or  of  Charleston,  in  South  Carolina.  It  is  generally  propagated  by 
layers  or  cuttings,  particularly  the  varieties;  but  the  species  may  readily  be 
increased  from  seeds.  As  it  forms  a  dense  conical  bush,  when  not  trained  to  a 
single  stem,  it  is  well  adapted  for  hedges.  This  tree  is  very  tenacious  of  life, 
and  a  root  or  stump  of  it  will  often  send  up  suckers  two  years  after  it  has  appeared 
to  be  dead. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  this  tree,  from  its  inferior  size,  is  not  much 
used  in  construction,  nor  in  the  arts.  The  young  branches  are  sometimes  em- 
ployed for  the  hoops  of  small  casks.  Both  the  leaves  and  berries  were  formerly 
considered  medicinal,  being  highly  aromatic  and  stomachic;  they  are  also  astrin- 
gent and  carminative.  An  infusion  of  them  was  not  only  considered  beneficial, 
when  taken  internally,  but  it  was  used  in  fomentations,  &c.  From  the  berries, 
there  is  extracted  a  particular  principle,  called  taurine.  The  kernels  of  the  fruit 
yield  an  emollient  and  resolutive  oil,  called  oil  of  laurel,  which  is  employed  as  an 
embrocation  in  materia  medica,  and  in  the  veterinary  art.  The  essential  oil  is 
used  in  perfumery,  and  for  scrubbing  wainscots  in  chambers,  in  order  to  drive 
away  flies.  The  leaves  impart  a  yellow  colour  to  wool.  The  principal  use  of 
this  tree,  however,  is  for  hedges,  and  other  purposes  of  ornament,  though  the 
(eaves  are  much  employed  for  flavouring  custards,  blanc-mange,  &c.  The  flow- 
ers afford  the  best  kind  of  honey,  and  are  numerously  frequented  by  bees. 

As  an  evergreen  shrub,  the  laurel  is  not  only  beautiful  in  itself,  but  connected 
as  it  is  with  many  classical  and  interesting  associations,  it  well  deserves  a  place 
in  every  collection. 


Laurus  carolineiisis, 
THE  CAROLINA  LAUREL-TREE. 


8ynonym.es. 


Laurus  carolineiisis, 


Laurier  de  la  Caroline, 

Carolinischer  Lorberbaum,  Rother  Lor- 
berbaum, 

Alloro  di  Carolina, 

Carolina  Laurel-tree,  Red  Bay-tree,  Broad- 
leaved  Carolina  Bay-tree, 

Carolina  Laurel-tree,  Red  Bay-tree, 


Catesby,  Natural  History  of  Cauina. 
Michatjx,  North  American  Sylva. 
Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
France. 

•  German?. 

Italy. 
>  Britain. 

United  States. 


Engravings.    Catesby,  Natural  History  of  Carolina,  pi.  63 ;  Michaux,  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  82 ;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Br. 
tannicum,  iii.,  fig.  1168;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.    Evergreen.     Leaves  oval,  lanceolate,  slightly  glaucous  beneath.    Flowers  in  pedun 
cled  axillary  groups. — Sprengel,  Syst.  Veg. 


Description. 

HE  Carolina  Laurel,  al- 
*  though  it  sometimes  at- 
tains a  height  of  sixty  or 
i&"^P  seventy  feet,  in  its  natu- 
ral habitat,  with  a  trunk  fifteen  or  twenty  inches 
in  diameter,  rarely  exhibits  a  regular  form ;  its 
stem  generally  being  crooked,  and  divided  into 
several  thick  limbs,  eight,  ten,  or  twelve  feet 
above  the  ground.  Upon  the  trunks  of  old  trees, 
the  bark  is  thick,  and  deeply  furrowed ;  but  on 
young  stocks  and  branches,  it  is  smooth,  and  of 
a  beautiful  green  colour.  The  leaves  are  about 
six  inches  long,  alternate,  oval-acuminate,  glau- 
cous on  the  lower  surface,  and  evergreen.  The 
male  flowers  come  out  in  April  or  May,  in  long 
clusters  from  the  axils  of  the  leaves;  and  the 
female  flowers  occur  in  loose  bunches,  on  rather 
long,  red  peduncles.  The  berries,  which  are  of  an  oval  form,  and  of  a  rich,  dark- 
Hue,  grow  in  red  cups,  and  occur  two,  and  sometimes  three  together. 

Varieties.  Michaux  states  that  this  tree  differs  exceedingly  in  its  character, 
according  to  the  latitude  in  which  it  grows.  Laurus  borbonla,  of  Linnaeus,  is 
probably  the  form  which  it  assumes  in  the  southern  states ;  and  L.  carolitiensls, 
the  one  in  which  it  appears  in  the  more  northern  states.  The  three  following 
varieties  appear  to  be  distinctly  marked,  all  of  which  were  introduced  into  Brit- 
ain, in  180(5 : — 

1.  L.  c.  glabra,  Pursh.  Glabrous-leaved  Carolina  Laurel,  with  leaves  slightly 
glabrous. 

2.  L.  c.  pubescens,  Pursh.  Pubescent-leaved  Carolina  Laurel,  having  slightly 
pubescent  leaves. 

3.  L.  c.  obtusa,  Pursh.  Obtuse-leaved  Carolina  Laurel,  with  the  leaves  ovate- 
i  '  ituse. 


CAROLINA    LAUREL-TREE.  41 


a 


Geography,  <£-c.  The  Lauras  carolinensis  is  indigenous  to  the  lower  part  of 
Virginia,  and  is  found  more  or  less  abundantly  throughout  the  maritime  districts 
of  the  Carolinas,  Georgia,  Florida,  and  of  Louisiana.  It  occurs  in  the  broad 
swamps  which  intersect  the  pine-barrens,  and  is  there  associated  with  the 
tupelo,  (Nyssa  biflora,)  red  maple,  (Acer  rubrum,)  and  the  water  oak  (Uuercus 
aquatica.)  A  cool  and  humid  soil  appears  to  be  essential  to  its  growth;  and  it 
is  remarked,  that  the  further  south  it  grows,  the  more  vigorous  and  beautiful  is 


its  vegetation. 


This  species  was  discovered  by  Mark  Catesby,  and  was  first  described  and 
figured  by  him,  in  his  "  Natural  History  of  Carolina."  It  was  cultivated  in  Brit- 
ain, by  Miller,  in  1739.  In  France,  Plumier  constituted  it  a  genus,  to  which  he 
gave  the  name  of  Borbonia,  in  honour  of  Gaston  de  Bourbon,  son  of  Henry  IV., 
and  uncle  to  Louis  XIV. 

Propagation,  fyc.  The  Carolina  laurel  may  be  propagated  by  cuttings  or  lay- 
ers, or  from  seeds.  In  its  native  country,  the  seeds  vegetate  freely,  and  the  old 
trees  are  often  surrounded  by  hundreds  of  young  plants. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  Laurus  carolinensis  is  very  strong, 
and  of  a  beautiful  rose-colour,  with  a  fine,  compact  grain,  and  is  susceptible  of 
a  brilliant  polish,  having  the  appearance  of  watered  satin.  Before  mahogany 
became  in  general  use  in  cabinet-making,  in  the  United  States,  the  wood  of  this 
tree  was  much  employed  in  the  regions  where  it  abounds  in  the  manufacture  of 
articles  of  furniture  of  the  highest  degree  of  beauty.  It  might  also  be  employed 
in  ship- building,  and  for  other  purposes  of  construction,  as  it  unites  the  proper- 
ties of  strength  and  durability ;  but  its  trunks  are  rarely  found,  of  late,  of  sutli- 
cient  dimensions  to  render  it  available  for  these  purposes.  When  bruised,  the 
leaves  diffuse  a  strong  odour,  resembling  that  of  the  sweet  bay,  (Laurus  nobilis,) 
and  may,  like  them,  be  employed  in  cookery. 

In  Europe,  this  species  is  solely  considered  as  an  ornamental  tree ;  and  as  it  is 
more  tender  than  the  sweet  bay,  it  is  only  suitable  for  warm  and  sheltered  situa- 
tions, or  for  being  placed  against  a  wall. 


Laurus  sassafras, 
THE  SASSAFRAS-TREE. 

Synonymes. 


Laurus  sassafras, 

Laurier  sassafras,  Laurier  des  Iroquois, 

Sassafras-Lorberbaum, 

Sassofrasso, 

Sassafras-tree,  Saxifax-tree, 


iLiNN.£us,  Species  Plantarum. 
Michaux,  North  American  Sylva. 
Loudon,  Arboretum  Britanuicum. 
France. 
■Germany. 
Italy. 
Britain  and  Anglo- America. 


Derivation.    The  specific  name  sassafras,  is  an  alteration  of  the  Spanish  word  salsafras,  or  saxifras,  which  is  applied  to  a 
species  of  Saxifraga,  the  virtues  of  which  are  attributed  by  the  Spanish  Americans  to  this  tree. 

Engravings.    Michaux,  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  81 ;  Bigelow,  Medical  Botany,  pi.  35;  Audubon,  Birds  of  America,  iii. 
pi.  cxliv. ;  Jxmdon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  vii.,  pi.  218  et  219 ;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.  Sexes  dioecious.  Habit  arborescent.  Both  leaves  and  flowers  are  produced  from 
the  same  buds.  Buds,  younger  branches,  and  the  under  surface  of  the  leaves,  pubescent.  Leaves 
entire,  or  with  2—3  lobes.  Veins  prominent  on  the  under  side.  Flowers  in  corymbose  conglomerate 
racemes.  Anthers  with  4  unequal  cells.  In  the  female  flower,  additionally  to  the  pistil,  are  6  gland- 
like bodies,  like  those  of  the  male  flowers. — Nuttall,  Genera. 


Description. 

"If  Fever's  fervid  rage 
Glowed  in  the  boiling  veins,  with  care  they  "****# 
*****"  Freely  urg'd 
The  cool  aperient  from  the  fragrant  hark 
Of  Sassafras  "    ***** 
*****  "To  supply 

The  place  of  fam'd  Cinchona,  whose  rough  brow 
Now  ruddy,  and  anon  with  paleness  mark'd, 
Drinks  in  its  native  bed,  the  genial  gales 
Of  mountainous  Peru." 

Traits  of  the  Aborigines. 

»HE  Laurus  sassafras,  in  fa- 

fi!S  h  H  jj£|  vourable  situations,  some- 

¥k    LI    |3>  times  attains  a  height  of  fifty 

ife/sSll  or  sixty  feet,  with  a  trunk 
from  one  to  two  feet  in  diameter ;  but  ordinarily  it 
does  not  much  exceed  one  half  of  these  dimensions. 
The  bark  of  the  trunk  is  of  a  grayish  colour,  and  is 
deeply  furrowed;  and  that  of  the  young  branches  is 
smooth,  and  of  a  beautiful  reddish-green.  On  cut- 
ting into  the  cortex  or  true  bark,  it  exhibits  a  dark, 
dull-red,  much  resembling  the  colour  of  the  Peru- 
vian bark.  The  trees,  when  old,  often  give  birth  to 
numerous  suckers,  that  spring  up  at  little  distances 
from  their  trunks,  which  rarely  rise  higher  than  six 
or  eight  feet.  The  leaves  of  the  sassafras  are  four 
or  five  inches  in  length,  alternate  and  petiolated. 
At  their  unfolding,  in  spring,  they  are  downy,  and 
of  a  tender  texture;  but  become  smoother,  and 
more  firm  by  age.  They  are  remarkable  for  the  variety  of  their  forms  on  the 
same  tree.  "  Those  which  proceed  first  from  the  bud,  are  usually  oval  and 
entire ;  the  next  have  the  same  form,  with  a  lobe  on  one  side ;  and  the  last,  and 


SASSAFRAS-TREE. 


417 


le 


most  numerous,  have  regularly  three  lobes."*  It  has  been  further  remarked 
that  the  lobed  leaves  are  the  most  numerous  on  the  upper  part  of  the  tree  Tin 
flowers,  which  put  forth  before  the  leaves,  usually  appear  in  Carolina  and  Geor- 
gia, from  the  middle  to  the  last  of  March ;  but  in  the  vicinity  of  Philadelphia  and 
New  York,  not  before  the  beginning  of  May.  They  are  disposed  in  short,  slen- 
der racemes,  of  a  pale-green  colour,  and  protrude  from  the  sides  of  the  branches 
below  the  leaves,  having  the  scales  of  the  former  bud  for  their  floral  leaves  In 
this  species,  as  with  the  Laurus  nobilis,  the  sexes  are  confined  to  different  trees 
I  he  fruit,  or  seeds,  is  of  an  oval  form,  of  a  deep-blue  colour,  and  is  contained  in 
small,  bright-red  cups,  supported  by  peduncles  from  one  to  two  inches  in  length 
These  seeds,  when  ripe,  are  eagerly  devoured  by  birds,  and  soon  disappear  from 
the  tree.  ri 

Varieties.  Nuttall  states  in  his  "  Genera  of  North  American  Plants,"  that  the 
inhabitants  of  Carolina  distinguish  two  kinds  of  sassafras,  the  "  Red'"  and  the 
"White,"  calling  the  latter,  also,  the  "Smooth."  The  red  variety  he  identifies 
with  his  sub-genus  Euosmus ;  and  the  white  or  smooth  kind,  he  considers  as 
belonging  to  the  same  sub-genus,  which  he  calls  Laurus  Euosmus  alhida,  and 
of  which  he  has  adduced  the  following  characteristics :— Its  buds  and  young 
branches  are  smooth  and  glaucous;  its  leaves  are  everywhere  glabrous  and  thin. 
and  the  veins  are  obsolete  on  the  under  surface ;  the  petiole  is  longer.  The  root 
is  much  more  strongly  camphorated  than  the  root  of  the  red  sort,  and  is  nearly 
white.  This  kind,  he  says,  is  better  calculated  to  answer  as  a  substitute  for 
ochra,  (Hibiscus  esculentus,)  from  its  buds  and  young  branches  being  much 
more  mucilaginous.  It  is  abundant  in  North  and  South  Carolina,  from  the  Ca- 
tawba Mountains  to  the  east  bank  of  the  Santee,  growing  with  the  red  variety, 
which,  in  North  Carolina,  is  less  abundant. 

Geography  and  History.  The  Laurus  sassafras  is  said  to  be  indigenous  to 
every  section  of  the  United  States,  east  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  and  to  Upper 
Canada,  where,  in  the  last-named  country,  it  is  found  between  Niagara  and 
Hamilton,  in  forty-three  and  a  half  degrees  of  north  latitude;  but  there  it  dwin- 
dles down  to  a  tall  shrub,  though  healthy  in  its  appearance,  not  exceeding  twenty 
feet  in  height.  In  the  neighbourhood  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  however, 
it  grows  to  a  height  of  forty  or  fifty  feet,  and  attains  a  still  greater  elevation  in 
the  southern  states.  Indeed,  it  abounds  from  the  state  of  New  Hampshire  to  the 
banks  of  the  Mississippi,  and  from  the  shores  of  the  Atlantic,  in  Virginia,  to  the 
remotest  wilds  of  Missouri,  comprising  an  extent  in  one  direction,  of  more  than  a 
thousand  miles,  and  more  than  double  that  distance  in  the  other  direction. 

The  sassafras,  from  the  peculiar  forms  of  its  foliage,  and  the  properties  of  its 
bark,  wood,  and  leaves,  is  rendered  a  prominent  object  of  notice,  and  it  appears 
to  have  been  one  of  the  earliest  trees  of  the  North  American  forests  to  attract  the 
attention  of  Europeans.  Monardez,  in  1549,  and  after  him  Clusius.  treat  of  its 
uses.  Gerard  calls  it  the  "ague-tree,"  and  says  that  a  decoction  of  its  bark  will 
cure  agues  and  other  diseases.  And  Bigelow  states  that,  "Its  character,  as  an 
article  of  medicine,  was  at  one  time  so  high,  that  it  commanded  an  extravagant 
price,  and  treatises  were  written  to  celebrate  its  virtins."  "It  still  retains  a 
place,"  he  adds,  "in  the  best  European  pharmacopoeias."  The  most  in  teres  tine 
historical  recollection  connected  with  this  tree  is,  that  it  may  be  said  to  have  led 
to  the  discovery  of  America ;  as  it  was  its  strong  fragrance,  smell  by  Columbus, 
that  encouraged  him  to  persevere  when  his  crew  were  in  a  state  of  mutiny ;  and 
enabled  him  to  convince  them  that  land  was  nigh. 

The  largest  recorded  tree  of  this  species,  in  Britain,  is  at  Syon.  which  is  forty- 
six  feet  in  height,  with  a  trunk  three  feet  in  diameter,  and  an  ambitus  or  spread 
of  branches  of  thirty-four  feet.     There  is  another  tree  at  Cohham  Hall,  m  Kent 

*  Bigelow    Medicil  Botany,  p.  144. 
53 


418  LAURUS    SASSAFRAS. 

which,  in  thirty  years  after  planting,  had  attained  the  height  of  fifty  feet,  with  a 
trunk  eighteen  inches  in  diameter. 

In  France,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Nantes,  there  is  a  sassafras,  which,  in 
twenty-four  years  after  planting,  had  attained  the  height  of  thirty  feet,  with  a 
trunk  two  feet  in  diameter. 

Soil,  Propagation,  <fy*c.  The  Laurus  sassafras  will  grow  in  any  free  soil, 
rather  moist  than  dry,  and  is  generally  propagated  from  seeds,  which  should  be 
sown  or  put  into  a  rot-heap,  as  soon  as  received,  as  they  remain  a  year,  and 
sometimes  two  or  three  years,  in  the  ground,  before  they  vegetate.  The  sassa- 
fras may  also  be  propagated  by  cuttings  of  the  roots,  or  by  suckers  thrown  up  by 
old  trees.  The  situation  where  the  tree  is  to  be  finally  planted,  should  be  shel- 
tered ;  and,  in  the  northern  parts  of  Britain,  as  well  as  in  Canada,  in  order  to 
insure  fine  foliage,  it  should  be  planted  against  a  wall. 

Insects.  The  Laurus  sassafras  is  inhabited  by  the  larva?  of  various  species  of 
insects,  among  which,  are  those  of  the  black  swallow-tail  butterfly,  {Papilio  ilio- 
neus,  of  Smith  and  Abbot,)  and  of  the  (Attacus  promethea,  of  Harris.)  The  lat- 
ter usually  come  to  their  full  size  by  the  beginning  of  September,  when  they 
measure  two  inches  or  more  in  length,  and  about  half  of  an  inch  in  diameter. 
The  body  of  this  caterpillar  is  very  plump,  and  but  slightly  contracted  on  the 
back  between  the  rings.  It  is  of  a  clear,  and  pale  bluish-green  colour;  the  head, 
the  feet,  and  the  tail  are  yellow ;  there  are  about  eight  warts  on  each  of  the 
rings;  the  two  uppermost  warts  on  the  top  of  the  second  and  third  rings  are 
almost  cylindrical,  much  longer  than  the  rest,  and  of  a  rich,  coral-red ;  all  the 
rest  of  the  warts  are  very  small,  and  of  a  deep-blue  colour.  Before  entering  into 
its  chrysalis  state,  the  caterpillar  instinctively  fastens  to  the  branch,  the  leaf  that 
is  to  serve  for  a  cover  to  its  cocoon,  so  that  it  shall  not  fall  off  in  autumn,  and 
then  proceeds  to  spin  on  its  upper  side,  bending  over  the  edges  to  form  a  hollow, 
within  which  lies  concealed  its  cocoon.  These  brown  and  curled  leaves  may  be 
frequently  seen  hanging  upon  the  trees  during  winter,  when  all  the  rest  of  the 
foliage  has  fallen.  If  one  of  these  leaves  be  examined,  it  will  be  found  to  be 
retained  by  a  quantity  of  silken  thread,  which  is  wound  round  the  twig  to  the 
distance  of  half  an  inch  or  more  on  each  side  of  the  leaf-stalk,  and  is  thence  car- 
ried downwards  around  the  stalk  to  an  oval  cocoon,  that  is  wrapped  up  by  the 
sides  of  the  leaf.  The  cocoon  itself  is  about  an  inch  long,  of  a  regular  oval  shape, 
and  consists  of  two  coats.  So  strong  is  the  coating  of  silk  that  surrounds  the 
leaf-stalk,  and  connects  the  cocoon  with  the  branches,  that  it  cannot  be  severed 
without  considerable  force;  and  consequently,  the  chrysalis  swings  securely 
within  its  leaf-covered  hammock,  through  all  the  storms  of  winter.*  The  sas- 
safras, as  well  as  the  balsam  poplar,  the  elm,  the  dogwood,  and  the  leaves  of 
clover  and  of  Indian  corn,  are  fed  upon  by  the  Io  caterpillar   (Saturnia  io.) 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  Laurus  sassafras,  in  young  trees,  is 
white  and  tender;  but  in  those  which  exceed  fifteen  or  eighteen  inches  in  diam- 
eter, it  is  of  a  reddish  cast,  and  of  a  more  compact  grain.  It  is  not,  however,  in 
the  latter  respect,  to  be  compared  with  the  oak,  as  a  piece  of  considerable  size 
may  be  broken  with  a  slight  effort.  Consequently,  the  sassafras  is  of  little  value 
as  a  timber-tree,  where  strength  is  the  object  in  view.  Experience  has  shown, 
that  the  wood,  stripped  of  its  bark,  resists,  for  a  considerable  period,  the  progress 
of  decay ;  and  it  is  on  this  account  employed  for  the  posts  and  rails  of  rural  fences. 
It  is  also  sometimes  used  for  joists  and  rafters  in  the  construction  of  houses ;  and 
is  said  to  be  secure  from  the  attacks  of  insects,  an  advantage  attributed  to  its 
odour.  On  this  account,  it  has  been  employed  for  trunks,  bedsteads,  &c.  ;  but  a 
property  of  this  kind  is  wrongly  attributed  to  this  wood,  since  it  is  nearly  devoid 
of  smell  after  a  few  months'  drying. 

*  See  Harris'  Report,  pp.  280  et  281. 


SASSAFRAS-TREE.  4]lj 

But  for  these  purposes,  the  timber  of  this  tree  is  not  in  habitual  use,  being  only 
occasionally  employed.  The  wood  is  of  very  little  esteem  for  fuel ;  and  the  bark 
contains  a  considerable  portion  of  air,  and  snaps  while  burning,  like  that  of  the 
chesnut.     The  wood  imparts  to  wool  a  very  durable  orange-colour. 

Medicinally,  the  wood,  bark,  and  roots  of  the  sassafras,  are  considered  to  be  an 
excellent  stimulant  and  sudorific,  and  may  be  advantageously  employed  in  mate- 
ria medica,  and  in  the  veterinary  art.  They  were  formerly  much  celebrated  in 
the  cure  of  various  complaints,  particularly  in  rheumatism,  dropsy,  and  cutaneous 
eruptions;  but,  by  modern  practitioners,  they  are  only  recognized  as  forming  a 
warm  stimulant  and  diaphoretic.  The  wood  is  slightly  aromatic  and  somewhat 
acrimonious,  depending  on  a  resin  and  an  essential  oil ;  but.  the  smell  and  taste, 
which  are  peculiar  to  this  vegetable,  are  more  sensible  in  the  young  branches, 
and  comparatively  more  so  in  the  bark  of  the  roots.  A  decoction  of  the  sassafras 
chips,  sold  by  druggists,  is  well  known  as  a  remedy  for  scorbutic  affections. 
The  bark  and  pith  of  the  young  twigs,  as  well  as  the  tender  leaves,  abound  with 
a  pure  mucilaginous  principle  resembling  that  of  the  Hibiscus  esculentus  (ochra.) 
Mucilage  of  sassafras  pith  is  peculiarly  mild  and  lubricatory,  and  has  been 
used  with  much  benefit  in  dysentery  and  catarrh,  and  particularly  as  a  lotion  in 
the  inflammatory  stages  of  ophthalmia.  From  the  bark  of  the  roots  the  greatest 
quantity  of  essential  oil  is  extracted,  which,  after  long  exposure  to  the  cold,  it  is 
said,  deposits  very  beautiful  crystals.  The  flowers  of  this  tree,  which  have  a 
weak  aromatic  odour,  when  fresh,  are  considered  as  stomachic  and  efficacious  in 
purifying  the  blood ;  and  for  this  purpose,  during  a  fortnight  in  the  spring,  an 
infusion  of  them  is  drunk  with  a  little  sugar,  in  the  manner  of  tea.  In  Louisiana, 
the  leaves  are  used  to  thicken  pottage ;  and  in  various  parts  of  the  United  States, 
an  agreeable  beverage  is  formed  with  the  aid  of  the  young  shoots,  and  of  the  bark 
of  the  roots,  usually  known  by  the  name  of  "  Root  Beer,"  which  is  considered  as 
very  salutary  during  the  months  of  summer.  The  fruits  of  the  sassafras  are 
much  in  quest  by  perfumers,  who  convert  them  into  powder,  which  they  put  up 
in  small  sachets;  but  what  are  known  by  druggists  under  the  name  of  "sassa- 
fras nuts,"  are  the  fruit  of  the  Laurus  pucheri,  a  native  of  Peru. 


Laurus  camphora, 
THE  CAMPHOR-TREE. 

Synonymes. 


Laurus  camphora, 


Camphrier, 
Campherbaum, 
Albero  di  canfora, 
Camphor-tree,  Camphire-tree. 


Willdenow,  Linnaei  Species  Plantarum. 

Michaux,  North  American  Sylva. 

Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 

France. 

Germany. 

Italy. 

Britain  and  Anglo-America. 


Derivation.    The  word  camphora  is  an  alteration  of  the  Arabic  kdnfour,  the  name  of  the  camphor-tree  in  that  language. 

Engravings.    Michaux,  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  83;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  iii.,  fig.  1174;  and  the  figures 
below. 

Specific  Characters.    Leaves  triple-nerved,  shining  above,  glandular  in  the  axils  of  the  veins.    Panicles 
axillary  and  terminal,  corymbose,  naked.. — Pereira,  Materia  Medica. 


Descr'vptwn. 

£2^211  HE  Laurus  camphora  is  a  lofty, 
Si  h  H  S3  evergreen  tree,  growing  to  a 
Si  LI  M>  height  of  fifty  or  sixty  feet,  with 
II  a  trunk  of  a  proportionate  diam- 
eter. The  young  branches  are  of  a  yellowish-green,  and 
smooth.  The  leaves  are  oval,  acuminate,  attenuate  at  the  | 
base,  of  a  bright-green  colour,  shining  above,  and  paler 
beneath,  with  petioles  from  one  inch  to  an  inch  and  a 
half  in  length.  The  flowers,  which  are  small,  and  of  a 
yellowish-white,  are  succeeded  by  round,  dark-red  ber- 
ries, about  the  size  of  a  black  currant,  each  containing  a 
solitary  seed. 

Geography  and  History.  The  Laurus  camphora  is 
indigenous  to  China,  Japan,  and  Cochin-China,  and  has 
been  introduced  into  Java,  and  other  islands  of  the  same 
group. 

"  The  ancient  Greeks  and  Romans,"  observes  Pereira,  "  do  not  appear  to  have 
been  acquainted  with  camphor.  C.  Bauhin,  and  several  subsequent  writers, 
state  that  Aetius  speaks  of  it ;  but  I  have  been  unable  to  find  any  notice  of  it  in 
his  writings;  and  others  have  been  equally  unsuccessful  in  their  search  of  it. 
Avicenna  and  Serapion  speak  of  it ;  the  latter  calls  it  kaphor,  and  erroneously 
cites  Dioscorides.  Simeon  Seth,  who  lived  in  the  XI th  century,  describes  it;  and 
his  description  is  considered,  both  by  Voigtels  and  by  Sprengel  to  be  the  earliest 
record."  This  tree,  Michaux  remarks,  possesses  a  high  degree  of  interest  for  the 
United  States,  and  should  especially  engage  the  attention  of  the  inhabitants  of 
Florida,  the  lower  parts  of  the  Carolinas,  and  of  Louisiana.  Its  multiplication, 
in  these  climates,  he  says,  would  be  so  easy,  that  after  a  few  years,  it  might  be 
abandoned  to  nature. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  camphor-tree,  which  is  of  a  whitish 
colour,  is  strongly  impregnated  with  camphor,  and  is  sometimes  employed  for 
making  trunks  and  boxes,  that  are  liable  to  be  infested  with  insects  or  worms. 


CAMPHOR-TREE.  |jj 

Every  part  of  the  tree,  particularly  the  flowers,  possess  the  smell  and  taste  of 
camphor  in  a  high  degree;  but,  it  is  especially  from  the  roots,  that  this  substance 
so  useful  in  medicine,  is  obtained.  According  to  Kaempfer  and  Thimberg  the 
method  of  extracting  camphor  in  the  provinces  of  Saltzuma  and  the  island's  of 
Uotha,  in  Japan,  is  to  chop  up  the  roots  and  wood  of  the  tree,  and  boil  them  in 
water  in  an  iron  vessel,  with  an  earthen  head,  containing  a  quantity  of  straw 
adapted  to  it,  on  which  the  camphor  condenses,  or  sublimes.  But  the  method 
practised  in  China,  from  the  statements  of  the  Abbe  Grosier,  Dentrecolles,  and 
Davies,  appears  to  be  somewhat  different.  The  chopped  branches  are  steeped  in 
water,  and  afterwards  boiled,  until  the  camphor  begins  to  adhere  to  the  stick, or 
spatula,  used  in  stirring.  The  liquid  is  then  strained,  and  by  standing,  the  cam- 
phor concretes.  Alternate  layers  of  dry  earth,  finely  powdered,  and  of  this 
camphor,  are  then  placed  in  a  copper  basin,  to  which  another  inverted  one  is 
luted,  and  by  this  means  sublimation  is  effected. 

There  are  two  kinds  of  crude  camphor  known  in  commerce,  namely,  the  Dutch 
or  Japan  camphor,  and  the  China,  Formosa,  or  ordinary  crude  camphor.  The 
former  is  brought  from  Batavia,  and  is  said  to  be  the  produce  of  Japan.  It  is 
imported  in  tubs  covered  by  mating,  and  each  surrounded  by  a  second  tub, 
secured  on  the  outside  by  hoops  of  twisted  cane.  Each  tub  contains  from  one 
hundred  to  one  hundred  and  fifty  pounds.  It  consists  of  pink-coloured  grains, 
which,  by  their  natural  adhesion,  form  various-sized  masses.  It  differs  from  the 
ordinary  crude  camphor  in  having  larger  grains,  in  being  cleaner,  and  in  sub- 
liming, usually  at  a  lower  temperature.  The  ordinary  crude  camphor  is  imported 
from  Singapore,  Bombay,  &c.,  in  square  chests,  lined  with  lead  foil,  and  con- 
taining from  one  hundred  and  forty  to  one  hundred  and  seventy  pounds.  It  is 
chiefly  produced  in  the  island  of  Formosa,  and  is  brought  by  the  Chin-Chew 
junks  in  very  large  quantities  to  Canton,  whence  foreign  markets  are  supplied.  It 
consists  of  dirty  grayish  grains,  which  are  smaller  than  those  of  Dutch  camphor. 
Its  quality  varies — being  sometimes  wet  and  impure,  but  occasionally  it  is  as  fine 
as  the  Dutch  kind. 

Liquid  camphor  and  Sumatra  or  Borneo  camphor,  are  obtained  from  the  Dryo- 
balanops  aromatica,  a  large  tree  growing  in  Sumatra  and  Borneo.  The  liquid 
camphor  or  camphor  oil  is  obtained  by  making  deep  incisions  in  the  tree,  from 
which  the  liquid  oozes  out,  and  is  received  in  bamboos,  or  other  convenient  uten- 
sils. It  is  occasionally  imported  in  tin  canisters,  and  sometimes  consists  of  a  per- 
fectly limpid,  transparent  fluid,  but  most  usually  it  is  more  or  less  tinged  with 
yellow  or  brown.  Its  odour  is  somewhat  analogous  to  that  of  the  oil  of  cajuputi, 
combined  with  the  odour  of  camphor  and  cardamoms.  Sumatra  or  Borneo  cam- 
phor, called  by  the  natives  Kapurbarus,  is  found  in  the  natural  fissures  or  crevices 
of  the  wood,  and  occurs  in  small,  white,  transparent  fragments  of  crystals,  of  a 
camphoraceous  odour,  and  a  hot  taste.  It  is  much  esteemed  by  the  Chinese ; 
but,  from  its  exorbitant  price,  it  rarely  enters  into  their  foreign  commerce.* 

Camphor  is  also  found  in  numerous  herbs,  especially  peppermint,  rose-mary. 
thyme,  lavender,  &c.  The  quantity,  however,  thus  produced,  is  too  small  to 
yield  a  commercial  supply. 

*  See  Pereira's  Materia  Medica,  ii.,  pp.  243,  244  et  655. 


Genus  NYSSA,  Linn. 

SantalaceoG.  Polygamia  Dioecia. 

Syst.  Nat.  Syst.  Lin. 

Derivation.    The  genus  Nyssa  was  so  called  by  Linnasus,  from  a  water  nymph  of  that  name,  who  educated  Bacchus ;  because 
several  of  its  species  grow  in  water  or  moist  places. 

Generic  Characters.  Flowers  bisexual  and  male ;  the  two  kinds  upon  distinct  plants,  and  without  petals. 
Calyx  of  bisexual  flower  connate,  with  the  ovary  in  its  lower  part,  having  a  free,  5-parted  limb.  Sta- 
mens 5.  Ovary  ovate,  containing  1  pendulous  ovule,  and  in  some  instances,  2.  Style  simple,  revolute, 
curved  inwards.  Stigma  acute.  Fruit  a  roundish  drupe.  Nut  elliptical,  acute,  angular,  somewhat 
irregular,  grooved  lengthwise,  containing  1  seed,  which  is  albuminous,  and  has  an  embryo  that  has 
large,  leafy  cotyledons,  and  a  superior  radicle.  Calyx  of  male  flower  5-parted,  spreading.  Stamens 
5,  8, 10,  and  12 ;  surrounding  a  shield-shaped  gland.  Leaves  alternate,  entire.  Inflorescence  axillary, 
peduncled,  of  1  flower,  or  several  aggregate  flowers.  Fruit  red  or  blackish-purple,  suffused  with  a 
frosty  appearance. — Loudon,  Arboretum. 

,HE  genus  Nyssa  embraces  deciduous  trees,  natives  of  North  Amer- 
ica, and,  though  several  sorts  have  been  described  by  botanists, 
they  are  all,  probably,  referable  to  two,  or  at  most,  three  species; 
namely,  Nyssa  biflora,  candicans  and  grandidentata,  the  two  lat- 
ter being  so  nearly  allied,  that  we  have  considered  them  as  belong- 
ing to  the  same  species. 
To  the  natural  family  of  hardy  trees  next  preceding  Santalacese  belong  the 
genera  Daphne  and  Dirca,  the  former  of  which  contains  the  mezereon,  (Daphne 
mezereum,)  a  well-known  shrub,  much  valued  in  gardens  and  shrubberies,  both 
for  the  beauty  of  its  flowers  and  its  fruit.  It  produces  its  agreeably  fragrant  flow- 
ers in  early  spring,  before  the  leaves;  when,  as  is  beautifully  expressed  by  Cow- 
per,  its  branches  are, 

"Though  leafless,  well  attired,  and  thick  beset 
With  blushing  wreaths,  investing  every  spray." 

The  marsh  dirca,  or  leather-wood,  (Dirca  palustris,)  sometimes  also  called 
wickoby,  is  a  native  from  Maine  and  Canada  to  Georgia,  and  is  noted  for  the. 
extreme  toughness  of  its  inner  bark,  which  is  so  strong  that  the  stoutest  man 
could  not  break,  by  pulling,  a  strip  an  inch  in  width,  taken  from  the  main  stem. 
The  wood,  when  deprived  of  the  bark,  is  remarkably  soft  and  brittle,  snapping 
with  the  slightest  effort.     Like  the  mezereon,  it  blossoms  before  leafing. 


Nyssa  bijlora, 
THE  TWIN-FLOWERED  NYSSA. 

Synonymes. 


Nyssa  aquatica, 

Nyssa  bijlora, 

Tupelo  biflore,  Tupelo  aquatique, 

Zweibliimiger  Tupelobaum, 

Tupelo  bifloro, 

Tupelo-tree, 

Tupelo-tree,  Gum-tree,  Yellow  Gum-tree, 

Sour  Gum-tree,  Peperidge-tree,  Pipper- 

idge-tree,  Wild  Pear-tree, 


LiNNiEus,  Species  Plantarum. 

Michaux,  North  American  Sylva. 

Loudon,  Arboretum  Britanmcum. 

France. 

Germany. 

Italy. 

Britain. 

Anglo-America. 


Derivation.     The  specific  name  bi flora  is  derived  frnm  thp  Tatin  h;~...   v...  ■       i  j   „ 

ence  w  ilie  f.m,le  no«r,  o(il,i,  tre,  „ceurri,,?™n.i„    V™,&  ,?D.t,^\S^ 

Specific  Characters.    Leaves  ovate-oblong,  entire,  acute  at  both  ends,  glabrous 
a  peduncle.    Drupe  short,  and  obovate,  with  the  nut  striated. 


Female  flowers  two  upor 


Description. 


^£!5ij|HE  Nyssa  biflora,  in  an  uncul- 

^  H  H  js  tivated  state,  seldom  rises  above 

Eg    LI    M>  forty  or  fifty  feet,  with  a  trunk 

w^ti&m  fifteen  or  twenty  inches  in  di- 
ameter. Its  branches  spring  from  the  main  stem, 
five  or  six  feet  above  the  ground,  usually  affecting 
a  horizontal  direction;  and  the  young  shoots  of 
the  first  two  years  are  commonly  simple,  and 
widely  divergent  from  the  branches.  The  trunk, 
while  it  is  less  than  ten  inches  in  diameter,  has 
nothing  remarkable  in  its  appearance,  but  on  full- 
grown  and  vigorous  stocks,  the  bark  is  thick  and 
deeply  furrowed,  which,  unlike  that  of  most  other 
trees,  is  divided  into  hexagons,  that  are  sometimes 
very  regular.  The  leaves  are  about  three  inches 
long,  ovate-oblong,  entire,  slightly  glaucous  be- 
neath, alternate,  and  are  often  united  in  bunches 
at  the  extremities  of  the  young  shoots.  The  flowers,  which  put  forth  in  April  or 
May,  are  small,  and  scarcely  apparent ;  but  the  fruit,  which  is  usually  abundant, 
and  attached  in  pairs  on  peduncles  one  or  two  inches  in  length,  is  about  the  s 
of  a  pea,  of  a  deep-blue  colour,  and  is  highly  ornamental.  It  is  ripe  in  October, 
and,  remaining  upon  the  trees  after  the  falling  of  the  leaves,  it  serves  for  a  pari 
of  the  food  of  the  American  robins,  (Turdus  migratorius,)  in  their  animal  migra- 
tions to  the  south.  The  stone  of  the  fruit  is  compressed  on  one  side,  slightl]  con- 
vex on  the  other,  and  longitudinally  striated. 

Variety.     N.  b.  villosa,  Loudon.      Ha^ry-leaved  Nyssa  :  Nyssa  sylva tica,  of 
Michaux;   Tupelo  des  terrains  sees ;  Tupih  de  montagne,  of  the  French;  Haatv 


424 


NYSSA   B1FL0RA. 


ger  Tupelobaum,  of  the  Germans ;  Mountain  Tupelo-tree,  Sour  Gum-tree,  Black 
Gum,  Yellow  Gum,  of  the  Anglo-Americans.  This  variety,  which  attains  a 
height  of  sixty  or  seventy  feet,  is  a  native  of 
Maryland,  Virginia,  and  of  the  western  states, 
where  it  grows  on  high  and  level  ground,  asso- 
ciated with  oaks  and  walnuts ;  but  in  the  lower 
parts  of  Carolina  and  Georgia,  it  is  found  only 
in  moist  or  wet  places,  with  the  Magnolia  glauca, 
Laurus  carolinensis,  (red  bay,)  Gordonia  lasian- 
thus,  (loblolly  bay,)  and  the  Que  re  us  aquatica 
(water  oak.)  In  the  latter  situations,  it  ex- 
hibits a  very  remarkable  singularity  of  vege- 
tation, often  having  a  trunk  eighteen  or  twenty 
feet  in  height,  with  a  diameter  of  seven  or  eight 
inches,  at  the  surface  of  the  ground,  and  only 
two  or  three  inches  at  a  foot  above ;  but  the 
proportions  vary  in  different  individuals.  This 
tree  appears  to  differ  but  a  very  little  from  the 
species,  except  in  its  greater  height,  and  in  the 
downiness  of  the  petioles  of  the  leaves.  The 
fruit  is  of  about  the  same  shape,  size,  and  col- 
our, generally  produced  in  pairs  on  similar  peduncles,  and  the  wood  is  of  the 
same  description,  fine-grained,  and  tough.  The  alburnum  of  the  trunks  of  trees 
growing  upon  dry  and  elevated  lands,  is  yellow;  and  this  colour,  being  consid- 
ered by  wheelwrights  as  a  proof  of  the  superior  quality  of  the  wood,  has  probably 
given  rise  to  the  name  of  "  yellow  gum,"  which  is  sometimes  applied  to  the  spe- 
cies. Throughout  the  greater  part  of  Virginia,  this  wood  is  employed  for  the 
naves  of  coach  and  wagon  wheels.  At  Richmond,  Baltimore,  Philadelphia,  &c., 
it  is  preferred  for  hatters'  blocks,  to  any  other  wood,  being  but  little  liable  to  split. 
In  the  southern  states,  it  is  employed  for  the  cylinders  which  receive  the  cogs  of 
rice  mills.  It  is  also  sometimes  chosen  by  shipwrights  for  the  caps  or  pieces  that 
receive  the  topmasts. 

Geography  and  History.  The  Nyssa  bifiora  begins  to  appear  in  the  lower 
part  of  New  Hampshire,  where  the  climate  is  tempered  by  the  ocean ;  and,  in 
progressing  southward,  it  is  found  most  abundantly  in  the  easterly  parts  of  New 
York,  New  Jersey,  and  Pennsylvania;  but  in  Virginia  and  Carolina,  it  is  more 
sparingly  produced,  and,  as  in  the  north,  it  always  occurs  in  moist  ground  or  in 
watery  places. 

This  species  was  introduced  into  Britain  in  1739,  and  is  not  unfrequent  in 
European  and  American  collections.  The  largest  recorded  tree  in  Europe,  is  at 
the  Countess  of  Shaftesbury's  villa,  in  Richmond,  England,  which,  in  1836,  was 
forty-five  feet  high,  with  a  trunk  sixteen  inches  in  diameter. 

At  Schwobber,  in  Hanover,  Germany,  there  is  another  specimen,  which,  in 
sixty  years  after  planting,  had  attained  the  height  of  forty  feet,  with  a  wide- 
spreading  head,  and  branches  drooping  to  the  ground.  It  is  planted  in  a  low, 
moist  situation,  and  the  roots,  which  extend  to  a  great  distance,  send  up  innumer- 
able suckers.     In  autumn,  the  leaves,  before  dropping  off,  become  as  red  as  blood. 

On  the  seat  of  the  late  Mr.  Astor,  near  Hurl-gate,  New  York,  there  is  a  tree  of 
this  species,  which  has  attained  a  height  of  more  than  forty  feet,  with  a  trunk  a 
foot  in  diameter. 

Propagation,  fyc.  The  Nyssa  bifiora  may  be  multiplied  by  seeds,  and  by  cut- 
tings or  layers ;  and,  to  insure  the  prosperity  of  the  tree,  it  ought  always  to  be 
planted  in  moist  peat,  near  water.  A  splendid  specimen  at  Strathfieldsaye,  on 
the  estate  of  the  Duke  of  Wellington,  as  well  as  the  tree  above  referred  to,  at 


TWIN-FLOWERED  NYSSA.  425 

Schwobber,  are  grown  in  moist  meadows,  on  a  level  with  the  waters  of  the  adjoin- 
ing rivers. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  Nyssa  biflora  holds  a  middle  rank  between  soft 
and  hard -wooded-trees.  When  perfectly  seasoned,  the  sap-wood  is  of  a  slight 
reddish  tint,  and  the  heart-wood  is  of  a  deep-brown.  Of  trees  exceeding  fifteen 
or  eighteen  inches  in  diameter,  frequently  more  than  half  of  the  trunk  is  hollow. 
The  ligneous  fibres,  which  compose  the  body  of  most  other  trees  are  closely  united, 
and  usually  ascend  in  a  perpendicular  direction.  But,  on  the  contrary,  the  trees 
of  this  genus  exhibit  a  constant  peculiarity  of  organization,  the  fibres  being  united 
in  bundles,  and  are  interwoven  like  a  braided  cord.  This  property  gives  it  a 
decided  superiority  for  certain  uses.  In  the  parts  of  the  country  where  it  abounds, 
it  is  employed  for  the  naves  of  wheels  destined  for  heavy  burthens.  It  is  also 
employed  for  the  heads  of  the  shafts  of  wind-mills,  and,  sawn  into  boards,  it  is 
used  for  lining  carts.  Wooden  bowls  are  made  of  it,  which  are  heavier  than 
those  made  of  the  tulip-tree,  (Liriodendron,)  and  are  less  liable  to  split.  From 
this  irregularity  of  fibre,  the  "  gum-tree  "  is  not  admitted  as  evidence  in  the  courts 
of  Pennsylvania,  in  establishing  boundaries  to  lands,  &c.,  from  the  number  of 
years  which  have  elapsed  since  the  trees  have  been  blazed.  As  fuel,  this  wood 
burns  slowly,  and  diffuses  a  great  heat. 

In  British  gardens,  it  does  not  appear  that  much  pains  have  been  taken  to 
encourage  the  growth  of  this,  or  any  other  species  of  Nyssa;  nor  are  there  but 
very  few  specimens  of  a  tree-like  form  to  be  seen  either  in  the  European  or  Amer- 
ican pleasure-grounds ;  but,  from  the  singularity  of  the  fruit,  and  the  beauty  of 
the  foliage,  which  dies  off  of  an  intensely  deep  scarlet,  this  tree  deserves  a  place 
in  every  collection. 
54 


Nyssa  candicans, 
WHITISH-LEAVED  NYSSA. 

Synonymes. 

Nyssa  capitata,  Michaux:,  North  American  Sylva. 

I  Michaux,  Flora  Boreali-  Americana. 
Willdenow,  Linnaei  Species  Plantarum. 
Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
Tupelo  blanchatre,  Tupelo  a  fruit  aigre,     France. 
Weisslicher  Tupelobaum,  Germany. 

Tupelo  bianchiccio,  Italy. 

Ogechee  Lime-tree,  Britain. 

Sour    Tupelo-tree,    Ogechee    Lime-tree,  )  UNITFn  qtatfs 
Wild  Lime-tree,  )  UNITED  &TATES- 

Derivation.  The  specific  name  candicans  is  derived  from  the  Latin  candeo,  to  be  white,  having  reference  to  the  whitish 
colour  of  the  leaves  on  their  under  surface.  The  word  capitata  is  derived  from  caput,  the  head,  on  account  of  the  male  flowers 
oeing  grouped  in  little  heads.     It  is  called  Sour  Tupelo,  Lime-tree,  &c,  from  the  agreeable  acid  juice  contained  in  the  fruit. 

Engravings.  Michaux,  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  113;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  iii.,  fig.  1199;  and  the  figures 
below. 

Specific  Characters.  Leaf  with  the  petiole  very  short,  and  the  disk  oblong,  wedge-shaped  at  the  base, 
nearly  entire,  whitish  on  the  under  surface.  Female  flowers  one  upon  a  peduncle. —  Willdenow,  Linncsi 
Spec.  Plant. 


Description. 

HE  Nyssa  candicans,  in  its  natural  habitat,  rarely  ex- 
j§*  ceeds  thirty  feet  in  height,  with  a  trunk  seven  or  eight 
inches  in  diameter.  The  branches  of  the  male  trees 
are  somewhat  compressed  about  their  trunks,  and  tend 
towards  a  perpendicular  direction ;  while  those  of  the  female  trees  diffuse  them- 
selves horizontally,  and  form  a  larger  and  rounder  summit.  The  leaves  are  five 
or  six  inches  in  length,  oval,  rarely  denticulated,  of  a  light-green  above,  and 
whitish  beneath.  The  male  flowers  are  grouped  in  little  heads,  and  appear  in 
April  or  May.  The  bracteas  attending  the  female  flowers  are  short,  the  calyx 
tomentose,  with  its  lobes  short.  And  the  sexes  are  borne  by  separate  trees. 
The  fruit  is  supported  by  long  peduncles,  and  is  about  an  inch  and  a  half  in 
length,  of  a  light-red  colour,  and  of  an  oval  shape.  It  is  thick-skinned, 
intensely  acid,  and  contains  a  large,  oblong  stone,  deeply  channelled  on  both 
sides. 

Variety.  N.  c.  grandidentata.  Deeply -toothed  Whitish-leaved  Nyssa ;  Nyssa 
grandidentata,  of  Michaux  and  Loudon  ;  Tupelo  a  grandes  dents,  Grand  Tu- 
pelo, of  the  French ;  Gross gezdhnter  Tupelobaum,  of  the  Germans ;  Large 
Tupelo-tree,  Wild  Olive-tree,  of  the  Anglo-Americans.  This  variety,  for  height 
and  diameter,  is  the  most  remarkable  tree  of  the  genus.  In  favourable  situations, 
it  attains  a  height  of  seventy  or  eighty  feet,  with  a  diameter  of  eight  or  nine  feet 
at  the  surface  of  the  ground,  fifteen  or  twenty  inches  at  six  or  seven  feet  above, 
from  which  point  its  size  continues  uniform  to  an  elevation  of  twenty-five  or 
thirty  feet.  The  leaves  are  commonly  five  or  six  inches  long,  and  two  or  three 
inches  broad ;  but  on  young  and  thriving  plants  they  are  double  of  these  dimen- 
sions. They  are  of  an  oval  shape,  and  garnished  with  two  or  three  large  teeth, 
which  are  irregularly  placed,  and  generally  only  on  one  side  of  the  leaf,  as  denoted 


WHITISH-LEAVED    NYWiA. 


427 


con- 


in  the  adjoining  figure  When  the  leaves  unfold  in  spring,  they  are  downy  •  but 
as  they  expand,  they  become  smooth  on  both  sides.  The  flowers,  winch  appear 
in  April  or  May,  are  numerous,  though  single,  and  are  succeeded  by  fruit  of 
siderable  size,  and  of  a  deep-blue  colour,  of 
which  the  stone  is  depressed,  and  very  distinctly 
striated.  The  wood  is  extremely  white  and 
soft,  when  unseasoned,  but  light  and  hard 
when  dry;  and,  as  in  the  arrangement  of  its 
fibres,  it  resembles  the  other  trees  of  the  same 
genus,  it  is  employed  for  making  bowls  and 
trays.  The  roots  are  also  tender  and  light,  and 
are  used  by  fishermen  to  buoy  up  their  nets, 
instead  of  cork.  This  variety  is  described  in 
Miller's  "Dictionary,"  as  the  Virginian  water 
tupelo-tree,  rising,  with  a  strong,  upright  trunk, 
to  a  height  of  eighty  or  one  hundred  feet,  and 
dividing  into  many  branches  towards  the  top. 
The  drupes  are  represented  as  being  nearly  the 
size  and  shape  of  small  olives,  and,  like  that 
fruit,  is  preserved  by  the  French  inhabitants  of 
the  Mississippi,  where  this  tree  greatly  abounds, 
and  is  there  called  the  "Olive-tree."  It  grows 
chiefly  in  the  southern  parts  of  the  United  States;  and  Michaux  observes  that  it 
is  always  found  in  company  with  the  long-leaved  pine,  (Pinus  palustris,)  and 
the  cypress  (Taxodium  distichum.)  In  South  Carolina  and  Georgia,  it  is  con- 
stantly found  growing  with  the  over-cup  oak,  (Quercus  lyrata,)  the  water  locust, 
(Gleditschia  monosperma,)  the  cotton- woods,  (Populus  canadensis,)  the  Carolinian 
poplar,  (Populus  angulata,)  and  the  water  bitter-nut  hickory  (Carya  aquatica) ; 
intermixed  with  which  it  composes  the  dark  impenetrable  forests  that  cover  the 
miry  swamps  on  the  borders  of  the  rivers,  to  the  distance  of  one  or  two  hundred 
miles  from  the  ocean.  The  presence  of  these  trees  is  considered  as  an  infallible 
proof  of  the  depth  and  fertility  of  the  soil,  and,  consequently,  of  its  fitness  for  the 
culture  of  the  vine.* 

Geography,  $*c.  The  Nyssa  candicans  makes  its  first  appearance,  according 
to  Michaux,  on  the  river  Ogechee,  near  the  road  from  Savannah  to  Sudbury,  and, 
in  proceeding  southward,  it  is  seen  in  every  favourable  situation.  This  appears 
to  be  the  species  which  is  said  to  be  described  by  Marshall,  from  Bartram's  cata- 
logue, "  as  a  tree  of  great  singularity  and  beauty,  rising  to  the  height  of  thirty  feet  : 
the  fruit  of  which  is  of  a  deep  scarlet  colour,  and  of  the  size  of  a  Damascene  plum. 
It  has  an  agreeable  acid  taste,  whence  it  is  called  the  lime-tree."  Bartram  calls 
it  Nyssa  coccinea,  and  says  that  there  is  no  tree  which  exhibits  a  more  desirable 
appearance  than  this,  in  autumn,  when  the  fruit  is  ripe,  and  the  tree  is  partly 
divested  of  its  leaves;  for  then,  "the  remainder  looks  as  red  as  scarlet,  and  the 
fruit  is  of  that  colour  also."  "The  most  northern  habitation  of  this  tree  yet 
known,"  he  adds,  "is  on  the  Great  Ogechee,  where  it  is  called  the  Ogechee  lime, 
from  its  acid  fruit  being  about  the  size  of  limes,  and  being  sometimes  used  in 
their  stead." 

Uses,  fyc.  The  wood  of  this  tree  is  soft,  and  unfit  for  any  particular  use  m 
the  arts.  Its  fruit  is  sold  in  the  Savannah  market,  under  the  name  of  "  ( >gechee 
Limes,"  for  the  purpose  of  preserving  in  sugar,  which,  when  properly  prepared, 
is  said  to  possess  a  most  delicate  and  delicious  flavour. 


*  Michaux,  North  American  Sylva. 


Genus   SHEPHERDIA,   JVutt. 

Eloeagneae.  Dicecia  Octandria. 

St/st.  Nat.  Syst.  Lin. 

Synonymes. 

Shepherdia,  Hippophae,  Of  Authors. 

Derivations.    The  genus  Shepherdia  was  named  by  Nuttall,  in  honour  of  the  late  Mr.  William  Shepherd,  curator  of  the  Liv- 
erpool botanic  garden,  a  scientific  horticulturist,  to  whose  exertions  that  institution  is  greatly  indebted  for  its  success. 

Generic  Characters.  Flowers  dioecious.  Male  calyx  4-cleft,  much  larger  than  that  of  the  female.  Corolla, 
none.  Stamina  8,  alternating  with  a  torus  of  8  glands.  Female  flower  with  a  small,  4-cleft,  superior, 
campanulate  calyx,  and  8  glands.  Style  1 ;  stigma  oblique,  sub-capitate.  Berry  juicy,  1-seeded,  glo- 
bose, invested  with  the  fleshy  calyx. — Nuttall,  Sylva. 

[HE  trees  of  this  genus,  as  characterised  by  Mr.  Nuttall,  are  small, 
spinescent  or  unarmed,  with  the  general  aspect  of  Elseagnus.  The 
leaves  are  entire,  opposite,  clothed  with  silvery  and  ferruginous 
scales ;  the  berries  pulpy,  diaphanous,  of  a  scarlet  colour,  and  sub- 
acid taste.  There  are  two  species  indigenous  to  North  America, 
the  Shepherdia  argentea,  hereafter  considered,  and  the  Shepherdia 
canadensis,  a  thornless  shrub,  growing  to  the  height  of  six  or  eight  feet,  bearing 
brilliant  scarlet  berries,  of  a  sweetish,  though  unpleasant  taste,  and  principally 
abounding  throughout  the  British  possessions,  from  Newfoundland  to  the  north- 
west coast  of  America. 

To  the  same  natural  order  belong  the  oleaster,  or  wild  olive-tree,  (Elseagnus 
hortensis,)  and  the  sea  buckthorn,  (Hippophae  rhamnoides,)  both  of  which  are 
common  throughout  Europe,  and  a  considerable  portion  of  Asia.  The  former, 
called  in  the  south  of  Europe  the  "  Tree  of  Paradise,"  is  remarkable  for  the  sil- 
very whiteness  of  its  foliage,  and  the  fragrance  of  its  blossoms,  which  are  pro- 
duced in  great  abundance,  in  the  month  of  May,  perfuming  the  air  for  a  consid- 
erable distance  around ;  and  hence,  is  rendered  a  most  desirable  tree  for  a  lawn 
or  shrubbery.  When  cultivated  in  a  good  soil,  it  sometimes  attains  the  height  of 
thirty  feet,  with  a  head  nearly  as  wide  as  it  is  high.  The  sea  buckthorn,  in 
Europe,  as  it  throws  up  suckers  freely  from  the  roots,  and  endures  the  sea-breeze, 
is  sometimes  formed  into  hedges,  and  woody  scenery,  in  marine  situations,  where 
but  few  other  trees  or  shrubs  will  grow.  Its  berries  are  much  eaten  by  the  Tar- 
tars, who  make  a  jelly  or  preserve  of  them ;  and  the  fishermen  of  the  Gulf  of 
Bothnia,  prepare  a  rob,  or  jam  from  them,  which  imparts  a  grateful  flavour  to 
fresh  fish ;  but  in  some  parts  of  France  and  Switzerland,  they  are  considered  as 
poisonous.  Rousseau,  in  his  "  Reverie  du  Promeneur  Solitaire,"  relates  a  curi- 
ous story,  of  his  having  made  an  excursion  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Grenoble, 
with  a  local  botanist,  who,  though  he  saw  him  eating  the  fruit,  which  he  believed 
to  be  poisonous,  was  so  polite,  or  regarded  Rousseau  with  so  much  respect,  that 
he  dared  not  presume  to  warn  him  of  his  danger. 


Shepherdia  argentea, 

THE  SILVERY-LEAVED  SHEPHERDIA. 

Synonymes. 


Hippophae  argentea, 

Shcpherdia  argentea, 

Scheferdia  argente, 

Silber-Shepherdia, 

Shepherdia  argentina, 

Graisse  de  buffle,  Graisse  de  bceuf, 

Metheoo-meeva, 

Western  Shepherdia,  Missouri  Silver-leaf, 
Buffalo-tree,  Buffalo-bush,  Buffalo  Ber- 
ry-tree, Rabbit  Berry,  Beef  Suet-tree, 


Pursh,  Flora  America?  Septentrionalis. 

Nuttall,  North  American  Sylva. 

Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 

France. 

Germany. 

Italy. 

French  Louisiana,  &C. 

Creek  Indians. 

Britain  and  Anglo- America. 


Derivations.  The  specific  name  argentea  is  derived  from  the  Latin  argentum,  silver,  having  reference  to  the  silrery  scales 
on  the  leaves.  The  French,  German,  and  Italian  names  have  the  same  signification  as  the  botanical  one.  It  is  called  Graiss' 
de  bceuf  or  Buffalo  fat,  by  the  Canadian  voyageurs,  either  from  the  imaginary  relish  of  the  berries,  or  from  the  practice  of  m 
5ng  them  up  with  their  fat,  pounded  meat.  The  Creek  Indian  name  signifies  Bloody  Berry,  from  the  singular  redness  and  trans 
parency  of  the  fruit.  It  is  called  Buffalo- tree,  because  it  is  browsed  upon  by  buffaloes,  in  the  neichbourhood  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  where  it  grows  in  large  clumps  or  clusters.  According  to  Lewis  and  Clarke,  it  was  known  on  the  Missouri,  to  the 
natives,  by  the  name  of  Rabbit  Berry,  probably  from  being  fed  on  by  those  animals. 

Engravings.    Nuttall,  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  xxxv. ;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  iii.,  fig.  1208;  and  the  figure* 
below. 

Specific  Characters.  Leaves  oblong-ovate,  obtuse ;  both  surfaces  glabrous,  and  covered  with  silvery  pel- 
tate scales.  Flowers  in  clusters.  The  calyx  of  the  male  flowers  considerably  larger  than  that  of  the 
female,  and  divided  down  to  the  base  into  4  sub-ovate,  obtuse  divisions,  internally  yellowish,  but  scaly 
outside,  like  the  leaves.  Stamens  8,  often  with  rather  short,  pubescent  filaments.  Anthers  obloiiu'.  2- 
celled.  The  female  flowers  are  smaller,  and  shortly  pedunculate,  without  stamens.  Style  1,  ami  a 
thickish,  oblique,  sub-elliptic  stigma.  The  germ  appears  inferior,  but  is,  in  fact,  only  invested  by  the 
tube  of  the  calyx.  Berries  bright  and  pellucid,  occurring  in  clusters,  and  sparingly  scattered  with 
scales.  Seed,  or  nut,  with  a  cartilaginous  shell,  sub-ovate,  and  shining,  and  scored  externally  as  tl 
partly  2-lobed,  with  a  small  projection  at  the  base.  Embryo  straight  and  flat,  without  albumen,  and 
the  radicle  inferior.     Cotyledon  large,  thick,  and  oval. — Adapted,  from  Nuttall. 


Description. 

HE  Shepherdia  argentea,  in 

its  natural  habitat,  is  a  small, 

rather  narrow-topped  shrub, 

from  ten   to  fifteen  feet  in 
height,  with  the  branches  ending  in  stout  spines ;  but 
in  a  state  of  cultivation,  the  summit  is  more  rounded, 
the   branches  become  pendulous,   and   the   general 
aspect  of  the  tree  greatly  resembles  the  olive.     The 
flowers,  which  come  out  as  early  as  March,  are  suc- 
ceeded by  brilliant  scarlet  berries,  about  the  size  of 
the  Antwerp  red  currant,  and,  at  the  close  of  summer, 
when  the  branches  are  almost  concealed  in  clusters, 
few  objects  are  more  singularly  beautiful,  contrasted  as  they  arc  with  the  sihre 
hue  of  the  leaves,  with  a  mixture  of  white  and  dark-green  shade.     These  berries 
are  devoured  with  avidity  by  all  frugivorous  birds,  particularly  by  the  American 
robin,  (Turdus  migratorius,)  and  the  blue-bird,  (Saxicola  siahs,)  which  floch 
around  the  trees  in  throngs,  as  long  as  the  tin  it  remains. 


430  SHEPHERDIA  AKGENTEA. 

Variety.  S.  a.  fructu  luteo.  "Yellow-fruited  Silvery-leaved  Shepherdia,  said 
to  be  found  in  the  Rocky  Mountains  by  Mr.  Wyeth. 

Geography  and  History.  The  Shepherdia  argentea,  in  its  native  state,  is 
wholly  confined  to  the  northerly  and  western  regions  of  North  America.  Dr. 
Richardson  observed  it  on  the  banks  of  the  Saskatchewan,  in  latitude  fifty-four 
degrees ;  Major  Long's  party  saw  it  growing  near  Rainy  Lake,  in  about  latitude 
forty-nine  degrees;  and  Mr.  Nuttall  found  it  on  the  borders  of  La  Platte,  on  the 
banks  of  the  Missouri,  which  he  considered  as  its  southernmost  limit. 

This  species  was  first  propagated  east  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  in  about  the 
year  1826,  by  Messrs.  Winships,  of  Brighton,  near  Boston,  in  Massachusetts,  by 
a  few  seeds  sent  them  from  the  banks  of  the  Missouri,  by  Colonel  Snelling. 
From  this  source,  probably,  originated  most,  if  not  all,  the  cultivated  plants  at 
present  existing,  both  in  Europe  and  in  the  United  States.  One  of  the  original 
trees  is  now  growing  in  their  nursery,  which  has  attained  a  height  of  nearly 
twenty  feet,  and  is  still  vigorous,  and  increasing  in  size.  These  gentlemen  have 
continued  to  cultivate  this  plant  for  the  purpose  of  forming  hedges,  and  rows  of 
them  may  be  seen  at  this  time,  on  many  of  the  seats  in  the  vicinity  of  Boston, 
and  in  many  other  places  in  the  northern  states,  where  it  thrives  well. 

This  tree  was  first  introduced  into  Britain,  in  1815,  by  Mr.  Thomas  Nuttall, 
and  kept  in  the  green-house  of  the  Liverpool  botanic  garden ;  but,  for  the  want 
of  proper  management,  it  soon  after  died.  It  has  since  been  re-introduced,  and  fine 
specimens  of  it  are  to  be  met  with  in  the  London  Horticultural  Society's  garden, 
in  the  Twickenham  botanic  garden,  and  in  numerous  other  European  gardens 
and  collections. 

Soil,  Propagation,  <$~c.  The  Shepherdia  argentea  is  perfectly  hardy  in  every 
part  of  Europe  and  of  America,  south  of  the  fifty-fourth  parallel  of  north  latitude ; 
and  it  will  grow  in  any  soil  where  our  common  orchard  fruits  will  thrive.  It 
may  be  propagated  from  seeds,  by  cuttings,  or  suckers ;  and  when  trained  to  a 
small  tree,  it  is  particularly  well  adapted  for  suburban  gardens.  When  employed 
as  a  hedge-plant,  and  kept  down  by  the  shears,  it  becomes  close  and  compact, 
and  has  the  advantage  of  being  thorny,  green,  or  rather  silvery,  till  late  in 
autumn ;  and  is  not  attacked  by  insects,  nor  is  subject  to  any  disease  or  blight.  If 
cultivated  for  fruit,  a  male  tree  should  be  planted  by  the  side  of  the  female. 

Properties  and  Uses.  Independently  of  the  use  of  the  shepherdia  for  the  pur- 
poses of  ornament,  its  fruit  makes  an  excellent  jelly  or  preserve.  Although 
small,  it  is  juicy,  but  not  watery,  is  of  a  pleasant,  subacid  taste,  mixed  with  a 
sweetness,  which  renders  it  highly  agreeable.  Made  into  sweet  jelly,  in  the  man- 
ner of  currants,  these  berries  are  thought  to  be  preferable  to  that  fruit  by  most 
persons  who  have  tasted  them. 


Genus  BUXUS,   Tourn. 

Euphorbiaceae.  Moncecia  Tetrandria. 

Sy8t-  Nat-  Syst.  Lin. 

Synonymes. 

Buxus,  Of  Authors. 

Buis,  France. 

Buchsbaum,  Germany. 

Bossolo,  Bussolo,  Italy. 

Buxo,  Portugal. 

Box,  Britain,  Spain,  and  Anglo- America. 

Derivations.    The  word  Buxus  and  its  derivatives,  come  from  the  Greek  puknos,  close  or  firm ;  in  reference  to  the  hardness 

and  closeness  of  the  wood  of  the  box-tree. 

Generic  Characters.  Flowers  in  axillary  groups ;  unisexual  in  effect,  but  the  male  flowers  have  a  rudi- 
ment of  a  pistil ;  those  of  both  sexes  borne  on  one  plant.  Calyx  of  male  flowers  with  4  minute  1< 
Stamens  4,  inserted  under  the  rudiment  of  a  pistil.  Female  flowers  singly,  at  the  tip  of  groups  of  male 
ones.  Calyx  as  in  the  male.  Ovary  sessile,  roundish,  of  3  cells,  and  2  ovules  in  each  cell.  Styles  3. 
Stigmas  3.  Fruit  a  regma,  leathery,  beaked  with  the  styles  ;  consisting  of  3  incomplete  cells,  that 
open  down  the  centre,  and  divide  the  style,  and  of  3  valves  that  bear  the  incomplete  dissepiments  in 
their  centres.  Seeds  2  in  a  cell,  pendulous,  both  enclosed  in  the  endocarpial  lining  of  the  cell,  which, 
after  the  seed  is  ripe,  disparts  elastically,  to  admit  of,  and  conduce  to,  their  dispersion. — Nees  Von  Estn- 
beck,  Genera. 

;HE  genus  Buxus  embraces  low  evergreen  trees  or  shrubs,  with 
shining  coriaceous  leaves,  and  greenish-yellow  flowers;  natives  of 
Europe,  and  the  temperate  parts  of  Asia ;  of  easy  culture  in  any 
soil  that  is  tolerably  dry;  and  propagated  freely  from  cuttings,  or 
by  seeds.  There  are  two  species  indigenous  to  Europe,  namely, 
Buxus  sempcrvirens,  and  balearica,  the  latter  of  which  is  a  native 
of  the  Balearic  Islands,  where,  according  to  the  "  Nouveau  Du  Hamel,"  it  some- 
times grows  to  the  height  of  eighty  feet.  It  is  also  found  in  great  abundance  on  all 
rocky  surfaces  both  of  Europe  and  Asiatic  Turkey.  It  forms  a  very  handsome 
tree,  with  a  straight,  smooth  trunk.  Its  leaves,  which  are  three  times  as  large 
as  those  of  the  Buxus  sempervirens,  when  fully  exposed  to  the  air,  are  of  a  much 
paler  green  than  that  species ;  but  when  they  are  grown  in  the  shade,  they  are  of  an 
intensely  deep-green.  The  wood,  which  is  of  a  brighter  yellow  colour  than  that 
of  the  common  box,  is  imported  into  Europe  and  America,  from  ( Jonstantinople,  for 
the  use  of  wood-engravers;  but  its  grain  is  coarser,  and  less  compact,  and  conse- 
quently of  less  value.  It  has  been  asserted  that  the  honey  of  Corsica  is  rendered 
poisonous  from  the  bees  feeding  on  the  flowers  of  this  tree. 

To  the  same  natural  order  belongs  the  celebrated  tallow-t i.e.  (Stillingia  sebi- 
fera,)  a  native  of  China,  and  introduced  into  Carolina,  in  \1~<i.  together  with  the 
upland  rice,  by  Mr.  John  Bradley  Blake,  of  ('anion.  The  seeds,  which  were 
planted  by  Dr.  Alexander  Garden,  of  Charleston,  flourished,  and  from  that  source 
were  obtained  all  the  trees  of  this  description  now  growing  in  the  southern  stales 
of  the  union.  An  oil  may  be  expressed  from  the  kernels  oi  the  fruit,  winch 
hardens  by  cold,  to  the  consistence  of  common  tallow,  and  by  boiling,  becomes 
as  hard  as  bees'-wax. 


Buxus  semper virens. 
THE  EVERGREEN  BOX-TREE. 


Synor.ymes. 


Buxus  stmpervirens, 


Buis  toujours  vert,  Buis  commun,  Bois 

benit,  Ozanne, 
Buchsbaum,  Immergriiner  Buchsbaum, 
Bussolo  verde,  Eusso,  Bosso, 
Box-tree, 


Linn^us,  Species  Plantarum. 

Smith,  English  Flora. 

Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum 

France. 

Germany. 

Italy. 

Britain  and  Anglo-America. 


Derivation.    The  specific  name  is  derived  from  the  Latin  semper,  continually,  and  virens,  flourishing;  in  reference  to  the 
persistency  of  the  leaves  of  this  tree. 

Engravings.    Smith,  English  Flora,  pi.  1341 ;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  iii.,  fig.  1215;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.    Disk  of  leaf  ovate,  convex ;  footstalk  slightly  downy  at  the  edges.    Anthers  ovate- 
arrow-shaped. — Smith,  Eng.  Flora. 

Description. 

"Nor  box,  nor  limes,  without  their  use  are  made, 
Smooth-grained,  and  proper  for  the  turner's  trade; 
Which  curious  hands  may  carve,  and  steel  with  ease  invade." 

Virgil. 

HE  Buxus  sempervirens  is  a  well-known 
^  hardy  evergreen  tree  or  shrub,  which,  in  its 
natural  habitat,  seldom  exceeds  a  height  of 
*®"5=  twelve  or  fifteen  feet,  with  a  trunk  from  six  ^^) 
to  eight  inches  in  diameter;  but,  in  a  state  of  cultivation,  it  some-  ti||s 
times  attains  double  of  these  dimensions.  The  thickness  of  the 
trunk  is  very  considerable  in  proportion  to  its  height;  and  the 
bark  on  young  wood  is  of  a  yellowish  hue,  but  on  old  trees,  it 
is  rough  and  gray.  The  leaves,  which  are  opposite,  oval,  and 
almost  sessile,  are  of  a  coriaceous  texture,  and  of  a  shining,  yellowish-green, 
when  they  grow  in  a  situation  fully  exposed  to  the  light ;  but  of  a  fine,  deep, 
glossy-green,  when  shaded  by  other  trees.  The  flowers,  which  put  forth  in  April 
or  May,  are  of  a  greenish-yellow  colour,  and  are  disposed  in  little  tufts  in  the 
axils  of  the  leaves.  The  capsules,  which  contain  two  small,  pendulous  seeds, 
burst  their  cells,  at  maturity,  with  an  elastic  force,  and  thereby  conduce  to  their 
dispersion. 

Varieties.     The  varieties  recognized  in  this  species  are  as  follows : — 

1.  B.  s.  arborescens,  Loudon.  Arborescent  Evergreen  Box ;  Buis  arborescent, 
of  the  French;  Baumartiger  Buchsbaum,  of  the  Germans.  This  is  the  most 
common  form  of  the  species,  being  arborescent,  with  ovate  leaves. 

2.  B.  s.  angustifolia,  Loudon.  Narrow-leaved  Evergreen  Box  ;  Buis  a  feuilles 
etroites,  of  the  French ;  Schmalblattriger  Buchsbaum,  of  the  Germans ;  arbores- 
cent, with  lanceolate  leaves. 

3.  B.  s.  myrtifolia,  Loudon.  Myrtle-leaved  Evergreen  Box ;  Bids  d  feuilles 
de  myrte,  of  the  French;  Myrte-Buchsbaum,  of  the  Germans;  dwarfy,  with 
small,  oblong,  narrowish  leaves.  A  pretty  little  plant,  generally  quite  low,  but, 
under  favourable  circumstances,  grows  to  a  considerable  size. 

4.  B.  s.  suffruticosa,  Loudon.      Suffruticous  Evergreen  Box ;  Buis  sujfru- 


EVERGREEN    EOX-TREE.  433 

tescent,  Buis  nain  Petit  bids,  Bids  d  bordures,  Bids  aVArtois,  Bids  de  Hollande 
oi  the  trench;  btaudenartiger  Buchsbaum,  Zwcrger  Buchsbaum,  of  the  Ger- 
mans; dwarfy,  with  small  obovate  leaves.  This  is  the  kind  usually  cultivated 
for  edging  beds  in  gardens. 

5.  B.  sargentea,  Loudon.  Silver-leaved  Evergreen  Box;  Bids  argent,,  >f 
the  trench;  tSilber-Buchsbaum,  of  the  Germans;  arborescent,  with  ovate  Law. 
variegated  with  a  silvery  colour. 

6.  B.  saurea  Loudon.    Golden-coloured-leaved  Evergreen  Box;  Buis  a  feuiUes 
dories,  of   the  French;   Goldgelber  Buchsbaum,  of  the  Germans;    arborescent 
with  ovate  leaves,  variegated  with  a  golden  colour. 

7.  B.  s.  marginata,  Loudon.      Golden-edgcd-leaved  Evergreen  Box  ■  Buis  mar- 
gme,  of  the  French;  Eingefasster  Buchsbaum,  of  the  Germans;   arborescent 
having  ovate  leaves,  with  a  margin  of  a  golden  colour. 

8.  B.  s.  variegata,  Loudon.  Variegated-leaved  Evergreen  Box ;  Buis  d  feuiUes 
variees,  of  the  French;  arborescent,  with  lanceolate  variegated  leaves. 

Geography  and  History.  The  Buxus  sempervirens  is  found  wild  on  moun- 
tains, and  spreading  as  undergrowth  among  other  trees,  throughout  Europe  and 
Asia,  between  the  thirty-seventh  and  fifty-second  degrees  of  north  latitude;  but 
never  forming  forests  entirely  of  itself.  It  grows  plentifully  upon  Box  Hill,  near 
Dorking,  in  'Surry,  mixed  with  a  few  juniper  bushes  not  higher  than  itself,  but 
not  among  deciduous  trees,  and  shaded  by  them,  as  it  does  in  its  native  habitat, 
in  France,  and  in  other  parts  of  the  continent.  The  box-tree  is  found  abundantly 
in  Turkey,  and  on  the  shores  of  the  Black  Sea ;  but  a  great  portion  of  the  box- 
wood of  commerce,  sold  in  the  European  and  American  markets  as  "Turkey 
box,"  is  grown  in  Circassia  and  Georgia,  whence  it  is  brought  to  Odessa  for  ship- 
ment. It  is  also  found  in  various  parts  of  Persia,  China,  Cochin-China.  and. 
from  some  statements,  in  Japan.  This  tree,  which  is  of  great  longevity,  and  sub- 
ject to  but  few  diseases,  is  rarely  attacked  by  insects,  and  is  so  extremely  hardy, 
that  there  are  but  few  other  non-resiniferous  evergreens  that  will  stand  in  the 
open  air,  without  protection,  during  winter,  in  the  gardens  of  Paris,  Berlin,  Vienna. 
and  of  New  York. 

The  box  appears  to  have  been  first  mentioned  by  Theophrastus,  who  ranks  its 
wood  with  that  of  ebony,  on  account  of  the  closeness  of  its  grain.  Both  Virgil 
and  Ovid  allude  to  its  use  tor  musical  instruments,  and  employ  the  word  box,  as 
if  synonymous  with  that  oi  flute.  Pliny  describes  the  wood  as  being  as  hard  to 
burn  as  iron,  producing  no  flame,  and  as  being  totally  unfit  for  charcoal,  lie 
distinguishes  three  kinds,  which  he  calls  the  "larger,  the  smaller,  and  the  Italian 
box;"  and  speaks  of  the  use  of  the  tree  for  topiary  gardens,  and  of  the  wood  foi 
musical  instruments.  Vitruvius  also  recommends  the  box  for  topiary-work,  and 
uses  the  word  topiarius  to  express  the  art  of  the  gardener.  This  tree  appears  to 
have  been  much  employed  in  verdant  sculpture,  and  close-clipped  hedges,  in  tin 
gardens  of  Roman  villas  in  the  Augustan  age.  Pliny  describes  hisTusculan  villa 
as  having  a  lawn  adorned  with  figures  of  animals  cut  out  in  box-trees,  answer- 
ing alternately  to  one  another.  This  lawn  was  again  surrounded  by  a  walk 
enclosed  with  evergreen  shrubs,  sheared  into  a  variety  of  forms.  Beyond  this 
was  a  place  of  exercise,  of  a  circular  form,  ornamented  in  the  middle  with  box- 
trees,  sheared,  as  before,  into  numerous  figures  of  various  forms;  ami  the  whole 
surrounded  by  a  sloping  bank,  covered  with  box,  rising  in  steps  to  the  top.  In 
another  part  of  the  grounds  of  the  same  villa,  the  box  is  mentioned  as  hem-  CUl 
into  a  variety  of  shapes  and  letters;  some  expressing  the  name  of  the  master,  and 
others  that  of  the  artificer,  &c.  The  same  practice  is  followed  in  several  Roman 
gardens  at  the  present  day;  and.  in  that  of  the  Vatican,  the  name  of  the  Pope, 
the  date  of  his  election,  &c,  may  be  read  from  the  windows  of  the  palace,  il 
letters  of  box.  In  more  modern  times,  in  Britain,  it  is  mentioned  by  Turn 
55 


434  BUXUS    SEMPERVIRENS. 

Gerard,  Parkinson,  and  other  writers  on  gardening  and  rural  affairs;  and  previously 
to  the  XVIIIth  century,  it  was  in  great  repute  for  ger  metric  gardens,  from  the 
facility  with  which  it  could  be  made  to  assume  any  shape  that  the  caprice  or 
ingenuity  of  the  gardener  might  devise.  It  was  also  extensively  employed  for 
that  purpose  both  as  a  tree  and  as  a  shrub  throughout  Europe,  from  the  earliest- 
times.  As  a  tree,  it  lormed,  when  clipped  into  shape,  hedges,  arcades,  arbours, 
and,  above  all,  the  figures  of  animals.  As  a  shrub,  it  was  used  to  border  beds 
and  walks,  and  for  the  execution  of  numerous  curious  devices,  such  as  letters, 
coats  of  arms,  &c,  on  the  ground;  but  of  all  the  uses  to  which  the  dwarf  box 
was  applied,  the  most  important,  in  the  ancient  style  of  gardening,  was  that  of 
forming  parterres  of  embroidery ;  it  being  the  only  evergreen  shrub  susceptible  of 
forming  the  delicate  lines  which  that  kind  of  work  required,  and  of  being  kept 
within  the  narrow  limits  of  its  lines  for  a  number  of  years.  In  those  days,  when 
the  flowers  used  in  ornamenting  gardens  were  few,  the  great  art  of  the  gardener 
was  to  distinguish  his  parterres  by  beautiful  and  curious  artifical  forms  of  ever- 
green plants.  All  the  dark  parts  of  the  figures,  when  formed  of  box,  in  no  part 
were  allowed  to  grow  higher  than  three  inches  from  the  ground,  and  the  finer 
lines  not  to  exceed  two  inches  in  width.  The  spaces  between  the  lines  or  figures, 
in  the  more  common  designs,  were  covered  with  sand  all  of  one  colour ;  but  in 
the  more  choice  parterres,  different  coloured  sands,  earths,  shells,  powdered  glass, 
and  other  articles  were  used,  so  as  to  produce  red,  white,  and  black  grounds,  on 
which  the  green  of  the  box  appeared  to  advantage,  at  all  seasons  of  the  year. 
The  beauty  of  these  parterres  was  most  conspicuous  when  they  were  seen  as  a 
whole  from  the  windows  of  the  house,  or  from  a  surrounding  terrace-walk. 
Sometimes,  however,  they  were  placed  on  a  sloping  bank,  to  be  seen  from  below. 
The  embroidered  style  of  parterre  is  still  occasionally  to  be  met  with  adjoining 
very  old  residences,  in  France  and  Italy,  and  even  in  a  few  places  in  England ; 
and,  as  affording  variety,  it  is  at  least  as  worthy  of  revival  as  the  architectural 
style  of  building  of  the  age  in  which  it  most  extensively  prevailed.  About  the 
middle  of  the  X Vllth  century,  the  taste  for  verdant  sculpture  was  at  its  height  in 
England ;  and,  about  the  beginning  of  the  XVIIIth  century,  it  afforded  a  subject 
of  raillery  for  the  wits  of  the  day,  soon  afterwards  beginning  to  decline.  The 
following  lines,  by  West,  will  give  a  good  idea  of  a  topiary  garden  : — 

"  There  likewise  mote  be  seen  on  every  side 
The  shapely  box,  of  all  its  branching  pride 
Ungently  shorne,  and,  with  preposterous  skill, 
To  various  beasts,  and  birds  of  sundry  quill, 
Transform'd  and  human  shapes  of  monstrous  size. 
***** 

Also  other  wonders  of  the  sportive  shears, 
Fair  Nature  mis-adorning,  there  were  found; 
Globes,  spiral  columns,  pyramids,  and  piers 
With  spouting  urns  and  budding  statues  crown'd ; 
And  horizontal  dials  on  the  ground, 
In  living  box,  by  cunning  artists  traced ; 
And  galleys  trim,  on  no  long  voyages  bound, 
But  by  their  roots  there  ever  anchor'd  fast."* 

The  art  of  engraving  on  wood  was  invented  before  that  of  printing  with  mov- 
able types ;  and  it  is  supposed  to  have  been  first  practised  in  the  early  part  of  the 
XVth  century.  The  first  objects  to  which  it  was  applied  were  very  different  in 
their  character,  namely,  books  of  devotion  and  playing  cards.  The  mere  outlines 
of  the  figures  were  rudely  cut  in  the  wood  with  knives,  in  the  direction  of  the 
grain,  and  the  impressions  were  taken  off  by  friction,  without  the  aid  of  a  press. 
The  earliest  specimen  of  wood-engraving  now  extant,  in  England,  is  said  to  be 
in  the  collection  of  the  Earl  of  Spencer,  and  represents  St.  Christopher  carrying  the 
infant  Saviour;  bearing  the  date  of  1423.     A  very  curious  work  was  published 

*  See  Loudon's  Arboretum,  iii.,  pp.  1334  et  seq. 


EVERGREEN  BOX-TREE.  ]■;- 

between  1430  and  1450  entitled  "Biblia  Pauperum,"  the  Bible  of  the  poor 
This  work  consisted  of  about  forty  pages  printed  from  wood-cuts,  illustrated  bv 
texts  of  scripture,  which  is  supposed  to  have  given  the  first  idea  of  printing  with 
the  movable  types,  soon  after  invented  by  Guttemburg.  In  1480  Wohlgemuth 
an  engraver  on  wood,  at  Nuremberg,  is  said  to  have  been  the  first  who  attempted 
to  introduce  shade  into  wood-engravings.  His  pupil,  Albert  Duer  carried  the  ;irt 
to  a  very  high  degree  of  perfection;  and  in  his  time,  the  wood-cutters  fform- 
schneider.)  of  Germany,  became  so  numerous,  that  they  were  incorporated  into  i 
body  distinct  from  that  of  the  letter-printers  or  writers  (briefmaler.)  Holbein 
succeeded  Duer;  but  soon  afterwards,  the  art  of  engraving  on  copper  bavin-  been 
discovered,  wood-engraving  was  comparatively  neglected,  and  fell  into  disuse  till 
the  time  of  Bewick,  when  a  taste  for  the  art  was  revived.  The  first  engravers  on 
wood,  and  up  to  the  time  of  Bewick,  or  nearly  so,  were  accustomed  to  have  the 
trunks  of  the  trees  on  which  they  were  to  engrave,  sawn  up  into  planks,  and  to 
cut  out  the  figures  with  a  knife  or  other  tools,  on  the  side  of  the  grain ;  but  since 
his  time,  or  before,  the  practice  of  cutting  the  trunk  into  cross  sections,  about  an 
inch  in  thickness,  was  adopted;  and  the  engravings  were  cut  out  on  the  wood  across 
the  grain.  The  advantages  of  this  mode  over  the  other  are,  that  much  finer  lines 
can  be  produced,  and  the  engraved  block,  from  which  a  greater  number  of  impres- 
sions can  be  taken,  will  be  far  more  durable.  The  followers  of  Bewick  produced 
some  beautiful  engravings;  but  from  the  mode  of  printing  from  them,  though 
they  were  mixed  with  the  type,  they  were  almost  as  expensive  as  if  they  bad  be  n 
worked  from  separate  plates.  By  the  more  modern  practice,  however,  wood-cuts 
are  printed  from,  with  the  same  facility  as  from  movable  types ;  and  as  specimens 
of  unsurpassable  beauty,  extraordinary  force,  and  delicacy  of  execution,  tin'  reader 
is  referred  to  several  illustrated  works  recently  published  in  London,  by  Van 
Voorst,  and  others,  among  which  we  would  particularize  the  "  History  of  British 
Forest  Trees,"  by  Selby;  "Sporting  Scenes  and  Country  Characters,"  by  Mar- 
tingale ;  and  the  late  volumes  of  the  "  Penny  Magazine."* 

The  largest  box-trees  in  Britain,  probably,  are  two  at  Eyford  House,  near 
Stow,  in  the  Wold,  in  Gloucestershire,  both  of  which  exceed  thirty-two  let  in 
height,  with  trunks  rather  more  than  two  feet  in  circumference,  and  a  diamete: 
of  space  covered  by  the  branches,  of  about  twenty  feet. 

The  largest  box  hedge  in  England,  is  at  Pentworth,  which  is  fifteen  feet  high, 
forty  yards  long,  twelve  feet  broad  at  the  base,  and  is  supposed  to  be  more  than 
two  centuries  old. 

In  France,  in  the  Jardin  des  Plantes,  at  Paris,  there  is  a  box-tree,  upwards  of 
one  hundred  years  planted,  which  has  attained  a  height  of  more  than  thirty  feet 

The  introduction  of  this  species  into  the  North  American  colonies  probably 
dates  back  to  the  early  periods  of  their  settlements.  One  of  the  oldest  specimens 
known  to  exist  in  this  country,  is  growing  on  the  estate  of  Mr.  Lemuel  V>  .  ^  ells. 
at  Yonkers,  near  New  York,  which,  it  is  said,  was  planted  about  two  bundled 
years  ago,  by  Frederick  Philipse,  who  formerly  lived  on  the  place  of  its  present 
proprietor. 

In  the  Bartram  botanic  garden,  at  Kingsessing.  near  Philadelphia,  there  is  a 
Buxus  s.  variegata,  which  has  attained  the  height  of  twenty-live  feet,  with  a 
trunk  two  feet  and  a  half  in  circumference. 

Poetical  Allusions,  $-c.  The  box  is  sometimes  substituted  for  the  holly  m  dec- 
orating the  churches  at  Christmas ;  and  in  a  note  to  Wordsworth's  poems,  we  aw 
informed  that,  in  several  parts  of  the  north  of  England,  when  a  funeral  takes 
place,  a  basinful  of  sprigs  of  box  is  placed  at  the  door  of  the  bouse  ol  the  de- 
ceased, and  that  each  attendant  takes  one  of  these  sprigs,  and  throws  it  into  the 

*  See  Loudon's  Arboretum,  m  ,  pp.  L335  et  13 


436  BUXUS    SEIMPERVIRENS. 

grave.  The  common  box  is  the  badge  of  the  Highland  clan  M'Intosh ;  and  the 
variegated  kind,  of  the  clan  M'Pherson. 

Propagation  and  Culture.  The  box  may  be  propagated  from  seeds,  by  cut- 
tings, and  layers.  When  allowed  to  grow  freely,  this  tree  produces  an  abun- 
dance of  seeds ;  but  where  it  is  closely  clipped  in,  they  seldom  arrive  at  maturity. 
They  should  be  gathered  as  soon  as  the  capsules  appear  ready  to  open,  and 
should  be  sown  immediately  in  light,  rich  earth,  consisting  chiefly  of  vegetable 
mould,  which  is  well  drained.  Autumn  is  the  proper  time  for  planting  cuttings, 
which  may  be  from  four  to  six  inches  in  length.  They  should  be  set  in  a  sandy 
soil,  and  a  shaded  situation,  and  in  a  year  after  they  will  be  fit  to  transplant  into 
nursery  lines.  Layers  may  be  made  either  in  the  spring  or  autumn,  both  of  the 
young  and  the  old  wood.  The  dwarf  box  used  for  edgings  is  best  propagated  in 
the  spring,  by  being  taken  up,  divided,  and  replanted.  They  may  be  clipped  at 
almost  any  season  except  in  mid- winter;  but  June  is  considered  as  the  most 
appropriate  time  for  this  operation,  as  well  as  that  of  hedges  or  other  ornaments, 
when  the  plants  have  nearly  completed  their  year's  growth;  because  they  will 
afterwards  make  shoots  of  half  of  an  inch  to  an  inch  in  length,  or,  at  all  events, 
put  forth  a  [e\v  leaves,  and  thus,  in  a  few  weeks,  will  conceal  all  appearance  of 
the  use  of  the  shears.  When  this  practice  is  followed,  it  is  necessary  to  go  over 
the  edgings  or  hedges  in  July,  in  order  to  cut  neatly  off,  with  the  knife,  any  shoots 
that  may  have  been  protruded  too  far,  taking  care  not  to  cut  the  leaves.  Box 
edgings,  when  kept  low,  if  they  are  wanted  to  endure  many  years,  require  occa- 
sionally to  be  cut  in,  almost  to  the  ground ;  and  this  operation  should  only  be 
performed  on  one  side  of  the  edging  in  one  year,  and  not  on  the  other  side  till  two 
years  after.  When  treated  in  this  way,  both  edgings  and  hedges  will,  on  good, 
loamy  soil,  endure  for  a  long  time ;  whereas,  if  they  be  continually  clipped  on  the 
surface  only,  a  network  of  shoots  is  formed  there,  which,  by  excluding  the  air 
from  the  stem  within,  occasions  decay,  and  the  edging  or  hedge  becomes  unsightly 
and  naked  below.  The  form  of  the  cross  section  of  a  box  edging  or  hedge,  should 
always  be  that  of  a  truncated  triangle,  with  the  broadest  end  next  to  the  ground. 
In  the  case  of  edgings  to  walks,  or  to  flower-beds,  their  breadth  at  the  ground 
may  be  three  inches,  their  height  four  inches,  and  their  width  at  the  top  two 
inches  ;  or  one  half  of  these  dimensions  may  be  adopted.  In  every  case,  both  of 
edgings  and  hedges,  the  base  ought  always  to  be  broader  than  the  summit,  in 
order  that  the  rain  may  fall  on  the  sides,  and  the  light  of  the  sun  strike  on  them 
with  more  force.  In  clipping  the  box  into  artificial  forms,  it  is  usual  to  enclose 
the  tree  in  a  slight  frame  of  wirework  of  the  intended  form ;  and,  for  the  sake  of 
durability,  the  wire  should  be  of  copper,  and  painted  green,  which  would  also 
render  it  less  conspicuous. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  box  is  remarkably  heavy,  weighing, 
when  newly  cut,  nearly  eighty  pounds  and  a  half  to  a  cubic  foot,  and  when  per- 
fectly dry,  sixty-eight  and  three-fourths  pounds ;  being  the  only  European  wood 
that  will  sink,  in  that  state,  in  water.  It  is  of  a  yellowish  colour,  of  a  very  hard, 
compact  grain,  and  is  susceptible  of  a  fine  polish;  and,  when  well  seasoned,  it 
expands  and  contracts,  by  heat  and  cold,  moisture  and  dryness,  less  than  any 
other  kind  of  wood.  Hence,  it  was  formerly  much  used  in  England,  in  cabinet- 
making  and  inlaying,  as  it  still  is  in  France;  and  also,  in  most  countries  in 
Europe  and  America,  for  musical  and  mathematical  instruments,  combs,  and 
various  articles  of  turnery.  But  one  of  the  principal  uses  to  which  this  wood  is 
applied,  is,  for  wood-engraving :  and  for  this  purpose,  it  forms  an  important  arti- 
cle of  commerce. 

In  France,  the  box-wood  used  by  cabinet-makers  and  turners,  is  chiefly  that 
of  the  root.  The  town  of  St.  Claude,  near  which  there  is  one  of  the  largest  box- 
groves  in  Europe,  is  almost  entirely  inhabited  by  turners,  who  make  snuff-boxes 


EVERGREEN  BOX-TREE.  |;~ 

rosary-beads,  forks,  spoons,  buttons,  and  numerous  other  articles.  The  wood  of 
some  roots  is  more  beautifully  marbled,  or  veined,  than  that  of  others-  and  thfl 
articles  manufactured  from  them,  as  well  as  from  the  warty  excrescences  vary 
in  price  accordingly.  Articles  formed  of  the  trunk,  are  easily  distinguished  i,„„\ 
those  of  the  root,  when  the  wood  is  cut  transversely,  by  that  of  the  trunk  alway 
displaying  a  beautiful  and  very  regular  star,  which  is  never  the  case  with  thai  of 
the  root.  Box- wood  is  very  apt  to  split  in  drying;  and,  to  prevent  this,  the  French 
turners  put  the  wood,  designed  for  their  finest  works,  into  a  dark  cellar,  as  soon 
as  it  is  cut,  where  they  keep  it  from  three  to  five  years,  according  to  circum- 
stances. At  the  expiration  of  the  given  time,  they  cut  oil'  the  sap-wood  with  a 
hatchet,  and  place  the  heart-wood  again  in  the  cellar  till  it  is  wanted  for  the 
lathe.  For  the  most  delicate  articles,  the  wood  is  soaked  for  twenty-four  h.-urs, 
in  very  clear,  fresh  water,  and  then  boiled  for  some  time.  When  taken  out  of 
the  boiling  water,  it  is  wiped  quite  dry,  and  then  buried,  till  wanted  for  use,  in 
?and,  or  bran,  so  as  to  completely  exclude  it  from  the  light  and  air.  Articles 
made  of  the  wood  thus  prepared,  resemble,  in  appearance,  what  is  called,  in  Eng- 
land, Tunbridge  ware.  Olivier  de  Serres,  in  the  "  Theatre  d'Agriculture,"  recom- 
mends the  branches  and  leaves  of  the  box,  as  by  far  the  best  manure  tor  the  Lrraj>e  : 
not  only  because  it  is  very  common  in  the  south  of  France,  but  because  there  is 
no  plant,  that  by  its  decomposition,  which  affords  a  greater  quantity  of  vegetable 
mould.  The  spray  of  the  box,  though  it  burns  very  slowly,  is  much  esteemed, 
also,  in  France,  as  fuel  for  lime-kilns,  brick-kilns,  ovens,  &c.,  where  a  great  and 
lasting  heat  is  required. 

The  other  uses  of  the  box,  in  former  times,  were  various ;  but  many  of  them, 
doubtless,  are  forgotten.  The  bark  and  leaves  are  bitter,  and  have  a  disagreea- 
ble smell ;  and  a  decoction  of  them,  when  taken  in  large  doses,  is  said  to  be  pur- 
gative; and,  in  small  doses,  sudorific.  An  empyreumatic  oil  is  extracted  from 
them,  which  is  said  to  cure  the  toothache,  and  some  other  disorders.  A  tincture 
was  once  made  from  them,  which  was  a  celebrated  specific  in  Germany  for 
intermittent  fevers ;  but,  the  secret  having  been  purchased,  and  made  public  by 
Joseph  I.,  the  medicine  fell  into  disuse.  The  box  is  said  to  enter  into  the  compo- 
sition of  various  medicated  oils,  for  strengthening  and  increasing  the  growth  of  th 
hair;  and  Parkinson  says  that  "  the  leaves  and  saw-dust,  boiled  in  lye,  will  change 
the  hair  to  an  auburn  colour."  It  is  stated  in  Dodslcy's  "  London  Annual  Regis- 
ter," that,  in  the  year  1762,  "A  young  woman  of  Grunburg,  in  Lower  Silesia, 
had  a  malignant  dysentery,  and  lost  her  hair.  She  washed  her  head,  and  acci- 
dentally her  face  and  neck,  with  a  decoction  of  box-wood,  and  her  whole  face 
and  neck  were  soon  covered  with  red  hairs."  Pliny  affirms  that  no  animal  will 
eat  the  seeds  of  the  box;  and  it  is  said  that  its  leaves  are  particularly  poisonous 
to  camels.  It  is  also  asserted  by  many  authors  that  box-trees  are  never  cropped 
by  cattle. 

In  modern  gardening,  the  Buxus  sempervirens  forms  a  most  valuable  ever- 
green shrub  or  low  tree.  It  is  more  particularly  eligible  as  an  undergrowth 
in  ornamental  plantations;  where,  partially  shaded  by  other  trees,  its  leaves 
assume  a  deeper  green,  and  shine  more  conspicuously.  Nexl  to  the  holly,  u  has 
the  most  beautiful  appearance  in  winter,  more  especially  when  the  -round  is  cov- 
ered  with  snow.  The  variegated  sorts  are  admissible  as  objects  <>i  curiosity  ;  but, 
as  they  are  apt  to  lose  their  variegation  when  planted  in  the  shade,  and  as  m  the 
full  light,  their  green  is  frequently  of  a  sickly,  yellowish  hue,  they  certainly  can- 
not be  recommended  as  ornamental. 


Genus   MORUS,    Tourn. 

Urticaceae.  Moncecia  Tetrandria. 

Syst.  Nat.  Syst.  Lin. 

Synonymes. 

Morns,  Of  Authors. 

Murier,  France. 

Maulbeerbaum,  Germany. 

Moro,  Italy. 

Moral,  Spain. 

Amoreira,  Portugal. 

Mulberry-tree,  Britain  and  Anolo- America. 

Derivations.  Several  derivations  have  been  given  of  the  word  Morus.  Some  suppose  it  to  be  taken  from  the  Greek  morea, 
or  moron,  signifying  a  mulberry  or  blackberry;  but  others  derive  it  from  the  Greek  mauros,  dark,  or  morejemotely  from  th* 
Celtic  mor,  which  signifies  black  ;  from  the  dark  colour  of  the  fruit  of  the  black  mulberry,  supposed  originally  to  have  grown  in 
Persia. 

Generic  Characters.  Flowers  unisexual ;  those  of  the  two  sexes,  in  most  species,  upon  the  same  plant. 
Male  flowers  disposed  in  a  drooping,  peduncled,  axillary  spike.  Calyx  of  4  equal  sepals,  imbricate  in 
asstivation,  expanded  in  flowering.  Stamens  4,  with  a  rudiment  of  a  pistil.  Female  flowers  in  ovate, 
erect  spikes.  Calyx  of  4  leaves,  in  opposite  pairs,  the  outer  pair  the  larger,  all  upright  and  persistent, 
becoming  pulpy  and  juicy.  Ovary  of  2  cells,  one  including  a  pendulous  ovule,  the  other  devoid  of  any. 
Stigmas  2,  long.  In  the  state  of  maturity,  each  ovary  is  a  fleshy  and  juicy  utricle,  and  is  covered  by 
the  fleshy  and  juicy  calyx. — Nees  Von  Esenbeck,  Genera. 

,  HE  genus  Morus  embraces  deciduous  trees,  natives  of  Europe, 
Asia,  and  of  America,  remarkable  for  their  large  leaves,  which 
are  mostly  lobed,  and  which,  in  a  state  of  cultivation,  are  liable  to 
a  great  variation  in  point  of  magnitude,  form,  and  texture.  They 
are  all  easily  propagated  from  seeds,  by  cuttings,  and  layers,  and  by 
truncheons.  All  the  species  will  serve  to  nourish  the  silkworm ; 
but  the  white  mulberry,  (Morns  alba,)  and  its  varieties,  are  considered  much  the 
best.  In  warm  climates,  such  as  Persia,  the  leaves  of  the  black  mulberry,  (Morus 
nigra,)  are  sufficiently  succulent  for  the  purpose ;  but  in  colder  countries  they  do 
not  answer  equally  well.  The  leaves  of  the  red  mulberry.  (Morus  rubra,)  are 
thick,  rough,  and  hairy,  even  while  they  are  young,  and  are  also  improper  for 
the  food  of  silkworms,  which  feed  with  advantage  only  on  foliage  that  is  thin, 
tender,  and  succulent.  Various  attempts  have  been  made  to  discover  some  sub- 
stitute for  the  natural  food  of  these  insects,  which  may  be  readily  procured  at  all 
seasons,  and  in  sufficient  abundance  to  render  the  silk  culturist  independent  of 
the  chances  that  attend  the  growth  of  the  mulberry-tree.  It  is  probable  that  the 
leaves  of  most  plants  which  contain  a  milky  juice,  will,  if  they  are  appropriate 
in  point  of  texture,  afford  nourishment  to  the  silkworm,  from  the  common  prop- 
erty of  their  juice  containing  caoutchouc;  but,  notwithstanding  the  partial  suc- 
cess so  frequently  proclaimed,  as  the  substitution  of  the  tender  leaves  of  the  fig, 
the  maclura,  the  slippery-elm,  and  the  Norway  and  Tartarian  maples,  among 
trees;  and  those  of  the  lettuce,  endive,  beet,  spinach,  nettle,  viper-grass,  (Scor- 
zonera  hispanica,)  &c.,  among  herbaceous  plants,  all  practical  cultivators  of  silk 
are  convinced  that  it  would  be  unprofitable  to  feed  their  worms  on  anything 
save  their  natural  nourishment.  None  of  these  substitutes  are  of  any  real  use, 
unless  we  except  the  maclura,  the  viper- grass,  and  the  lettuce. 


Morns  nigra, 

O  7 


THE  BLACK-FRUITED  MULBERRY-TREE. 

Synonymes. 


Morus  nigra, 

Murier  noir, 

Schwarzer  Maulbeerbaum, 

Moro  nero,  More  nere, 

Moral  negro, 

Black  Mulberry-tree, 


!Linnjeus,  Species  Plantarum. 
Poiret,  Encyclopedie  Methodique. 
Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
France. 
Germany. 
Italy. 
Spain. 
Britain  and  Anglo-America. 


Derivation.    The  specific  name  nigra  is  derived  from  the  Latin  niger,  black;  referring  to  the  co.our  of  the  fruit  of  ihn  tree 
thf^r'Sw.  N°UVeaU  DU  Hamd'  iV"  P1'  22 '  L°Ud0n'  Arb0relum  Britannicum,  iii.,  fig.  1222,  and  vii.,  p..  223  et  ,1 ; 

*SS  %5£t  ^nZm^u[T'Srel[meS,  di<Eci0US-    Leaves  heart-shaped,  bluntish,  or  slightly 
lobed,  with  about  5  lobes  ;  toothed  with  unequal  teeth,  rough.-  Willdenow.  Lvmai  Spec.  Plant. 

Description. 

"But  cautiously  the  Mulberry  did  move, 
And  first  the  temper  of  the  skies  would  prove; 
What  sign  the  sun  was  in,  and  if  she  might 
Give  credit  yet  to  winter's  seeming  flight  ; 
She  dares  not  venture  on  his  first  retreat, 
Nor  trust  her  fruit  and  leaves  to  doubtful  heat; 
Her  ready  sap  within  her  bark  confines, 
Till  she  of  settled  warmth  has  certain  siens  ! 
Then,  making  rich  amends  for  the  delay, 
With  sudden  haste  she  dons  her  green  array ; 
In  two  short  months  her  purple  fruit  appears, 
And  of  two  lovers  slain  the  tincture  wears. 
Her  fruit  is  rich,  but  she  doth  leaves  produce 
Of  far  surpassing  worth,  and  noble  use." 

Cowley. 


jj^SSSJlHE  Morus  nigra   is   generally 

^2  h  H  iii  a  low  tree,  seldom  exceeding 

[J    |fjf  twenty  or  thirty  feet  in  height. 


^KSH  often  spreading  into  very  thick 
arms  near  the  ground,  and  forming  an  extremely 
large  head,  with  numerous  branches.  The  bark  is 
thick  and  rough,  and  in  this  respect  alone,  this  spe- 
cies may  be  readily  distinguished  from  the  Morus  alba, 
the  bark  of  which  is  light.     The  leaves  of  the  black 

mulberry,  which  are  very  rough,  are  broad,  heart-shaped,  unequally  serrated,  and 
are  among  the  last  to  appear  in  the  spring.  This  species  is  sometimes  perfectly 
doecious,  and  very  frequently  partially  so;  the  stamens  being  in  greater  perfec- 
tion in  most  flowers  of  one  tree,  and  the  pistils  in  those  of  another;  but,  as  in  the 
case  of  most  other  -monoecious  trees,  it  often  produces  male  Mossoms  lor  many 
years  after  it  is  planted,  and  yet  afterwards  becomes  fruitful.  The  dowers, 
which  put  forth  in  May  or  June,  arc  succeeded  by  large,  dark-purple  fruit,  very 
wholesome  and  agreeable  to  the  palate. 

Variety.  M.  n.  laciniata,  Loudon.  Cut-lea  nil  or  Jagged-leaved  Black  Mid' 
berry,  with  leaves  jagged,  rather  than  cut. 

Geography  and  History.  The  Morus  nigra  is  generally  supposed  to  be  a  native 
of  Persia,  where  there  are  still  masses  of  it  found  m  a  seemingly  wild  state; 
and,  although  the  date  of  its  introduction  into  Europe  is  unknown,  il  is  occasion- 


410  MORUS    NIGRA. 

ally  to  be  met  with  in  Italy,  apparently  wild.  This  tree,  however,  is  so  fre- 
quently confounded  with  the  white  mulberry,  by  the  earlier  writers,  as  to  render 
it  next  to  an  impossibility  to  ascertain  the  countries  of  which  it  is  truly  indigen- 
ous. It  has  been  known  from  the  earliest  records  of  antiquity,  being  mentioned 
in  "Holy  Writ,"  in  the  second  book  of  Samuel,  and  in  the  Psalms.  Ovid  evi- 
dently points  out  the  black  mulberry  as  the  one  introduced  in  the  story  of  Pyra- 
mus  and  Thisbe ;  and  Pliny  seems  to  allude  to  it,  where  he  observes  that  there 
is  no  other  tree  that  has  been  so  much  neglected  by  the  wit  of  man,  either  in 
grafting  or  giving  it  names;  "  an  observation,"  as  Mr.  Loudon  remarks,  "  which 
holds  good  to  the  present  day  respecting  the  black  mulberry,  as  it  has  only 
one  trifling  variety,  or  rather  variation,  and  no  synonyme,  whereas,  there  are 
numerous  varieties  of  the  Morus  alba."  Pliny  adds,  "  Of  all  the  cultivated  trees, 
the  mulberry  is  the  last  that  buds,  which  it  never  does  until  the  cold  weather  is 
past ;  and  it  is  therefore  called  the  wisest  of  trees.  But  when  it  begins  to  put 
forth  buds,  it  dispatches  the  business  in  one  night,  and  that  with  so  much  force, 
that  their  breaking  forth  may  be  evidently  heard."  On  Mount  iEtna,  the  black 
mulberry  is  grown  at  an  elevation  of  two  thousand  five  hundred  feet,  for  the  food 
of  the  silkworm,  to  the  exclusion  of  the  Morus  alba,  probably  on  account  of  the 
tenderness  of  the  latter  tree  in  that  elevated  region. 

The  black  mulberry,  it  is  said,  was  introduced  into  Britain  by  the  Romans; 
but  at  what  period,  there  is  no  record  which  throws  any  light  on  the  subject.  It 
is  mentioned  in  Turner's  "  Names  of  Herbes,"  published  in  1548,  when  there 
were  some  trees  planted  at  Syon,  one,  at  least  of  which  is  still  in  existence.  The 
tree  is  mentioned  by  Tusser,  who  wrote  in  1557,  also  by  Gerard,  who  describes 
both  the  black  and  the  white  mulberry  as  being  cultivated  in  his  time.  The 
royal  edict  of  James  I.,  about  the  year  1605,  recommending  the  rearing  of  silk- 
worms, and  offering  packets  of  mulberry  seeds  to  all  who  would  sow  them,  no 
doubt  rendered  the  tree  fashionable,  as  there  is  scarcely  an  old  garden  or  gentle- 
man's seat  throughout  England,  that  can  be  traced  back  to  the  XVIIth  century, 
in  which  a  mulberry-tree  is  not  to  be  found.  It  is  remarkable,  however,  that, 
though  these  trees  were  doubtless  intended  for  the  food  of  silkworms,  they  nearly 
all  belong  to  the  Morus  nigra,  as  very  few  instances  of  old  trees  of  the  white 
mulberry  exist,  at  the  present  time,  in  any  part  of  that  country.  Shakspear's 
mulberry  is  referable  to  this  period,  as  it  was  planted  in  1609,  in  his  garden,  at 
New  Place,  in  Stratford. 

One  of  the  most  remarkable  trees  of  this  species  in  Britain,  is  at  Battersea,  on 
the  estate  of  the  late  Earl  of  Spencer.  It  is  from  thirty  to  forty  feet  in  height, 
having  fourteen  trunks,  averaging  about  one  foot  in  girth  at  a  foot  above  the 
ground,  with  a  head  fifty  feet  by  seventy  in  diameter,  and  is  supposed  to  be  over 
three  hundred  years  of  age. 

In  Suffolk,  at  Finborough  Hall,  there  is  a  black  mulberry,  which,  in  seventy 
years  after  planting,  had  attained  the  height  of  forty  feet,  with  a  trunk  two  feet 
in  diameter,  and  an  ambitus,  or  spread  of  branches  of  forty-two  feet. 

In  France,  at  Nantes,  in  the  nursery  of  M.  De  Nerrieres,  there  is  a  specimen, 
which,  in  sixty  years  after  planting,  had  attained  the  height  of  forty-nine  feet, 
with  a  trunk  two  feet  and  a  half  in  circumference. 

The  introduction  of  the  black  mulberry  into  the  North  American  colonies,  as 
with  most  of  our  foreign  trees  bearing  edible  fruit,  it  is  highly  probable,  dates  back 
to  the  early  periods  of  their  settlements ;  but,  as  it  produces  only  a  moderately 
sized  fruit,  at  best,  and  requires  some  attention  to  bring  it  to  perfection,  it  has 
fallen  into  neglect.  There  are  trees,  however,  of  considerable  size  and  age,  to  be 
met  with,  in  all  the  middle  and  eastern  states  of  the  union,  which  are  regarded 
as  comparatively  worthless,  either  for  fruit  or  ornament. 

Poetical,  Legendary,  and  Mythological  Allusions.      The  mulberry  was  dedi- 


BLACK-FRUITED    MULBERRY-TREE.  441 

cated  by  the  Greeks  to  Minerva,  probably  because  it  was  anciently  considered 
as  the  emblem  of  wisdom,  from  the  slowness  of  its  putting  out  its  leaves-  and 
Jupiter,  the  Protector,  in  their  language,  was  called  after  it,  Morea,  From' Ovid 
we  learn  that  the  fruit  of  the  mulberry  derives  its  fine  colour  from  the  blood  of 
those  two  unfortunate  lovers,  Pyramus  and  Thisbe.  He  says,  that  it  was  for- 
merly snow-white,  but  that,  when  Pyramus,  in  despair  at  the  supposed  death  of 
his  mistress,  fell  upon  his  own  sword,  it  was  under  the  shade  of  this  tree.  Phisbe. 
shortly  after,  finding  him  dead,  killed  herself  in  the  same  way,  and  their  blood 
mingling  together,  was  absorbed  by  the  roots  and  imparted  its  colour  to  the  fruit 

"  Dark  in  the  rising  tide  the  berries  grew, 
Anil,  white  no  longer,  took  a  sable  hue  ; 
But  brighter  crimson,  springim;  from  the  root, 
Shot  through  the  black,  and  purpled  o'er  the  fruit." 

Cowley,  in  the  fifth  book  of  his  poem  on  plants,  has  given  a  very  plain  and  accu- 
rate description  of  the  apparently  cautious  habits  of  this  tree.  He  also  alludes  to 
the  fable  just  named.  The  Morea,  in  the  Levant,  is  said  to  have  been  so  called, 
from  a  supposed  resemblance  of  the  shape  of  that  peninsula  to  the  leaf  of  the  mul- 
berry. The  roots  of  this  tree  are  so  wonderfully  tenacious  of  life,  that  an  instance 
is  recorded  of  their  sending  up  shoots  after  having  lain  dormant  in  the  ground  for 
twenty-four  years. 

Soil,  Situation,  Propagation,  fyc.  The  Morns  nigra  will  grow  in  almost 
any  soil  or  situation  that  is  tolerably  dry,  and  in  any  climate  not  much  colder 
than  most  parts  of  Britain  and  the  United  States.  It  is  very  easily  propagated 
by  truncheons  or  pieces  of  the  branches,  eight  or  nine  feet  in  length,  and  of  any 
thickness,  being  planted  half  their  depth  in  tolerably  good  soil;  when  they  will 
bear  fruit  the  following  year.  As  it  is  extremely  tenacious  of  life,  every  par; 
of  the  root,  trunk,  boughs,  and  branches  may  be  converted  into  plants  by  sepa- 
ration; the  rootlets,  and  small  shoots,  or  spray,  being  made  into  cuttings,  the 
larger  boughs  into  stakes,  the  arms  into  truncheons,  and  the  trunk,  stool,  and 
roots,  being  cut  into  fragments,  leaving  a  portion  of  the  bark  on  each,  and  plant- 
ing them  after  the  Italian  mode  of  propagating  the  olive-tree.  The  mulberry 
may  also  be  increased  from  seeds,  by  layers,  or  by  grafting  and  budding.  This 
tree,  from  its  slowness  of  putting  out  its  leaves,  being  rarely  injured  by  spring 
frosts,  and  its  leaves  being  seldom  or  never  devoured  by  any  insect,  except  tin 
silkworm,  and  never  touched  with  mildew,  very  seldom  fails  to  produce  a  good 
crop  of  fruit.  This  fruit,  however,  though  excellent  and  exceedingly  wholesome 
does  not  keep,  and  is  so  far  troublesome,  that  it  is  only  good  when  it  i.s  quite 
ripe,  and  is  besj;  when  it  is  suffered  to  fall  from  the  tree  itself.  For  this  reason, 
mulberry-trees  are  generally  planted  on  a  lawn  or  grass-plot,  to  prevent  the  frail 
that  falls  from  being  injured  by  the  gravel  or  dirt.  This  practice,  however,  is 
objectionable,  as  no  tree,  perhaps,  receives  more  benefit  from  the  spade  and  the 
dung-hill  than  the  mulberry,  and  it  ought,  therefore,  to  be  frequently  dug  about 
the  roots,  and  occasionally  assisted  with  manure.  The  ground  undeT  the  tree 
should  be  kept  free  from  weeds  throughout  the  summer,  particularly  when  the 
fruit  is  ripening,  as  the  reflected  light  and  heat  from  the  bare  surface  of  die  soil 
is  thus  increased.  In  a  cool,  moist  climate,  like  that  of  Britain,  the  frail  is  also 
very  fine  if  the  tree  be  trained  as  an  espalier,  with  the  reflection  of  the  south  side 
of  a  building  or  wall.  As  a  standard  tree,  whether  for  ornament  or  fruit,  the 
mulberry  requires  very  little  priming  or  attention  of  any  kind  other  than  thai 
which  is  given  above.  As  it  increases  in  age,  it  increases  m  productiveness,  and 
in  full-grown  trees  the  fruit  is  much  larger  and  better  flavoured  than  m  those 

which  are  young. 

Properties  and  Uses.     The  wood  of  the  Moras  nigra  is  less  comoacl  than  even 
that  of  the  white  mulberry,  and  when  perfectly  dry,  weighs  only  about  forty 
50 


442  MORUS    NIGRA. 

pounds  to  a  cubic  foot.  It  is  said  to  be  durable,  and  has  been  employed  in  Eng- 
land for  various  purposes -of  carpentry,  for  hoops,  bows,  wheels,  and  even  ribs 
for  small  vessels,  instead  of  oak.  In  France,  this  wood  is  considered  of  but  little 
value,  except  for  fuel.  In  some  parts  of  Spain,  in  Sicily,  and  in  Persia,  the  leaves 
of  this  species  are  said  to  be  preferred  to  those  of  the  white  mulberry  ibr  the  food 
of  silkworms.  The  leaves  are  also  eaten  by  cattle,  sheep,  and  goats.  The  roots 
have  an  acrid,  bitter  taste,  and  are  considered  as  an  excellent  vermifuge,  when 
taken,  in  a  powder,  in  doses  of  half  a  drachm.  The  tree,  in  every  part,  contains 
a  milky  juice,  which,  being  coagulated,  is  found  to  form  a  coarse  kind  of  elastic 
gum. 

The  fruit  of  this  tree  is  of  an  agreeable  acid  and  aromatic  flavour,  and  is  eaten 
raw,  as  a  dessert,  or  may  be  formed  into  an  agreeable  preserve ;  and  Evelyn  says 
that,  mixed  with  the  juice  of  cider  apples,  it  makes  a  very  strong  and  agreeable 
wine.  Dr.  Clarke  observes,  that  he  saw  some  Greeks,  in  the  Crimea,  employed 
in  distilling  brandy  from  mulberries;  which  he  describes  as  "a  weak,  but  palat- 
able spirit,  as  clear  as  water."  A  wine  is  also  made  from  it  in  France ;  but  it 
requires  to  be  drunk  immediately,  as  it  very  soon  becomes  acid.  The  fruit,  when 
ripe,  is  regarded  as  cooling  and  laxative,  allaying  thirst,  and  being  grateful  in 
cases  of  fever.  When  made  into  a  syrup,  it  is  considered  excellent  for  a  sore 
throat.  Like  the  strawberry  and  raspberry,  it  is  said  to  undergo  the  acetous  fer- 
mentation in  the  stomach,  and  therefore  may  be  safely  eaten  by  persons  afflicted 
with  the  rheumatism  or  gout.  All  kinds  of  poultry  are  excessively  fond  of  this 
fruit,  and  devour  it  with  avidity,  whenever  within  their  reach. 


Morns  alba, 
THE  WHITE-FRUITED  MULBERRY-TREE. 

Synonytnes. 


Morus  alba, 

Miirier  blanc,  Murier  du  ver-a-soie, 

Weisser  Maulbeerbaum, 

Gelso,  Gelso  moro,  Moro  bianco,  Moro 

gelso, 
Morera, 
White  Mulberry-tree, 


Linmus,  Hortus  Cliffortianus. 
Willdenow,  Linnaei  Species  Plantarum. 
Loudon,  Arboretum  Bntannicum. 
France. 
Germany. 

Italy. 

Spain. 

Britain  and  Anglo-America. 


Derivation.    The  specific  name  alba  is  derived  from  the  Latin  albus,  white;  in  reference  to  the  colour  of  the  fruit  of  inn 

species. 

Engravings.    Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  iii.,  fig.  1223,  and  vii.,  pi.  225  et  22G  ;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.  Leaves  with  a  deep  scallop  at  the  base,  and  either  heart-shaped  or  ovate,  undivided 
or  lobed,  serrated  with  unequal  teeth,  glossy,  or,  at  least,  smoothish;  the  projecting  portions  on  the  two 
sides  of  the  basal  sinus  unequal — Willdenow,  Linncei  Spec.  Plant. 


«.£% 


Description. 


«J-w\, 


iHE  Morus  alba  is  a  deciduous  tree, 

sometimes  growing  to  a  height  of 

thirty  or  forty  feet,  with  a  trunk 

from  ten  to  twenty  inches  in  diam- 
eter. It  is  readily  distinguished  from  the  black  mulberry, 
even  in  winter,  by  its  more  numerous,  slender,  upright- 
growing,  and  white-barked  shoots.  It  is  a  tree  of  much 
more  rapid  growth  than  that  species,  and  its  leaves  are  not 
only  less  rough  and  more  succulent,  but  they  contain  more 
of  the  glutinous,  milky  substance,  resembling  caoutchouc, 
which  gives  tenacity  to  the  silk  produced  by  the  worms  that  feed  on  them. 
They  are  generally  cordate  and  entire,  but  sometimes  lobed,  and  always  deeply 
serrated.  The  flowers,  which  put  forth  in  May,  are  generally  succeeded  by  an 
abundance  of  white  fruit,  but  in  some  varieties,  it  is  ash-coloured,  purple,  and 
even  black. 

Varieties.  The  Morus  alba,  like  the  apple,  the  pear,  and  the  peach,  when 
propagated  from  seeds,  is  liable  to  sport,  and  produce  varieties  differing,  in  many 
cases,  more  from  one  another  than  they  do  from  other  species.  Tlir.se  variations 
are  very  numerous;  but  many  of  the  sorts  enumerated  in  catalogues,  in  differenl 
countries,  perhaps  are  only  dissimilar  in  name.  The  following,  however,  are 
some  of  those  most  generally  cultivated  for  their  leaves,  in  Europe  and  America, 
as  affording  food  for  the  silkworm : — 

1.  M.  a.  macrophylla,  Loudon.  Large-leaved  White-fruited  Mulberry ;  Murier 
d  gratifies  feuilles,  Murier  cf  E spa gne,  Feuille  cPEspagne,  of  the  French  :  Cfroaa- 
blcittriger  Maulbeerbaum,  of  the  Germans.  This  varietj  produces  strong  and 
vigorous  shoots,  with  large  leaves,  sometimes  measuring  eight  inches  long,  and 
six  inches  broad,  resembling  in  form  those  of  the  Morus  nigra,  but  are  smooth, 
glossy,  and  succulent.      The  fruit  is  white.     If  grown  in  rich  soil,  this  BOlt, 


414  MORUS    ALBA. 

according  to  the  "  Nouveau  Cours  d" Agriculture,"  is  apt  to  produce  leaves  which 
are  so  exceedingly  succulent,  that  they  cause  the  worms  that  feed  on  them,  to 
burst.  It  is  a  valuable  variety  for  poor  soils,  particularly  in  calcareous,  rocky 
situations.  There  is  a  sub-variety  of  this  kind,  cultivated  in  France,  under  the 
name  of  La  grosse  Heine,  with  very  deep-green  leaves,  and  black  fruit,  instead 
of  white.  The  celebrated  Alpine  Mulberry,  also,  introduced  into  the  United 
States  a  few  years  since,  from  the  south  side  of  the  Alps,  by  Mr.  Samuel  Whit- 
marsh,  of  Massachusetts,  is  believed  to  be  only  a  sub-variety  of  the  Morus  a. 
macrophylla.  When  planted  on  elevated  land,  even  when  exposed  to  cold,  dry 
winds,  or  in  a  light,  sandy  soil,  it  produces  a  most  healthy  and  nutritious  food 
to  the  worms,  which  produce,  when  fed  upon  its  leaves,  the  largest  quantity  of 
strong  silk,  of  the  purest  and  finest  quality. 

2.  M.  a.  romana,  Loudon.  Roman  White-fruited  Mulberry ;  Murier  remain, 
of  the  French.     This  variety  bears  a  close  resemblance  to  the  M.  a.  macrophylla. 

3.  M.  a.  nervosa,  Loudon.  Thick-nerved-leaved  White-fruited  Mulberry ;  Mo- 
rus nervosa  ("  Bon  Jardinier,"  of  1836.)  The  leaves  of  this  variety  are  strongly 
marked  with  thick,  white  nerves  on  the  under  side.  There  is  a  sub-variety  with 
larger  leaves,  called  M.  a.  nervosa  longifolia. 

4.  M.  a.  italica,  Loudon.  Italian  W hite- fruited  Mulberry ;  Murier  d'ltalie,  ot 
the  French ;  with  lobed  leaves.  In  1825,  and  for  a  few  years  before  and  after, 
while  attempts  were  making  to  re-introduce  the  culture  of  silk  into  England  and 
Ireland,  this  variety  was  principally  planted. 

5.  M.  a.  rosea,  Loudon.  Rose-leaved  White-fruited  Mulberry  or  Small-leaved 
While  Mulberry ;  Murier  rose,  Feuille  rose,  of  the  French.  This  tree  is  classi- 
fied by  M.  Castelet,  in  his  "  Traite  sur  les  Muriers  blancs,"  among  the  wild  vari- 
eties. The  fruit  is  small,  white,  and  insipid  ;  and  the  leaves  resemble  the  leaflets 
of  a  rose-tree,  but  are  larger.  This  kind  is  said  to  produce  remarkably  strong 
silk. 

6.  M.  a.  columbassa,  Loudon.  Murier  columba,  of  the  French,  having  small, 
delicate  leaves,  and  flexible  branches.  It  is  considered  the  most  tender  of  all 
the  kinds. 

7.  M.  a.  membranacea,  Loudon.  Membranous -leaved  White-fruited  Mulberry ; 
Murier  a  feuilles  de  parchemin,  of  the  French,  with  large,  thin,  dry  leaves. 

8.  M.  a.  sinensis,  Loudon.  Chinese  White-fruited  Mulberry ;  Murier  de  Chine, 
of  the  French ;  Chinese  White  Mulberry,  of  the  Anglo-Americans,  having  large 
leaves,  and  is  considered  as  one  of  the  best  varieties  in  the  United  States,  for  the 
production  of  silk. 

9.  M.  a.  pumila,  Loudon.  Dwarf  White-fruited  Mulberry ;  Murier  nain,  of 
the  French ;  a  shrub  seldom  exceeding  ten  feet  in  height.  Its  leaves,  when 
young,  are  nearly  as  large  as  those  of  the  M.  a.  macrophylla. 

10.  M.  a.  fcemina.  Female  White-fruited  Mulberry ;  Murier  femelle,  of  the 
French  ;  a  spiny  tree,  classed  by  M.  Castelet,  among  the  wild  varieties.  It  sends 
forth  its  fruit  before  the  leaves,  which  are  trilobate. 

11.  M.  a.  morettiana,  Loudon.  Moretti' s  Black-fruited  White  Mulberry; 
Murier  de  Moretti,  Murier  de  Dandolo,  of  the  French ;  Dandolo1  s  Mulberry,  of 
the  English.  This  variety,  the  fruit  of  which  is  black,  has  very  large,  flat,  deep- 
green,  shining  leaves,  that  are  thin,  and  perfectly  smooth  on  both  surfaces.  They 
rank  high,  as  food  for  silkworms,  and  the  silk  made  by  the  worms  fed  on  them, 
has  a  beautiful  gloss,  and  is  said  to  be  of  a  finer  quality  than  any  other.  It  is 
not  so  hardy  as  the  Morus  a.  multicaulis,  but  is  much  more  valuable  for  the  pur- 
pose of  raising  silk.  It  was  brought  into  notice,  in  Italy,  in  1815,  by  Signore 
Moretti,  professor  in  the  university  of  Pavia ;  whence  its  name.  It  was  also 
named  in  honour  of  Count  Dandolo,  who  has  not  only  devoted  much  time  to  the 
improvement  of  the  culture  of  silk,  but  has  written  a  work  on  the  subject. 


WHITE-FRUITED    MULBERRY-TREE.  |  J." 

12.  M.  a.  constantinopolitana.  Constantinople  White-fruited  Mulberry  ■  Mo- 
ms constantinopolitana,  of  Loudon  and  others;  Murier  de  <  onstantinople,  of  the 

French.  This  is  a  low-branching  tree,  seldom  exceeding  a  height  of  ten  or  iil- 
teen  feet;  a  native  of  Greece,  Turkey,  and  the  Crete,  and  has  long  been  culti- 
vated in  the  Jardin  des  Plantes,  at  Paris,  but  which  was  not  introduced  into 
Britain  before  1818.  This  variety  or  race,  may  readily  be  recognized  by  its 
rough,  furrowed,  stunted  trunk;  its  thick  and  short  branches;  its  leaves,  which 
are  always  entire;  and  its  solitary,  and  very  white  fruit. 

13.  M.  a.  multicaulis,  Loudon.  Many-stalked  Black-fruited  White  Mulberry; 
Murier  multicaule,  Murier  a  tiges  nombreuses,  Murier  Perrottet,  M  irier  des  Phi- 
lippines, of  the  French;  Yielstieliger  Maulbeerbaum,  of  the  Germans;  Morodellt 
Filippine,  of  the  Italians;  Morus  multicaulis,  Many-stalked  Mtdberry,  Chinese 
Black  Mulberry,  Perrotiet  Mulberry,  of  the  British  and  Anglo-Americans.  This 
variety,  or  race,  is  a  small,  many  stemmed-tree,  or  rather  gigantic  shrub,  of  rapid 

growth,  with  vigorous  shoots,  and  large,  pendulous  leaves,  which,  even  in  | r. 

dry  soils,  are  often  six  inches  long,  and  eight  or  nine  inches  broad;  and  which, 
in  rich,  humid  soils,  are  often  a  foot  in  length,  and  fifteen  or  sixteen  inches  in 
breadth.  They  are  convex  on  the  upper  surface,  cordate-rounded,  being  oeithei 
oblique  nor  lobed,  crenate,  acute,  somewhat  rough,  when  very  large,  but  thin. 
and  generally  of  a  beautiful  glossy-green.  Its  fruit  is  long,  black,  and  of  a  Savour 
somewhat  resembling  that  of  the  common  black  mulberry  (Morus  nigra.)  Tins 
variety  of  mulberry  differs  from  all  the  others  in  throwing  up  suckers  freely  from 
the  crown  of  the  roots,  growing  in  clusters  or  bushes,  like  the  lilac,  the  hazel,  the 
berberry,  &c. ;  hence  the  name  multicaulis  (many-stalked.)  It  also  strikes  root 
more  readily  by  cuttings,  either  of  the  young  or  old  wood,  than  any  other  vari- 
ety. It  was  introduced  into  France  in  1821,  by  M.  Perrottet,  (agricultural  bota- 
nist and  traveller  of  the  marine  and  colonies  of  the  French,)  from  Manilla,  the 
capital  of  the  Philippine  Islands;  into  which  country  it  had  been  brought  some 
years  before  from  China,  as  an  ornamental  tree.  It  was  introduced  into  the 
United  States  by  the  late  M.  Andre  Parmentier,  of  Brooklyn,  Long  Island,  pre- 
vious to  1828,  when,  in  June  of  that  year,  it  was  brought  into  public  notice  by 
the  American  Institute,  at  New  York,  at  the  suggestion  of  the  late  Dr.  Felix  Pas 
calis.  It  has  since  been  extensively  propagated  in  France  and  Italy,  where  it  i- 
still  considered  one  of  the  best  varieties  for  cultivation,  as  food  lor  the  silkworm  : 
but  in  America,  we  regret  to  say,  after  all  the  eulogium  and  attention  it  has 
received,  it  is  generally  regarded  as  illy  adapted  to  the  production  of  silk,  and 
the  "Brousa,"  the  "Chinese,"  and  the  "Alpine"  varieties,  are  taking  its  place. 
It  still  has  its  advocates,  however,  among  whom  is  Mr.  Gideon  B.  Smith,  oi  Bal- 
timore, who  took  special  pains  to  bring  this  plant  into  public  favour,  through  the 
columns  of  the  "American  Farmer,"  in  1832,  and  who  doubtless  possesses  more 
practical  knowledge  of  its  nature  and  application  than  any  other  on.'  in  the  coun- 
try. He  states  that,  "The  Morus  multicaulis  is  perfectly  hardy,  when  grown  on 
its  own  peculiar  and  natural  soil,  which  is  light,  dry.  and  not  over  neh.  On 
low,  rich  soils,  the  growth  of  the  plants  is  protracted  to  so  late  a  season,  that  thej 
do  not  ripen  their  wood,  and  of  course  they  are  killed  to  the  ground  m  winter. 
I  have  uniformly  grown  them  on  high,  dry,  rather  sandy  soil,  and  never  lost  a 
branch  or  a  bud;  while  others,  who  planted  them  on  low.  alluvial,  rich  soils 
have  lost  them  every  winter."  "  I  estimate  the  comparative  vain.'  ol  the  Morus 
multicaulis,  and  the  best  white  or  Italian  variety,  as  one  to  two;  that  is.  I  con- 
sider the  Morus  multicaulis  worth  one  hundred  per  cent,  more  than  the  wniti 
Italian.  It  saves  nine-tenths  of  the  labour  in  gathering  the  loaves,  on  account 
their  being  at  least  ten  times  the.  size  of  those  ol  the  white.     One  pound  ol  Morua 

multicaulis  leaves  contains  one  third  more  nutritive  matter  than  a  poun the 

best  white  mulberry  leaves;  the  reason  of  tins  hem-  there  is  very  little  w Ij 


14b  MORUS    ALBA. 

fibre  in  the  Morns  mnlticaulis  leaves,  and  in  the  best  white,  there  is  a  verylargd 
portion,  all  of  which  passes  off  in  the  form  of  excrement."  On  the  contrary,  it  is 
contended  by  others,  that  there  is  an  excess  of  moisture  in  the  leaves  of  the  Moras 
mnlticaulis,  which  is  peculiarly  productive  of  disease  to  the  worm,  and  a  dispro- 
portionate deficiency  of  the  gummy  matter,  so  essential  to  the  formation  of  silk; 
yet,  it  is  conceded  by  both  parties,  that,  when  this  variety  is  used  at  all,  it  should 
be  planted  on  a  light,  dry  soil,  which  will  do  much  to  reduce  the  proportion  of 
water,  and  increase  that  of  the  resinous  matter  of  the  leaf. 

14.  M.  a.  tatarica.  Tartarian  Black-fruited  White  Mulberry ;  Morns  tatarica, 
ol  Loudon  and  others;  Murier  de  Tartarie,  of  the  French.  A  deciduous  tree, 
growing  to  the  height  of  twenty  feet,  in  places  inundated  by  the  waters  of  the 
rivers  Wolga  and  Tanais,  or  Don,  in  Tartary.  Its  fruit  is  generally  black, 
resembling  that  of  the  Morns  nigra ;  though  Pallas  speaks  of  it  as  reddish  or  pale, 
of  no  good  flavour,  though  eaten  raw  by  the  Tartars,  as  well  as  dried,  or  made 
by  them  into  a  sweetmeat.  A  wine  is  also  prepared  from  it,  and  a  very  well- 
flavoured  spirit.  Its  leaves  are  reported  as  being  esteemed  in  China  for  the  food 
of  silkworms.  Fine  samples  of  silk  have  also  been  made  from  them  in  the 
United  States.  This  variety  appears  to  be  very  nearly  allied  to  the  Moms  a. 
multicaulis,  and  by  some  is  considered  to  be  the  same  plant. 

M.  Castelet,  in  his  "  Traite  sur  les  Muriers  blancs,"  describes  three  varieties 
which  we  are  not  able  to  identify  with  any  of  the  preceding,  viz. : — 1.  La  Reine 
hatarde,  a  wild  variety,  with  leaves  twice  as  large  as  those  of  the  Morns  a.  rosea, 
and  deeply  toothed.  This  is  probably  the  same  as  the  Foglia  zazola,  of  the 
Italians.  2.  La  Reine,  a  grafted  variety,  which  has  shining  leaves,  and  ash- 
colonred  fruit.  3.  La  Feuille  de  floes,  also  a  grafted  variety,  with  very  deep- 
green  leaves,  growing  in  tufts  at  the  extremities  of  the  branches.  The  fruit,  he 
says,  is  produced  in  abundance,  but  never  arrives  at  maturity.  This  appears  to 
agree  with  the  Foglia  doppia,  or  double-leaved  variety,  of  the  Italian  gardeners. 

Geography  and  History.  The  Morus  alba  is  only  found  truly  wild  in  China, 
in  the  province  of  Seres,  or  Serica;  it  is,  however,  apparently  naturalized  in  many 
parts  of  Asia  Minor,  and  of  Europe.  It  does  not  embrace  so  great  a  geographical 
range  as  the  Morus  nigra,  being  unable  to  resist  either  very  great  extremes  of 
heat  or  of  cold.  In  a  cultivated  state,  it  is  found,  as  a  road-side  pollard  tree,  in 
many  parts  of  France,  Spain,  Italy,  and  in  Germany  as  far  north  as  Frankfort, 
on  the  Oder.  In  England,  it  is  not  very  common ;  and  it  is  scarcely  to  be  found 
in  Scotland,  even  against  a  wall.  As  a  silk-growing  tree,  the  white  mulberry  is 
propagated  with  tolerable  success  throughout  a  great  part  of  Asia  and  Australia ; 
in  all  the  principal  countries  of  Europe  south  of  the  forty-ninth  degree  of  north 
latitude,  including  most  of  the  islands  of  the  Mediterranean  ;  in  a  portion  of  north- 
ern Africa,  the  Azores,  Madeira,  and  Canary  Isles ;  in  nearly  all  the  states  of  the 
American  union;  in  California,  Mexico,  Chili,  Peru,  Buenos  Ayres,  Brazil,  C-1 
racas,  Jamaica,  and  other  parts  of  the  West  Indies,  the  Sandwich  Islands,  &c. 
In  the  south  of  Europe,  the  vhite  mulberry  is  grown  in  plantations  by  itself, 
like  willows  and  fruit-trees ;  also  in  hedge-rows,  and  as  hedges ;  but  in  all  cases 
the  plants  are  kept  low,  for  the  convenience  of  gathering  the  leaves,  without 
injuring  the  trees;  the  greatest  height  they  are  suffered  to  attain  being  that  of  a 
pollard  of  six  feet,  which  is  annually  lopped. 

The  culture  and  manufacture  of  silk,  like  many  productions  of  nature  and  art,  are 
difficult  to  trace  from  their  origin.  All  that  we  know  concerning  them,  is,  that  they 
have  flowed  to  us  from  the  east  in  a  comparative  state  of  perfection.  The  Seres  are 
mentioned  in  the  oldest  Sanscrit  books,  as  a  gentle  race,  who  shunned  the  rest  of  man- 
kind, and  whose  occupation  was  to  attend  silkworms.  It  seems  to  have  been  in 
Asia  that  silk  was  first  known ;  and  it  was  from  thence  that  the  ancients  obtained  it, 
calling  it  Serica,  from  the  name  of  the  country  whence  it  was  supposed  to  be  brought. 


WHITE-FRUITED    MULBERRY-TREE.  ]  [) 

The  Chinese  appear  to  have  been  the  first  to  cultivate  the  mulberry  for  feeding 
silkworms ;  and  they  are  supposed  tu  have  discovered  the  art  of  making  this  del- 
icate luxury  2700  B.  C.,  in  the  reign  of  Emperor  Hong,  whose  Empress.  Si-li 
chi,  is  said  to  have  first  observed  the  operations  of  the  silkworm  on  wild  mulberry- 
trees,  and  applied  their  labours  to  the  production  of  silk.  She  collected  them  from 
the  trees,  and,  with  the  aid  of  the  females  attached  to  her  household,  attended 
them  with  much  care,  in  the  imperial  apartments,  supplied  them  with  mulberry- 
leaves,  and  kept  them  very  clean.  It  was  soon  found  that  they  thrived  much 
better  in  this  manner  than  in  the  open  air,  where  they  were  constantly  exposed 
to  their  natural  enemies,  serpents,  spiders,  &c,  and  to  the  ill  effects  of  changes  of 
temperature.  The  cocoons,  produced  in  rooms,  were  more  numerous,  larger,  and 
of  better  quality,  than  those  gathered  from  the  trees.  Care  was  afterwards  taken 
to  hatch  the  eggs  in  rooms,  and  the  superiority  of  this  artificial  mode  of  culture 
soon  became  more  and  more  manifest,  which  was  followed  by  the  successive  sove- 
reigns of  that  empire,  and  all  the  rich  and  affluent  were  dressed  in  garments  of 
silk.  Subsequently,  it  became  an  article  of  exportation,  and  a  source  of  lm«m t 
wealth.  The  traders  of  Serica  first  carried  the  silken  stuffs  over  the  whole 
breadth  of  Asia.  Their  caravans  performed  long  journeys  of  two  hundred  and 
forty-three  days,  from  the  "  far  coasts"  of  China  to  those  of  Syria.  The  culture 
spread  from  China  to  India,  Persia,  and  Arabia,  and  was  for  many  centuries,  as 
t  is  at  the  present  day,  a  great  source  of  wealth  to  these  countries. 

The  expedition  of  Alexander  the  Great  into  Persia  and  India,  first  introduced 
the  knowledge  of  silk  to  the  Greeks,  about  350  years  B.  C. ;  and,  with  the 
increase  of  wealth  and  luxury  in  the  Grecian  court,  the  demand  for  silken  goods 
prodigiously  augmented.  The  Persians  engrossed,  for  a  time,  the  trade  of  Greece, 
and  became  rich  from  the  commerce  of  silk,  which  they  procured  from  China. 
Among  the  most  active  traders  of  that  epoch  were  the  Phoenicians,  who  were  also 
engaged  in  the  traffic  of  silk,  and  carried  it  to  the  east  of  Europe ;  but  for  a  long 
time,  even  those  who  were  concerned  in  its  commerce,  knew  not  what  it  was.  how 
it  was  produced,  nor  where  was  situated  the  country  of  Serica,  from  which  it 
originally  came.  Some,  supposing  it  to  be  grown  on  trees,  as  hair  grows  on  ani- 
mals; others,  that  it  was  produced  by  a  shell-fish,  similar  to  a  mussel,  which  is 
known  to  throw  out  threads  for  the  purpose  of  attaching  itself  to  rocks:  others, 
that  it  was  the  entrails  of  a  sort  of  spider,  which  was  fed  for  four  years  with  paste, 
and  then  with  the  leaves  of  a  kind  of  green  willow,  till  it  burst  with  tat ;  and 
others,  that  it  was  the  product  of  a  worm  which  built  nests  of  clay,  and  collected 
wax.  But  Aristotle,  with  more  truth,  thought  it  was  unwound  from  the  pupa  of 
a  large  horned  caterpillar. 

From  Greece,  the  use  of  silk  passed  into  Rome;  and,  though  the  exact  year  ol 
its  introduction  is  unknown,  it  was  probably  about  the  time  of  Pompey  and  Julius 
Csesar;  the  latter,  we  find,  having  used  it  in  his  festivals.  In  the  reign  oi  Tibe- 
rius, an  edict  was  passed,  prohibiting  the  use  of  silk  as  effeminate.  Among  all 
the  articles  of  elegance  belonging  to  the  luxurious  Cleopatra,  none  seemed  more 
to  excite  admiration  and  astonishment,  than  the  silken  sails  of  her  pleasure  Dai 
in  which  she  visited  Alexandria.  Heliogabalus,  in  the  year  220  oi  our  era.  is 
said  to  have  been  the  first  emperor  who  wore  a  robe  made  entirely  ol  silk  ;  which 
then,  and  for  some  time  afterwards,  sold  for  its  weight  in  gold.  Aurehan.  in  the 
year  280,  is  said  to  have  denied  his  Empress,  Sevcra.  a  robe  oi  silk,  because  H 

was  too  dear.  ,.  .    _  .     , 

About  the  beginning  of  the  Vlth  century,  after  the  seal  ol  the  Roman  empire  had 
been  transferred  to  Constantinople,  two  monks  arrived  at  the  courl  ol  the  hmpe- 
ror  Justinian,  from  a  mission  into  China,  bringing  with  them  the  seeds  ol  the 
mulberry,  and  communicated  to  him  the  discovery  ol  the  mode  ot  rearing  silk- 
worms.     Although  the  exportation  of  the  insects  from  China,  was  prohibited,  on 


448  MORUS  ALBA. 

pain  of  death,  yet,  by  the  liberal  promises,  and  the  persuasions  of  Justinian,  they 
were  induced  to  undertake  to  import  some  from  that  country ;  and  they  returned 
from  their  expedition  through  Bucharia  and  Persia,  to  Constantinople,  in  the  year 
555,  with  the  eggs  of  the  precious  insect,  which  they  had  obtained  in  the  "far 
country,"  concealed  in  the  hollow  of  their  canes,  or  pilgrim-staves.  Until  this 
time,  the  extensive  manufactures  of  Tyre  and  Berytes  had  received  the  whole  of 
their  supply  of  raw  silk  from  China,  through  Persia.  The  eggs  thus  obtained, 
were  hatched  in  a  hot-bed,  and,  being  afterwards  carefully  fed  and  attended  to, 
the  experiment  proved  successful,  and  the  silkworm  became  very  generally  culti- 
vated throughout  Greece. 

The  silkworm  and  the  black  mulberry  were  introduced  simultaneously  into 
Spain  and  Portugal,  by  the  Arabs,  or  Saracens,  on  their  conquest  of  Spain,  in 
771.  In  the  XVth  century,  the  silk  culture  of  the  last-named  country,  is  uni- 
versally allowed  to  have  been  in  a  highly  flourishing  state ;  but  it  has  been  in 
a  declining  condition  ever  since ;  so  much  so,  that,  in  the  year  1833,  at  the  time 
we  visited  that  unfortunate  country,  it  was  one  of  the  most  neglected  branches  of 
agriculture  in  the  kingdom ;  being  almost  entirely  confined  to  a  few  of  the  south- 
ern provinces. 

The  white  mulberry  was  for  a  long  period  confined  to  Greece;  but  when 
Roger,  king  of  Sicily,  in  1130,  ravaged  Peloponnesus,  he  compelled  the  principal 
artificers  of  silk,  and  breeders  of  silkworms,  to  remove  with  him  to  Palermo,  with 
the  determination  to  try  the  culture  of  this  tree  in  that  country.  The  Morus  alba 
was  accordingly  transplanted  from  Greece  to  Sicily,  and,  flourishing  in  its  fine 
climate,  that  island  became  the  great  mart  of  nearly  all  the  raw  silk  required  for 
the  manufactures  of  Europe. 

In  1204,  the  conquest  of  Constantinople,  by  the  Venetians,  led  to  the  introduc- 
tion of  the  silkworm  into  Venice,  from  which,  in  the  course  of  a  short  time,  it 
extended  to  Genoa,  and  other  parts  of  Italy.  The  white  mulberry  was  intro- 
duced into  upper  Italy,  in  1440,  since  which  time,  up  to  the  present  day,  the  cul- 
ture and  manufacture  of  silk  have  constituted  a  very  important  part  of  the  com- 
merce both  of  Italy  and  Sicily. 

The  white  mulberry  was  introduced  into  France  by  Seigneur  d' Allan,  under 
the  reign  of  Charles  VII. ;  and  it  is  said  that  the  original  tree  still  exists  at  the 
gates  of  Montelimart.  Silk  manufactures  were  first  established  at  Tours,  in  1 480, 
by  Louis  XL,  who  invited  workmen  from  Italy  to  settle  in  his  kingdom.  These 
manufactures,  however,  were  supplied,  entirely,  at  first,  with  the  raw  material, 
from  Sicily  and  Piedmont.  In  1494,  several  of  the  great  landed  proprietors  who 
had  followed  Charles  VIII.,  in  his  Italian  wars,  brought  with  them,  on  their 
return  from  Naples  and  Sicily,  an  additional  supply  of  the  white  mulberry,  Avhich 
they  planted  in  Provence,  in  the  vicinity  of  Montelimart.  In  1520,  Francis  I., 
having  taken  possession  of  Milan,  prevailed  on  some  artisans  of  that  city  to  estab- 
lish themselves  at  Lyons;  and,  to  encourage  them  to  remain  there,  he  granted 
them  special  privileges  and  immunities.  Henry  II.,  and  Charles  IX.,  appear  to 
have  been  the  next  sovereigns  who  endeavoured  to  promote  the  culture  of  silk  in 
France;  and,  in  the  reign  of  the  latter  monarch,  in  1564,  Francois  Traucat,  a 
gardener  at  Nismes,  formed  a  large  nursery,  expressly  for  raising  white  mulberry 
plants,  from  which  he  supplied  all  the  south  of  France.  Henry  IV.  was  no  sooner 
established  on  the  throne,  than  he  exerted  himself  to  promote  this  branch  of 
industry  throughout  his  dominions;  and,  by  his  desire,  Olivier  de  Serres,  seig- 
neur de  Pradel,  in  1601,  formed  a  plantation  of  white  mulberry  trees  in  the  gar- 
den of  the  Tuileries,  where  was  erected  a  large  building  for  rearing  the  silk- 
worms. In  1603,  an  edict  was  passed  for  encouraging  the  planting  of  mulberry- 
trees  throughout  France;  promising  to  reward  with  patents  of  nobility,  such 
manufacturers  as  had  supported  and  pursued  the  trade  for  twelve  years.     Undei 


WHITE-FRUITED  MULBERRY-TREE.  1  ]•) 

Louis  XIII.,  the  silk  manufactures  fell  into  neglect;  but  under  the  reign  of  his 
successor,  Louis  XIV.,  the  subject  attracted  the  attention  of  government  and 
Colbert,  one  of  the  public  ministers,  seeing  the  advantages  that  might  be  derived 
from  the  culture  of  mulberry-trees,  resolved  to  enforce  it  by  every  means  in  bis 
power.  He  reestablished  royal  nurseries;  gave  plants  to  all  who  desired  them- 
and  even  planted,  by  force,  the  lands  of  proprietors  who  would  not  voluntarily 
cultivate  the  trees.  This  arbitrary  measure  caused  so  much  dissatisfaction  and 
disgust,  on  the  part  of  the  proprietors,  that  the  mulberry  plantations  were  soon 
suffered  to  decay.  Colbert  next  tried  more  gentle  means,  offering  a  premium 
of  twenty-four  sous  for  every  mulberry-tree  that  had  stood  in  a  plantation  for 
three  years.  This  plan  was  crowned  with  success;  and,  in  the  course  of  a 
few  years,  mulberry  plantations  were  general  throughout  the  kingdom,  and 
have  so  continued  up  to  the  present  day.  Soon  after  Algiers  came  into  pos- 
session of  the  French,  in  1830,  a  public  nursery,  occupying  eighty  acres,  was  there 
established,  which  is  said  to  contain  twenty-five  thousand  trees  and  plants  for  the 
purpose  of  experiment  in  naturalization,  among  which  are  the  Moms  alba  and 
several  of  its  varieties. 

In  Germany,  the  culture  of  silk  was  first  introduced  by  Frederick  II..  who  had 
mulberries  planted  extensively  in  different  parts  of  his  dominions ;  and  the  exam- 
ple was  soon  after  followed  in  Saxony,  Austria,  and  in  some  of  the  smaller  states. 
In  Bavaria,  this  species  of  culture  was  commenced  under  the  auspices  of  govern- 
ment, and  of  the  Munich  Agricultural  Society,  in  about  1820,  at  the  recommen- 
dation of  M.  Hazzi.  Since  that  time,  a  great  number  of  mulberry  plants  have 
been  raised  in  the  government  nurseries,  and  distributed  throughout  the  provin- 
ces ;  but,  on  the  whole,  neither  in  this  part  of  Germany,  nor  in  any  other,  lias  the 
culture  of  silk  ever  been  very  considerable.  In  several  of  the  southern  states, 
however,  pollard  trees  may  be  seen  bordering  the  highways,  and  in  some  of  the 
cities,  goods  are  made  from  German  silk;  but  the  chief  establishments  of  this 
kind  are  at  Vienna,  at  Rovedero  in  the  Tyrol,  at  Creveldt,  at  Berlin,  and  at 
Cologne. 

The  culture  of  silk  has  been  introduced  into  Belgium  with  some  prospect  of 
success;  and  the  mulberry  has  also  been  planted  in  the  southern  parts  of  Den- 
mark. In  Sweden,  an  attempt  has  been  made  to  establish  its  culture  in  the 
southern  provinces;  but  the  experiment  has  proved  unprofitable. 

In  Russia,  the  silk  culture  has  been  commenced  in  the  Crimea,  and  all  the  best 
varieties  of  the  Morns  alba  have  been  planted  in  the  government  garden  at  Odessa  : 
where,  according  to  M.  Descemet,  they  perfectly  succeed. 

In  Egypt,  the  culture  of  silk  was  introduced  some  years  since,  by  the  Pacha 
Ibrahim,  and  is  said  to  be  in  a  prosperous  state.  In  Persia,  the  silkworm  is 
nourished  almost  exclusively  on  the  leaves  of  the  black  mulberry.  The  cultiva- 
tors, from  a  motive  of  economy,  are  accustomed  to  feed  the  worms  with  the 
boughs  of  the  tree,  with  the  foliage  upon  them,  instead  of  using  the  leaf  sepa- 
rately, as  is  adopted  in  most  other  silk-growing  countries. 

In  India,  the  culture  of  the  mulberry  and  the  rearing  of  silkworms  continue  to 
be  practised;  but  how  far  it  will  be  influenced  by  the  progress  of  tins  culture  in 
Europe  and  America,  remains  to  be  proved.  Jn  Australia,  the  culture  of  silk  has 
been  undertaken  to  a  considerable  extent,  and  from  the  mildness  of  its  climate, 
and  the  cheapness  of  labour,  it  appears  likely  to  be  attended  with  succi 

The  first  record  of  silk  in  Britain,  is  of  a  present  sent  by  Charlemagne,  to  Offa, 
king  of  Mercia,  in  the  year  708,  consisting  of  a  belt  and  two  silken  vests.  Silk 
is  also  mentioned  in  a  chronicle  of  the  .lute  of  1286,  in  which  we  are  told  that 
some  ladies  wore  silk  mantles  at  a  festival,  m  Kenilworth,  abom  mat  penoa: 
and  by  other  records,  we  find  that  tins  article  was  worn  by  the  English  cler 
in  1534.  Henry  VIII.  had  the  first  pair  of  silk  stockings  tint  were  ever  seen  m 
57 


450  MORUS  ALBA. 

England,  sent  to  him  from  Spain;  and  Edward  VI.,  "had  a  pair  of  long  silk 
hose,"  from  the  same  country,  presented  to  him  by  Sir  Thomas  Gresham,  "  a  present 
which  was  thought  much  of."  They  were  cut  out  of  a  piece  of  silk,  and  sewed 
together,  like  the  cloth  hose  that  were  worn  previously  to  the  reign  of  Elizabeth. 
James  I.,  when  king  of  Scotland,  was  forced  to  beg  the  loan  of  a  pair  of  silk 
stockings  of  the  Earl  of  Mar,  to  appear  in  before  the  English  embassador,  enforc- 
ing his  request  with  the  cogent  appeal,  "For  ye  would  not,  sure,  that  your  king 
should  appear  as  a  scrub  before  strangers" — a  circumstance  which  probably  led 
him  to  promote  the  cultivation  of  silk,  both  in  England  and  in  America.  The 
manufacture  of  silk  was  introduced  into  Britain  in  the  XVth  century ;  but  it  did 
not  appear  to  make  much  progress  till  the  time  of  Elizabeth,  the  tranquillity  of 
whose  long  reign,  and  the  influx  of  the  Flemings,  occasioned  by  the  disturbances 
in  the  Low  Countries,  gave  a  powerful  stimulus  to  the  manufactures  of  England. 
In  1605,  James  I.,  probably  in  imitation  of  Henry  IV.,  passed  his  famous  edict 
for  introducing  the  culture  of  silk  into  Britain ;  and  from  the  "  Issues  of  the  Ex- 
chequer," &c,  of  his  reign,  it  appears  that,  by  the  year  1608,  he  planted  largely 
himself.  Hartlib,  in  his  "Legacy,"  &c,  printed  in  1652,  quotes  some  passages 
from  Bonoeil's  work  on  mulberries,  &c,  issued  in  1609;  and  among  other  letters 
from  King  James  to  his  lords  lieutenants,  recommending  the  planting  of  mulberry- 
trees,  and  offering  them  at  two  farthings  each.  Though  this  attempt  to  rear 
silkworms  in  England  proved  unsuccessful,  the  manufacture  of  the  raw  material 
supplied  by  other  countries,  was  in  an  extremely  flourishing  condition.  The 
silk-throwsters  of  London  were  united  into  a  fellowship,  in  1562;  and  were 
incorporated  in  1629.  Though  retarded  by  the  civil  wars  in  the  time  of  Charles 
I.  and  the  commonwealth,  the  manufacture  continued  gradually  to  advance  ;  and 
so  flourishing  had  it  become,  that  it  is  stated  in  a  preamble  to  a  statute  passed  in 
1666,  that  there  were  at  that  time  no  fewer  than  forty  thousand  individuals 
engaged  in  the  trade.  A  considerable  stimulus  was  given  to  the  English  silk 
manufacture  by  the  revocation  of  the  edict  of  Nantes,  in  1685  ;  when  about  fifty 
thousand  French  artisans  took  refuge  in  Britain.  At  this  period,  the  consump- 
tion of  silk  goods  was  so  great  in  England,  that,  besides  the  quantity  manufac- 
tured in  the  country,  there  were  annually  imported  an  amount  exceeding  six 
hundred  thousand  pounds  sterling.  After  the  failure  of  the  attempts  of  James  I., 
to  establish  the  culture  of  silk  in  Britain,  another  trial  appears  to  have  been  made 
in  the  year  1629.  This  may  be  inferred  from  a  grant  having  been  made  to  Wal- 
ter Aston,  of  the  custody  of  the  garden,  mulberry-trees,  and  silkworms,  near  St. 
James',  in  the  county  of  Middlesex;  although  this  may  possibly  have  been  a 
continuation  of  the  project  of  the  year  1605.  In  1718.  the  scheme  was  again 
renewed,  and  a  patent  granted  to  John  Appleton,  Esquire,  for  producing  raw 
silk  of  the  growth  of  England.  To  accomplish  this  undertaking,  he  was  author- 
ized to  raise  a  fund  by  joint-stock  subscription.  This  he  accomplished,  dividing 
the  capital  into  shares  of  five  pounds  each.  A  deed  of  trust  was  executed,  and 
enrolled  in  the  court  of  chancery ;  directors  for  managing  the  concerns  of  the 
company  were  chosen  by  the  subscribers,  and  Chelsea  Park,  being  conveniently 
situated,  and  possessing,  as  was  supposed,  a  soil  favourable  for  the  purpose,  was 
fixed  upon  as  the  theatre  of  their  operations.  A  lease  of  this  place  for  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty-two  years  was  obtained,  and  two  thousand  mulberry-trees  were 
soon  actually  planted ;  this  forming  but  a  small  part,  however,  of  the  vast  quan- 
tity which  the  company  contemplated  raising.  Many  large  edifices  were  erected 
at  a  great  expense,  upon  the  spot,  the  remains  of  which,  at  the  present  day,  are 
said  to  be  entirely  obliterated.  Mr.  Henry  Barham,  who  probably  was  a  mem- 
ber of  this  company,  published,  at  this  time,  an  essay  on  the  silkworm,  wherein 
he  laboured  to  prove  that  all  objections  and  difficulties  raised  against  the  prose- 
cution of  what  he  calls  "  this  glorious  undertaking."  were  mere  phantoms.     The 


WHITE-FKU1TED  MOLBERRY-TREE.  45] 

event  however  proved  him  to  be  wrong;  and  showed  that  difficulties  did  exist 
of  an  insurmountable  description;  for,  although  it  was  confidently  predicted  thai 
in  the  ensuing  year,  a  considerable  quantity  of  raw  silk  would  be  produced  the 
expectation  was  disappointed,  and  the  company  soon  sunk  into  oblivion.  In 
1825.  a  company  was  established  in  England,  under  the  name  of  "The  British, 
Irish,  and  Colonial  Silk  Company,"  with  a  large  capital  and  under  the  direction 
of  the  celebrated  Count  Dandolo,  whose  treatise  on  the  management  of  the  silk- 
worm, &c,  is  considered  the  best  work  extant  on  the  subject,  in  Italy.  This 
company  formed  extensive  plantations  in  England  and  Ireland,  particularly  near 
Slough,  and  in  the  vicinity  of  Cork;  and  Mr.  John  Heathcoat,  of  Tiverton,  I ' 
vonshire,  one  of  the  most  influential  members,  invented  a  method  of  reeling,  which 
was  attended  with  the  most  complete  success.  The  company  also  formed  plan- 
tations in  the  county  of  Devon;  but,  after  numerous  trials,  it  was  found  that  the 
climate  of  the  British  Isles  was  too  humid  for  the  production  of  good  silk:  and 
the  company  was  finally  broken  up,  and  its  plantations  destroyed,  in  1829. ' 

The  first  introduction  of  the  silk  culture  into  the  British  North  American  colo- 
nies was  made  by  James  I.,  who,  on  several  occasions,  urged  the  Virginian  Com- 
pany to  promote  the  cultivation  of  mulberry-trees,  and  the  breeding  of  silkworms 
In  1622,  he  addressed  a  letter  to  them  expressly  on  this  subject,  conveying  to 
them  strict  injunctions  that  they  should  use  every  exertion  for  this  purpose,  and 
should  stimulate  the  colonists  to  apply  themselves  diligently  and  promptly  to  thi 
breeding  of  silkworms,  and  the  establishment  of  silk  works.     The  company,  thus 
incited,  showed  much  zeal  in  their  endeavours  to  accomplish  the  king's  wishes 
They  lost  no  time  in  transmitting  his  majesty's  letter  to  the  governor  and  council 
of  Virginia,  together  with  particular  instructions  how  the  colonists  might    ! 
apply  their  labours  in  the  production  of  silk.     For  the  furtherance  of  this  object. 
their  instructions  were  accompanied  by  several  copies  of  Bonoeil's  "Treatise  on 
the  Art  of  Making  Silk,"  &c,  and  a  quantity  of  mulberry-trees  and  silkworms 
eggs,  which  had  been  sent  from  England  to  that  colony.     Mr.  Bonoeil,  who  w 
a  member  of  the  Virginian  Company,  engaged  warmly  in  the  undertaking;  and 
was  so  fully  convinced  of  its  practicability,  as  to  assert  that,  with  an  adequate 
number  of  hands,  such  a  quantity  of  silk  might  be  produced  in  Virginia,  as  m  a 
very  short  time,  would  sufficiently  supply  all  Christendom.     The  misfortunes 
soon  after  this  time  experienced  by  the  colony  of  Virginia,  and  which  involved 
the  dissolution  of  the  company,  materially  checked  the  execution  of  this  project, 
A  considerable  number  of  mulberry-trees  were  planted,  and  flourished  ;  but  little 
silk  was  produced.     In  the  year  1654,  the  rearing  of  silkworms  again  becami 
subject  of  interest  in  Virginia.     This  revival  was  principally  owing  to  the  exer- 
tions of  Mr.  Edward  Diggs,  who  confidently  asserted  that  he  had  conquered  all 
the  main  difficulties  attending  the  experiment.     He  endeavoured  to  persuade  the 
Virginians  that,  in  a  short  time,  a  great  quantity  of  silk  mighl  very  profitably  be 
obtained.     About  this  period,  it  was  also  enacted  by  the  British  government  that 
every  planter  in  Virginia,  who  should  not  have  raised  at  least  ten  mulberry-trt 
for  every  hundred  acres  of  land  in  his  possession,  should  be  lined  ten  pounds  of 
tobacco.     Five  thousand  pounds  of  tobacco  were  promised  to  anyone  who  should 
produce  one  thousand  pounds  of  wound  silk  in  one  year.     In  166  I.  Mr.  W  alker. 
a  member  of  the  legislature,  stated  that  he  had  seventy  thousand  mulberry-Ire*  s 
on  his  estate.     In  1666,  all  statutory  provisions  were  repealed,  because,  il  is  -aid. 
the  business  was  in  so  thriving  a  condition  as  no  longer  to  require  protection 
This  branch  of  industry,  however,  was  soon  after  suffered  to  decline;  and  it  does 
not  appear  that  the  production  was  ever  carried  to  any  meat  extent  n,  that  co 
ony.     The  decline  was  probably  owing  to  new  immigrants,  who  brougnl  with 

*  See  Loudon's  Arboretum  Britannicutn,  iii  .  pp    1350  el  seq. 


452  MORUS  ALBA. 

them  new  views  and  habits.  As  they  brought  with  them  their  slaves,  it  became 
necessary  that  an  immediate  return  should  be  realized.  Hence  the  culture  of 
rice,  indigo,  and  tobacco,  from  which  an  immediate  profit  could  be  derived,  took 
precedence  to  that  of  silk,  which  would  have  required  a  steady  perseverance  for 
a  course  of  years. 

In  the  earliest  infancy  of  the  settlement  of  Georgia,  in  the  year  1732,  a  piece 
of  ground  belonging  to  government,  was  allotted  as  a  nursery  plantation  for  white 
mulberry-trees,  and  the  attention  of  some  of  the  settlers  was  soon  engaged  in 
rearing  silkworms.  The  trustees  of  the  colony  not  only  transmitted  mulberry- 
trees,  but  the  seeds  of  this  tree,  and  silkworms'  eggs.  And  this  branch  of  rural 
economy  was  considered  to  be  nearly  brought  to  perfection,  and  was  of  so  much 
national  importance,  that  the  public  seal  of  the  colony  represented  silkworms  in 
the  various  stages  of  their  growth;  and  had  for  its  inscription,  "  Non  sibi  sed 
aliis."  In  the  year  1730.  a  quantity  of  raw  silk  was  raised  in  that  colony,  and 
was  manufactured  at  Derby,  in  England,  by  Sir  Thomas  Lombe,  into  a  piece  of 
stuff,  which  he  presented  to  the  queen.  The  culture  of  silk  gradually,  though 
slowly  increased,  both  in  Georgia  and  Carolina;  and  as  it  was  desirable  on  the 
part  of  Britain  to  be  enabled  to  draw  supplies  from  its  colonies,  rather  than  be 
dependent  upon  foreign  states  for  a  material  of  continual  and  increasing  demand 
for  its  manufacturers,  an  act  of  parliament  was  passed  in  1749,  for  encouraging 
the  growth  of  colonial  silk,  under  the  provision  of  which,  all  that  was  certified  to 
be  the  productions  of  Georgia  and  Carolina,  was  exempted  from  the  payment  of 
duty  on  importation  into  the  port  of  London.  Encouraged  by  the  increasing 
growth  of  raw  silk  in  these  colonies,  which  induced  a  belief,  that,  by  the  adop- 
tion of  more  judicious  plans,  an  abundant  supply  might  be  drawn  from  them, 
sufficient  to  answer  all  the  demands  of  the  Knirlisii  manufacturers,  a  bounty  was 
offered  for  the  production  of  silk,  and  a  man  named  Ortolengi,  from  Italy,  was 
engaged,  at  a  suitable  salary,  to  proceed  to  Georgia,  and  instruct  the  colonists  in 
the  Italian  mode  of  management.  Although,  for  a  time,  hopes  were  entertained 
that  the  Georgians  might  find  in  this  pursuit  a  valuable  branch  of  industry;  yet, 
in  consequence  of  one  or  two  unfavourable  seasons,  and  still  more  from  the 
quality  of  the  silk,  in  most  instances,  proving  very  indifferent,  its  culture  soon 
began  to  decline,  and  the  reduction  of  the  bounty  became  a  signal  for  its  aban- 
donment by  the  planters.  A  few  years,  however,  before  the  war  of  independence, 
considerable  quantities  of  raw  material  began  to  be  raised,  which  was  said  to  be 
equal,  in  some  cases,  to  the  best  Piedmont  silk,  and  worked  with  less  waste  than 
the  Chinese  article.  In  the  year  1760.  more  than  twenty  thousand  pounds  of  raw 
silk  were  imported  into  England  from  Georgia.  After  the  revolution,  this  branch 
of  business  gradually  declined,  and  by  the  end  of  the  last  century,  the  production 
of  silk  was  wholly  discontinued,  as  an  article  of  commerce,  not  only  in  Georgia, 
but  in  all  the  states  of  the  union,  except  Connecticut. 

The  rearing  of  silkworms  had  also  been  an  object  of  interest  in  Carolina  as 
early  as  the  year  1732.  It  was  undertaken  by  the  small  farmers,  many  of  whom 
produced  from  forty  to  fifty  pounds  of  silk  in  a  season.  The  endeavours  to 
increase  and  perfect  its  production  in  this  colony  were  long  persevered  in.  In 
April,  1764,  Rev.  Mr.  Gilbert  formed  a  settlement  of  French  protestants  in  the 
township  of  Hillsborough,  called  New  Bourdeaux,  where,  among  other  branches 
of  rural  industry,  he  attended  to  the  rearing  of  silkworms.  In  the  year  1765,  he 
raised  six  hundred  and  thirty  pounds  of  cocoons  on  the  plantation  of  Mr.  David 
Manigauld,  called  "  Silk  Hope."  In  1766,  the  House  of  Assembly  of  this  prov- 
ince voted  the  sum  of  one  thousand  pounds  currencv  towards  establishing  a  silk 
filature  in  Charleston,  under  the  direction  of  Mr.  Gilbert.  In  1771,  M.  Louis  de 
St.  Pierre,  of  New  Bourdeaux.  made  a  representation  to  the  government,  that,  at 
the  expense  of  his  whole  fortune,  he  had  brought  to  perfection  the  art  of  making 


V»  iilTE-FRUITED   MULBERRY-TREE.  453 

wine  and  the  production  of  silk.  His  samples  of  wine  and  silk,  which  were 
transmi  ted  to  England,  were  thought  deserving  of  notice  by  the  Patriotic  Sod 
ety  for  the  Encouragements  of  Arts,  who  awarded  him  a  gold  medal  accompa 
nied  with  a  premium  of  fifty  pounds.  In  January,  1772,  the  SSl 
the  silk  manufacture,  at  Charleston,  shipped  for  England,  four  hunXd  and  fifty- 
five  pounds  of  raw  silk,  of  more  than  an  ordinary  quality  of  the  growth  of  Pel 
rysburgh,  in  that  province  Notwithstanding  this  stimulus  to  further  efforts,  the 
quantities  afterwards  raised  by  the  colonists  were  very  small,  and  the  cost  of  pro- 
duction proved  too  great  for  successful  competition  with  the  silk  of  other  conn- 
tries. 

In  the  year  1769,  on  the  recommendation  of  Dr.  Franklin,  through  the  American 
I  iiilosophical  [society,  a  filature  of  raw  silk  was  established,  by  private  subscrip- 
tion, in  Seventh  street,  between  Market  and  Arch  streets,  Philadelphia  It  was 
placed  under  the  direction  of  an  intelligent  and  skilful  Frenchman,  who  it  is 
said,  produced  samples  of  reeled  silk,  "not  inferior  in  goodness  to  the  best'from 
h  ranee  and  Italy.  Between  the  25th  of  June  and  the  15th  of  August,  1771 
there  were  bought  by  the  managers,  two  thousand  three  hundred  pounds  of 
cocoons,  all  the  products  of  Pennsylvania,  New  Jersey,  and  Delaware.  Nothing 
further,  of  importance,  appears  to  have  followed  from  this  undertaking,  having 
been  put  to  an  end  by  the  American  revolution.  A  similar  enterprise  was  again 
attempted  in  Philadelphia,  in  1830,  under  the  direction  of  M.  J.  D'Homergue,  and 
cocoons  were  brought  in  abundance  to  the  establishment,  from  all  parts  of  the 
union,  and  so  continued  for  some  time  afterwards;  but,  for  the  want  of  capital 
the  undertaking  failed. 

In  Connecticut,  attention  was  first  directed  to  the  rearing  of  silkworms,  in  1760. 
Dr.  Aspinwall,  of  Mansfield,  urged  on  by  patriotism,  used  his  best  exertions,  to 
introduce  this  important  branch  of  rural  economy.  He  succeeded  in  forming 
extensive  nurseries  of  the  mulberry  at  New  Haven,  Long  Island,  Pennsylvania, 
and  other  places,  with  the  aid  of  a  warm  and  zealous  coadjutor,  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Stiles,  at  that  time  president  of  Yale  College.  One  half  of  an  ounce  of  mulberry 
seeds  was  sent  to  every  parish  in  the  colony,  with  such  directions  as  their  knowl- 
edge of  the  business  enabled  them  to  impart.  Through  the  exertions  of  these 
gentlemen,  the  legislature  of  Connecticut,  in  1783,  was  induced  to  grant  a  bounty 
on  mulberry-trees  and  raw  silk.  From  some  cause  or  other,  in  a  few  years,  the 
bounty  was  withdrawn,  the  business  languished,  and  in  1793,  the  town  of  Mans- 
field produced  only  two  hundred  and  sixty-five  pounds  of  silk.  It  may  be  said, 
however,  to  the  honour  of  Connecticut,  that  she  is  the  only  state  in  the  union, 
which  has  continued  the  business,  without  suspension,  and  probably  produced 
more  silk  from  the  time  of  her  commencement,  up  to  the  year  1S30,  than  all  the 
rest  of  the  states  together. 

In  about  the  year  1830,  the  project  of  rearing  silkworms,  and  establishing  fila- 
tures of  silk,  was  renewed  in  various  parts  of  the  union,  and  the  subject  was 
deemed  to  be  of  so  much  importance,  that  it  not  only  attracted  the  attention  of 
congress,  but  has  since  received  encouragement  from  the  legislatures  of  several 
states,  by  offering  bounties  for  all  the  raw  silk  produced  within  their  limits,  for 
certain  periods  of  time.  But,  instead  of  tracing  the  progress  of  this  branch  of 
industry,  for  the  last  fifteen  years,  in  the  United  States,  and  entering  into  the 
subject  in  detail,  we  are  compelled  for  the  want  of  space,  to  refer  the  reader  to  a 
work  entitled  "The  Silk  Question  Settled;"  containing  the  testimony  of  one 
hundred  and  fifty  witnesses,  being  the  Report  of  the  Proceedings  of  the  National 
Convention  of  Silk-growers  and  Manufacturers,  held  at  the  American  Institute, 
in  the  city  of  New  York,  in  October,  1843.  According  to  the  Report  of  the  com- 
missioner of  the  United  States  Patent  Office,  however,  for  the  year  1844,  the 
amount  of  silk  cocoons  produced  in  that  year,  in  the  several  states  in  the  union, 


4>4  MOR'JS    ALBA. 

was  as  follows: — Connecticut,   176,210  pounds;  Massachusetts,  37,690;  Penn- 
sylvania, 33,100;  Ohio,  31,500;  Tennessee,  25,090;  Vermont,  10,990;  Alabama 
7.170;   Maryland,  8,530:  North  Carolina,  8,050;  Virginia,  7,720;  Georgia,  7,660 
South  Carolina,  6,930 ;  New  York,  6,540  ;  Kentucky,  5,810 ;  New  Jersey,  5,200 
Delaware,  4,580;   Illinois,  4,250;  Michigan,  1,730;  Louisiana,  1,310;  District  of 
Columbia,  1,250;  Rhode  Island,  1,140;  New  Hampshire,  1,100;  Indiana,  1,050, 
Maine,  850;    Florida,  510;    Mississippi,  270;    Arkansas,  270;    Missouri,  260, 
Wisconsin,  30.— Total,  396,790. 

The  largest  white  mulberry-tree  in  Britain,  is  at  Syon,  which  has  attained  s 
height  of  forty-five  feet,  with  a  trunk  nearly  two  feet  in  diameter,  and  an  ambi- 
tus, or  spread  of  branches,  of  about  sixty  feet.  It  bears  an  abundance  of  fruit 
every  year. 

In  France,  in  the  Jardin  des  Plantes,  at  Paris,  there  is  a  tree  of  this  species, 
which,  in  thirty-five  years  after  planting,  had  attained  the  height  of  thirty-two 
feet,  with  a  trunk  one  foot  in  diameter,  and  an  ambitus  of  thirty-six  feet. 

In  Italy,  at  Monza,  there  is  a  Moms  alba,  two  hundred  years  old,  forty  feet  in 
height,  with  a  trunk  three  feet  in  diameter,  and  an  ambitus  of  fifty  feet. 

Soil,  Situation,  Propagation,  and  Culture.  The  white  mulberry  is  more  ten 
der  than  the  Morus  nigra,  and  requires  more  care  in  the  choice  of  a  situation. 
A  calcareous  soil  is  said  to  produce  the  best  silk,  and  situations  that  are  humid, 
or  those  in  which  the  roots  of  the  tree  can  have  access  to  water,  produce  the 
worst.  A  gravelly  or  sandy  loam  is  very  suitable ;  and  trees  grown  on  hilly  sur- 
faces, and  poor  soils,  always  produce  silk  superior  to  those  grown  in  valleys,  and 
in  rich  soils. 

This  species  may  be  propagated  from  seeds,  by  cuttings,  or  layers,  and  by 
grafting.  To  obtain  seeds,  the  berries  must  be  collected  from  trees  known  to  pro- 
duce male  catkins  the  preceding  spring.  The  berries  may  either  be  gathered 
when  quite  ripe,  and  left  to  become  dry  before  the  seeds  are  separated  from  them; 
or  they  may  be  put  into  water  as  soon  as  they  are  gathered,  and  rubbed  suffi- 
ciently hard  to  disengage  the  seeds,  which  may  be  cleansed  from  the  pulp  in  the 
water,  and  then  rubbed  dry  on  a  linen  cloth,  and  sown  immediately,  or  mixed 
with  sand,  and  kept  till  wanted  for  use.  In  the  south  of  France,  the  seeds  are 
sown  as  soon  as  the  fruit  is  gathered,  and  the  plants  come  up  the  same  autumn; 
but  in  colder  climates,  they  are  kept  till  spring,  when  they  generally  come  up  in 
three  or  four  weeks,  and  require  some  protection,  at  first,  during  cold  nights.  In 
Germany,  and  in  the  northern  parts  of  the  United  States,  the  young  plants  are 
commonly  covered  during  the  first  winter,  with  dry  leaves  or  straw;  and  this 
covering  is  often  continued  on  the  ground  for  three  or  four  years,  till  the  plants 
are  thoroughly  established,  to  protect  their  roots  from  the  cold.  Young  plants 
are  generally  taken  up  and  replanted  the  second  spring,  in  rows  four  or  five  feet 
apart,  or  sufficiently  far  for  the  convenience  of  gathering  the  leaves.  The  Morus 
a.  multicaulis,  and  several  other  varieties,  are  always  propagated  by  layers  or 
cuttings;  the  layers  being  made  in  spring  or  at  mid-summer,  and  separated  from 
the  parent  plant  in  autumn ;  or  by  cuttings  of  branches,  or  truncheons,  which 
will  readily  take  root,  and  produce  leaves  for  the  worms  the  following  year. 
Count  Dandolo  recommends  grafting  the  species  with  the  large-leaved  varieties, 
near  the  ground,  the  third  spring;  but  most  writers  on  the  silkworm  appear  to 
prefer  seedling  plants,  or  plants  raised  from  layers  or  cuttings,  to  grafted  ones. 
It  has  been  asserted  that  trees  raised  from  seeds  are  not  only  more  hardy  and  of 
greater  longevity,  than  those  propagated  by  the  other  modes,  but  a  given  weight 
of  their  foliage  will  produce  a  greater  quantity  of  silk.  M.  Pomier,  in  a  treatise 
which  he  has  written  on  this  subject,  recommends  that  the  white  mulberry  be 
grafted  on  the  Morus  nigra;  and  the  reason  urged  for  the  adoption  of  this  plan 
is,  that  the  white  species  commonly  decays  first  at  the  root,  while  the  black  mul- 


WH.TE-FRUITED    MULBERRY-TREn.  ;-.-, 

berry  is  not  subject  lo  any  disease.  In  pruning,  cutting  in,  or  heading  down 
the  trees,  the  great  object  is  to  preserve  the  equilibrium  of  the  heads,  bo  that  the 
sap  may  be  equally  distributed  through  the  branches  on  every  side.  On  this 
depends  the  production  of  the  crop  of  leaves  of  equal  quality  on  every  part  oJ 
tree,  which  is  alike  important  both  for  the  first  crop,  given  to  the  worms,  and  for 
the  second  crop,  which  is  required  for  the  nourishment  of  the  tree  itself,  Du 
Halde,  in  his  "History  of  China,"  relates  that  the  Chinese  are  so  particular  in 
pruning  their  mulberries,  that  the  leaves  may  be  gathered  in  tin-  easiest  manner, 
and  without  risk  or  damage  to  the  trees.  This  is  accomplished  by  cutting  the 
head  of  the  tree  in  a  hollow  form,  without  any  intersecting  branches  in  the  mid- 
dle ;  so  that  a  person  going  round  the  tree,  may  gather  all  the  outside  leaves,  and 
afterwards,  by  standing  within  the  summit,  and  merely  turning  round  to  the 
different  parts,  may  pluck  the  leaves  growing  in  the  interior.  The  trees  are  not 
allowed  to  grow  to  any  great  height,  each  forming  a  sort  of  dwarf,  or  round 
hedge,  that  may  be  reached  in  every  part  without  climbing  on  its  branches.  In 
China,  and  also  in  India,  the  mulberry  plantations  are  made  much  in  the  manner 
as  those  of  the  sugar-cane,  and  other  agricultural  plants.  A  field  is  laid  out  into 
squares  of  five  or  six  feet  on  a  side,  and  in  the  centre  of  each  square  a  hollow  i> 
formed,  into  which  are  planted  in  a  group,  five  or  six  mulberry  cuttings  after 
the  soil  has  been  stirred  and  manured.  These  plants  are  never  allowed  to  grow 
higher  than  three  or  four  feet;  being  cut  down  to  the  ground  every  year,  in  the 
same  manner  as  a  raspberry  plantation.  Mulberry-trees,  when  planted  out, 
should  be  kept  clear  of  grass  and  herbage,  and  the  ground  loosened  about  their 
roots.  They  should  never  be  touched  with  fresh  barn-yard  manure,  as  it  will  do 
them  no  immediate  benefit,  but  often  will  prove  fatal  to  them.  The  only  manure 
that  can  be  applied  to  advantage,  is  well-rotted  vegetable  mould,  containing  a 
due  proportion  of  lime,  potash,  and  ammonical  salts,  and  the  leaves  and  branches 
of  the  tree  itself,  or  the  excrement  and  litter  of  the  silkworms,  which  should 
always  be  preserved,  as  far  as  convenient,  for  this  purpose. 

Insects  and  Diseases.  The  leaves  of  the  Morus  alba  are  believed  to  be  eaten 
by  no  other  insect  but  the  silkworm  (Bombyx  mori.)  M.  Pullein,  however,  made 
experiments  with  various  kinds  of  insects,  but  they  all  rejected  the  mulberry  leaf 
for  food,  except  "a  green  worm,  about  an  inch  long,  and  as  thick  as  an  oat 
straw."  Although  he  found  it  upon  a  mulberry,  it  was  his  belief  that  it  was  not 
peculiar  to  that  tree  alone,  but  found  its  way  there  by  accident.  The  white 
mulberry,  however,  is  attacked  by  numerous  diseases,  occasioned  partly,  no 
doubt,  by  the  unnatural  manner  in  which  it  is  treated,  by  being  stripped  of  its 
foliage.  One  of  these  diseases  is  brought  on  by  any  sudden  check  given  to  the 
transpiration  of  the  leaves,  which  turn  yellow,  and  fall  off,  shortly  alter  causing  the 
tree  to  die.  Another  is  the  death  of  the  roots,  which  is  accompanied  by  the  for- 
mation  on  them  of  parasitic  fungi.  The  leaves  are  also  apt  to  be  attacked  with 
honey-dew,  mildew,  rust,  and  other  diseases,  which  render  them  unlit  tor  the 
food  of  the  silkworm.  Those  leaves  covered  with  honey-dew  may  be  washed, 
and,  when  thoroughly  dry,  may  be  given  to  the  insects  without  injury;  but  the 
other  diseased  leaves  should  be  thrown  away.  If  leaves  covered  with  honey- 
dew  are  employed  without  washing,  they  cause  dysentery  and  death  to  the 
worms  As  it  is  not  our  intention  to  treat  of  the  whole  art  ol  the  rearing  and 
management  of  the  silkworm,  we  are  compelled  to  refer  the  reader  to  a  •  IVa- 
tise  on  the  Origin  and  Progressive  Improvement  ol  the  S.Ik  Manufacture,  being 
the  twenty-second  volume  of  the  London  Cabinet  <  Jyclopffidia;  also  to  the  work 
of  Count  Dandolo,  entitled  "  Dell'  Arte  di  governare  .  Bacchi  da  Seta;  he.. nek  b 
"American  Silk-Grower's  Guide;"  and  to  most  ot  the  agricultural  journals  ol 

^^rlperties  and  Uses.     The  wood  of  the  Morus  alba,  when  dry,  weighs  forty- 


456  MOiiUS    ALBA. 

four  pounds  to  a  cubic  foot.  In  France,  the  principal  uses  of  that  of  the  trim*, 
is  for  various  purposes  of  turnery,  and  carpentry,  and  for  the  making  of  wine- 
casks,  for  which  it  is  highly  valued,  as  it  is  said  to  impart  an  agreeable,  violet- 
like flavour  to  white  wines.  The  branches  are  used  for  vine-props,  posts  and 
rails  to  rural  fences,  and  for  fuel.  The  bark  may  be  converted  into  linen,  of  the 
fineness  of  silk.  For  this  purpose,  the  young  wood  is  gathered  in  August,  during 
the  second  ascent  of  the  sap,  and  immersed  for  three  or  four  days  in  still  water. 
It  is  then  taken  out,  at  sunset,  spread  on  the  grass,  and  returned  to  the  water  at 
sunrise.  After  repeating  this  process  daily  for  some  time,  it  is  finally  taken  out, 
dried,  and  prepared  like  flax.  The  bark  is  also  used  like  that  of  the  European 
lime-tree,  for  making  bast  for  mats,  &c.  The  bark,  and  more  especially  the 
leaves  of  the  white  mulberry,  abound  in  a  milky  juice,  which  is  found  to  possess 
more  or  less  of  the  properties  of  caoutchouc,  according  to  the  climate  in  which 
the  tree  is  grown.  It  is  doubtless  owing  to  this  property  in  the  leaves  of 
the  mulberry,  that  the  cocoons  of  the  silkworm  have  so  much  more  tenacity  of 
fibre  than  those  of  any  other  insect  that  feeds  on  the  leaves  of  trees.  Hence,  also, 
the  silk,  like  the  tobacco  and  wine  of  warm  climates,  and  of  poor,  dry  soils,  is 
always  superior  to  that  produced  in  colder  climates,  and  from  rich  and  moist 
soils.  To  verify  this  opinion,  we  quote  the  following  very  judicious  observations 
from  the  "Journal  d' Agriculture  des  Pays-Bas,"  which  will  not  only  show  the 
impracticability  of  profitably  raising  silk  in  the  higher  latitudes,  but  will  serve  as 
an  infallable  guide  in  the  choice  of  a  soil  and  climate  for  this  species  of  culture  : — 
"The  mulberry-tree  is  found  in  different  climates;  but  the  juice  of  the  leaves 
grown  in  the  north  is  much  less  suitable  for  the  production  of  good  silk,  than  that 
of  the  leaves  of  the  south.  In  this  respect,  mulberry  leaves  and  silk  differ  as 
much  as  wines,  according  to  the  climate  and  soil  in  which  they  are  produced. 
In  general,  every  climate  and  soil  that  will  grow  good  wheat  will  produce  large, 
succulent  mulberry  leaves;  but  these  leaves  will,  in  many  cases,  be  too  nutri- 
tive ;  that  is,  they  will  have  too  much  sap,  and  too  much  substance  and  succu- 
lency.  The  wild  mulberry,  with  small  leaves,  answers  better,  for  such  a  soil, 
than  the  grafted  mulberry,  with  large  leaves.  A  general  rule,  and  one  to  be 
depended  on,  is,  that  the  mulberry,  to  produce  the  best  silk,  requires  the  same 
soil  and  exposure  that  the  vine  does  to  produce  the  best  wine.  Experience  has 
proved  that  silkworms  nourished  by  leaves  gathered  from  a  dry  soil,  succeed 
much  better,  produce  more  cocoons,  and  are  less  subject  to  those  diseases  which 
destroy  them,  than  those  which  have  been  nourished  by  leaves  produced  by  an 
extremely  rich  soil."  The  fruit  of  the  white  mulberry  is  less  acid  than  that  of 
the  black  species,  and  that  of  some  of  the  varieties,  particularly  of  the  Moms  a. 
multicaulis,  is  used  for  making  robs  and  syrups,  and  is  said  to  be  remarkably 
good  to  eat,  in  warm  climates. 


Morns  rubra, 
THE  RED-FRUITED  MULBERRY-TREE. 


Synonymes. 


Morus  rubra, 


Linn-eus,  Species  Plantarum. 

Michaux,  North  American  Sylva. 

Loudon,  Arboretum  Bntannicuin. 

France. 

Germany. 

Italy. 

Britain  and  Anglo-America. 


Murier  rouge, 
Bother  Maulbeerbaum, 
Moro  rosso, 

Bed  Mulberry-tree,  Virginian  Mulberry  - 
iree, 


derivations.    The  specific  name  rubra  is  derived  from  the  Latin  ruber,  red;  having  reference  to  the  colour  of  the  fruit  •■! 
this  species.     The  other  names  have  the  same  signification  as  the  botanical  one,  except  Virginian  Mulberry,  which  is  so  C 
because  this  tree  was  originally  found  in  great  abundance  in  the  colony  of  Virginia. 

Engravings.    Michaux,  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  U6 ;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  vii.,  pi.  227 ;    and  the  figures 
below. 

Specific  Characters.  Sexes  polygamous,  or  dioecious.  Spikes  of  female  flowers  cylindrical.  Catkins  of 
male  flowers  of  the  length  of  those  of  the  Betula  alba.  Leaves  heart-shaped,  ovate,  acuminate,  3-lobed, 
or  palmate;  serrated  with  equal  teeth,  rough,  somewhat  villous  ;  under  surface  very  tomentose,  and 
soft. 


Description. 

!HE  Morns  rubra,  when 

growing  in  its  native 

forests,    among    other 

trees,  sometimes  attains 
a  height  of  sixty  or  seventy  feet,  with  a  trunk  two 
feet  in  diameter;  but,  in  open  situations,  its 
stature  is  low,  and  the  thickness  of  the  stem  pro- 
portionably  increased.  The  bark  of  the  trunk  of 
old  trees  is  of  a  grayish  colour,  and  is  more  deeply 
furrowed  than  that  of  the  oak.  The  leaves, 
which  are  often  nine  or  ten  inches  in  length, 
and  three-fourths  as  broad  as  they  are  long,  are 
sometimes  entire,  and  at  others  divided  into  two 
or  three  lobes,  rounded,  cordiform,  denticulated, 
of  a  dark  glossy-green  colour,  with  a  thick 
texture,  and  a  rough,  uneven  surface.  The 
sexes  are  usually  separate,  though  they  are 
sometimes  found  on  the  same  trees,  which,  it  is 
even  stated,  vary  in  their  sexes  every  year.  'I  he  ...air  (lowers,  which  put  forth 
in  Pennsylvania  in  May,  form  pendulous,  cylindrical  annuls  about  an  inch  in 
length;  but  those  of  the  opposite  sex  are  small ^  and  scarcely  apparent 
fruit,  which  is  generally  of  a  deep-red  colour,  is  oi  an  oblong  form,  an  *greeaMe, 
acidulous,  sugary  taste,  and  is  composed  by  the  union  oi  a  great  number  d 
small  utriculi,  each  of  which  contains  a  minute  seed. 

Varieties.  The  Morns  rubra  appears  to  have  the  same  teodencv  to  snort and 
form  new  varieties  or  races,  as  its  eastern  congeners,  » he  white  ^la^-fnmed 
species.     The  following  variations  wc  insert  principally  on  the  authonrj  ol  Kal 

58 


4D 


8  MOKUS    RUBRA. 


inesque,  which  are  generally  treated  by  him  as  species ;  but.  from  observations  of 
our  own,  as  well  as  the  opinion  of  others,  we  regard  them  only  as  varieties:— 

1.  M.  r.  pallida.  Pale-fruited  Red-fruited  Midberry;  with  fruit  of  a  pale-red 
colour. 

2.  M.  r.  heterophylla.  Various-leaved  Red-fruited  Mulberry,  with  all  the 
leaves  unlike. 

3.  M.  r.  riparia.  River-bank-inhabiting  Red-fruited  Mulberry ;  Water  Mul- 
berry, Wild  Black  Midberry,  of  the  Pennsylvanians.  This  variety  differs  from 
the  species  in  having  longer  petioles,  ovate,  deeply  cordate  leaves,  which  are 
seldom  laterally  lobed,  quite  smooth,  and  thin,  crenate,  serrate,  acute,  but  neither 
acuminate  nor  oblique  at  the  base.  It  forms  a  handsome  tree,  growing  on  the 
banks  of  the  Susquehannah,  in  the  Alleghany  Mountains.  The  leaves  are  from 
three  to  five  inches  long;  and  the  fruit  is  of  a  dark-red. 

4.  M.  r.  canadensis.  Canadian  Red-fruited  Mulberry  ;  called  Rock  Mulberry, 
when  growing  on  rocky  steeps.  The  leaves  of  this  variety  are  ovate,  oblique, 
rounded  at  the  base,  but  not  cordate,  serrate,  acuminate,  and  smooth.  It  is  a 
native  of  Canada,  the  northern  parts  of  Maine,  New  Hampshire,  Vermont,  New 
York,  and  the  Alleghany  Mountains. 

5.  M.  r.  parvifolia.  Small-leaved  Red-fruited  Midberry ;  called  Indian  Mul- 
berry,  by  the  inhabitants  of  the  Alleghanies.  The  leaves  of  this  variety  are  from 
one  to  two  inches  long,  are  smooth,  ovate,  acute  or  obtuse,  not  lobed,  equally 
sub-crenate,  truncate  at  the  base,  often  oblique,  and  supported  by  long,  slender 
petioles.  The  fruit  is  very  small,  oblong-ovate,  of  a  very  pale-red  colour,  and 
sweet  taste.  It  is  a  native  of  the  Alleghany  and  Apalachian  Mountains,  and  is 
said  to  have  been  cultivated  by  the  Indians. 

Geography  and  History.  The  Morus  rubra  is  found  near  the  northern  extrem- 
ity of  Lake  Champlain,  and  at  the  head  of  Lake  Winnipisiogee,  which  may  be 
assumed  as  the  northern  limits  of  this  tree.  As  a  temperate  climate  is  favourable 
to  its  increase,  as  we  progress  southward  it  becomes  more  multiplied;  but  along 
the  Atlantic,  it  is  proportionably  less  common  than  many  other  trees  which  do  not 
form  the  mass  of  the  forests.  In  the  lower  parts  of  the  southern  states,  it  is  much 
less  frequently  seen,  than  at  a  distance  from  the  ocean,  where  the  soil  and  vege- 
table productions  wear  a  different  character.  It  is  most  frequently  met  with  in 
Pennsylvania,  Virginia,  Ohio,  Kentucky,  and  Tennessee,  and  particularly  abounds 
on  the  banks  of  the  Wabash,  the  Illinois,  and  the  Missouri,  which  is  attributable 
to  the  superior  fertility  of  the  soil. 

This  species  was  cultivated  in  Britain,  according  to  Parkinson,  early  in  the 
XVIIth  century.  He  says,  in  his  "  Paradisus,"  "  it  grows  quickly  with  us  to  a 
large  tree,"  and  that  "  the  fruit  is  long,  red,  and  pleasantly  acid."  Miller  men- 
tions a  tree  of  this  species  in  the  garden  at  Fulham  Palace,  which,  in  1731,  had 
been  there  many  years  without  producing  any  fruit;  but  which,  at  some  seasons, 
bore  a  great  number  of  catkins,  much  like  those  of  the  hazel-nut ;  which  caused 
Ray  to  give  it  the  name  of  Corylus.  Almost  the  only  plants  of  the  Morus  rubra, 
of  much  magnitude,  in  the  environs  of  London,  are  those  mentioned  by  Mr.  Lou- 
don, as  growing  in  the  garden  of  the  Horticultural  Society,  and  in  the  arboretum 
of  Messrs.  Loddiges,  at  Hackney.  In  1836,  these  trees  were  from  eight  to  six- 
teen feet  high. 

In  France,  in  the  Jardin  des  Plantes,  at  Paris,  there  is  a  tree  of  this  species, 
which,  in  fifty  years  after  planting,  had  attained  the  height  of  forty-five  feet, 
with  a  trunk  a  foot  and  a  half  in  diameter,  and  an  ambitus  or  spread  of  branches 
of  thirty-eight  feet. 

In  Italy,  at  Monza,  there  is  a  Morus  rubra,  which,  in  sixty  years  after  plant- 
ing, had  attained  the  height  of  twenty-six  feet,  with  a  trunk  two  feet  in  diame- 
ter, and  an  ambitus  of  thirty  feet. 


RED-FRUITED    MULBERRY-TREE. 

Tn  the  Bartram  botanic  garden,  at  Kingsessing,  near  Philadelphia,  there  is  a 
red  mulberry-tree,  forty  feet  in  heigbt,  with  a  trunk  four  feet  in  circumference. 

Propagation,  fyc.     The  Moms  rubra,  like  the  white,  and  black-fruited  speci< 
may  be  propagated  from  seeds,  by  cuttings  and  layers,  or  by  grafting;  and.  in 
general,  will  thrive  with  similar  treatment.     Its  growth,  however,  is  more  Blow, 
and  it  requires  a  richer  soil,  and  succeeds  best  in  sheltered  valleys,  at  a  considera- 
ble distance  from  the  sea. 

Insects.  It  has  frequently  been  asserted,  and  is  generally  believed,  that  tin; 
leaves  of  this  species  are  not  fed  upon  by  any  insect  but  the  silkworm.  In  Smith 
and  Abbott's  work  on  the  "Insects  of  Georgia,"  however,  a  specimen  of  the  red 
mulberry  is  given,  with  the  small  ermine  moth,  (Phala3na  punctatissima,)  feed- 
ing on  it. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  perfect  wood  of  the  Morns  rubra,  which  is  fine- 
grained, and  compact,  though  light,  is  of  a  yellowish  hue,  approaching  to  lemon- 
colour.  It  possesses  strength  and  solidity;  and,  when  properly  seasoned,  it  is 
almost  as  durable  as  that  of  locust,  to  which,  by  many  persons,  it  is  esteemed 
equal.  In  the  dock-yards  at  Philadelphia,  Baltimore,  and  the  more  southern  ports, 
it  is  employed  in  the  construction  of  both  the  upper  and  lower  frames  of  vessels, 
for  knees,  floor-timbers,  &c  ;  and  is  prefeired  to  every  other  kind  of  wood  for 
trenails,  except  that  of  the  locust.  In  Charleston,  South  Carolina,  it  is  sometine ■> 
selected  for  the  ribs  of  large  boats.  It  is  also  used  in  the  parts  of  the  country 
where  it  abounds,  for  the  posts  of  rural  fences,  which,  from  their  durability,  are 
as  much  esteemed  as  those  of  the  locust.  As  the  leaves  of  this  species  are  thick, 
rough,  and  hairy,  while  young,  they  are  improper  for  the  food  of  silkworms, 
which  feed  with  advantage,  in  a  cold  climate,  only  on  the  Moms  alba,  or  some 
of  its  varieties.  The  red  mulberry  is  well  deserving  of  cultivation,  both  from  its 
thick  and  shady  foliage,  and  the  agreeable  flavour  of  its  daik-red  fruit. 


Genus  BROUSSONETIA,  L'HSrit. 

Urtieaceoe.  Dioecia  Tetrandria. 

Syst.  Nat.  Syst.  Lin. 

Synonymes. 

Broussonetia,  Morus,  Papyrus,  Of  Authors. 

Derivation.    The  genus  Broussonetia  was  so  named  in  honour  of  M.  P.  N.  V.  Broussonet,  a  French  naturalist,  who  wrote 
numerous  works  on  natural  history. 

Generic  Characters.  Flowers  unisexual ;  those  of  the  two  sexes  upon  distinct  plants.  Male  flowers  in 
pendulous  cylindrical  catkins  ;  each  flower  in  the  axil  of  the  bractea.  Calyx  shortly  tubular,  then  4- 
parted.  Stamens  4,  elastic.  Female  .flowers  in  peduncled,  axillary,  upright,  globular  heads.  Calyx 
tubular,  its  tip  with  3 — 4  teeth.  Ovary  within  an  integument  that  arises  from  the  bottom  of  the  calyx. 
Style  lateral,  prominent.  Fruit  club-shaped,  proceeding  from  the  bottom  of  the  calyx,  and  extended 
much  beyond  its  tip ;  and  consisting  of  the  integument  in  which  the  ovary  was  enclosed,  and  now 
becomes  very  juicy  ;  and  of  a  1-seeded  oval  utricle,  with  a  crustaceous  integument,  and  enclosed 
within  this  juicy  integument. — Du  Hamel,  Trait e  de  Arbres. 

I  HE  genus  Broussonetia  was  constituted  by  L'Heritier  from  the 
Morus  papyri/era,  and  is  said  to  comprise  but  one  species,  native 
of  Japan,  and  the  Islands  of  the  Pacific  Ocean.  It  consists  of  a 
vigorous-growing  shrub  or  low  tree,  with  large-lobed,  hairy  leaves, 
variously  shaped,  and  differing  so  much  from  each  other  on  the 
male  and  female  plants,  that  they  might  be  easily  taken  for  dis- 
tinct species. 

To  the  same  natural  order  belong  the  fustic-trees  of  the  tropics,  which  are 
more  nearly  allied  to  this  genus  than  to  morus.  They  differ  from  the  true  mulber- 
ries by  having  the  female  catkins  globular,  the  flowers  distinct,  calyx  scariose, 
4-parted ;  the  sepals  unequally  obovate,  obtuse,  the  ovary  ohovate-compressed ; 
the  style  single,  terminal,  smooth,  filiform,  and  flexuose ;  and  the  fruit  a  globu- 
lar, compound  berry  or  syncarpe ;  whereas  the  true  mori  have  double  styles  and 
stigmas,  and  oblong  fruits.  There  are  several  kinds  of  fustic-trees,  which 
might  be  formed  into  a  peculiar  group,  from  their  baccate  seeds.  The  true  fustic 
of  dyers,  (Morus  tinctoria,)  is  a  large  tree,  sixty  feet  in  height,  bearing  sweet, 
edible  fruit,  about  the  size  of  a  nutmeg,  and  is  a  native  of  Central  America,  Yuca- 
tan, Cuba,  Jamaica,  &c.  The  whole  plant  abounds  in  a  slightly  glutinous  milk, 
of  a  sulphureous  colour.  The  wood  is  yellow,  and  is  much  used  in  dyeing,  for 
which  purpose  it  is  chiefly  imported  into  Europe  and  the  United  States,  under 
the  name  of  fustic-wood.  There  is  a  variety  of  this  species,  called  Bastard  Fustic, 
a  tree  smaller  in  stature,  and  less  valuable  as  a  dye,  and  is  found  from  Yucatan 
to  the  southern  parts  of  Florida  and  the  Bahama  Islands. 


Broussonetia  papyri/era^ 
THE  PAPER  MULBERRY-TREE. 


Synonymes. 


Morus  papyrifera, 
Broussonetia  papyrifera, 


Linnaeus,  Species  Plantarum. 
Don,  Miller's  Dictionary. 
Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 


Broussonetia  a  papier,  Murier  a  papier,  )  v 

Murier  de  la  Chine,  Papyrier,  ]  *  RANCE' 

Papier-Maulbeerbaum,  Germany. 

Moro   papirifero,  Moro  della  China,  Italy. 

Paper  Mulberry -tree,  Britain  and  Anglo-America. 

Derivations.    The  specific  name  papyrifera  is  derived  from  the  Latin  papyrus,  paper,  and  fero,  to  bear ;  rofrrrln?  to  the  m> 
at  the  bark  of  this  tree  in  the  manufacture  of  paper.     Most  of  the  other  names  have  the  same  signification  as  the  botanical  one 

Engravings.     Nouveau  Du  Hamel,  ii.,  pi.  7;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  vii.,  pi.  2-£i;  and  the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.    Female  calyx  tubular,  3 — 4  dentate;  style  lateral;   seed  clavate.    Leaves  3 — "■- 
lobed,  acuminate,  serrated,  scabrous. 


Description. 
PSSiggSHE  Broussonetia  papyrifera 


;fa  '"TP  H  is  a  deciduous  low  tree,  or 
E   [j.  R  li 


large  shrub,  usually  grow- 
ing to  a  height  of  twenty 
or    thirty   feet,    with   a    trunk    from   ten   to   twelve 
inches  in  diameter;   but  in  favourable  situations,  it 
sometimes  attains  nearly  double  of  these  dimensions. 
Its  trunk  ramifies  at  a  small  height  above  the  ground,  * 
into  numerous  branches,  which  form  a  wide,  though 
regular  summit.     The  bark  of  the  trunk,  when  young, 
is  rather  smooth,  and  of  a  grayish  colour.     Its  leaves 
are  large,  hairy,  and  canescent ;  and  are  either  heart- 
shaped,  ovate,  acuminate,  or  cut  into  deep,  irregular 
lobes.     The  flowers,  which  appear  at  New  York  early  in  May,  before  the  loa\ 
are  succeeded  by  an  oblong,  dark,  scarlet-coloured  fruit,  of  a  sweetish,  but  rathei 
insipid  taste,  when  ripe,  which  occurs  at  New  York,  in  July  or  August 
Varieties.     The  varieties  recognized  under  this  species  are  as  follows  :— 

1.  B.  p.  cucullata,  Loudon.  Cowled-leaved  Paper  Mulberry;  a  sport,  found 
on  a  male  plant  by  M.  Camuset,  foreman  of  the  nursery,  in  the  Jardin  des  Plantes, 
at  Paris,  with  leaves  curved  upwards,  like  the  hood  of  a  Capuchin,  or  the  Bides 
of  a  boat. 

2.  B.  p.  fructu  albo,  Loudon.     White-/ruited  Paper  Mulberry. 
Geography  and  History.     The  Broussonetia  papyrifera,  is  a  native  ol  China, 

Japan,  and  Polynesia,  and  is  now  cultivated,  as  an  ornamental  tree  throughout 
the  chief  countries  of  Europe,  and  in  most  of  the  states  ol  the  American  union. 

This  tree  was  introduced  into  Britain,  from  Japan,  by  Mr.  Peter  <  olinson, 
in  1751;  and  specimens  varying  from  ten  to  thirty  feel  in  height,  are  to  be 
met  with  in  most  of  the  gardens  and  collections  in  England  and  Scotland.  Both 
the  male  and  female  plant  have  long  I n  cultivated   in  the   London   H 


462  BROUSSONETIA    PAPYRIFERA. 

cultural  Society's  garden,  at  Turnham  Green,  and  in  the  arboretum  of  Messrs. 
Loddiges,  at  Hackney. 

The  largest  recorded  tree  of  this  species  in  France,  is  in  the  botanic  garden,  at 
Avranches,  which,  in  1835,  forty  years  after  planting,  had  attained  the  height  of 
forty  feet,  with  a  trunk  two  feet  and  a  half  in  diameter,  and  an  ambitus  or  spread 
of  branches  of  thirty  feet. 

In  Italy,  at  Monza,  there  is  a  paper  mulberry,  which,  in  twenty-four  years 
after  planting,  had  attained  the  height  of  forty  feet,  with  a  trunk  a  foot  in  diam- 
eter, with  an  ambitus  of  twenty  feet. 

The  male  plant  of  the  Broussonetia  papyrifera  was  introduced  into  the  United 
States,  from  Europe,  in  1784,  by  Mr.  William  Hamilton,  of  the  Woodlands,  near 
Philadelphia,  who  had,  at  one  period,  the  most  complete  collection  of  foreign 
trees  of  any  one  in  America.  The  paper  mulberry,  was  also  cultivated,  either 
from  seeds  or  importation,  by  the  late  William  Prince,  of  Flushing,  Long  Island, 
prior  to  1820.  To  this  gentleman  we  are  indebted  for  three  female  trees,  stand- 
ing opposite  No.  3,  in  Abingdon  square,  in  the  city  of  New  York,  all  of  which 
matured  their  fruit  early  in  July  and  August  of  the  years  1843  to  1845. 

This  species  is  among  the  most  common  of  ornamental  trees  in  New  York, 
Brooklyn,  Philadelphia,  and  other  parts  of  the  union,  where  there  are  specimens 
frequently  to  be  met  with,  varying  from  twenty  to  forty  feet  in  height,  with 
trunks  from  ten  inches  to  two  feet  in  diameter. 

Propagation,  fyc.  The  paper  mulberry  may  be  propagated  either  from  seeds, 
by  suckers,  or  by  cuttings;  but  the  latter  mode  is  usually  adopted,  as  the  cut- 
tings of  the  branches,  whether  large  or  small,  readily  take  root  and  thrive,  in  an} 
soil,  consisting  of  a  moderately  rich  sandy  loam,  that  is  not  too  dry,  nor  sur 
charged  with  moisture.  The  tree  is  perfectly  hardy  in  Britain,  and  will  with 
stand  the  climate,  without  injury,  of  any  part  of  the  United  States  south  of  Con- 
necticut; but  eastward  of  that  state,  it  is  frequently  killed  back  by  frosts,  and  as 
far  north  as  Montreal,  in  Canada,  it  will  barely  live  without  protection. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  paper  mulberry,  which  is  soft,  spongy, 
and  brittle,  is  of  little  value  except  for  fuel.  The  leaves  are  too  rough  and  coarse, 
in  their  texture,  for  the  food  of  silkworms;  but  they  are  found  to  be  excellent 
fodder  for  cattle;  and  as  the  tree  will  grow  rapidly  in  almost  every  soil,  and 
throw  out  numerous  tufts  of  leaves,  it  has  been  suggested  that  it  might  be  valu- 
able to  cultivate,  in  some  situations  and  climates,  for  that  purpose.  The  juice  of 
this  tree  is  sufficiently  tenacious  to  be  used  in  China  as  a  glue,  either  in  gilding 
leather  or  paper.  The  finest  and  whitest  cloth  worn  by  the  inhabitants  of  Ota- 
heite,  and  of  the  Sandwich  Islands,  is  made  of  its  bark.  But  the  principal  use, 
however,  to  which  this  tree  appears  to  be  applied,  is  for  the  manufacture  of  paper. 
The  following  is  an  abridgment  of  Kaempfer's  account  of  the  process  of  making 
this  article  in  Japan,  as  quoted  from  the  fifth  volume  of  the  London  "  Pen? 
Cyclopaedia"  : — "  The  branches  of  the  current  year,  being  cut  into  pieces  about 
a  yard  long,  are  boiled  until  the  bark  shrinks  from  the  wood,  which  is  taken  ont, 
and  thrown  away;  and  the  bark,  being  dried,  is  preserved  till  wanted.  In  order 
to  make  paper,  it  is  soaked  for  three  or  four  hours  in  water;  after  which,  the 
external  skin,  (epidermis,)  and  the  green  internal  coat,  are  scraped  off,  and  the 
strongest  and  finest  pieces  are  selected  ;  the  produce  of  the  younger  shoots  being 
of  an  inferior  quality.  If  any  very  old  portions  present  themselves,  they  are  on 
the  other  hand  rejected  as  too  coarse.-  All  knotty  parts,  and  everything  which 
might  impair  the  beauty  of  the  paper,  are  also  removed.  The  chosen  bark  is 
boiled  in  a  lixivium  till  its  downy  fibres  can  be  separated  by  a  touch  of  the  finger. 
The  pulp,  so  produced,  is  then  agitated  in  water  till  it  resembles  tufts  of  tow. 
If  not  sufficiently  boiled,  the  paper  will  be  coarse,  though  spongy;  if  too  much, 
it  will  be  white,  indeed,  but  deficient  in  strength  and  solidity.     Upon  the  various 


PAPER    MULBERRY-TREE.  163 

degrees  and  modes  of  washing  the  pulp,  much  also  depends  as  to  the  quality  and 
beauty  of  the  paper.  Mucilage  obtained  from  boiling  rice,  or  from  a  root  called 
oreni,  one  of  the  mallow  tribe,  is  afterwards  added  to  the  pulp.  The  papei  ifl 
finished  much  after  the  European  mode,  except  that  stalks  of  rushes  are  used, 
instead  of  brass  wires."  The  article  thus  made,  constitutes  the  India  or  China 
paper  used  by  engravers  for  taking  proofs,  and  by  chemists  for  filters. 

In  Europe  and  America,  this  species  is  solely  considered  as  an  ornamental 
tree;  and,  from  i's  hardihood  and  rapidity  of  growth,  and  its  singularly  beauti- 
ful, light,  open  foliage,  which  is  attacked  by  no  insect,  it  is  rendered  a  most 
desirable  object  for  shading  streets  and  avenues. 


Genus   MACLURA,    JYutt 

Urticaceae.  Dioecia  Tetrandna. 

Syst.  Nat.  Syst.  Lin 

Synonymes. 

Madura,  Toxylon,  Of  Authors 

Derivation.    This  was  named  by  Nuttall,  in  honour  o:  '.he  late  Mr.  William  Maclure,  of  Philadelphia,  a  celebrated  natural 
ist,  and  patron  of  science. 

Generic  Characters.  Flowers  dioecious.  Male  flowers  with  the  calyx  4-cleft.  Stamens  4,  exserted. 
Female  flowers  in  globular  aments  ;  the  calyx  fleshy,  4-parted,  with  the  bases  ingrafted  together.  Co- 
rolla none.  Style  1,  filiform,  villous.  Germs  numerous,  each  1-seeded,  coalescing  into  a  compound 
globular  berry  of  many  cells,  the  cells  1-seeded.     Seed  obovate. — Nuttall,  Sylva. 

>HE  genus  Madura  embraces  but  one  species,  indigenous  to  North 
America,  a  lactescent  tree,  intermediate  between  the  fustic,  (Moms 
tinctoria,)  and  the  bread-fruit  tree  (Artocarpus  incisa.)  The 
latter  is  a  native  of  the  South  Sea  Islands,  growing  to  the  height 
of  thirty  feet,  and  abounding  throughout,  in  a  very  tenacious  milky 
juice.  Its  fruit,  when  fully  ripe,  is  nearly  round,  from  twelve  to 
twenty  inches  in  girth,  with  a  rough,  reticulated  surface,  and  is  covered  with  a 
thin  skin.  The  eatable  part,  which  is  of  a  snowy  whiteness,  lies  between  the 
skin  and  a  core,  and  has  somewhat  the  consistency  of  newly-made  bread ;  hence 
the  name. 

Closely  allied  to  the  maclura,  is  the  celebrated  Arbol  de  la  Vaca,  or  cow-tree, 
i^Galactodendrum  utile,)  of  South  America,  sometimes  growing  to  the  height  of 
one  hundred  feet,  with  a  trunk  six  feet  in  diameter,  and  having  leaves  resembling 
those  of  the  laurel.  It  yields  a  profuse  supply  of  nutritious  milk,  by  making  an 
incision  in  the  bark,  which  tastes  somewhat  like  that  of  a  cow,  but  slightly  bit- 
terish to  the  taste,  and  producing  a  disagreeable  clamminess  on  the  lips. 

To  the  same  natural  order  belongs  the  Jamaica  bread-nut,  (Brosium  alicas- 
trum,)  a  native  of  the  woods  of  Cuba  and  Jamaica,  the  leaves  and  younger 
branches  of  which  are  full  of  gum,  and  afford  an  excellent  fodder  for  cattle.  The 
nuts  or  fruit,  when  roasted,  are  sometimes  used  instead  of  bread,  and  have  a  taste 
not  unlike  the  European  chesnut.  Boiled  with  fish  or  flesh,  they  are  also  eaten 
as  food  in  times  of  scarcity,  by  the  poor,  and  prove  nutritious  and  pleasant  to  the 
taste. 


Madura  aurantiaca, 
THE  OSAGE  ORANGE-TREE. 

Synonymes. 


Madura  aurantiaca, 


Nuttall,  North  American  Sylva. 
Lambert,  Supplement  to  Pinus. 
Loudon,  Arboretum  Britaamcum. 

France. 

Germany. 


Madura  orange,  Murier  des  Osages,  Bois 

d'arc, 
Pomeranzengelbe  Maclura, 
Madura,  Braziletto  giallo  ?  Sandalo  giallo  ?  Italy. 
Ayac,  Osage  Indians. 

Maclura,  Osage  Orange-tree,  Britain. 

Maclura,  Osage  Orange-tree,  Osage  An-  )  „  . 

pie-tree,  Yellow-wood,  Bow-wood,  |  Anglo-America. 

Derivations.  The  specific  name  aurantiaca  is  derived  from  the  Latin  aurum,  gold ;  from  the  colour  of  the  fruit  of  this  spe- 
cies. It  was  called  Bois  d'arc,  (bow-wood,)  by  the  French  Canadians,  on  account  of  being  used  by  the  Osages  fur  making 
hunting-bows. 

Engravings.  Nuttall,  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  33;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  iii.,  fig.  1226,  1227  et  1223;  and 
the  figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.  Leaves  smooth,  lucid,  ovate-acuminate,  petiolate,  entire,  with  a  recurved  spine  in:ir 
the  base.  Flowers  axillary,  peduncled,  and  occurring  in  small  umbels.  Fruit  an  axillary  berry,  sub- 
sessile,  drooping,  yellow,  and  about  the  size  of  an  orange. 

Description. 

'MMUB  Maclura  au- 
p  (G|  rantiaca,    in    its 

f%    J    |jr?  natural    habitat, 

!§<^5§ll  is  a  beautiful  de- 
ciduous tree,  usually  growing  to  a  height  of 
twenty-five  or  thirty  feet,  with  a  trunk  from 
twelve  to  eighteen  inches  in  diameter;  but, 
in  very  favourable  situations,  it  sometimes 
attains  double  of  these  dimensions.  The 
branches,  which  are  covered  with  a  smooth, 
grayish  bark,  are  somewhat  inclined  to 
spread,  when  old,  though,  at  first,  the  tree 
presents  an  elegant,  roundish  summit.  "  But 
at  all  times,  it  strikes  the  beholder  as  some- 
thing remarkable,  in  the  northern  forest,  by 
the  beauty  and  splendour  of  its  dark  and 
shining  foliage,  which,  in  appearance, 
strongly  resembles  that  of  the  orange,  and 
the  numerous  spines,  which  the  brandies 
present,  seem  to  confirm  the  comparison."*  The  leaves,  which  arc  broad,  and 
from  two  to  four  inches  long,  are  alternate,  ovate,  acuminate,  having  a  cuspidate 
point,  smooth,  entire,  of  a  bright,  shining  green  on  the  upper  surface,  with  the 
petioles  and  nerves  beneath,  pubescent,  when  foung;  but,  on  the  branches  bear 
ing  fruit,  they  are  somewhat  larger,  and  heart-shaped  at  the  base.  The  spines, 
which  are  produced  in  the  upper  axils  of  the  leaves,  arc  simple,  rather  Btrong, 

*  Nuttall,  North  A  nerican  Sylva,  p.  127. 

59 


466  MACLURA   AURANTIACA. 

and  an  inch  or  more  in  length.  The  male  flowers,  which  put  forth  in  April  or 
May,  are  inconspicuous,  nearly  green,  with  a  slight  tinge  of  yellow,  and  occur  in 
small,  pedunculated,  axillary  umbels.  "The  female  capitulum  consists  of  a 
congeries  of  flowers  united  into  a  globular  form,  about  the  size  of  a  cherry;  they 
consist  also  in  a  calyx  of  four  divisions,  but  less  regular  than  the  male.  The 
styles  and  stigmas,  one  to  each  germ,  are  three-fourths  of  an  inch  long,  giving  to 
the  ament  the  appearance  of  a  tuft  of  long,  pubescent  threads."*  The  fruit, 
which  matures  at  Philadelphia,  in  September  or  October,  is  of  the  size  and  gen- 
eral appearance,  at  a  distance,  of  a  large  Seville  orange.  It  consists  of  numer- 
ous, radiating,  somewhat  woody  fibres,  terminating  in  a  verrucose,  reticulated 
surface,  resembling  that  of  a  truffle,  or  the  bread-fruit;  and  contains,  when  per- 
fect, numerous,  obovate,  depressed  seeds  (or  nuts,  as  they  are  botanically  termed,) 
about  the  size  of  those  of  an  orange,  and  a  considerable  quantity  of  a  sweetish, 
lacteous  fluid,  which,  when  exposed  to  the  action  of  the  air,  coagulates  like 
milk. 

Geography  and  History.  The  Maclura  aurantiaca  is  indigenous  to  Arkansas, 
Texas,  and  upper  Missouri,  and  is  cultivated  for  ornament  or  use,  in  most  of  the 
collections  and  gardens,  both  in  Europe  and  in  America.  It  is  perfectly  hardy 
in  the  climate  of  London,  and  of  New  York,  and  has  ripened  its  fruit  at  Lyons, 
at  Clairvaux,  near  Chatellerault,  and  at  Montpellier,  in  France ;  at  Monza,  in 
Italy ;  and  in  the  United  States,  as  far  north  as  Philadelphia ;  but  as  we  proceed 
eastward  or  northward  of  that  city,  although  the  tree  survives  the  winters  in  the 
vicinity  of  Boston,  without  much  protection,  it  begins  to  dwindle,  and  at  Mon- 
treal, in  Canada,  it  will  barely  live. 

This  species  was  first  noticed  by  the  travellers,  Hunter  and  Dunbar,  on  the 
banks  of  Red  River,  and  in  the  deep,  fertile  bottoms  of  the  adjacent  valley.  It 
was  also  observed  along  the  rivers  Arkansas  and  Canadian,  by  Dr.  James,  in 
Major  Long's  expedition,  the  banks  of  the  former  being  considered  as  its  north- 
ernmost limit,  as  an  indigenous  tree.  It  was  first  cultivated  among  the  white 
settlers  of  the  west,  in  about  the  year  1800,  in  the  garden  of  M.  Chouteau,  at  St. 
Louis,  on  the  Mississippi,  where  it  was  propagated  from  some  seeds  procured  from 
a  village  of  Osage  Indians ;  whence  it  obtained  its  popular  name.  It  was  subse- 
quently planted  in  the  nursery  of  the  late  Mr.  M'Mahon,  of  Philadelphia,  from 
seeds  collected  by  Lewis  and  Clarke,  on  their  western  expedition,  in  1803  to  1805 ; 
and  shortly  after,  in  the  garden  of  Mr.  Landreth,  in  Federal  street,  of  the  same 
city,  where,  one  of  the  original  trees  still  exists,  and  has  attained  the  height  of 
thirty  feet,  with  a  large,  round  head,  and  a  trunk  two  feet  in  diameter.  This 
tree  annually  produces  fruit,  which  has  been  rendered  perfect,  by  tying  on  the 
branches,  when  in  bloom,  stameniferous  flowers,  obtained  from  a  distant  tree. 
The  trees  propagated  by  Mr.  M'Mahon,  were  planted  two  and  two,  each  pair 
being  about  four  hundred  feet  apart.  In  the  year  1831,  it  was  discovered  that 
one  of  these  trees  produced  larger  fruit  than  the  others,  and  that  this  fruit  con- 
tained perfect  seeds.  Two  of  the  other  trees  produced  smaller  fruit,  but  the  seeds 
they  contained  were  abortive;  while  one  of  the  trees  was  entirely  barren.  The 
next  year,  it  was  further  discovered,  that  the  barren  tree  was  a  male  plant;  and 
that  the  one  by  its  side  that  had  produced  perfect  seeds,  was  a  female. f 

At  Beaver  Dam,  in  Virginia,  a  female  tree  of  this  species,  with  a  large,  globular 
head,  yielded,  in  1835,  one  hundred  and  fifty  fruits,  many  of  which  weighed 
eighteen  or  nineteen  ounces  each. 

There  is  also  a  cultivated  tree  of  this  sort,  in  the  Bartram  botanic  garden,  at 
Kingsessing,  which  has  attained  the  height  of  twenty  feet,  with  a  trunk  ten 
inches  in  diameter,  and  fruits  freely  every  year. 

*  Nuttall,  North  American  Sylva,  p.  129.  f  American  Gardener's  Magazine,  ii.,  p.  77. 


OSAGE    ORANGE-TREE.  4G7 

In  about  the  year  1818,  seeds  of  this  tree  were  sent  to  England  by  Senhoi  Cor- 
reade  feerra,  a  Portuguese  botanist  and  diplomatist;  and,  subsequently,  plai 
of  both  sexes,  were  imported  by  the  London  nurserymen,  and  trees  are  to  be  mel 
with  in  various  parts  of  the  kingdom,  varying  from  ten  to  twenty-five  feet  in 
height,  with  trunks  of  proportionate  diameters. 

In  France,  in  the  Jardin  des  Plantes,  at  Paris,  there  is  a  tree  of  this  species, 
which,  in  ten  years  after  planting,  had  attained  the  height  of  eighteen  feet.  At 
Lyons,  in  the  nursery  of  M.  Sidy,  there  is  another  specimen,  which  has  fruited, 
exceeding  twenty-five  feet  in  height. 

Propagation,  <Sfc.  The  Madura  aurantiaca  may  readily  be  propagated  from 
seeds,  by  cuttings  of  the  roots,  by  layers,  and  by  grafting  or  inoculation;  and  it 
will  grow  in  any  common  soil  in  which  the  Morus  alba  will  thrive.  As  the  male 
plant  appears  to  be  constitutionally  weaker,  more  delicate,  and  shorter-lived  than 
its  opposite  sex,  and  as  its  presence  is  absolutely  necessary  to  produce  perfect 
seeds,  it  has  been  suggested  that  it  be  grafted  or  inoculated  on  the  branches  of 
the  female  tree,  in  order  to  add  to  the  size  and  beauty  of  the  fruit,  and  to  facil- 
itate in  the  dissemination  of  the  species.  When  propagated  from  cuttings  or  lay- 
ers, and  if  cut  down  to  the  ground  after  two  or  three  years'  growth,  it  will  throw 
up  shoots  or  suckers  six  or  eight  feet  in  height,  and  not  more  than  half  of  an  inch 
in  diameter,  with  fine,  broad,  shining,  succulent  leaves.  In  the  United  States, 
where  the  surface  of  the  ground  is  exposed  to  the  extremes  of  heat  and  cold,  the 
maclura,  like  the  vine,  the  mulberry,  and  many  other  trees,  should  be  planted 
deep  in  the  earth,  otherwise  its  roots  will  often  be  injured  by  drought  or  frost. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  maclura  is  of  a  bright-yellow  colour, 
somewhat  resembling  that  of  the  fustic,  (Morus  tinctoria,)  and,  like  the  wood  of 
that  tree,  it  is  said,  affords  a  yellow  dye.  It  is  solid,  heavy,  durable,  uncom- 
monly fine-grained,  and  elastic ;  and,  on  account  of  the  latter  property,  it  is  used 
for  bows  by  all  the  tribes  of  Indians  of  the  regions  where  it  abounds.  When 
wrought,  it  receives  a  beautiful  polish,  of  the  appearance  and  brilliancy  of  satin- 
wood,  and  might  be  employed  for  inlaying  the  finer  kinds  of  furniture.  The  sap 
of  the  young  wood  and  leaves  is  of  a  milky  consistency,  and  soon  dries,  on  expo- 
sure to  the  air.  It  is  insoluble  in  water,  and  contains  a  large  proportion  of  an 
elastic  gum.  The  bark,  like  that  of  the  paper  mulberry,  (Ikoussonetia,)  yields 
a  fine,  white  fibre,  which  might  be  converted  into  a  beautiful  linen.  The  fruit. 
when  ripe,  abounds  in  a  sweetish,  lacteous  fluid,  somewhat  acrid  and  insipid  t<> 
the  taste,  which  renders  it  unpalatable  both  to  man  and  animals.  The  maclura 
is  also  advantageously  employed  for  hedges  or  live  fences,  for  which  purpose  it 
appears  to  be  admirably  adapted,  as  its  branches  grow  close,  are  armed  with 
strong,  sharp-pointed  spines,  will  endure  the  shears,  and  for  a  long  time  retain 
their  foliage,  which  is  free  from  the  attacks  of  insects,  and  the  blight.  The 
maclura  has  likewise  been  used  as  a  stock  on  which  to  engraft  the  mulberry, 
and  its  leaves  have  been  employed,  in  France,  with  partial  success,  as  food  tor 
silkworms.  M.  Bonafous,  visiting  the  botanic  garden,  at  Montpellier,  in  1835, 
and  observing  the  luxuriance  with  which  this  tree  grew,  conceived  that  it  might 
be  substituted  for  the  mulberry  in  the  culture  of  silk.  He  had  a  number  of  the 
leaves  gathered,  on  which  he  fed  eighteen  silkworms,  as  their  only  food,  and  it 
is  said  they  produced  very  beautiful  cocoons.  A  second  experiment  was  made 
by  M.  Raffeneau  De  Lile,  directeur  of  the  same  garden,  in  L836,  by  giving  fifty 
silkworms  the  leaves  of  this  tree,  during  only  the  latter  stages  of  their  existence. 
They  were  not  fed  on  the  maclura  till  the  19th  of  May,  when  tiny  cast  their 
second  skins.  It  is  said  they  never  seemed  to  eat  the  leaves  greedily,  although 
they  increased  in  size  as  much  as  those  that  were  fed  on  the  leaves  ol  the  mul- 
berry. In  the  course  of  feeding,  fifteen  of  the  worms  wandered  away,  and  wrere 
lost;  and  during  the  time  of  spinning,  twenty  more  died,  the  latin-  becoming 


468  MACLURA  AURANT1ACA. 

black,  rotten,  and  reduced  to  a  liquid.  The  cocoons  were  not  formed  till  some 
days  after  those  of  the  worms  which  fed  on  the  mulberry ;  only  five  of  them 
being  quite  perfect,  and  several  of  them  tolerably  so,  from  all  of  which,  the  silk 
reeled  freely,  and  was  of  an  excellent  quality.*  Other  experiments  have  since 
been  made  in  Italy  and  other  places,  but  with  still  less  favourable  results. 

The  maclura,  from  its  general  form,  its  beautiful  shining  foliage,  which  it 
retains  longer  than  almost  any  other  deciduous  tree,  and  from  its  fine,  large 
golden  fruit,  well  deserves  a  place  in  every  collection  wherever  it  will  grow. 

*  Otto,  Garten  Zeitung,  iii.,  p.  292. 


Genus  FICUS,   Tourn. 

Urticaceoe  Polygamia  Dioecia. 

W-*°t-  Jb         Syt.Lin. 

Synonymes. 

Ficus,  Of  Authors. 

Figuier,  France. 

Feigenbaum,  Germany. 

Fico,  Italy. 

Figuera,  Higuera,  Spain. 

Figueira,  Portugal. 

Fig-tree,  Britain  and  Anglo-America. 

Derivation.  The  word  Ficus,  according  to  some  lexicographers,  is  derived  from  the  Latin  fmcundus,  fruitful  •  on  account 
of  its  abundant  hearing;  but  others  derive  it  from  the  Greek  sukos,  or  more  remotely  from  the  Hebrew/a"  the  names  of  the 
fig-tree  in  these  languages. 

Generic  Characters.  Flowers  inserted  upon  the  interior  surface  of  a  hollow,  globular  or  pear-shaped, 
fleshy  receptacle,  in  the  tip  of  which  is  an  orifice,  closed  with  small  scales;  minute,  many  within  a 
receptacle;  those  in  the  upper  part  male,  the  rest  female;  or  the  flowers  of  each  sex  occupy  distinct 
receptacles  upon  distinct  plants.  Calyx  of  male  3-parted.  Stamens  3.  Calyx  of  female  flower  5- 
cleft,  having  a  tube  that  invests  a  thread-shaped  stalk  that  bears  the  pistil.  Stalk  adnate  to  the 
on  one  side,  and  extending  to  the  base  of  the  style ;  the  style  is  inserted  rather  laterally.  Ovary  with 
1  cell  and  1  ovule.  Stigmas  2.  Fruit  a  utricle.  Seed  pendulous.  Embryo  falcate,  in  the  centre  of 
a  fleshy  albumen. — Nees  Von  Esenbeck,  Genera. 

\HIS  genus  consists  of  trees  and  shrubs  occurring  in  the  warmer 
regions  of  both  hemispheres,  remarkable,  in  a  popular  sense,  for 
having  their  flowers  concealed  by  the  fleshy  receptacle  known  as 
the  fruit.  There  are  only  two  species  which  bear  edible  fruit,  the 
common  fig,  (Ficus  carica,)  hereafter  considered,  and  the  Syca- 
more, (Ficus  sycomorus,)  mentioned  in  "  Holy  Writ,"  a  native  of 
Egypt,  holding  a  medium  rank  among  timber  trees. 

Among  the  numerous  species  of  this  genus  described  by  botanists,  may  be  men- 
tioned the  famous  banian-tree,  (Ficus  benghalensis,)  held  sacred  with  the  Hin- 
doos in  the  East  Indies,  from  the  vast  size  that  it  attains,  and  from  the  singularity 
of  it?  growth.  This  tree  is  described  by  Pliny  with  an  accuracy,  which  has  been 
confirmed  by  more  recent  observations,  and  which  has  been  rendered  almost  lit- 
eral by  the  poet  Milton,  in  the  following  beautiful  lines  : — 

"  Branching  so  broad  along,  that  in  the  ground 
The  bending  twigs  take  root;  and  daughters  grow 
About  the  mother  tree ;  a  pillared  shads. 
High  overarched,  with  echoing  walks  between." 

The  fruit  of  the  banian  does  not  exceed  a  hazel-nut  in  size;  but  the  lateral 
branches  send  down  shoots  which  take  root,  till,  in  the  course  of  time,  a  single 
tree  extends  itself  to  a  considerable  grove.  From  this,  as  well  as  most  other  spe- 
cies of  ficus,  may  be  extracted  an  elastic  gum,  resembling  the  caoutchouc  of  com- 
merce, which  is  principally  obtained  from  the  Hevea  guianensis,  a  native  of  the 
equatorial  regions  of  America. 


Ficus  carica, 
THE  COMMON  FIG-TREE. 

Synonymes. 

ILiNNiEus,  Species  Plantarum. 
Du  Hamel,  Traite  des  Arbres  et  Arbustes. 
Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum 
Figuier  cultive,  Figuier  commun,  Bou,       Franc*;. 
Gemeiner  Feigenbaum,  Germany. 

Fico,  Italy. 

Fig-tree,  Common  Fig-tree,  Britain  and  Anglo-America. 

Derivation.    The  specific  name  carica  is  supposed  to  be  derived  from  Caria,  in  Asia ;  whence  this  species  is  said  originally 
to  have  been  brought. 

Engravings.    Du  Hamel,  Traite  des  Arbres  et  Arbustes,  pi.  53;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  vii.,  pi.  229;   and  tlu 
figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.    Leaves  palmate  and  sub-trilobate  ;  rough  above,  pubescent  beneath. 


Description. 

HE  Ficus  carica  is  a  large 
1  shrub  or  low  tree,  sometimes 
growing,  under  favourable 
*^®^iP  circumstances,  to  a  height  of 
twenty-five  to  thirty  feet,  with  a  trunk  from  a  foot  to 
a  foot  and  a  half  in  diameter ;  but  usually  it  does  not 
much  exceed  one  half  of  these  dimensions.  The 
branches,  when  young,  are  clothed  with  short  hairs, 
but  become  smoother  with  age;  and  the  bark  of  the 
trunk  is  of  an  ash-colour,  or  greenish-gray.  The 
leaves,  which  are  annual  in  the  temperate  zones,  and 
perennial  within  the  tropics,  are  comparatively  small, 
in  a  wild  state,  entire,  or  not  much  cut;  but,  in  the 
cultivated  varieties,  they  are  very  large,  cordate,  deeply  cut,  with  from  three  to 
five  lobes,  thick,  rough  on  the  upper  surface,  and  pubescent  beneath.  The  fruit 
consists  of  a  pulp,  containing  a  number  of  seed-like  pericarps,  enclosed  in  a  blue 
or  black,  red  or  purple,  green  or  yellow,  or  white  rind.  Botanically,  it  is  a  turbi- 
nate berry,  hollow  within,  and  is  produced  chiefly  on  the  upper  part  of  the  shoots 
of  the  former  year,  in  the  axils  of  the  leaves,  on  small,  round  peduncles.  It  first 
protrudes  from  the  branches,  without  any  visible  flower,  in  the  form  of  little  buds, 
with  a  perforation  at  the  end,  but  not  opening  or  showing  anything  like  petals,  or 
any  of  the  common  organs  of  fructification.  The  flowers  come  to  maturity 
iu  concealment,  in  what  is  considered  as  the  fruit;  that  is,  an  ordinary  calyx 
or  receptacle,  which  is  usually,  but  not  always,  entire  and  connivent ;  for,  there 
are  some  few  sorts,  in  which  the  fruit  constantly  opens  when  it  approaches  matu- 
rity, commonly  dividing  into  four  parts,  that  expand  like  the  petals  of  a  flower, 
io  such  an  extent,  that  each  division  becomes  perpendicular  to  its  stem.*  The 
male  flowers,  which  are  comparatively  few,  are  inserted  near  the  perforation  at 
the  extremity  of  the  receptacle,  or  fruit ;  but  the  female  flowers  are  very  numer- 

*  The  varieties  which  exhibit  this  singularity,  are  called,  in  the  "Nouveau  Du  Hamel. "  Barnissotes 
iud  Vet -dales 


COMMCN  FIG-TREE.  471 

ous,  and  fill  the  remainder  of  the  hollow  space  within.  The  greater  part  of  the 
latter  prove  abortive,  either  with,  or  without,  the  process  of  caprification.  The 
fig,  in  warm,  temperate  climates,  as  in  many  parts  of  the  east,  unlike  almoct 
every  other  tree,  bears  two,  and  sometimes  three  successive  crops  of  fruit  in  the 
same  year,  each  crop  being  generally  produced  on  a  distinct  set  of  shoots. 

Varieties.  The  varieties  of  this  species  are  very  numerous.  Besides  the  com- 
mon wild  fig,  (Caprificus,)  there  are  noticed  in  the  "  Nouveau  Du  Hamel," 
thirty-six  choice  kinds,  several  of  which  are  figured.  In  nurserymen's  cata- 
logues there  are  enumerated  upwards  of  one  hundred  sorts,  exclusively  of  syno- 
nymes.     The  following  are  a  few  of  those  most  celebrated : 

1.  F.  c.  Candida.  White-fruited  or  Marseilles  Fig;  Figuier  blanc,  of  the 
French.  The  leaves  of  this  variety  are  very  large,  but  not  very  deeply  lobed. 
It  produces  an  excellent  fruit,  known  in  commerce  by  the  name  of  figues  mar- 
seillaises.  It  forms  a  very  desirable  tree,  when  treated  as  a  standard,  and  is 
well  adapted  for  the  climate  of  London,  and  of  the  southern  parts  of  the  United 
States. 

2.  F.  c.  lutea.  Yellow -fruited  Fig;  Figuier  jaune,  of  the  French.  The 
fruit  of  this  variety  is  known  in  France,  by  the  names  of  figues  angeliques,  or 
figues  grasses. 

3.  F.  c.  pyriformis.  Pear-shaped  Fig;  Figuier  pyr  if  or  me,  of  the  French, 
producing  the  figues  de  Bordeaux. 

4.  F.  c.  violacea.      Violet-coloured-fruited  Fig ;  Figuier  violet,  of  the  French. 
Geography  and  History.     The  common  fig  is  indigenous  to  the  west  of  Asia, 

and  the  shores  of  the  Mediterranean,  both  in  Europe  and  in  Africa.  In  no  coun- 
try is  it  found  at  a  great  distance  from  the  sea,  and  rarely  in  very  elevated  situa- 
tions. Hence  its  abundance  in  the  islands  of  the  Grecian  Archipelago,  the  Azores, 
Madeira,  and  the  Canary  Isles,  and  on  the  adjacent  continent. 

According  to  the  traditions  of  the  Greeks,  the  origin  of  the  fig  may  be  traced 
back  to  the  remotest  antiquity.  It  was  probably  known  to  the  people  of  the 
east  before  the  cerealia,  and  stood  in  the  same  relation  to  the  primitive  inhab- 
itants of  society,  as  the  banana  does  to  some  of  the  present  tribes  of  Africa,  or  the 
Indians  of  South  America.  With  little  trouble  of  cultivation,  it  supplied  their 
principal  necessities;  and  afforded,  not  only  an  article  of  occasional  luxury,  but 
of  constant  food,  either  in  a  fresh  or  in  a  dried  state.  As  we  proceed  to  a  more 
advanced  stage  of  civilization,  we  still  find  the  fig  an  object  of  general  attention. 
It  is  often  mentioned  both  in  the  Old  and  in  the  New  Testament,  in  a  manner  to 
induce  us  to  conclude  that  it  formed  a  principal  part  of  the  food  of  the  Syrian 
nation.  The  want  of  a  blossom  on  the  fig-tree  was  considered  as  one  of  the  most 
grevious  calamities  of  the  Jews.  It  is  also  a  fruit  that  appears  to  have  been 
highly  esteemed  by  the  Israelites,  who  brought  figs  out  of  the  land  of  Canaan, 
when  they  were  sent  by  Moses  to  ascertain  the  produce  of  that  country.  Cakes 
}f  figs  were  included  in  the  presents  of  provisions  by  which  Abigail,  the  wife  of 
Nabal,  appeased  the  wrath  of  David.  King  Hezekiah's  boil  was  cured  by  a 
lump  or  poultice  of  figs,  applied  according  to  the  direction  of  Isaiah,  and  which, 
a  learned  doctor  observes,  is  the  first  poultice  we  read  of  in  history. 

Among  the  Greeks,  we  find,  by  the  laws  of  Lycurgus,  that  figs  formed  a  pari 
of  the  ordinary  food  of  the  Spartans.  It  would  seem  that  the  Athenians  were  so 
choice  of  their  figs,  that  they  did  not  allow  them  to  be  exported  ;  for,  by  a  law  of 
Solon,  no  production  of  the  Attican  lands,  except  oil,  was  allowed  to  be  sold  to 
strangers;  and  therefore,  it  is  not  improbable,  what  some  affirm,  that  the  expor- 
tation of  figs  was  forbidden,  and  that  the  informers  againsl  the  delinquents  were 
called  sukophantai  (from  the  Greek  sukon,  a  fig,  and  phaino,  to  show,  or  eiv< 
proof  of) ;  and  as  they  sometimes  gave  malicious  information,  the  term  was  alter- 


472  FICUS    CARICA. 

wards  applied  to  all  informers,  parasites,  liars,  flatterers,  imposters  &c. ;  hence 
the  modern  word  sycophant. 

The  fig  was  a  fruit  much  admired  by  the  Romans,  who  brought  it  from  most 
of  the  countries  they  conquered,  and  had  so  increased  the  varieties  in  Italy,  by 
the  commencement  of  the  Christian  era,  that  Pliny  has  furnished  us  with  a 
description  of  twenty-nine  sorts.  He  says,  "figs  are  restorative,  and  the  best 
food  that  can  be  taken  by  those  who  are  brought  low  by  long  sickness,  and  are 
on  the  recovery."  He  adds,  "  that  figs  increase  the  strength  of  young  people, 
preserve  the  elderly  in  better  health,  and  make  them  look  younger,  and  with 
fewer  wrinkles.  They  are  so  nutritive  as  to  cause  corpulency  and  strength ;  on 
which  account,  professed  wrestlers  and  champions  were  in  times  past,  fed  with 
figs."  This  naturalist  mentions  the  African  figs,  as  being  admired;  but  says, 
"it  is  not  long  since  they  began  to  grow  figs  in  Africa."  These  appear  to  have 
been  of  an  early  kind ;  for,  we  find  that,  when  Cato  wished  to  stimulate  the  sen- 
ators to  declare  war  against  Carthage,  he  took  an  early  African  fig  in  his  hand, 
and  then  addressing  the  assembly,  he  said,  "I  would  demand  of  you  how  long  it 
is  since  this  fig  was  plucked  from  the  tree?"  and  when  they  all  agreed  that  it 
was  freshly  gathered,  "Yes,"  answered  Cato,  "  it  is  not  yet  three  days  since  this 
fig  was  gathered  at  Carthage ;  and  by  it,  see  how  near  to  the  walls  of  our  city 
we  have  a  mortal  enemy."  With  this  argument,  he  prevailed  upon  them  to 
begin  the  third  Punic  war,  in  which  Carthage,  that  had  so  long  been  a  rival  to 
Rome,  was  utterly  destroyed.  "The  Lydian  figs,"  continues  Pliny,  "are  of  a 
reddish-purple  colour;  the  Rhodian,  of  a  blackish  hue;  as  is  the  Tiburtine, 
which  ripens  before  the  others.  The  white  figs  were  from  Herculaneum ;  the 
Chelidonian  figs  are  the  latest,  and  ripen  against  the  winter ;  some  bear  twice  a 
year,  and  some  of  the  Chalcidian  kinds  bear  three  times  a  year."  The  Romans 
had  figs  from  Chalcis  and  Chios,  and  many  of  their  varieties,  it  appears,  were 
named  after  those  who  first  introduced  or  cultivated  them  in  Italy.  For  instance, 
the  "  Livian  Fig"  was  so  called  after  Livia,  wife  of  the  Emperor  Augustus,  who. 
it  is  said,  made  the  unnatural  use  of  it  to  poison  her  husband. 

The  fig-tree  is  said  to  have  been  first  brought  from  Italy  into  Britain,  in  1525, 
by  Cardinal  Pole;  though  probably  it  was  introduced  long  before,  by  the  Ro- 
mans and  the  monks.  The  specimens,  which  were  of  the  Marseilles  kind,  were 
planted  against  the  walls  of  the  archiepiscopal  palace,  at  Lambeth,  and  bore 
excellent  fruit.  In  the  course  of  their  long  existence,  they  attained  a  size  far 
exceeding  the  standard  fig-tree  in  its  natural  habitat,  being  fifty  feet  in  height, 
with  trunks  from  twenty-one  to  twenty-eight  inches  in  circumference,  and  a 
spread  of  branches  of  forty  feet.  These  trees  were  much  injured  by  the  severe 
winter  of  1813-14;  but  the  main  stems,  being  cut  down,  they  recovered,  so  as  to 
be  in  tolerable  vigour,  in  1817;  but  some  years  since,  while  the  palace  was  under 
repair,  they  were  destroyed.  The  "  Pocock  Fig-tree"  was  once  supposed  to  have 
been  the  first  of  the  white  Marseilles  figs,  introduced  into  England.  The  tradi- 
tion is,  that  it  was  brought  from  Aleppo  by  Dr.  Pocock,  the  celebrated  traveller, 
and  planted  in  the  garden  of  the  Regius  Professor  of  Hebrew,  at  Christ-Church, 
Oxford,  in  the  year  1648.  Some  of  the  figs  of  this  tree  were  exhibited  at  a  meet- 
ing of  the  London  Horticultural  Society,  in  August,  1819 ;  and  others  gained  a 
premium  as  the  best  white  figs,  at  a  meeting  of  the  Oxford  and  Oxfordshire  Hor- 
ticultural Society,  in  August,  1833.  In  the  year  1806,  this  tree  was  twenty-one 
feet  high,  with  a  trunk  three  feet  and  a  half  in  circumference  at  its  upper  part. 
It  received  considerable  damage  from  the  fire  that  happened  at  Christ-Church,  on 
the  3d  of  March,  1809,  some  time  previous  to  which,  its  trunk  had  been  covered 
with  lead  to  preserve  it  from  the  injuries  of  the  weather ;  but  at  the  time  of  the 
fire  the  lead  was  stolen,  and,  soon  after,  the  trunk  itself  decayed,  and  was  prin- 
cipally removed.     In  1833,  at  the  time  Mr.  Loudon  visited  this  tree,  there  were 


COMMON  FIG-TREE.  -173 

but  slight  remains  of  the  old  trunk  to  be  seen,  which  had  thrown  out  a  number 
of  branches,  perhaps  of  twenty  or  thirty  years'  growth,  and  upwards  of  twcnl 
five  feet  in  length.  The  fig-tree,  though  introduced  so  early,  appears  for  a  L< 
time,  not  to  have  been  extensively  cultivated  in  England,  which  is  thought  by 
Professor  Burnet  to  be  owing  to  a  popular  prejudice  that  existed  against  this 
tree,  as  once  having  been  a  common  vehicle  for  poison, — a  singular  contrast  to 
the  ideas  expressed  in  "Holy  Writ"  respecting  this  fruit;  the  best  blessing  of 
heaven  being  typified  by 

"Every  man  sitting  under  his  own  fig-tree." 

The  fig  is  in  general  cultivation  in  first  rate  British  gardens,  usually  against 
walls;  but  in  some  parts  of  the  southern  counties,  as  along  the  coast  of  Sussex, 
and  in  Devonshire,  &c,  it  is  propagated  as  a  standard.  In  Scotland,  it  is  never 
grown  as  a  standard;  but,  in  some  parts  of  East  Lothian,  and  in  Wigtonshire,  it 
ripens  its  fruit  against  a  south  wall,  without  the  aid  of  artificial  heat 

The  largest  fig-tree,  as  a  wall  fruit,  in  England,  is  at  Farnham  Castle,  where, 
in  twenty-five  years  after  planting,  it  had  attained  the  height  of  forty  feet 

The  largest  standard  tree  of  this  species  in  England,  is  at  Arundel  (astir. 
in  Sussex,  and  exceeds  twenty-five  feet  in  height,  with  a  trunk  a  foot  in  diam- 
eter. 

In  France,  the  culture  of  the  fig-tree  was  not  carried  to  any  degree  of  perfi  c- 
tion  till  the  time  of  Olivier  de  Serres;  but  it  is  now  general  throughout  the  whole 
country.  In  the  southern  departments,  its  fruit  is  grown  for  drying,  as  an  arti- 
cle of  commerce,  but  in  the  northern  districts,  it  is  only  used  for  the  table.  In 
the  neighbourhood  of  Nantes,  the  tree,  as  a  standard,  seldom  exceeds  eighteen  feet 
in  height;  but  at  Avignon,  it  attains  an  elevation  of  twenty  or  twenty-five  feet 

In  Italy,  at  Monza,  there  is  a  fig-tree,  which,  in  sixty  years  after  planting,  had 
attained  the  height  of  thirty  feet,  with  a  trunk  eighteen  inches  in  diameter,  and 
an  ambitus  of  sixty  feet. 

In  the  east,  as  well  as  in  Italy  and  Spain,  the  fig  forms  a  considerable  article 
of  commerce,  as  well  as  a  considerable  part  of  the  sustenance  of  the  population. 

In  the  southern  states  of  the  American  union,  the  fig-tree  is  planted  as  a  stand- 
ard, and  produces  fruit  of  an  excellent  quality.     In  the  middle  and  northern  sti 
it  is  propagated  as  a  conservatory  or  wall  tree,  and  necessarily  requires  protec- 
tion during  winter.  . 

Mythological  and  Legendary  Allusions.  The  Egyptians  ami  Greeks  held  the 
fruit  of  this  tree  in  great  estimation;  it  being  the  custom  to  carry  a  basket  .-I 
next  to  the  vessel  of  wine  used  in  the  Dionysia,  or  festival  m  honour  ol  Bacchus, 
The  Romans,  also,  carried  the  fig  next  to  the  wine,  in  their  processions,  in  hon- 
our of  the  same  god,  as  a  patron  of  joy  and  plenty;  and  Bacchus  was  supposed 
by  them,  to  have  derived  his  corpulency  and  vigour  from  this  fruit,  and  not  the 
grape.  Saturn,  one  of  the  Roman  deities,  was  represented  crowned  with  new 
figs;  he  being  supposed  to  have  first  taught. the  use  ol  agriculture  in  Italy. 
There  was  a  temple  in  Rome,  dedicated  to  tins  god,  before  which  grew  a  large 
fig-tree  The  fig  is  related  to  have  been  the  favourite  tn.it  ot  <  leopatra;  and 
the  asp',  with  which  she  terminated  her  life,  was  conveyed  to  her  in  a  basket  oi 
figs.  Thestory  of  Romulus  and  Renms  hem  suckled  by  a  wolt  under  a  fig-tree, 
is  familiar  to  every  one  conversant  in  ancient  history.  irnon,  oi  Athens,  who 
tied* Misanthrope,  from  his  aversion  to  mankind  and  all  society,  once  went 
nublic  olace,  where  his  appearance,  as  an  on. tor.  soon  collected  a  large 


was  cat 


474  FICUS    CARICA. 

would  seem,  from  some  of  the  old  English  writers,  and  indeed  from  a  common 
expression  even  of  the  present  day,  that,  from  some  association  of  ideas,  the  fig 
was  an  object  of  contempt.  "  Flgo  for  thy  friendship,"  says  Pistol,  in  Henry  IV 
Steevens,  the  commentator  on  Shakspeare,  thinks  that  the  "fig  of  Spain,"  men- 
tioned by  many  of  the  old  British  poets,  alluded  "  to  the  custom  of  giving  poisoned 
figs  to  those  who  were  the  objects  of  Spanish  or  Italian  revenge;"  and  hence, 
probably,  a  vulgar  prejudice  against  this  fruit. 

Propagation,  Management,  fyc.  The  common  fig-tree  is  easily  propagated  by 
cuttings  of  the  shoots  or  roots,  (not  one  of  which  will  fail,)  and  also  by  suckers, 
layers,  and  seeds.  In  France,  more  particularly  about  Marseilles,  where  the  fig 
is  extensively  grown  as  an  article  of  commerce,  an  open  situation  is  made  choice 
of,  for  a  plantation,  near  the  sea,  and  exposed  to  the  south  aud  east.  The  ground 
is  trenched  two  or  three  feet  deep,  and  richly  manured;  and  the  trees  are  planted 
in  squares,  or  in  the  quincunx-form,  at  from  twelve  to  fifteen  feet  apart.  The 
plants  are  watered  frequently  during  the  first  summer,  and  left  without  any  prun- 
ing whatever;  but  in  the  winter  of  the  second  year,  they  are  cut  down  to  the 
ground.  The  third  year,  they  throw  up  vigorous  shoots,  five  or  six  of  which  are 
retained  to  form  a  bush;  and  in  the  following,  or  fourth  year,  the  tree  is  suffered 
to  ripen  fruit.  In  some  cases,  the  trees  are  trained  to  single  stems;  and  this  is 
also  generally  the  case  in  Italy  and  Greece,  where  the  climate  is  milder,  and  the 
tree  attains  a  larger  size  than  in  France.  In  the  subsequent  management,  the 
trees  require  but  little  pruning,  except  when  they  become  too  much  crowded  with 
branches.  In  the  south  of  France,  they  always  suffer  more  or  less,  during  very 
hot  summers,  for  the  want  of  water,  which  they  require  in  abundance,  on  account 
of  the  excessive  transpiration  that  takes  place  from  their  large  leaves,  and  very 
porous,  thinly-covered  bark.  Hence  in  seasons  of  very  great  drought,  the 
branches  are  sometimes  completely  scorched  and  killed  by  the  powerful  rays  of 
the  sun.  Severe  frost  has  a  similar  effect  on  the  branches  in  winter,  even  at 
Marseilles,  as  extreme  drought  has  in  summer.  In  all  countries,  which  may 
properly  be  called  fig  climates,  two  crops  are  produced  in  a  year.  The  first  is 
from  the  old  wood,  and  corresponds  with  the  crops  of  England  and  some  parts 
of  the  United  States ;  and  the  second  from  the  wood  of  the  current  year,  the  figs 
produced  by  which,  in  the  last-named  countries,  are  never  ripened  except  in  hot- 
houses. In  Greece,  Syria,  and  Egypt,  a  third  crop  is  sometimes  produced.  The 
first  crop  is  ripened,  in  the  south  of  France  and  in  Italy,  in  May ;  and  the  second 
crop  in  September.  Those  which  are  to  be  dried,  are  left  on  the  tree  till  they  are 
dead  ripe,  which  is  known  by  a  drop  of  sweet  liquid  that  appears  hanging  from 
the  eye.  The  figs,  being  gathered,  are  placed  on  wicker  hurdles,  in  a  dry,  airy 
shed;  and,  when  the  dew  is  off,  they  are  exposed  every  morning  to  the  sun. 
during  the  hottest  part  of  the  day.  To  facilitate  the  progress  of  drying,  the  figs 
are  occasionally  flattened  with  the  hand  ;  and  in  moist,  dull  weather,  they  are 
placed  in  rooms  warmed  by  stoves.  When  they  are  thoroughly  dried,  they  are 
packed  in  rush  baskets,  or  in  boxes,  in  layers,  alternately  with  long  straw  and 
laurel  leaves,  and  in  this  state  they  are  sold  to  merchants.  In  some  parts  of  the 
south  of  France,  figs  are  prepared  by  dipping  them  in  hot  lye,  made  from  the 
ashes  of  the  fig-tree,  and  then  dried;  the  use  of  the  lye  being  to  harden  their 
skins. 

In  the  north  of  France,  except  in  the  gardens  of  amateurs,  where  the  fig  is 
generally  trained  against  walls,  as  in  Britain,  and  in  some  parts  of  the  United 
States,  there  are  only  two  or  three  places  where  it  is  grown  for  its  fruit  as  a 
standard :  and  the  principal  of  these  is  at  Argenteuil,  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
Paris.  The  trees  are  kept  as  low  bushes,  and  the  shoots  are  seldom  allowed  to 
acquire  more  than  three  or  four  years'  growth  ;  because  it  is  necessary  to  bend 
them  down  to  the  ground,  and  retain  them  there,  by  means  of  stakes  or  stones,  or 


COMMON  FIG-TREE.  ]  '  ", 

a  mass  of  soil,  to  protect  them  from  the  effects  of  the  frost.  It  is  observed  in  the 
"  NouveauCours  d' Agriculture,"  that  the  figs  of  Argenteuil,  are  never  brought  to 
such  a  degree  of  perfection  as  to  please  the  palates  of  those  who  have  been  accus- 
tomed to  the  figs  of  Marseilles.  They  are,  according  to  the  writer,  always  either 
insipid  or  half  rotten;  and,  even  to  bring  them  to  this  state,  it  is  necessary  to 
pinch  off  the  points  of  the  shoots,  in  the  same  way  as  is  done  with  the  vine  when 
early  grapes  are  wanted;  or  with  the  pea,  to  accelerate  the  maturity  of  the  pods. 
An  additional  process  is  requisite  in  cold  seasons,  and  at  the  latter  end  of  every 
season  ;  and  that  is,  the  insertion  of  a  small  drop  of  oil,  by  means  of  a  straw,  into 
the  eye  of  the  fruit;  which  has  the  effect  of  destroying  the  vital  principle,  and 
causing  the  fig  to  part  readily  from  the  shoot,  like  ripe  fruit;  after  which  it  soon 
begins  to  decay.  . 

In  British  and  American  nurseries,  the  fig  is  generally  propagated  by  layers; 
though  these  do  not  ripen  their  wood  the  first  season,  so  well  as  cuttings.  When 
the  fig  is  to  be  planted  as  a  standard  tree,  constant  attention  musl  be  paid  to 
remove  all  the  suckers  from  the  collar,  and  all  side  shoots  from  the  stem.  When 
trained  against  a  wall  in  a  cold  climate,  the  branches  should  proceed  from  a 
single  stem,  and  not  from  the  collar,  as  is  generally  the  case;  because  the  plant, 
when  so  treated,  produces  shoots  which  are  less  vigorous,  and,  consequently, 
more  likely  to  ripen  their  wood. 

The  process  of  caprification,  which  has  been  in  use  from  time  immemorial,  in 
the  Levant,  is  described  by  Theophrastus,  Plutarch,  Pliny,  and  other  authors  of 
antiquity,  and  more  recently  by  Tournefort;  and  though  it  is  laughed  at  by 
many  of  the  French  physiologists  of  the  present  day,  it  is  thought  by  many  that 
it  must  be  of  some  important  use.     We  think  it  too  curious  a  circumstance,  how- 
ever, in  a  notice  of  this  species,  to  be  omitted,  as  it  furnishes  a  convincing  proof 
of  the  reality  of  the  sexes  of  plants.     The  operation  consists  in  inducing  a  certain 
species  of  insect  of  the  gnat  kind,   (Cynips,)  which  abounds  on   the   wild 
(Caprificus,)  to  enter  the  fruit  of  the  cultivated  varieties,  for  the  purpose  of  punc- 
turing its  pericarp,  in  order  to  deposite  its  eggs,  and  thereby  hasten  its  maturity. 
By  this  means,  the  fertile  flowers  in  the  interior  of  the  fruit  become  fecundated 
by  the  farina  of  the  barren  ones  near  the  orifice;  but.  without  this  operation, 
though  the  fruit  may  ripen,  but  few  effective  seeds  are  produced.     It  is  alleg<  I 
by  Bosc,  that  there  is  no  other  object  in  this  practice  than  that  ot  hastening  the 
maturity  of  the  crop;  but  others  are  of  opinion  that,  by  insuring  the  fecundation 
of  the  stigma,  it  tends  to  increase  the  size  of  the  fruit,  and.  by  Idling  it  with 
mature  seeds,  to  render  it  more  nourishing;  as  appears  to  be  the  case  with  the 
Osage  orange.     Olivier,  the  botanical  traveller,  asserts,  that,  alter  a   long  res- 
idence in  the  islands  of  the  Archipelago,  he  is  convinced  ot  the  inutility  ol  the 
practice;  and  Bosc,  though  he  allows  that  it  may  hasten  the  maturity  ol  the  li- 
as the  larva  of  the  Pyralis  pomona  accelerates  the  maturity  ot  the  apple,  in  1  ranee, 
yet,  he  believes  that  it  has  no  effect  in  improving  either  the  size  or  the  flavour  ol 
the  fruit.    M.  Bernard,  the  author  of  a  -  Memoire  sur  le  E  igmer'   andol  tin-  arti- 
cle of  that  tree  in  the   <  Nouveau  Du  Hamel,' 

figs, 
size, 


When  the  fruit  has  acquired  a  third  par.  ol  us  size,  a  slice  is  cul  off    he  end  of 
it,  of  a  sufficient  depth  to  remove  all  the  stamens,  which  have  ool  bj  this 
matured  the  fertilizing  dust.      The  wound   is  immediately  covered  with  sap, 
which  thickens,  and  forms  a  mass  tlm  excludes  the  air  Hon,    he  interior ol .th 
fruit;  and  the  consequence  is,  thai  n  ripens  or  becomes  ready   o  dropoff ;  in  hall 
the  time  usually  taken  by  nature,  without  losing  any  ol  its  Size  01  ol  its  Bavo 


476  FICUS    CARIC'A. 

Insects,  Accidents,  and  Diseases.  The  fig-tree,  in  hot  countries,  and  in  dry 
seasons,  especially  when  at  a  distance  from  the  sea,  is  apt  to  have  its  leaves  and 
fruit  scorched  and  shrivelled  up  by  the  sun.  It  is  scarcely  subject  to  any  diseases ; 
but  is  liable  to  the  attacks  of  several  species  of  the  coccidae,  as  the  cochineal, 
the  kermes,  dec.  In  British  gardens,  it  is  very  seldom  injured  by  insects,  in  the 
open  air;  but  it  is  very  liable  to  the  attacks  of  the  red  spider,  the  coccus,  and  the 
honey  dew,  under  glass.  An  abundance  of  water,  and  a  moist  atmosphere,  like 
that  of  its  indigenous  habitat,  the  sea-shore,  are  perhaps  the  best  preventives. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  sap-wood  of  the  fig-tree,  which  is  extremely  light 
and  tender,  and  of  a  white  colour,  is  used  in  France,  for  making  whetstones, 
from  its  facility  of  receiving  and  retaining  the  emery  and  the  oil  that  are 
employed  in  sharpening  smith's  tools.  The  heart-wood,  which  is  yellow,  loses  a 
great  deal  of  its  weight  in  drying;  but,  by  that  process,  it  acquires  so  much 
strength  and  elasticity,  that  the  screws  of  wine-presses  are  made  of  it.  When 
used  as  fuel,  it  does  not  afford  a  very  intense  heat ;  but  its  charcoal  has  the  val- 
uable property  of  consuming  very  slowly.  The  leaves  and  bark  abound  in  a 
milky,  acrid  juice,  which  may  be  applied  as  a  rennet,  for  raising  blisters,  and 
for  destroying  warts.  From  this  milky  juice,  which  contains  caoutchouc,  India 
rubber  might  be  made  if  desirable;  and,  on  account  of  the  same  property,  the 
very  tenderest  of  the  young  leaves  might  be  given  as  food  to  the  larvae  of  the 
silk-moth.  The  fruit  of  the  fig-tree,  as  has  already  been  observed,  serves  as  an 
article  of  food  for  a  great  part  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  regions  where  it  abounds. 
In  the  northern  parts  of  Europe  and  of  America,  it  also  enters  into  the  desert, 
either  fresh  or  dried.  Medicinally,  it  is  considered  demulcent  and  laxative,  and 
has  long  been  used  for  emollient  cataplasms,  and  for  restoring  persons  debilitated 
by  fevers,  &c.  In  Portugal,  the  Grecian  Archipelago,  and  the  Canary  Islands,  a 
kind  of  brandy  is  distilled  from  fermented  figs.  All  the  species  of  the  genus 
ficus,  and  also  of  the  allied  genus  carica,  are  said  to  have  the  singular  property 
of  rendering  raw  meat  tender,  when  hung  beneath  their  shade.  On  what  chem- 
ical principle  this  depends,  we  are  ignorant,  but  the  fact  seems  undoubted. 

As  a  fruit  tree,  the  fig  is  valuable  for  growing  and  ripening  fruit  in  situations 
unfavourable  in  regard  to  light,  air,  and  soil ;  such  as  against  walls,  in  court-yards, 
the  walls  of  houses  in  crowded  cities,  on  the  back-walls  of  green-houses  and  forc- 
ing-houses, comparatively  in  the  shade,  &c.  It  also  bears  better  than  any  other 
fruit  tree  whatever,  in  pots;  and,  with  an  abundance  of  liquid  manure  and  heat, 
this  tree  will  produce  under  glass,  three,  and  sometimes  even  four  crops  in  a  year. 


Genus    ULMUS,    Linn. 

Ulmaceae.  Pentandria  Digynia. 

Syst.  Nat.  Sy»t.  Lin. 

Synonymes. 
Ulmus,  Of  Authors. 

Orme,  France. 

Ulme,  Ruster,  Germany. 

Olmo,  Spain  and  Italy. 

Olmo,  TJlmo,  Ulmeyro,  Portugal. 

Elm,  Britain  and  Anglo- America. 

Derivations.  The  word  Ulmus  is  supposed  to  be  derived  from  the  Saxon  elm,  or  ulm ;  a  name  which  is  applied,  with  very 
•  light  alterations,  to  the  Ulmus  campestris,  in  all  the  dialects  of  the  Celtic  tongue.  Ulm  is  still  one  of  the  German  nairaa  for 
vhis  tree;  and  the  city  of  Ulm  is  said  to  have  derived  its  name  from  the  great  number  of  elms  that  are  growing  near  it. 

lenerio  Characters.  Flowers,  in  most  species,  protruded  earlier  than. the.  shoots  and  leaves  of  the  year  ; 
disposed  in  groups,  each  group  lateral,  and  proceeding  from  a  bud  peculiar  to  it ;  the  flowers  of  the 
group  situated  each  upon  a  peduncle,  or  each  upon  a  pedicel,  and  disposed  a  few  together  upon  short 
peduncles,  or  situated  in  both  modes;  and  sometimes  they  are  disposed  in  racemes,  composed  of  sev- 
eral clusters  of  2,  to  4  together,  extending  to  a  considerable  length,  and  furnished  with  1  or  2  small, 
though  perfect  leaves,  before  the  opening  of  the  terminal  buds.  Flowers  bisexual,  or  a  few  of  them 
male;  both  kinds  upon  one  plant.  Calyx  reddish,  distinct  from  the  ovary,  top-shaped,  or  bell-shaped, 
of  one  piece,  but  having  4 — -8  segments,  which  are  imbricate  in  aestivation ;  remaining  until  the  fruit 
falls.  Stamens  as  many, as  the  segments  ;  inserted  into  the  lower  part  of  the  calyx,  oppositely  to  the 
segments,  and  prominent  beyond  them.  Anthers  opening  lengthwise,  outwardly  or  inwardly.  Ovary 
elliptic-oblong,  compressed,  cloven  at  the  summit,  having  2  cells,  and  a  pendulous  ovule  in  each. 
Style  very  short,  or  there  is  none.  Stigmas  2,  acuminate,  villous  on  the  inner  face.  Fruit  a  samara, 
and  this  compressed,  more  or  less  round  or  oval,  and  having  the  wing-like  part  membranous,  broad, 
and  present  all  round,  except  in  a  notch,  the  base  of  which  is  the  place  of  the  attachment  of  the  stig- 
mas. Seed  1,  in  a  samara,  pendulous ;  in  many  instances  it  is  not  perfected.  Embryo  unattended 
by  albumen,  straight,  its  radicle  uppermost.  Flowers  small.  Leaves  alternate,  in  2  ranks,  feather- 
veined  ;  in  most,  unequal  at  the  base,  annual,  serrate,  and  harsh  to  the  touch.  Stipules  oblong,  decid- 
uous. Leaves  within  the  bud  folded  lengthwise,  in  2  portions,  upright,  with  scales  between  leaf  and 
leaf. — Adapted,  from  Nees  Von  Escnbeck  and  others. 

}HE  genus  Ulmus  embraces  deciduous  trees,  often  of  great  size  and 
age,  with  rugged  or  corky  bark,  hard  wood,  twiggy  branches,  and 
growing  wild  in  Europe,  Africa,  North  America,  India,  and  China. 
The  roots  of  young  plants,  in  some  of  the  species,  are  of  a  leatbery 
toughness,  very  strong,  of  considerable  length  and  suppleness. 
,  The  more  common,  and  perhaps  all  the  kinds  increase  rapidly  in 
the  number  and  the  size  of  their  roots  and  branches.  All  have  strong,  upright- 
growing  trunks;  but  these  vary,  in  several  kinds,  in  their  diameters  and  lengths. 
The  disposition  of  the  branches,  relatively  to  the  trunk  and  to  the  head  which 
they  constitute,  also  varies  exceedingly;  and  considerable  difference  of  character 
prevails  in  the  spray.  Although  the  character  of  the  foliage  is  nearly  the  same 
in  all  the  kinds,  it  varies  in  time  of  leafing  and  falling;  and,  in  its  size,  colour, 
and  form.  The  flowers,  in  most  of  the  species,  are  protruded  before  the  leaves, 
and  are  disposed  in  small  groups,  which  give  a  knotted  appearance  to  the  Leafless 
branches,  before  they  are  fully  developed;  but  which,  afterwards,  Iron,  their  col- 
our, and  their  being  supported  on  peduncles,  look  like  little  tufts  of  fringe.  1  he 
trees  are  generally  of  easy  culture,  rapid  growth,  and  will  thrive  in  almost  any 
soil  that  is  not  too  moist,  or  excessively  dry  and  barren. 

The  species  of  this  genus  have  a  remarkable  aptitude  to  vary  from  seeds ,  SO 
much  so,  that  it  is  extremely  difficult  to  determine  which  are  species  and  which 


478  ulmus. 

are  varieties ;  or  even  to  what  species  the  varieties  belong.  Mr.  Loudon  was  of 
an  opinion  that  there  are  only  two  kinds  truly  distinct ;  namely,  Ulmus  campes- 
tris,  and  montana.  The  Ulmus  americana  he  would  consider  as  allied  to  U. 
campestris,  from  an  assertion  made  by  Mr.  Masters,  of  Canterbury,  in  England, 
who  has  paid  great  attention  to  this  genus,  and  has  raised  many  sorts,  both  from 
American  and  European  seeds.  He  assured  him  that  the  American  species  is 
identical,  or  apparently  so,  with  what  is  called  the  "Huntingdon  Elm,"  (U. 
montana  vegeta,  of  Lindley,)  a  variety  raised  at  Huntingdon,  from  seeds  gath- 
ered from  trees  in  that  neighbourhood,  about  a  century  ago.  To  us,  it  appears 
more  probable  that  the  Ulmus  montana  belongs  to  U.  campestris,  and  that  Ulmus 
americana,  and  most,  if  not  all,  other  American  elms,  form  a  distinct  species; 
their  variations  being  caused  by  the  difference  of  soil  and  climate,  or  by  hybrid- 
ation. Therefore,  for  the  sake  of  brevity,  and  convenience  of  classification,  as 
in  the  genera  tilia,  fraxinus,  &c,  we  have  brought  the  elms  all  under  two  heads; 
namely,  Ulmus  campestris,  and  americana,  and  have  considered  the  kinds,  which 
are  usually  treated  as  species  by  botanists,  only  as  varieties.  Those,  however, 
who  differ  from  us  in  opinion,  will  find  no  difficulty  in  recognizing  among  our 
synonymes,  the  names  as  given  by  Willdenow,  Michaux,  Loudon,  and  others, 
and  will  be  enabled  t:  know  under  what  heads  they  are  described  in  the  works 
cf  these  authors. 


Ulmus  campestris, 
THE  EUROPEAN    OR  FIELD  ELM. 

Synonymes. 


Ulmus  campestris, 


(Linnjeus,  Species  Plantamiu. 
Michaux,  North  American  Sylva. 
Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum. 
Selbv,  British  Forest  Trees. 
wriuc    cuampeire,    urme    des    champs,  ) 

Orme  blanc,  Ormeau,  Ormille,  Arbre  I  France. 
a  pauvre  homme,  \ 

Landlicher  Ulmenbaum,  Ulme,  Eiister,       Germany. 
Olmo,  Olmo  piramidale,  Italy 

English  Elm,  Field  Elm.  Common  Small-  /  „ 

leaved  Elm,  ]  Britain. 

English  Elm,  European  Elm,  Anglo-America. 

Derivations     The  specific  name  campestris  is  derived  from  the  Latin  campus,  a  field ;  havine  reference  to  this  tr«  =,.  *r«- 
ing  in  open  fields  and  m  hedges.     Most  of  the  European  names  have  the  same  signification  ZZZ  £ta„?cal  one  S 

Engravings     Michaux  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  129;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum   iii    fi»  123S  el  1239  and  vii    r.l 
230  et  seq.  ;  Selby,  British  Forest  Trees,  pp.  104,  105  et  106  ;  and  the  figures  below.  '       '     ='  a"d    "''  P' 

Specific  Characters.     Leaves  doubly  serrated,  rough.    Flowers  nearly  sessile,  4-cleft.     Samara  oblone 
deeply  cloven,  glabrous.— Smith,  English  Flora.  ouioug, 

Description. 

"Fruitful  in  leaves  the  Elm." 

Virgil. 

HE  Ulmus  campestris 
1=   is  of  a  tall,  upright 

habit  of  growth,  with 

a  straight  trunk,  four 
or  five  feet  in  diameter,  when  fully  grown,  and 
attaining  a  height  of  from  sixty  to  seventy 
feet,  or  upwards.  The  branches,  which  are  J- 
rather  slender,  are  densely  clothed  with  small,  Z^~ 
deep-green  leaves,  somewhat  shining  on  the  * 
upper  surface,  though  rough  to  the  touch. 
The  leaves  are  broad  in  the  middle,  and  con- 
tracted toward  the  ends ;  being,  like  those  of 
most  other  kinds  of  elm,  unequal  at  the  base, 
and  doubly  dentated,  and  having  a  strongly-marked  midrib,  with  other  lateral 
ribs,  equally  prominent,  proceeding  from  it,  on  each  side.  Tiny  unfold  at 
Naples,  in  Italy,  by  the  first  of  February;  at  Paris,  in  March:  in  England  by 
the  middle  of  April;  and  at  New  York  early  in  May.  Tiny  fall  at  Paris,  and  at 
New  York,  in  the  beginning  of  November,  and  three  <»r  four  weeks  later  in  Eng- 
land; but  in  Naples  they  often  remain  upon  tin1  trees  until  the  end  of  the  jrear 
The  flowers,  which  put  forth  just  before  the  leaves,  vary  in  colour  from  a  dull- 
purple  to  a  dark-red;  and  are  succeeded  by  oblong,  deeply-cloven  samara,  con- 
taining each  a  seed,  that  ripens  in  a  month  after  the  appearance  of  the  leaves. 

Varieties.  The  varieties  of  this  species  are  very  numerous,  both  in  Britain 
and  on  the  continent;  and  most  of  them  have  been  selected  by  nurserymen  from 
their  seed-beds.     As  remarked  at  the  commencement  of  tins  genus,  from  the 


480  ULMUS    CAMPESTRIS. 

aptitude  of  the  different  kinds  of  elm  to  vary  from  seeds,  theri  is,  in  truth,  no  ce:> 
tainty  as  to  what  are  species  and  what  varieties.  On  this  subject,  M.  Baudril- 
lart  observes,  in  the  "  Dictionnaire  des  Eaux  et  Forets,"  that,  "  Any  one  who  has 
ever  observed  a  bed  of  seedling  elms,  must  have  noticed  that  some  have  large 
leaves,  and  some  small  ones ;  some  are  early,  and  some  late ;  some  have  smooth 
bark,  and  some  that  which  is  rough ;  and  some  soft  leaves  and  others  very  rough 
ones.  Some  varieties  are  higher  than  others.  The  branches  take  now  a  verti- 
cal and  again  a  horizontal  direction.  In  short,  while  botanists  describe,  and  cul- 
tivators sow,  they  will  find  that  nature  sports  with  their  labours,  and  seems  to 
delight  in  setting  at  fault  alike  the  science  of  the  one  and  the  hopes  of  the  other. 
This  is  always  the  case  with  plants  that  have  long  been  submitted  to  the  culti- 
vation of  man.  The  cares  that  are  bestowed  upon  them,  the  different  situations 
in  which  they  are  placed,  and  the  different  kinds  of  treatment  which  they  receive, 
appear  to  change  their  native  habits."  The  quality  and  size  of  the  timber  of  the 
several  varieties  differ  as  much  as  the  size  of  the  leaves  and  the  habit  of  their 
growth.  For  instance,  the  timber  of  the  Ulmus  c.  viminalis  is  of  but  little  value, 
from  the  slenderness  of  the  trunk;  while,  in  other  varieties,  the  trees  are  subject 
to  decay  at  the  joints  of  the  branches,  their  bark  splits  into  long,  thin  strips,  and 
the  interior  of  their  trunk  decays.  We  shall  first  notice  the  principal  varieties  of 
the  common  English  elm,  which  are  found  in  British  nurseries ;  and  next,  the 
kinds  most  nearly  allied  to  them,  and  which  are  usually  treated,  by  botanists,  a^ 
species. 

1.  U.  c.  vulgaris,  Loudon.  Common  Field  Elm.  This  variety,  when  grown  in 
an  open  space,  is  very  twiggy,  with  a  smooth,  pale  bark,  and  is  sometimes  of  an 
irregular  growth,  with  almost  horizontal  branches.  In  some  soils  it  is  very  sub- 
ject to  decay  at  the  joints.  The  bark,  which  is  lead-coloured,  while  young,  splits 
into  long,  thin  strips  with  age.     A  bad  variety  to  cultivate  for  timber, 

2.  U.  c.  latifolia,  Loudon.  Broad-leaved  Field  Elm,  with  broader  leaves  than 
the  species,  which  expand  early  in  the  spring. 

3.  U.  c.  alba,  Loudon.  Whitish-barked  Field  Elm.  The  growth  of  this 
variety  is  upright;  the  old  bark  cracks  in  long  irregular  pieces,  and  becomes 
very  pale  with  age.  The  bark  of  the  shoots,  as  are  the  foot-stalks  of  the  leaves 
is  tinged  with  red.  The  leaves,  which  are  shining,  and  doubly  and  deepl/ 
serrated,  bear  a  very  near  resemblance  to  those  of  the  Ulmus  c.  effusa.  This 
variety  forms  a  valuable  timber  tree. 

4.  U.  c.  acutifolia,  Loudon.  Acute-leaved  Field  Elm.  The  growth  of  this  tree, 
during  its  early  stages,  very  nearly  resembles  that  of  the  last-named  variety,  but 
is  stronger.  The  leaves,  in,  old  specimens,  are  more  tapering,  and  the  branches 
more  pendulous.     Also  a  good  timber  tree. 

5.  U.  c.  stricta,  Loudon.  Upright-growing  Field  Elm  or  English  Red  Elm. 
This  variety  is  of  a  very  rigid  growth,  and  forms  one  of  the  most  valuable  timber 
trees  of  the  small-leaved  kinds.     The  poles  are  of  equal  diameter  throughout. 

6.  U.  c.  virens',  Loudon.'  Sub-evergreen  Field  Elm  or  Kidbrook  Elm.  This 
variety  is  almost  evergreen  in  ai  mild  winter ;  and,  as  such,  it  is  the  most  orna- 
mental tree  of  the  genus.  The'barkis  red,  and  the  tree  is  of  a  spreading  habit. 
This,  like  the  last-mentioned  kind,  grows  well  upon  chalky  soils;  but  it  is  not  to 
be  depended  upon  as  a  timber  tree,  because,  in  some  autumns,  the  shoots  are 
killed  by  frost. 

7.  U.  c.  cornubiensis,  Loudon.  Cornish  Field  Elm,  an  upright-branched  tree, 
with  small,  strongly  veined  coriaceous  leaves.  The  branches  are  bright-brown, 
smooth,  rigid,  erect,  and  very  compact.  It  attains  a  very  great  height,  with  a 
somewhat  narrow  head;  and  in  the  climate  of  London,  it  is  a  week  or  two  later 
in  °-oming  into  leaf  than  the  species.     Dr.  Lindley  mentions  a  sub-variety,  with 


EUROPEAN     OR    FIELD    ELM. 


481 


smaller  leaves   which  he  calls  U.  stricta  parvifolia;  and  Messrs.  Loddigea   two 
others,  under  the  names  of  U.  stricta  aspera,  and  U.  stricta  crispa 

8.  U.  csarniensis  Loudon.  Jersey  Field  Elm,  a  free-growm-  variety,  differinff 
but  very  little  from  the  species.  = 

9.  U.  c.  tortuosa,  Loudon.  Twisted -wooded  Field  Elm ;  Orme  tortMard  of  the 
French.  This  variety,  which  is  very  distinct,  frequently  comes  true  from  seeds 
Its  leaves  are  of  a  very  deep-green,  and  about  a  medium  size.  The  trunk  is 
marked  with  alternate  knots  and  hollows ;  and  the  fibres  of  the  wood  are  all 
twisted  and  interlaced  together.  This  tree  presents  a  very  singular  appearance 
when  it  becomes  old,  as  a  number  of  knots  (bosses)  appear  to  surround  its  trunk 
It  produces  but  few  seeds,  and  some  years  not  any.  It  is  considered,  in  France 
as  the  best  of  all  the  varieties  of  elm  for  the  use  of  wheelwrights;  and  particu- 
larly for  the  hubs  of  wheels.  On  the  road  from  Paris  to  Meaux,  there  are  to  be 
seen  a  great  number  of  these  trees. 

10.  U.  c.  foliis  variegatis,  Loudon.  Variegated-leaved  Field  Elm  :  Silver-It  a  ved 
Elm,  having  leaves  striped  with  white,  and,  in  spring,  is  very  ornamental. 

11.  U.  c.  betul^folia,  Loudon.  Birch-leaved  Fiela I  Elm,  with  leaves  somewhat 
resembling  those  of  the  Betula  alba. 

12.  U.  c.  viminalis,  Loudon.  Twiggij-branched  Field  Elm.  having  small  leaves, 
and  numerous  slender  twig-like  branches.  It  is  a  very  distinct  and  elegant  variety^ 
and  is  easily  recognized  both  in  summer  and  in  winter.  In  some  stages  of  its 
growth,  its  foliage  is  frequently  mistaken  for  a  variety  of  birch.  It  is  quite  use- 
less for  timber,  but  forms  an  ornamental  tree,  with  a  character  of  its  own. 

13.  U.  c.  parvifolia,  Loudon.  Small-leaved  Field  Elm ;  Ulmvs  parvi  folia,  of 
Jacquin,  Willdenow,  and  others;  a  tree,  according  to  Pallas,  who  mentions 
several  varieties  of  it,  very  common  in  all  the  woods  of  the  south  of  Russia, 
and  varying  in  height  from  that  of  a  middle-sized  tree  to  that  of  a  diminutive 
shrub,  according  to  the  soil  and  climate  in  which  it  grows.  It  is  very  plentiful 
about  Caucasus;  and,  in  passing  through  Siberia,  it  gradually  becomes  less  mul- 
tiplied; but  occurs  again  about  Lake  Baikal,  where  the  inhabitants  use  the 
leaves  as  a  substitute  for  tea.  The  wood  of  this  variety,  when  it  assumes  a 
tree-like  form,  is  said  to  be  very  hard  and  tough;  and  is  veined  with  transvi 
lines.  The  root  is  also  beautifully  variegated,  and  is  used  by  the  turner  and 
cabinet-maker.  One  of  the  sub- varieties,  mentioned  by  Pallas,  has  the  bark 
somewhat  fungous  or  corky ;  another  has  the  branches  slender,  wand-like,  and 
of  a  whitish-gray  colour.  In  rocky,  mountainous  surfaces,  the  branches  are 
thick  and  short;  but,  in  sandy  soils,  the  trees  are  all  small,  with  slender  shoots. 

14.  U.  c.  planifolia,  Loudon.  Plane-leaved  Field  Elm,  a  handsome,  small 
tree,  closely  resembling  the  last-named  variety. 

15.  U.  c.  chinensis,  Loudon.  Chinese  Field  Elm;  Orme  nain,  Thi  </<  /'  M,h,  <  ''al- 
lots, of  the  French.  This  variety  forms  a  low  bush,  introduced  into  Britain  from 
China,  but  when  is  uncertain.  "  Notwithstanding,"  says  Mr.  Loudon,  "  the  cir- 
cumstance of  its  being  kept  in  green-houses  in  some  cases,  and  retaining  its  lea 
there  through  the  winter,  we  cannot  consider  it  as  anything  else  than  a  variety  of 
U.  campestris.  We  are  confirmed  in  this  opinion  by  Mr.  Alain,  who  brought  home 
some  plants  of  this  sort  from  China,  and  found  them  to  stand  the  rigour  of  our 
winters  in  the  garden  of  his  friend,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Norris,  of  Grove  street,  Hack- 
ney. We  believe  it  to  be  the  same  sort  which  is  sometimes  imported  from  <  lima. 
in  the  form  of  a  miniature  old  tree,  planted  in  a  China  vase,  \\  bile  retained  in 
these  vases,  and  sparingly  supplied  with  nourishment,  il  maintains  its  stunted 
f>uve-  but'  planted  out  in  a  free  soil,  in  a  favourable  situation,  in  a  year  or  two. 
it  will  make  shoots  five  or  six  feet  Ion-,  as  may  he  seen  in  the  garden  oi  the 
London  Horticultural  Society.  Tim  manner  m  which  the  Chinese  procure  ih 
miniature  trees  is,  bv  ringing  the  extremities  oi   the  branches  «>!  old  trees,  an-t 

6i 


482 


ULMUS   CAMPESTR1S. 


then  applying  a  ball  of  loam,  kept  moist  by  water  and  moss,  till  roots  are  thrown 
out  from  the  callosity  formed  at  the  ring,  when  the  small  branch  is  cut  off,  and 
planted  in  a  porcelain  pot,  '  either,'  says  Mr.  Main,  '  round,  or,  most  commonly, 
of  an  elongated  square,  twelve  or  fourteen  inches  long,  eight  inches  wide,  and  about 
five  inches  in  depth.  Along  with  the  tree  they  place  pieces  of  stone,  to  represent 
rocks,  among  which  moss  and  lichens  are  introduced.  The  tree,  thus  planted, 
is  not  allowed  to  rise  higher  than  about  a  foot  or  fifteen  inches ;  no  greater  sup- 
ply of  water  is  given  than  just  sufficient  to  keep  it  alive;  and,  as  the  pot  soon 
acts  as  a  prison,  its  growth  is  necessarily  impeded  ;  at  the  same  time  every 
means  are  used  to  check  its  enlargement.  The  points  of  the  shoots,  and  the 
half  of  every  new  leaf,  are  constantly  and  carefully  cut  off;  the  stem  and 
branches,  which  are  allowed  to  extend  only  a  certain  length,  are  bound  and  fan- 
tastically distorted,  by  means  of  wire ;  the  bark  is  lacerated  to  produce  protuber- 
ances, asperities  and  cracks;  one  branch  is  partly  broken  through,  and  allowed 
to  hang  down,  as  if  by  accident;  another  is  mutilated  to  represent  a  dead  stump ; 
in  short,  every  exertion  of  the  plant  is  checked  by  some  studied  violence  or  other 
This  treatment  produces,  in  course  of  time,  a  perfect  forest  tree  in  miniature. 
Stunted  and  deformed,  by  the  above  means,  it  certainly  becomes  a  curious  object, 
bearing  all  the  marks  of  extreme  old  age.  Its  writhed  and  knotty  stem,  wea- 
ther-stained and  scabrous  bark ;  its  distorted  and  partly  dead  branches,  its  dimin- 
utive shoots  and  leaves ;  all  give  it  the  aspect  of  antiquity.'  "  The  French 
name,  The  de  V Abbe  Gallois,  was  so  called  from  M.  Gallois,  who,  under  the 
reign  of  Louis  XV.,  imported  this  variety  into  France,  supposing  it  to  be  the  real 
Chinese  tea-tree.  Grafted  standard  high  on  the  common  English  elm,  the 
Ulmus  c.  chinensis  would  form  a  very  handsome  small  tree. 

16.  U.  c.  nana,  Loudon.  Dwarf  Field  Elm,  a  very  distinct  variety,  growing 
in  the  London  Horticultural  Society's  garden,  which,  in  ten  or  twelve  years, 
attained  only  a  height  of  about  two  feet.  When  taken  up  to  be  removed,  it  was 
found  to  have  a  root  running  along  the  surface  of  the  ground  seven  or  eight  feet 
in  length. 

17.  U.  c.  cucullata,  Loudon.  Hooded-leaved  Field  Elm,  a  tree  with  curious 
leaves,  curved  something  like  a  hood. 

18.  U.  c  concav^efolia,  Loudon.  Concave-leaved  Field  Elm,  somewhat  resem- 
bling the  preceding  kind. 

19.  U.  c.  foliis  aureis,  Loudon.  Golden  Variegated-leaved  Field  Elm.  having 
leaves  variegated  with  yellow. 

20.  U.  c.  suberosa.  Cork-barked  Elm..;  TJlmus  suberosa,  of  Willdenow,  Lind- 
ley,  Loudon,  and  others  ;  Orme  fongeux,  Orme-liege,  of  the  French ;  a  very 
marked  kind  of  elm,  but  evidently  a  variety  of  the  Ulmus  campestris.  It  varies 
exceedingly  in  the  character  of  its  bark ;  being  sometimes  deeply  furrowed,  and 
at  other  times  much  less  so.  It  also  varies  much  in  the  character  of  its  head, 
being  sometimes  low,  loose,  and  spreading,  and  at  others  tall  and  narrow.  The 
bark,  when  a  year  old,  is  covered  with  very  fine,  dense  cork ;  hence  the  name 
suberosa.  The  leaves  are  rough  on  both  sides,  are  more  rounded,  and  twice  or 
three  times  as  large  as  in  the  common  English  elm.  They  are  very  unequal  at 
the  base,  strongly,  sharply  and  doubly  serrated,  hairy  beneath,  with  dense, 
broad  tufts  at  the  origin  of  the  transverse  ribs.  The  flowers  are  much  earlier 
than  the  foliage,  stalked,  reddish,  with  four  or  five  rounded  segments,  and  as 
many  stamens,  with  dull-purple  anthers.  The  samarse  are  nearly  orbicular, 
with  deep  sinuses  reaching  to  the  place  of  the  seed.  It  is  propagated  by  suckers, 
and  layers,  or  by  grafting  on  the  Ulmus  c.  montana.  The  tree  is  of  large  and 
rapid  growth,  and  is  highly  valued  on  account  of  its  thriving  well  upon  chalkv 
soils,  and  in  keeping  in  leaf  till  late  in  autumn. 


EUROPEAN     OR    FIELD    ELM.  183 

21.  U.  c.  suberosa  roLiis  variegatis,  Loudon.  Variegated-leaved  Cork-barkea 
Field  Elm;  a  tree  precisely  like  the  preceding,  except  in  its  variegation. 

22.  U.  c.  suberosa  alba,  Loudon.  White  Corked-bark  Field  Elm;  a  low  tree, 
of  more  compact  growth  than  the  two  preceding;  and  often  growing  into  an 
oval,  or  rather  cone-shaped  head.  The  young  shoots  are  puhescent;  the  foliage 
thickly  set,  and  the  bark  much  wrinkled,  becoming  white  with  age. 

23.  U.  c.  suberosa  erecta,  Loudon.  Erect  Cork-barked  Field  Elm;  a  tree 
with  a  tall,  narrow  head,  resembling  that  of  the  Cornish  elm;  but  differing  from 
that  variety  in  having  much  broader  leaves,  and  a  corky  bark. 

24.  U.  c.  major.  Greater  Field  Elm;  Ulmus  major,  of  Smith.  Lindley,  Lon- 
don and  others;  Great  Dutch  Corked-barked  Elm,  of  the  British  and  Anglo- 
Americans.  The  branches  of  this  variety  spread  widely,  in  a  drooping  manner, 
and  their  bark  is  rugged,  and  much  more  corky  than  even  that  of  the  Ulmus  c. 
suberosa.  The  leaves,  which  are  on  short,  thick  stalks,  are  larger  and  more 
bluntly  serrated  than  those  of  that  variety  ;  they  are  rough  on  both  sides,  espe- 
cially beneath ;  but  the  hairy  tufts  at  the  origins  of  the  transverse  ribs  are  very 
small.  The  segments  of  the  calyx  are  short  and  rounded  ;  the  stamens  four  in 
number;  and  the  samaras  obovate,  with  very  small  rounded  sinuses,  not  reach- 
ing half  so  far  as  the  seeds.  This  appears  to  be  the  elm  which  was  carried  into 
Britain,  from  Holland,  by  William  III.  From  its  quick  growth,  it  was,  at  first, 
much  used,  for  hedges,  and  formal  rows  of  clipped  trees ;  but  when  the  Dutch 
taste  in  gardening  declined  in  England,  the  tree  was  no  longer  cultivated,  as  its 
wood  was  found  to  be  very  inferior  to  that  of  most  other  kinds  of  elm.  This 
variety  may  be  propagated  in  the  same  manner  as  the  Ulmus  c.  suberosa. 

25.  U.  c.  effusa.  Spreading-branched  Field  Elm;  Ulmus  effusa,  ofWillde- 
now,  Loudon  and  others;  Orme  pedonarie,  of  the  French.  The  colour  of  the 
young  wood,  the  buds,  and  the  size,  colour,  and  serrature  of  the  leaves  of  this 
variety,  are  remarkably  like  those  of  the  "Huntingdon  Elm"  (Ulmus  c.  montana 
glabra  vegeta.)  Its  leaves  are  large,  and  of  a  beautiful  light,  shining  green. 
The  trunk  more  nearly  resembles  that  of  the  Ulmus  c.  montana  than  that  of  the 
common  elm ;  its  head  is  more  spreading,  and  its  bark,  instead  of  being  furrowed, 
is  smooth.  The  buds  are  long,  sharply  pointed,  and  greenish,  while,  in  the  com- 
mon elm,  they  are  short,  obtuse,  and  covered  with  grayish  hairs.  The  tree  is 
usually  more  rapid  in  its  growth,  and  comes  fifteen  or  twenty  days  earlier  into 
leaf.  It  is  a  native  of  Europe,  chiefly  in  the  south  of  France,  and  in  the  (  au- 
casus;  flowers  in  April  and  May,  and  is  propagated  in  British  nurseries  by 
grafting  on  the  Ulmus  c.  montana.  According  to  Pallas,  the  wood  is  very  hard 
and  durable,  and  is  used  in  Russia  for  all  the  purposes  for  which  the  common 
elm  is  employed  in  other  parts  of  Europe.  It  is  said  that  tins  variety  is  very 
common  by  the  road-side,  between  Villars-Cotterets  and  Pans,  in  Frame  and 
also  between  that  city  and  Cressy. 

26  U  c  montana.  Mountain  Field  Elm ;  Ulmus  montana,  of  Smith,  Lmdley, 
Loudon,  and  others;  Scotch  Elm,  Wych  Elm,  Wych  Hazel  o  the  British. 
The  trunk  of  this  variety  is  not  so  upright  as  that  ot  the  English  elm;  and  soon 
divides  into  long,  widely-extended,  and  somewhat  drooping  branches,  forming  a 
large,  spreading  summit.  Its  wood  is  of  quicker  growth  than  thai  ol  the  1  Imus 
campestris,  and  consequently,  is  far  inferior  m  hardness  and  compactness,  and 
is  more  liable  to  split.     The  branches,  in  some  individuals,  are  quite  pendi 


origins  and  subdivisions.     From 


4S4  ULMUS    CAMPESTRIS. 

tells  us  that,  in  Hampshire,  "  it  is  commonly  called  the  witch  hazell."  The 
flowers  are  paler,  rather  larger,  and  occur  in  looser  tufts,  than  those  of  most 
other  varieties.  They  have  each  from  five  to  seven  oblong-acute  segments,  and 
as  many  broad,  and  rather  heart-shaped,  dark  anthers.  The  samaras  are  broadly 
obovate  or  elliptical,  and  almost  orbicular,  with  shallow  notches  at  the  ends,  not 
extending  half  way  to  the  seeds.  This  variety,  although  the  most  common  elm 
in  Scotland  and  Ireland,  and  grows  spontaneously  in  numerous  places  in  Eng- 
land and  other  temperate  parts  of  northern  Europe,  appears  to  be  almost 
unknown  in  France  and  Germany,  as  it  is  not  mentioned  by  any  of  the 
dendrological  writers  of  the  two  last-named  countries.  It  is  only  within  the 
present  century,  however,  that  this  tree  has  been  much  planted  in  England, 
though  in  Scotland  and  Ireland  its  timber  has  long  been  considered  as  next  in 
value  to  that  of  the  oak;  and  it  has,  accordingly,  been  extensively  introduced 
into  artificial  plantations.  Its  wood  weighs  less  than  Lhat  of  the  Ulmus  cam- 
pestris,  and  is  of  a  coarser  grain.  Nevertheless,  it  is  used  by  the  ship-builder, 
the  boat-builder,  the  pump  and  block-maker,  the  cartwright,  the  cabinet-maker, 
and  the  coach-maker.  The  timber,  according  to  Matthews,  has  great  longitu- 
dinal toughness ;  but,  from  the  great  quantity  of  sap-wood,  and  want  of  lateral 
adhesion,  it  splits  considerably  when  dry.  The  summit  of  this  variety,  which 
has  a  peculiar  fan-like  spread  of  branches,  often  tends,  probably  from  the  effects 
of  the  prevailing  winds,  to  one  side,  which  is  most  perceptible  in  young  trees. 
Hence,  when  fully  grown,  the  stem  is  generally  slightly  bent,  which  renders  it 
very  appropriate  for  the  floor-timbers  of  vessels,  being  the  only  part  of  a  ship, 
except  the  bottom  planks,  to  which  it  is  applicable,  as  it  soon  decays  above  water. 
"  The  tree,"  continues  Matthews,  "  when  it  comes  to  some  size,  and  the  primary 
branches  being  lopped  off,  like  the  common  elm,  and  the  oak,  often  throws  out 
a  brush  of  twigs  from  the  stem  ;  and  these  twigs  impeding  the  transit  of  the  sap, 
the  brush  increases,  and  the  stem  thickens  considerably,  in  consequence  of  a 
wart-like  deposit  of  wood  forming  at  the  base  of  the  twigs.  This  excrescence, 
when  of  size,  after  being  seasoned  in  some  cool,  moist  place,  such  as  the  north 
re-entering  angle  of  a  building  exposed  to  the  dripping  from  the  roof,  forms  a 
richer  veneer  for  cabinet-work  than  any  other  timber."  But,  even  without  this 
process,  the  wood  has  often  a  curious  laced  appearance,  which  renders  it  fit  for 
dressing  cases  and  other  fancy  works.  The  wood  of  this  tree  is  said  to  be  suita- 
ble for  the  naves,  poles,  and  shafts  of  gigs  and  other  carriages ;  and  from  its  not 
splintering,  as  is  the  case  with  the  oak  and  ash,  in  time  of  battle,  it  is  used  for  the 
swingle-trees  of  the  carriages  of  cannon.  It  is  also  employed  for  the  rollers  of 
printers  and  dyers;  for  making  wheel-barrows;  and  for  the  handles  of  spades, 
forks,  and  other  implements  of  husbandry.  And,  according  to  Gerard  it  was 
applied  to  various  uses  in  ancient  times.  It  was  not  only  made  into  bows,  but 
its  bark,  which  is  so  tough  that  it  will  strip  or  peel  off  from  the  wood  from  one 
end  of  a  bough  to  the  other,  without  breaking,  was  made  into  ropes.  Gilpin,  in 
speaking  of  this  tree,  says,  that  it  "  is,  perhaps,  generally  more  picturesque  than 
the  common  sort,  as  it  hangs  more  negligently,  though,  at  the  same  time  with 
this  negligence,  it  loses,  in  a  good  degree,  that  happy  surface  for  catching 
masses  of  light,  which  we  admire  in  the  common  elm.  We  observe,  also,  when 
we  see  this  tree  in  company  with  the  common  elm,  that  its  bark  is  of  a  some- 
what lighter  hue."  On  this  passage,  Sir  Thomas  Dick  Lauder  observes,  "We 
are  disposed  to  think  that  Mr.  Gilpin  hardly  does  justice  to  this  elm.  For  our 
own  parts,  we  consider  the  wych,  or  Scottish  elm,  as  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
trees  in  our  British  sylva.  The  trunk  is  so  bold  and  picturesque  in  form,  cov- 
ered, as  it  frequently  is,  with  huge  excrescences;  the  limbs  and  branches  are  so 
free  and  graceful  in  their  growth :  and  the  foliage  is  so  rich,  without  being  leafy 
or  clumpy,  as  a  whole ;  and  the  head  is  generally  so  finely  massed,  and  yet  so 


EUROPEAN    OR  FIELD  ELM.  |     J 

well  broken,  as  to  render  it  one  of  the  noblest  of  park  trees;  and,  when  it  growl 
wildly  amid  the  rocky  scenery  of  its  native  Scotland,  there  is  no  tree,  which 
assumes  so  great  or  so  pleasing  a  variety  of  character."*     "  The  Scotch  elm," 
Sang  observes,  "accommodates  itself,  both  in  a  natural  state  and  when  plante  1. 
to  many  different  soils  and  situations.     The  soil,  in  which  it  most  luxuriates,  is 
a  deep,  rich  loam;  but  that  in  which  it  becomes  most  valuable,  is  a  sandy  loam, 
lying  on  rubble  stone,  or  on  dry  rock.     It  is  frequently  found  flourishing  by  the 
sides  of  rivers  or  streams,  which  sometimes  wash  part  of  its  roots;  yet  it  will  not 
endure  stagnant  moisture."     "In  a  mixture  of  loam  and  clay  schistus,  incum- 
bent on  whinstone  rock,  as  at  Alva,"  continues  he,  "it  arrives  at  a  large  size 
within  a  century."     The  most  ready  mode  of  propagating  this  tree  is  from 
seeds,  which  are  produced  in  great  abundance,  and  are  ripe  in  Britain  about 
the  middle  of  June.     They  should  be  gathered  by  hand  before  they  drop,  as  from 
their  lightness  and  winged  appendages,  they  are  very  apt  to  be  blown  away  by 
the  wind.     They  may  either  be  sown  as  soon  as  gathered,  in  which  case,  many 
plants  will  come  up  the  same  season;  or  they  may  be  thinly  spread  out  to  dry  in 
the  shade,  and  afterwards  put  up  into  bags  or  boxes,  and  kept  in  a  cool,  dry 
place,  till  the  March  or  April  following.     Sang  directs  the  seeds  to  be  chos<  n 
from  the  tallest,  most  erect,  and  healthy  trees;    on  the  sound  principle,   that 
plants,  like  animals,  convey  to  their  progeny  their  general  appearance,  whether 
good  or  bad.     Trees,  therefore,  though  having  an  abundance  of  seeds,  if  they  be 
either  visibly  diseased,  or  ill-formed,  should  be  passed  over  by  the  collector. 
When  sown,  the  seeds  of  this  tree,  and  those  of  all  its  sub-varieties,  ought  to  be 
deposited  in  light  or  friable  rich  soil,  and  very  thinly  covered,  in  order  that  the 
plants,  that  rise  from  them,  may  be  strong  and  vigorous.     The  best  form  in  which 
the  seeds  can  be  sown  is  in  beds ;  and  the  covering  of  soil  should  not  exceed  half  of 
an  inch  in  depth.     The  plants  may  be  removed  into  nursery  lines,  at  the  age  of 
one  or  two  years ;  or  they  may  be  grafted  in  the  following  spring.     If  not  intend*  l 
to  be  grafted,  they  may  go  through  a  regular  course  of  nursery  culture,  till  they 
have  acquired  the  desired  height  for  final  transplanting,  which  should  not  exceed 
twenty  or  twenty-five  feet.     This  variety,  like  the  Ulmus  campestns,  may  also 
be  increased  by  layers,  by  cuttings  from  the  roots,  and  by  inoculation. 

27.  U.  c.  Montana  rugosa.  Crumpled-barked  Mountain.  Field  Elm  ;  LI  mi  is 
m.  ruo-osa,  of  Loudon;  a  tree  of  spreading  growth,  and  moderate  size,  with  red- 
dish-brown bark,  which  cracks  into  short,  regular  pieces,  similar  to  that  ot  the 

Acer  campestre.  .-..,»  ™        rn 

2S.  U.  c.  Montana  major.     Large?'  Mountain  Field  Elm;   Ulmus  m.  major,  ol 
Loudon;  a  tree  of  upright,  rapid  growth,  with  but  few  branches;  and,  m  some 
stages,  approaching  the  habit  of  the  common  Scotch  elm,  but  ot  a  more  tapering 
form.     Its  leaves  fall  almost  a  month  earlier  than  those  of  most  ot  the  allied 

ra29.'  U.  c.  Montana  minor.  Smaller  Mountain  Field  Elm;  Ulmus  m.  minor,  of 
Loudon.  This  tree,  as  compared  with  the  preceding,  is  ol  a  more  branching  and 
spreading  habit,  and  of  lower  growth,  with  more  twiggy  shoots,  which  arc  more 

densely  clothed  with  leaves.  . 

30  U  c  Montana  cebennensis.  Cevennes  Elm;  Ulmus  m.  cebennensts,  ol 
Loudon.'  The  habit  of  this  tree  is  somewhat  like  that  of  the  Llmus  c.  mo,,, ana  : 
but  it  appears  to  be  of  much  less  rapid  growth.  -..-.«,,         /-/„.,„ 

31  U.    C.    MONTANA  N.GRA.      Bteck-barked    Mmnilain    F ',,  Id    hi '<n  ;    ?/„„>/». 

niara,  of  Loudon;  Irish  Black  Elm,  of  the  English;  a  spreading  tree,  with  the 

habit  of  the  Ulmus  c.  montana,  but  with  much  smaller  Leaves. 

32.    TIC    MONTANA  AUSTRALIS.       Southern   Moiiulaiu    FM   Ek*',     I  I»IUS  Ul.  allS- 

*  Lauder's  Gilpin,  1.,  p.  91. 


436 


ULMUS    CAMPESTRIS. 


trails,  of  Loudon.  This  tree  has  rather  smaller  leaves,  and  a  more  pendulous 
habit  of  growth  than  that  of  the  Ulmus  c.  montana;  but  it  does  not  appear  to  be 
different  in  any  other  respect. 

33.  U.  c.  Montana  pendula.  Pendulous -branched  Mountain  Field  Flm  ;  Ulmus 
m.  pendula,  of  Loudon ;  which  forms  a  beautiful,  highly  characteristic  tree,  gen- 
erally spreading  its  branches  in  a  fan-like  manner,  and  stretching  them  out  some- 
times horizontally,  and  at  other  times  almost  perpendicularly  downwards,  so  that 
its  summit  exhibits  great  variety  of  shape.  By  some,  this  tree  is  considered  as 
belonging  to  an  American  species  of  elm ;  but  from  its  large,  rough  leaves,  its 
vigorous  young  wood,  and  large  buds,  and,  above  all,  from  its  flowering  at  the 
same  time  as  the  Ulmus  c.  montana,  and,  like  it,  ripening  an  abundance  of  seeds, 
which  no  American  elm  whatever  does,  in  Britain,  we  have  not  a  doubt  that  it  is 
a  sub-variety  of  the  Ulmus  c.  montana.  For  particular  situations  in  artificial 
scenery,  it  is  admirably  adapted;  for  example,  for  attracting  the  eye,  and  fixing 
it,  in  order  to  draw  it  away  from  some  object  which  cannot  be  concealed,  but 
which  is  not  desirable  to  be  seen. 

34.  U.  c.  montana  fastigiata.  Fastigiate  Mountain  Field  Elm  ;  Ulmus  m.fas- 
tigiata,  of  Loudon  ;  Exeter  Elm,  Ford's  Elm,  of  the  English  ;  a  very  remarka- 
ble tree,  with  peculiarly  twisted  leaves,  and  a  very  fastigiate  habit  of  growth. 
The  leaves,  which  are  very  harsh,  feather-nerved,  and  retain  their  deep-green  till 
they  fall  off,  enfold  one  side  of  the  shoots.  Its  foliage  is  darker  than  that  of  any 
other  variety,  save  that  of  the  Ulmus  c.  virens;  and  the  singular  cup-shaped  form 
of  its  summit,  cannot  be  mistaken  for  that  of  any  other  tree.  It  is  of  less  vigor- 
ous growth  than  the  preceding;  but,  being  of  a  marked  character,  it  well  deserves 
a  place  in  collections. 

35.  U.  c.  Montana  glabra.  Smooth-leaved  Mountain  Field  Elm;  Ulmus  m. 
glabra,  of  Loudon  ;  Smooth-leaved  Wych  Elm,  Feathered  Elm,  of  the  English. 
This  variety  forms  an  elegant  tall  tree,  with  spreading,  rather  drooping,  smooth, 
blackish  branches,  scarcely  downy,  even  in  the  earliest  stages  of  their  growth. 
The  leaves,  which  are  small,  and  quite  oblong,  are  strongly  serrated,  very  une- 
qual at  the  base,  but  not  elongated  at  the  extremity,  and  are  of  a  rather  rigid, 
firm  substance.  The  surface  of  both  sides  is  very  smooth  to  the  touch,  and  with- 
out hairs  beneath,  except  the  axillary  pubescence  of  the  ribs,  which  often  forms 
a  narrow,  downy  line  along  the  midrib.  The  flowers  are  nearly  sessile,  with 
fine,  short,  bluntish,  fringed  segments,  and  as  many  long  stamens,  the  anthers 
of  which  are  roundish  heart-shaped.  The  samarae,  which  are  smaller  than  those 
of  most  other  varieties,  are  obovate,  cloven  down  to  the  seeds,  smooth,  and  often 
of  a  reddish  hue.  This  tree  is  a  native  of  Britain,  chiefly  of  England,  in  woods 
and  hedges,  and  forms  the  most  common  elm  in  some  parts  of  Essex.  It  bears 
seeds  in  nearly  as  great  abundance  as  the  Ulmus  c.  montana;  and,  like  that 
variety,  may  be  propagated  from  seeds,  by  layers,  and  cuttings  of  the  root,  or  by 
grafting  and  inoculation. 

36.  U.  c.  Montana  glabra  vegeta.  Vigorous- growing  Smooth-leaved,  Mountain 
Field  Elm;  Ulmus  montana  vegeta,  of  Lindley;  Ulmus  m.  glabra  vegeta,  of 
Loudon ;  Huntingdon  Elm,  Chichester  Elm,  Scampston  Elm,  of  the  English. 
This  is  by  far  the  most  vigorous-growing  kind  of  elm  propagated  in  British  nur- 
series, often  making  shoots  from  six  to  ten  feet  in  length  in  one  season ;  and  the 
tree  attaining  a  height  of  upwards  of  thirty  feet  in  ten  years  from  the  graft. 
"  Having  written  to  Huntingdon,  Chichester,  York,  Newcastle,  and  various  other 
places,"  observes  Mr.  Loudon,  "respecting  this  elm,  we  have  received  the  fol- 
lowing information  from  Mr.  John  Wood,  nurseryman  near  Huntingdon,  dated 
November,  1836 : — '  The  Huntingdon  elm,'  he  says,  '  was  raised  here  about 
eighty  or  ninety  years  ago,  by  an  uncle  of  mine,  from  seed  collected  in  this  neigh- 
bourhood.    I  have  sent  many  plants  of  it  all  over  the  country ;  and  it  has  been 


EUROPEAN    OR  FIELD  ELM.  |g7 

given  out  from  Norwich,  Bristol,  and  other  places,  under  the  name  of  the  Chi- 
Chester  elm;  but  you  may  rely  on  my  word  that  the  Chichester  elm  and  the 
Huntingdon  elm  are  one  and  the  same  thing.     The  tree  is  the  fastest  erower 
and  produces  the  best  timber  of  all  the  elms.     1  have  lately  cut  down  some  tr< 
planted  about  forty  years  ago,  and  have  used  the  planks  in  various  ways  in' 
house-building.'"*  ' 

37.  U.  c.  Montana  glabra  major.  Larger  Smooth-leaved  Mountain  Field  Elm  • 
Ulmus  m.  glabra  major,  of  Loudon;  a  Canterbury  seedling,  of  more  vigorous 
growth  than  the  Ulmus  c.  montana  glabra,  and,  indeed,  is  a  rival  of  the  Hunt- 
ingdon elm,  in  quickness  of  growth.  It  resembles  the  latter  in  its  bark:  but  is 
more  spreading  in  its  branches;  and  preserves  its  foliage  long  after  that  of  the 
Ulmus  c.  montana  glabra. 

38.  U.  c.  montana  glabra  glandulosa.  Gland  id  ous-leaved  Smooth-leaved  Moun- 
tain Field  Elm  ;  Ulmus  m.  glabra  glandulosa,  of  Loudon,  with  leaves  very  glan- 
dular beneath. 

39.  U.  c.  Montana  glabra  latifolia.  Broad-leaved  Smooth-leaved  Mountain 
Field  Elm;  Ulmus  m.  glabra  latifolia,  of  Loudon,  with  leaves  oblong,  acute, 
and  very  broad. 

40.  U.  c.  montana  glabra  microphylla.  Small-leaved  Smooth-leaved  Mountain 
Field  Elm  ;   Ulmus  m.  glabra  microphylla,  of  Loudon. 

41.  U.  c.  montana  glabra  pendula.  Pendulous -branched  Smooth-lean  <  I  Moun- 
tain Field  Elm;  Ulmus  m.  glabra  pendula,  of  Loudon;  Downton  Elm,  of  the 
English;  a  tree  raised  in  1810,  in  Smith's  nursery,  at  Worcester,  from  seeds 
obtained  from  a  tree  in  Nottinghamshire.  Mr.  Knight,  of  Downton  Cast].',  pur- 
chased some  trees  from  this  nursery;  and  one  of  them  turned  out  to  be  that  weep- 
ing variety,  which  has  since  obtained  the  name  of  the  "Downton  Elm."  "On 
writing  to  Mr.  Smith,"  observes  Loudon,  "to  endeavour  to  get  some  information 
respecting  the  trees  that  produced  the  seed,  he  informs  us  in  answer,  that,  after 
making  every  inquiry  in  Nottinghamshire,  respecting  these  trees,  he  finds,  '  they 
were  a  mixture  of"  wych  and  English ;  probably  they  were  all  planted  as  English  : 
but  being  grafted  trees,  and  being  planted  by  the  side  of  a  public  road,  they  might 
have  been  broken  off  at  the  graft,  when  young.  At  any  rate,  the  plants  produced 
from  the  seeds  were  a  complete  mixture  of  the  English  and  wych  elms,  both  by 
their  leaves  and  their  manner  of  growth.  The  original  trees  in  Nottinghamshire 
have  been  long  since  cut  down,  and  the  ground  built  upon.  The  plants  which  I 
raised,  not  meeting  with  a  ready  sale,  I  grafted  them  with  the  common  English 
elm,  which  is  more  in  demand  in  this  neighbourhood.'  Mr.  Knight  observes  that 
the  '  Downton  elm  is  more  remarkable  for  the  singularity  of  its  form  and  growth, 
than  for  its  value  as  a  timber  tree.' ' 

42.  U.  c.  montana  glabra  variegata.  Variegated -leaved  Smooth-h  ami  Mountain 
Field  Elm;   Ulmus  m.  glabra  variegata,  of  Loudon,  with  variegated  leaves. 

Geography  and  History.  The  Ulmus  campestris  is  a  native  of  the  middle  and 
south  of  Europe,  the  west  of  Asia,  and  of  Barbary.  In  France  and  Spain,  it  is 
found  in  great  abundance;  and  many  botanists  consider  it  as  a  native  of  Eng- 
land; but  as  this  tree  seldom  ripens  its  seeds  in  Britain,  though  it  does  so  freely, 
in  the  neighbourhood  of  Paris,  it  can  hardly  be  considered  as  truly  indigenous  to 
that  island.  According  to  Sir  J.  E.  Smith,  it  is  found  wild  in  woods  and  lied 
in  the  southern  parts  of  England,  particularly  in  the  New  Forest,  in  Hampshire, 
and  in  Sussex  and  Norfolk. 

This  tree  was  known  to  the  ancient  Greeks,  as  it  appears  evident  from  Pliny 
mentioning  that  they  had  two  distinct  kinds  of  elm,  one  inhabiting  the  mountains, 
and  the  other  the  plains.     The  Romans,  he  adds,  had  tour  kinds:  the  "  moun- 

*  Arboretum  Bntannicum.  iii.,  p.  1 104. 


488  ULMUS    CAMPESTRIS. 

tain."  or  "  tall  elm,"  (Ulmus  atinia,)  which  corresponds  to  the  Ulmus  campestris; 
the  "  Gaulic  elm;"  the  "elm  of  Italy,"  which  had  its  leaves  in  tufts;  and  the 
"  wild  elm." 

In  Britain,  the  elm  has  been  planted  from  time  immemorial,  or,  at  least, 
from  the  era  of  the  possession  of  that  island  by  the  Romans;  probably,  having 
been  brought  over,  as  was  conjectured  by  Dr.  Walker,  during  the  Crusades.  The 
oldest  trees  on  record  are,  perhaps,  a  beautiful  group  at  Mongewell,  in  Oxford- 
shire, which  were  celebrated  in  the  time  of  Leland,  in  the  reign  of  Queen  Eliza- 
beth. The  largest  of  these  trees,  according  to  Mr.  Loudon,  is  seventy-nine  feet 
high,  fourteen  feet  in  circumference  at  three  feet  above  the  ground,  with  a  head 
sixty-five  feet  in  diameter.  There  are,  doubtless,  much  older  trees  in  England ; 
for  the  elm,  being  of  much  less  national  importance  than  the  oak,  has  never  pos- 
sessed the  same  attractions  for  antiquaries.  Evelyn,  to  prove  that  the  elm  attains 
a  "prodigious  growth  in  less  than  a  person's  age,"  mentions  a  tree,  which  he  had 
seen  "planted  by  the  hand  of  a  countess,  living  not  long  since,  which  was  near 
twelve  feet  compass,  and  of  a  height  proportionable."  *****  "  Mine  own 
hands,"  he  adds,  "  measured  a  table  more  than  once,  of  about  five  feet  in  breadth, 
nine  and  a  half  feet  in  length,  and  six  inches  thick,  all  entire  and  clear.  This,  cut 
out  of  a  tree  felled  by  my  father's  order,  was  made  a  pastry  board.  *  ^  *  *  *  The 
incomparable  walks  at  the  royal  palaces,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Madrid,  were 
planted  with  this  majestic  tree."  These  elms  are  said  to  have  been  the  first  that 
were  planted  in  Spain;  and  Baron  Dillon  tells  us  that,  when  he  saw  them,  about 
the  end  of  the  last  century,  they  were  six  feet  in  diameter,  and  in  a  healthy  state. 
Several  of  these  trees  were  still  in  existence,  as  lately  as  1833.  The  plants  were 
taken  from  Britain,  by  Philip  II.,  who  had  married  Mary  Tudor,  daughter  of 
Henry  VIII.,  and  queen  of  England.  In  Scotland,  the  English  elm  was  hardly 
known  before  the  union  of  the  two  kingdoms.  Dr.  Walker  mentions  it,  in  1780, 
as  being  nowhere  found  in  that  country  of  a  large  size ;  but,  as  promising  to 
afford  a  much  greater  quantity  of  wood  than  the  Scotch  elm,  in  the  same  space 
of  time.  He  particularizes  a  tree  planted  in  1771,  which,  in  1799,  was  thirty-five 
feet  high.  In  Ireland,  the  English,  or  narrow-leaved  elm,  is  said,  in  Mackay's 
"  Flora  Hibernica,"  to  be  abundant,  but  scarcely  indigenous. 

Among  the  recorded  trees  of  this  species,  in  Britain,  perhaps  there  are  none 
more  remarkable  than  the  "  Crawley  Elm,"  which  has  been  figured  by  Strutt,  in 
his  "  Sylva  Britannica,  as  well  as  by  Loudon,  in  his  "Arboretum  Britannicum," 
and  stands  on  the  high  road  from  London  to  Brighton.  According  to  the  last- 
named  gentleman,  it  is  seventy  feet  high,  with  a  trunk,  which  is  hollow,  sixty- 
one  feet  in  circumference  on  the  exterior,  at  the  ground,  and  thirty-five  feet  round 
the  inside,  at  two  feet  from  the  base.  There  is  a  regular  door  to  the  cavity  of 
this  tree,  the  key  of  which  is  kept  by  the  lord  of  the  manor ;  but  it  is  opened  on 
particular  occasions,  when  the  neighbours  meet  to  regale  themselves  in  its  inte- 
rior, where  there  is  a  room,  with  a  floor  paved  with  bricks,  sufficiently  capacious 
to  contain  a  party  of  twelve  or  more  persons.  Madame  de  Genlis  says,  a  poor 
woman  gave  birth  to  an  infant  in  the  hollow  of  this  tree,  where  she  afterwards 
resided  for  a  long  time. 

At  Coombe  Abbey,  in  Warwickshire,  there  is  an  Ulmus  campestris  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  feet  high,  with  a  trunk  nine  and  a  half  feet  in  diameter,  and  an 
ambitus  or  spread  of  branches  of  seventy-four  feet.  It  is  estimated  to  be  over  two 
hundred  years  of  age. 

The  principal  public  avenues  of  elms,  in  England,  are  in  St.  James'  Park,  and 
at  Cambridge  and  Oxford ;  and  there  are  also  some  very  fine  ones  on  private 
gentlemen's  seats,  especially  at  White  Knights,  near  Reading,  at  Littlecote  Hall, 
and  at  Strathfieldsaye. 

One  of  the  largest  trees  of  this  species  in  Scotland,  is  at  Wemyss  Castle,  in 


EUROPEAN    OR  FIELD  ELM. 

Fifeshire,  which  is  ninety  feet  high,  with  a  trunk  nine  feet  and  Jitee  inches  in 
diameter,  and  an  ambitus  of  fifty-one  feet. 

In  Ireland,  the  dimensions  of  several  elms  are  recorded  by  Hayes,  though  the 
species  is  not  named,  it  is  presumed  that  some  of  them  belong  to  the  Ulmus  care- 
pestris.  Near  Arklow,  at  Shelton,  an  elm  had  a  trunk  five  feet  and  four  inches  in 
diameter  at  the  surface  of  the  ground.  In  theconnty  of  Kildare,  there  stood  an  elm, 
which,  till  the  year  1762,  was,  perhaps,  the  finest  tree  of  the  species  in  the  world. 
The  diameter  of  the  head,  taken  from  the  extremities  of  the  lower  branches, 
exceeded  thirty-four  yards;  but  in  the  end  of  that  year  the  two  principal  arms 
fell  from  the  trunk  one  night,  apparently  from  their  own  weight,  as  the  weather 
was  perfectly  calm.  The  timber  contained  in  these  branches  sold  for  five  guin- 
eas.  In  this  situation  the  tree  continued  till  the  winter  of  1776,  when  a  violenl 
storm  tore  up  the  whole  by  the  roots,  with  a  great  mass  of  soil  and  rock  adhering 
to  them.  Some  time  previous  to  this,  the  trunk  had  been  carefully  measured,  and 
was  found  to  be  thirty-eight  and  a  half  feet  in  circumference.  It  had  been  hol- 
low for  many  years;  and  the  value  of  its  timber  by  no  means  answered  what 
might  have  been  expected,  from  the  sale  of  the  two  branches  in  1702.  There  is 
said  to  be  no  certain  record  as  to  the  age  of  this  tree;  but  popular  tradition  -op- 
poses it  to  have  been  planted  by  the  monks  of  St.  Wolstan,  some  time  before  the 
dissolution  of  that  monastery,  which  happened  in  the  year  1538.  In  Kilkenny, 
at  Mount  Juliet,  there  is  an  Ulmus  campestris  one  hundred  and  two  feet  in  height, 
with  a  trunk  four  feet  and  two  inches  in  diameter,  and  an  ambitus  of  thirty-two 
feet.  An  elm,  at  Carton,  the  seat  of  the  Duke  of  Leinster,  is  fourteen  feel  and 
eight  inches  in  circumference  near  the  base,  diminishing  like  the  shaft  of  a  Doric 
column,  and  being  thirteen  feet  in  girth,  at  sixteen  feet  from  the  ground. 

The  most  remarkable  Ulmus  c.  montana  on  record,  as  growing  in  England, 
is  mentioned  by  Cook,  in  his  treatise  on  "Forest  and  Fruit  Trees."  It  stood  in 
Sir  Walter  Bagot's  Park,  in  Staffordshire,  and  attained  the  height  of  one  hundred 
and  twenty  feet,  with  a  trunk  seventeen  feet  in  diameter  at  the  surface  of  the 
ground.  It  required  two  men  five  days  to  fell  it,  and  it  contained  forty-eight  loads 
of  wood  in  the  head;  and  yielded  eight  pairs  of  naves;  eight  thousand  six  hun- 
dred and  sixty  feet  of  boards  and  planks ;  and  the  whole  tree  was  estimated  to 
weigh  ninety-seven  tons. 

One  of  the  largest  and  most  beautiful  specimens  of  the  Ulmus  c.  montana.  in 
Scotland,  is  growing  at  Kinfauns  Castle,  in  Perthshire,  and  is  figured  by  Mr. 
Loudon,  in  his  "Arboretum  Britannicum."  He  represents  it  to  be  seventy  feel 
high,  with  a  trunk  six  feet  and  a  half  in  diameter,  and  an  ambitus  of  sixty  feet 

In  Ireland,  at  Bawn,  near  Mansfieldtown,  in  the  county  of  Louth,  there  is  a 
remarkable  Ulmus  c.  montana,  which  is  considered  to  be  upwards  of  one  hundred 
and  twenty  years  old.  In  1839,  it  was  seventy  feet  in  height,  with  a  trunk  nine 
feet  and  eight  inches  in  diameter  at  the  base,  five  feet  and  tour  niches,  at  six  feet 
above  the  ground,  and  with  a  head  ninety  feet  in  diameter. 

In  France,  the  elm  was  scarcely  known,  as  an  ornamental  tree,  till  the  timeol 
Francis  I. ;  and  it  appears  to  have  been  first  planted  there  to  adorn  public  walks 
about  the  year  1540.     It  was  afterwards  planted  largely,  particularly  in  church- 
yards, by  Sully,  in  the  reign  of  Henry  IV. ;  and.  by  the  desire  ol  that  king,  who, 
according  to  Evelyn,  expressed  a  wish  to  have  it  planted  in  all  the  highways  >n 
France,  it  became  the  tree  most  generally  adopted   lor  promenades  and  hedge- 
rows.     Many  old  trees  existed  at  the  period  of  the  firsl  !•  rend,  revolution,  which 
were  called  "Sully,"  or  "  Rosni,"  and  "Henri  Una. re;     names  thai  had  been 
given  them  apparently  to  commemorate  their  illustrious  planters.     Bosc  states  that 
he  himself  had I  seen  some  of  these  elms  in  Burgundy, with  trunks  ^ourtofive 
feet  in  diameter,  which,  though  hollow,  yet  supported  heads  capable  oi  she  „ 
some  thousands  of  men.     It  is  said  that  Henry  LV.  planted  an  elm  m  the  garden 
G2 


490  ULMUS    CAMPESTRIS. 

of  the  Luxembourg,  at  Paris,  which  stood  until  it  was  destroyed,  in  the  revolu- 
tion, last  referred  to.  There  are  many  fine  avenues  of  elms  existing  in  France,  at 
the  present  day,  particularly  those  in  the  Champs  Elysees,  and  at  Versailles. 

Among  the  largest  existing  trees  of  the  Ulmus  campestris  in  France,  is  one  at 
Nantes,  in  the  nursery  of  M.  De  Nerrieres,  which,  in  eighty  years  after  planting, 
had  attained  the  height  of  seventy  feet,  with  a  trunk  six  feet  in  diameter. 

In  Italy,  at  Monza,  there  is  an  Ulmus  campestris,  which,  in  twenty-nine  years 
after  planting,  had  attained  the  height  of  seventy-five  feet,  with  a  trunk  one  foot 
and  nine  inches  in  diameter,  and  an  ambitus  of  forty-five  feet.  In  the  same  place 
there  is  also  an  Ulmus  c.  suberosa,  of  about  the  same  age  and  dimensions. 

In  Switzerland,  near  Morges,  there  stood  an  Ulmus  campestris,  which  was 
blown  down  some  years  since,  that  had  a  trunk  seventeen  feet  and  seven  inches 
in  diameter,  and  was  estimated  to  be  three  hundred  and  thirty-five  years  old. 

The  precise  date  at  which  the  Ulmus  campestris  was  introduced  into  the 
United  States  is  uncertain.  There  are  many  trees  of  this  species,  and  of  the 
Ulmus  c.  montana,  growing  within  the  environs  of  Boston,  in  Massachusetts, 
which,  from  their  dimensions,  must  somewhat  exceed  one  hundred  years  of  age. 
The  largest  specimen  of  the  species  we  have  met  with,  is  on  the  seat  of  Mr. 
Henry  Codman,  in  Roxbury,  which  has  attained  the  height  of  one  hundred  feet, 
with  a  trunk  sixteen  feet  in  circumference,  at  three  feet  above  the  ground. 
Among  the  eleven  individuals  which  stand  in  Tremont  street,  in  Boston,  opposite 
the  Granary  Cemetery,  there  are  several  that  measure  nine  feet  in  circumference, 
at  about  a  yard  above  the  pavement.  On  the  authority  of  Mr.  John  Welles, 
these  trees  were  planted  by  Major  Adino  Paddock,  and  John  Ballard,  in  the  year 
1762. 

In  the  Park,  at  New  York,  near  the  north-westerly  corner  of  the  City  Hall, 
there  is  a  beautiful  specimen  of  the  Ulmus  campestris,  which  has  attained  a 
height  of  about  fifty  feet,  with  a  trunk  two  feet  in  diameter. 

Poetical,  Mythological,  and  Legendary  Allusions.  The  ancient  poets  fre- 
quently mention  the  elm,  which,  in  common  with  many  other  trees  bearing  ines- 
culent fruit,  was  devoted  by  them  to  the  infernal  gods.  The  Greeks  and  Romans 
considered  all  as  funeral  trees  which  produced  no  fruit  fit  for  the  use  of  man. 
Homer  alludes  to  this,  when  he  tells  us,  in  the  "Iliad,"  that  Achilles  raised  a 
monument  to  the  father  of  Andromache  in  the  midst  of  a  grove  of  elms, — 

"Jove's  sylvan  (laughters  bade  their  elms  bestow 
A  barren  shade,  and  in  his  honour  grow." 

And  in  more  modern  times,  Strutt  informs  us,  in  his  "Sylva  Britannica,"  that 
the  venerable  Bishop  of  Durham,  erected  an  urn  in  the  midst  of  the  grove  of 
elms,  at  Mongewell,  in  Oxfordshire,  inscribing  thereon,  to  the  memory  of  two 
highly  valued  friends,  the  following  classical  fragment, — 

"  In  this  once-favoured  walk,  beneath  these  elms, 
Where  thickened  foliage,  to  the  solar  ray 
Impervious,  sheds  a  venerable  gloom, 
Oft  in  instructive  converse  we  beguiled 
The  fervid  time,  which  each  returning  year 
To  friendship's  call  devoted.    Such  things  were; 
But  are,  alas  !  no  more." 

Where,  he  observes,  "it  was  delightful  for  him  to  contemplate  wandering,  in  his 
ninetieth  year,  amidst  shades  with  which  he  was  almost  coeval,  and  which,  in 
freshness  and  tranquillity,  afforded  most  suitable  emblems  of  his  own  green  and 
venerable  old  age." 

Ovid  tells  us  that,  when  Orpheus  returned  to  earth  after  his  descent  into  the 
infernal  regions,  his  lamentations  for  the  loss  of  Eurydice  were  so  pathetic,  that 
the  earth  opened,  and  the  elm  and  other  trees  sprang  up  to  give  him  shade. 


EUROPEAN     OR  FIELD  ELM.  49 i 

Virgil,  in  his  "Georgics,"  mentions  that  the  Roman  husbandmen  bent  the  young 
elms,  while  growing,  into  the  proper  shape  for  the  btirys,  or  plough-tail, — 

"  Young  Elms  with  early  force  in  copses  bow, 
Fit  for  the  figure  of  the  crooked  plough." 

The  elm  was  planted  by  the  Romans  for  supporting  the  vine;  and  it  is  still  so 
employed,  along  with  the  Lombardy  poplar,  in  the  south  of  Italy.  Columella 
informs  us  that  vineyards,  with  elm-trees  as  props  were  named  "  arbusta,"  the 
vines  themselves  being  called  "  arbustivse  vitis,"  to  distinguish  them  from  others 
raised  in  more  confined  situations.  Once  in  two  years,  the  elms  were  carefully 
pruned,  to  prevent  their  leaves  from  overshadowing  the  grapes;  and  this  opera- 
tion being  deemed  of  great  importance,  Corydon  is  reproached  by  \  irgil,  for  the 
double  neglect  of  suffering  both  his  elms  and  vines  to  remain  unpruned, — 

"  Simiputata  tibi  frondosa  vilis  in  ulmo  est." 
Your  vine  half-pruned  upon  the  leafy  elm. 

The  use,  however,  which  the  Romans  made  of  the  elm,  as  a  prop  to  the  vine,  has 
given  rise  to  the  most  numerous  allusions  to  this  tree  by  the  poets,  not  only 
ancient,  but  modern.  Ovid  makes  Vertumnus  allude  to  it,  when  he  is  recommeo  1- 
ing  matrimony  to  Pomona, — 


tt  i 


If  that  fair  elm,'  he  cried,  'alone  should  stand, 

No  grapes  would  glow  with  gold,  and  tempt  the  hand ; 

Or  if  that  vine  without  her  elm  should  grow, 

'T  would  creep,  a  poor  neglected  shrub,  below.'  " 

Milton,  in  describing  the  occupations  of  Adam  and  Eve,  in  Paradise,  says  — 

"They  led  the  vine 
To  wed  her  elm  ;  she,  spoused,  about  him  twines 
•      Her  marriageable  arms;  and  with  her  brings 
Her  dower,  the  adopted  clusters,  to  adorn 
His  barren  leaves." 

Tasso  alludes  to  the  same  custom,  in  the  passage,— 

"  The  married  elm  fell  with  his  fruitful  vine." 

And  Beaumont,  when  he  says, — 

"  The  amorous  vine  . 

Did  with  the  fair  and  straight-limbed  Elm  entwine. 

Wordsworth,  also,  speaks  of  it,  in  that  beautiful  reflection,  the  "Pillar  of  Trajan,"- 

"  So  pleased  with  purple  clusters  to  entwine 
Some  lofty  Elm-tree,  mounts  the  daring  vine." 

Cowner  very  accurately  sketches  the  variety  of  form  in  the  elm,  and  alludes  to 
{he  iuTerenTStes  where  it  is  to  be  found     In  the  "Task,'   he  first  introdn, 
this  tree  rearing  its  lofty  head  by  the  river  s  brink  — 

"Then\  fast  rooted  in  bis  bank, 
Stand,  never  overlooked,  out  favourite  eura, 

That  screen  the  herdsman's  soliur>  QUI 

Then  he  gives  an  enchanting  scene,  where  a  lowly  cot  is  surrounded  by  tins, 
trees,  a  (T  jg      hed  upon  lhl.  ,,r,.,.„  wn-top,  tat  cioso 

Environed  with  B  ring  of  branching  elms, 
That  overhang  the  thatch." 

And  he  then  introduces  us  to  a  grove  of  elms,— 

"Thr-  grove  receive!  in  ne*l ; 

Between  the  uprigbl  '  'I'  *■■ 

We  may  discern  the  thlBflhat  at  hU  task. 


492  ULMUS    CAMPESTRIS 

In  many  parts  of  Britain,  the  wych  elm,  (Ulmus  c.  montana,)  or  witch  hazel, 
as  it  is  still  occasionally  called,  has  long  been  considered  a  preservative  against 
witches;  probably  from  the  coincidence  between  the  words  wych  and  witch.  In 
some  of  the  midland  counties,  even  at  the  present  day,  it  is  said  that  a  little 
cavity  is  made  in  the  churn,  to  receive  a  small  portion  of  witch  hazel,  without 
which,  the  dairy-maids  imagine  that  they  would  not  be  able  "to  get  the  butter 
to  come."  In  the  early  ages  of  Christianity,  the  European  hunters  were  accus- 
tomed to  hang  the  skins  of  the  wolves  they  had  killed  in  the  chase,  on  the  elms 
in  the  churchyards,  as  a  kind  of  trophy.* 

Soil  and  Situation.  The  Ulmus  campestris  delights  in  a  sound,  sweet,  aud 
fertile  soil,  which  is  rather  moist  and  loamy  ;  and  thrives  best  in  an  open  situa- 
tion, such  as  good  pasture  grounds  in  the  vicinity  of  rivers,  or  smaller  streams. 
"The  propriety  of  planting  the  elm,"  says  Marshall,  in  his  work  on  "Planting 
and  Rural  Ornament,"  "depends  entirely  upon  the  soil.  It  is  the  height  of  folly 
to  plant  it  upon  light  sandy  soil.  There  is  not,  generally  speaking,  a  good  elm 
in  the  whole  county  of  Norfolk.  By  the  time  they  arrive  at  the  size  of  a  man's 
waist,  they  begin  to  decay  at  the  heart;  and,  if  not  taken  at  the  critical  time, 
they  presently  become  useless  as  timber.  This  is  the  case  in  all  light  soils.  It 
is  in  stiff,  strong  land  which  the  elm  delights.  It  is  observable,  however,  that 
here  it  grows  comparatively  slow.  In  light  land,  especially  if  it  be  rich,  its 
growth  is  very  rapid;  but  its  wood  is  light,  porous,  and  of  little  value,  compared 
with  that  grown  upon  strong  land,  which  is  of  a  closer,  stronger  texture,  and  at 
the  heart  will  have  the  colour,  and  almost  the  hardness  and  heaviness  of  iron. 
On  such  soils,  the  elm  becomes  profitable,  and  is  one  of  the  four  cardinal  trees, 
which  ought,  above  all  others,  to  engage  the  planter's  attention ;  it  will  bear  a 
very  wet  situation." 

Propagation  and  Culture.  The  Ulmus  campestris  produces  an  abundance 
of  suckers  from  the  roots,  both  near  and  at  a  considerable  distance  from  the  stem ; 
and  throughout  Europe,  these  afford  the  most  ready  mode  of  propagation,  and 
that  which  appears  to  have  been  most  generally  adopted  till  the  establishment  of 
regular  commercial  nurseries ;  the  suckers  having  been  procured  from  the  roots 
of  grown-up  trees,  in  hedge-rows,  parks  or  plantations.  In  Britain,  the  present 
mode  of  propagation  is  by  layers  from  stocks,!  or  by  grafting  on  the  Scotch  elm 
(Ulmus  c.  montana.)  The  layers  are  made  in  autumn,  or  in  the  course  of  the 
winter,  and  become  sufficiently  rooted  to  be  taken  off  in  a  year.  Grafting  is 
generally  performed  by  the  "  whip"  or  "splice"  mode,  near  the  root,  in  spring; 
and  the  plants  make  shoots  of  three  or  four  feet  in  length  the  same  year.  Few 
plants  succeed  more  readily  by  grafting  than  the  elm ;  so  much  so,  that  when 
the  graft  is  made  close  to  the  surface  of  the  soil,  and  the  scion  tied  on  with  mat- 
ting, the  mere  earthing  of  the  plants  from  the  soil,  in  the  intervals  between  the 
rows,  will  serve  as  a  substitute  for  claying.  It  has  been  recommended  that  the 
graft  be  made  six  or  eight  inches  above  the  collar,  in  order  to  lessen  the  risk  of 
the  scion,  when  it  becomes  a  tree  throwing  out  roots,  which,  as  is  the  case  with 
many  of  the  varieties,  would  become  troublesome  by  their  suckers.  Budding  is 
sometimes  performed,  but  less  frequently.     On  the  continent  of  Europe,  plants 

*  See  Loudon's  Arboretum  Britannicum,  iii.  p.  1382  ;  also  "Woodland  Gleanings,  p.  30  et  seq. 

f  The  process  of  producing  layers  consists  in  bending  the 
young  branches  of  trees  and  shrubs  into  the  soil  to  a  certain 
depth,  and  elevating  their  tops  above  the  surface  of  the  ground, 
in  an  upward  direction,  as  denoted  in  the  adjoining  figure.  In 
time,  the  buried  parts  of  these  branches  take  root,  and  finally 
become  perfect  plants.  The  ground  should  be  kept  quite  clear 
of  weeds,  and  the  layers  should  be  watered  in  dry  weather ; 
and,  when  sufficiently  rooted,  they  should  be  carefully  sepa- 
rated from  the  stool,  or  parent  plant,  with  all  the  rootlets  attached  to  them,  and  planted  in  nursery 
lines,  or  in  the  situations  where  they  are  permanently  to  remain. 


EUROPEAN      OR    FIELD    ELM.  103 

are  very  often  procured  from  stools,  simply  by  heaping  up  earth  about  the  shoots 
which  proceed  from  them.     These  shoots  throw  out  roots  into  the  i  arth  ;  and, 
after  growing  three  or  four  years,  during  which  time  they  acquire  th<   heighl  of 
ten  or  fifteen  feet,  they  are  clipped  off,  when  they  are  either  planted  in  thi 
where  they  are  finally  to  remain,  or  in  nursery  lines.     When  they  are  trans- 
planted to  their  final  situations,  the  side  shoots  are  cut  off,  and  the  mam  Btem  is 
headed  down  to  the  height  of  eight  or  ten  feet ;  so  that  newly-planted  trees  ap- 
pear to  be  nothing  more  than  naked  truncheons.     The  first  year,  a  great,  many 
shoots  are  produced  from  the  upper  extremity  of  each  plant:  ami  in  the  autumn 
of  that  year,  or  in  the  second  spring,  their  shoots  are  all  cut  off  but  one,  which 
soon  forms  an  erect  stem,  and  a  tree  with  as  regular  a  head  as  if  no  decapitation 
had  taken  place.     This  mode  corresponds  with  the  recommendatn »n  of  llvlvn, 
to  plant  trees  about  the  "  scantling  of  your  leg,  and  to  trim  on  their  heads  at  live 
or  six  feet  in  height;"   and  also  with  Cato's  mode  of  having  the  stems   five 
or  six  fingers  thick,  who  says  that  "  you  can  hardly  plant  an  elm  too  hig,  pro- 
vided you  trim  the  roots  and  cut  off  the  head."     All  the  avenues  and  rows  of 
elm-trees,  in  Europe,  it  is  said,  were  planted  in  this  manner,  previously  to  a  hunt 
the  middle  of  the  last  century;  and,  according  to  M.  Poitean,  the  same  practice 
is  still  the  most  general  in  France.     In  Britain,  young  elms  having  been  two  01 
three  times  transplanted  in  the  nurseries,  are  removed  to  their  final  situations,  with- 
out heading  down ;  and,  in  the  moist  climate  of  that  country,  they  grow  rigorously 
the  first  year  without  much  pruning.     But,  in  the  south  of  Europe,  where  the  cli- 
mate of  summer  is  hotter  and  more  arid,  and  is  attended  with  a  consequent  increased 
evaporation  from  the  leaves  of  plants,  the  trees  are  liable  to  be  killed  when  trans- 
planted with  all  their  branches  on  ;  and  hence  the  mode  of  depriving  them  of  their 
branches  as  described  above.     For  similar  reasons,  the  same  practice  is  requisite 
in  the  United  States  to  ensure  success.     In  France  and  Belgium,  the  Tlmus  cam- 
pestris.is  the  most  common  tree  planted  by  road  sides,  and  along  the  boulevards 
and  streets  of  cities  and  towns;  and,  in  such  cases,  a  large  pit  is  previously  di 
four  or  five  feet  in  diameter,  and  from  two  to  three  feet  in  depth:  and  a  con- 
siderable portion  of  fine,  rich  mould  is  placed  in  immediate  contact  with  the  roots 
of  the  trees,  and  the  pit  filled  with  the  best  part  of  the  soil,  which  had  been  pre- 
viously dug  out  of  it.     During  the  first  summer,  water  is  regularly  supplied,  and 
the  trees,  or  rather  stumps,  grow  freely;  very  little  attention  hem-  required ^  after- 
wards, except  to  encourage  the  leading  shoots,  and  to  shorten  in,  the  lateral 
branches,  so  as  to  encourage  the  plants  to  assume  a  tree-like  form.      In  the 
neighbourhood  of  Paris,  and  in  the  south  of  France,  the  Ulmus  campestns  occa- 
sionally bears  seeds,  which  are  sometimes  sown  by  nurserymen,  m  order  to  pro- 
cure new  varieties,  and  by  the  managers  of  the  national  forests,  in  order  to  obtain 
a  supply  of  plants,  at  a  cheap  rate;  but  in  Britain,  this  tree  very  rarely  ripe,. 
seeds,  or  produces  them  at  all;  nevertheless,  it  has  done  so.  in  a  few  pis 
in  Lea  Park,  near  Littlebourne,  about  four  miles  from  ( Janterbury.     It  is  observed 
by  Bosc,  that  some  of  the  more  remarkable  varieties,  such  as  the  twisted  elm, 
(Ulmus  c.  tortuosa.)  &c.  come  tolerably  true  from  seeds,  speaking  oi  the  mass 
of  young  plants;  but  that  among  these  are  constantly  to  be  found  numerous  sub- 
varieties     The  seeds,  which  fall  from  the  trees  as  soon  as  they  are  ripe,  are 
swept  up  and  immediately  sown  in  beds  of  light  rich  soil;  being  placed  abou 
an  inch  apart  every  way,  they  are  covered  to  the  depth  oi  about  an  eighth^ of  an 
inch.     The  plants  come  up  the  same  season,  and  are  I,,  for  transplanting  into 
nursery  lines  in  the  autumn  following. 


494  ULMUS    CAMPESTRIS. 

the  branches  may  be  cut  from  the  stem,  except  a  small  tuft  at  the  top ;  and  still 
the  tree  will  grow  vigorously,  affording,  where  that  mode  of  feeding  cattle  is  con- 
sidered profitable,  an  ample  crop  of  branches  every  three  or  four  years.  When 
headed  down  to  the  height  often  or  twelve  feet,  it  is  very  prolific  of  branches,  as 
a  pollard,  and  will  live  and  be  productive,  in  this  state,  for  a  great  number  of 
years.  When  grown  exclusively  for  the  timber  of  its  trunk,  however,  it  requires 
to  be  allowed  a  considerable  amplitude  of  head ;  perhaps  not  less  than  one  third 
of  its  whole  height.  The  timber,  in  this  case,  is  found  to  be  far  more  compact 
and  durable,  though  not  so  curiously  veined  and  variously  coloured  as  it  is  when 
the  tree  is  allowed  to  produce  branches  from  the  ground  upwards.  The  timber 
of  the  elm,  not  being  remarkable  for  its  durability,  is.  in  old  trees,  very  com- 
monly found  decayed  at  the  heart;  and  this  is  generally  the  case,  even  when 
the  exterior  circumference  of  the  trunk  is  in  a  healthy  and  vigorous  state,  and 
prolific  of  branches.  The  most  profitable  age  for  felling  the  elm  is  between 
seventy  and  eighty  years  ;  and  if  the  trunk  is  disbarked  a  year  before  it  is  cut 
down,  the  wood  will  be  more  thoroughly  seasoned."* 

Accidents,  Diseases,  and  Bisects.  The  Ulmus  campestris,  from  the  straight- 
ness,  toughness,  and  strength  of  its  trunk,  in  proportion  to  its  head,  is  not  liable 
to  be  injured  by  high  winds,  except  at  an  advanced  age,  in  yielding  at  the  roots, 
— an  accident  which  much  more  frequently  befalls  this  tree  than  the  American 
species,  as  was  fairly  tested  on  Boston  Common,  in  the  memorable  gale  of  Sep- 
tember, 1815,  when  several  English  elms,  in  the  Mall,  were  uprooted,  while  the 
native  species,  by  their  side,  withstood  the  blast  with  but  slight  injury.  The 
European  elm,  however,  is  subject  to  many  diseases,  and  is  very  liable  to  be 
attacked  by  insects.  The  principal  disease  with  which  it  is  assailed,  is  a  species 
of  ulceration,  appearing  on  the  body  of  the  tree,  according  to  Michaux,  "  at  a 
height  of  three  or  four  feet  from  the  ground,  and  which  discharges  a  great  quan- 
tity of  sap."  "  The  disease  penetrates  gradually,"  he  adds,  "into  the  interior 
of  the  tree,  and  corrupts  its  substance.  Many  attempts  have  been  made  to  cure 
it  in  the  beginning,  and  to  arrest  its  progress,  but  hitherto  without  success.  The 
best  treatment  is  to  pierce  the  tree  to  the  depth  of  two  or  three  inches,  with  an 
auger,  in  the  very  heart  of  the  malady,  which  is  manifested  by  the  flowing  of 
the  sap."  The  matter  discharged  by  this  ulcer  has  been  analysed  by  M.  Vau- 
quelin,  and  found  to  contain  carbonates  of  lime,  potash,  and  of  magnesia,  and  sul- 
phate of  potash.  The  mode  of  treatment  recommended  in  the  "  Nouveau  Cours 
d'Agriculture,"  is  to  pierce  the  ulcer  as  above  advised  by  Michaux,  and  then  to 
dress  the  wound  with  powdered  charcoal,  or  a  mixture  of  cow-dung  and  clay. 
This  species,  when  grown  in  an  unsuitable  soil,  that  is,  in  one  which  is  either 
excessively  wet  or  extremely  dry,  is  very  subject  to  a  disease  called  carcinoma. 
It  shows  itself  by  the  extravasated  cambium  forming  long,  black  streaks  down 
the  bark,  and  by  its  sweetness,  attracts  numerous  insects,  of  several  tribes,  to  feed 
upon  it.  Mr.  Spence  thinks  that  this  disease,  very  probably,  is  caused  by  the 
scolyti.  "I  have  seen,"  he  says,  in  a  communication  to  Mr.  Loudon,  "many 
elms  pierced  by  these  insects,  where  the  extravasated  cambium  partly  oozed  out 
in  white  masses,  like  gum,  or  manna,  and  partly  formed  long,  black  streaks  down 
the  bark,  and  numerous  insects  were  attracted  to  feed  on  it." 

Among  the  insects  attacking  the  Ulmus  campestris,  is  what  is  vulgarly  called 
the  elm  flea,  (Haltica,)  which  devours  the  leaves,  but  is  said  to  do  no  serious 
injury  to  the  tree  itself.  It  is  a  beautiful  little  insect,  covered  with  a  brilliant 
cuirass  of  green  and  gold,  and  having  the  thighs  of  its  hinder  legs  so  large  as  to 
appear  almost  round.  They  are  so  lively  and  so  quick  in  their  movements,  that, 
hough  a  branch  may  appear  covered  with  them  one  moment,  the  next  they  will 

*  Arboretum  Britannicum,  iii.,  p.  1384. 


EUROPEAN     OR    FIELD    ELM. 

all  have  vanished.  The  larvae  are  small  and  slender,  and  devour  the  leaves 
with  equal  avidity  as  the  perfect  insect.  Sometimes  small  bladders  or  galls  are 
produced  on  the  leaves  of  the  elm,  by  the  puncture  of  some  kind  of  insect,  (pro- 
bably a  cynips,)  which  are  at  first  green,  but  afterwards  turn  Mack.  Each  of 
these  galls  contain  a  fluid,  which,  according  to  Du  Hamel,  is  called  elm  huh,,. 
and  was  formerly  employed  for  the  cure  of  recent  wounds. 

In  the  "Nouveau  Cours  d'Agriculture,"  there  are  mentioned  four  other  insects 
that  prey  upon  the  elm.     The  first  is  the  larva  of  the  Bombyx  chrysorrha  a,  of 
Fabricius,  which  destroys  the  leaf-buds  and  leaves  entirely,  so  as  to  give  the 
tree,  in  spring,  the  appearance  of  winter.     The  second  is  the  Galeruca  ulmarien- 
sis,  of  Fabricius,  a  coleopterous  insect,  the  larvse  of  which,  in  some  Beasons, 
entirely  destroy  the  parenchyma  of  the  leaves  of  the  elms,  in  the  public  prome- 
nades both  in  Britain  and  in  continental  Europe.     These  larva?  are  of  a  blackish 
colour,  and  exhale,  when  crushed,  a  most  disagreeable  odour.     The  moment 
they  are  touched,  they  coil  up,  and  suffer  themselves  to  fall  to  the  ground.     The 
perfect  insect  is  extremely  sluggish  in  its  movements,  feignim:  death,  in 
of  danger,  rather  than  unfolding  its  wings  to  fly  away.     It  conceals  itself  in  the 
crevices  of  the  bark,  also  under  stones,  and  between  the  bricks  of  walls :  and 
sometimes  will  produce  three  generations  in  the  course  of  one  summer.     The 
third  is  a  species  of  goat-moth,  (Cossus  ligniperda,  of  Fabricius.)  the  larva  of 
which  is  about  three  inches  long,  with  its  body  sprinkled  with  slender  hairs; 
being  of  a  reddish-brown  on  the  back,  becoming  yellow  beneath,  with   eight 
breathing-holes  on  the  sides,  and  a  black  head.     It  exhales  a  most  disagreeable 
goat-like  odour,  which  is  produced  by  an  oily  and  very  acrid  liquor,  that  it  dis- 
charges at  its  mouth,  and  the  use  of  which  is  supposed  to  soften  the  wood  before 
it  devours  it.     The  pupa  is  brown,  the  abdominal  segments  bearing  two  rows 
of  spines,  directed  backwards.      Before  entering  into  its  chrysalis  state,  which 
sometimes  takes  place  under  ground,  the  larva  spins  a  strong  web,  intermixed 
with  particles  of  wood,  that  constitutes  its  cocoon.     The  perfect  insect  has  dark- 
gray  wings,  clouded  with  dark-brown,  and  streaked  with  black.     It  belongs  to 
that  class  of  insects  which  fly  by  night,  and  appears,  in  Europe,  in  the  month  of 
June.     The  female  lays  but  one  set  of  eggs,  but  these  generally  amount  to  one 
thousand  in  number,  and  are  always  deposited  at  the  base  of  the  trees,  whence 
the  larva?  penetrate  the  bark,  wherever  they  can  find  the  easiest  entrance.     The 
eggs  are  small,  in  proportion  to  the  size  of  the  imago;  and  the  caterpillar,  which 
grows  to  a  large  size,  is  said  to  remain  in  the  larva  state  three   years.     This 
insect,  in  Europe,  not  only  feeds  upon  the  elm,  but  also  preys  upon  the  alder,  the 
oak,  the  ash,  the  walnut,  the  beech,  the  lime,  and  on  some  kinds  of  the  willow, 
and  of  the  poplar.     The  larva?,  devour  the  liber  or  inner  bark,  making  long  gal- 
leries in  the  wood,  somewhat  after  the  manner  of  those  of  the  wood    leopard 
moth,  (Zeuzera  a?sculi,)  in  the  common  pear-tree,  and  finally  destroying  the 
tree.     Many  remedies  have  been  proposed,  but  that  of  Latreille  appear-  to  ho 
most  approved  of  in  France.     This  consists  in  surrounding  the  base  ol  the  ti 
where  it  has  been  observed  that  the  females  always  deposit   their  eggs,  with  a 
thick  coating  of  a  mixture  of  clay  and  cow-dung,  which  the  insect  cannot  pene- 
trate     The  green  woodpecker  preys  upon  these  caterpillars,  and  its  stomach,  on 
dissection,  emits  an  intolerable  stench.     The  fourth  enemy  to  the  elm,  and  the 
one  which  is  considered  by  far  the  most  injurious,  is  the  larva  ol  the  Scolyhts 
destructor:  but  it  is  sometimes  assisted  in  its  ravages  by  that  of  the  Scolytus 
armalus.     In  about  the  month  of  June  or  July,  the  ten, ale  insect  bores  through 
the  bark,  until  she  has  reached  the  point  between  the  sot,  wood  and  the  „„,er 
bark-  she  then  forms  in  the  latter  a  vertical  channel,  usually  upwards,  ol  about 
two  inches   in    length,  on  each  side  of  which   she  deposits   he  as  sh< 

advances,  to  the  number  of  from  twenty  to  litty  m  all.     It  appears  probable  that. 


496  TILMUS    CAMPESTRIS. 

after  doing  this,  she  dies,  without  making  her  way  out  again,  as  she  may  often 
be  found  dead  at  the  end  of  the  channel.  About  September,  the  larvse  are 
hatched,  which  commence  feeding  upon  the  matter  of  the  inner  bark,  at  the 
edge  of  the  channel ;  and,  in  a  very  slight  degree,  on  that  of  the  soft  wood  oppo- 
site, advancing,  as  they  feed,  in  a  course  at  about  right  angles  from  the  primary 
channel,  on  each  side  of  it.  The  true  food  of  the  insect  is  the  inner  bark  ;  and 
the  erosion  of  the  soft  wood  is  so  slight,  as  to  be,  perhaps,  nearly  accidental. 
The  course  of  each  individual  larva,  on  each  side  of  the  primary  channel,  is 
about  parallel  to  that  of  the  larva  next  to  it ;  and  each  forms  a  channel  by  its 
feeding  that  is  enlarged  as  the  larva  increases  in  size.  When  each  larva  has, 
finished  its  course  of  feeding,  it  stops  in  its  progress,  turns  to  a  pupa,  and  then 
to  a  beetle;  and,  in  the  latter  state,  gnaws  a  straight  hole  through  the  bark. 
These  beetles  begin  to  come  out  in  about  the  end  of  May,  or  the  beginning  of 
June,  of  the  year  following  that  in  which  the  eggs  were  deposited.  The  sexes 
afterwards  pair,  and  the  females,  bearing  eggs,  pierce  through  the  bark,  as  above 
detailed  ;  and  so  on,  from  generation  to  generation,  and  year  to  year.  The 
result  of  the  erosions  of  the  female  parent,  and  of  the  larvse,  in  the  inner  bark  and 
soft  wood,  is  that  of  cutting  off  the  vital  connection  between  these  two  parts ; 
and,  when  the  erosions  effected  in  a  tree  have  become  numerous,  of  occasioning 
its  death,  by  preventing  the  ascent  and  descent  of  the  sap.  It  has  been  asserted 
that  the  female  scolytus  never  attacks  a  tree  in  a  perfectly  healthy  state,  for  the 
purpose  of  depositing  her  eggs;  and,  also,  that  trees  suffering  under  carcinoma 
are  particularly  liable  to  her  ravages.  It  has  also  been  remarked  that  these 
insects  seldom  destroy  the  trees  they  attack  the  first  year ;  and  that  they  prefer 
a  tree  that  they  have  already  begun  to  devour,  to  one  that  is  young  and  vigor- 
ous ;  but  they  never  attack  a  tree  that  is  entirely  dead.  Yet  it  is  true  that  both 
the  males  and  females  pierce  young  and  healthy  trees  for  the  purpose  of  eating 
the  inner  bark,  which  constitutes  their  principal  food;  and  that  the  numerous 
holes  which  they  thus  cause,  partly  from  the  loss  of  sap  which  exudes  from  them, 
and  partly  from  the  effect  of  the  rain  that  lodges  in  them,  in  a  few  years  bring 
the  trees,  in  which  they  occur,  into  an  incipient  state  of  decay.  These  trees  are 
indiscriminately  selected  by  the  female  insects  for  the  deposition  of  their  eggs,  just 
as  in  trees  beginning  to  decay  naturally;  and  thus  healthy  trees  are  effectually 
destroyed  by  the  combined  operations,  first  and  last,  of  the  scolyti  of  both  sexes, 
though  not  in  consequence  of  the  sole  deposition  of  the  eggs  of  the  female.  The 
most  effectual  mode  recommended  to  prevent  the  future  depredations  of  these 
insects,  is,  first,  to  pare  away,  with  a  spoke-shave,  or  other  tool,  the  rough  exte- 
rior bark  of  the  trees  bearing  the  marks  of  their  ravages ;  and  if  there  be  no  trace 
in  the  inner  bark,  either  of  small  holes  in  old  trees,  or  of  those  superficial  furrows 
which  the  scolyti  of  both  sexes  make  for  food  in  young  trees,  they  may  be  pro- 
nounced as  being  in  a  sound  and  healthy  state.  But  if  the  inner  bark  exhibits 
small  holes  which  communicate  with  channels  as  described  above,  the  next 
thing  to  be  done  is  to  determine  whether  the  female  has  already  deposited  her 
eggs  within  it,  or  whether  it  contains  the  young  scolyti  either  in  a  larva  or 
chrysalis  state.  In  order  to  know  this,  it  will  be  necessary  to  cut  away,  here  and 
there,  portions  of  the  bark,  quite  into  the  wood ;  and  if  the  existence  of  either 
the  eggs  or  of  the  insects  be  proved,  the  trees  should  be  cut  down,  and  the  bark  be 
taken  off  and  burnt.  Those  trees  pierced  with  exterior  superficial  holes  or  fur- 
rows, which  have  no  larvae  in  them,  are  such  as  have  been  attacked  for  food 
only;  and,  if  they  be  carefully  brushed  over  with  coal-tar,  the  fumes  of  which  is 
highly  offensive  to  the  perfect  scolyti,  there  is  every  probability  that  they  will  be 
secure  from  the  future  attacks  of  the  females;  and  that  the  repetition  of  the  same 
process  in  the  spring,  for  one  or  two  years,  would  enable  them  to  resume  then 
vigour,  and  become  healthy  trees.* 

*  See  Loudon's  Arboretum  Britannicum,  iii..  p.  1387,  et  seq. 


EUROPEAN      OR    FIELD    ELM.  'Y.rt 

Properties  and  Uses.     The  wood  of  the  Ulmus  campestris  is  of  a  browimfa 
colour,  and  is  hard  and  fine-grained.     When  green,  it  weighs  nearly  Beventy 
pounds  to  a  cubic  foot,  and  when  dry,  not  more  than  forty-eight  and  a  bait 
pounds.     It  possesses  greater  lateral  adhesion,  but  less  longitudinal  toughness 
than  that  of  the  Scotch  elm,  (Ulmus  c.  montana,)  and,  consequently,  does  not 
crack  so  much  as  that  variety  in  drying.     In  ship-building,  it  is  valuable  foi 
forming  the  blocks  and  dead-eyes,  and  other  wooden  fixtures  of  riguniir.  bcina 
particularly  suitable  for  these  purposes,  from  its  hard  and  adhesive  nature  and 
indisposition  to  crack  or  split,  when  exposed  to  the  vicissitudes  of  moisture  and 
dryness.     One  of  the  principal  uses  of  the  English  elm,  however,  in  ship-build- 
ing, is  for  keels.     In  Norfolk,  the  timber  of  this  tree  is  generally  used  for  na\ 
to  wheels;  and  in  many  parts  of  England,  and  particularly  about  London,  it  is 
also  employed  for  coffins.     Elm  timber  is  also  remarkably  durable  in  water,  and 
is  particularly  adapted  for  piles,  pumps,  water-pipes,  and  for  any  other  similai 
purpose.     It  has  been  used  in  Europe,  from  time  immemorial,  for  water-pipes,  or 
gutters,  for  conveying  the  water  of  salt  springs  to  the  large  boxes  or  pans,  where 
the  watery  particles  are  evaporated  by  the  heat  of  the  sun,  or  by  fire:  and  it  is 
well  known  that  the  Anglo-Saxons  called  all  the  places  where  there  were  salt 
springs,  "wich"  or  "  wych  "  (as  Droitwich,  Nantwich,  &c.);  hence,  probably, 
originated  the  name.  "  wych  elm,"  which  was  formerly  applied  to  all  British  elms, 
including  the  Ulmus  c.  montana.     The  knobs,  which  grow  upon  old  elms,  are 
sawn  into  thin  plates  by  cabinet-makers,  particularly  in  France  and  Germany : 
and,  when  polished,  they  exhibit  very  curious  and  beautiful  arrangements  of 
fibre,  which  render  their  wood  exceedingly  ornamental,  for  articles  of  fancy.     As 
fuel,  the  wood  of  the  elm,  according  to  Hartig,  is  to  that  of  beech  as  twelve  hun- 
dred and  fifty-nine  is  to  fifteen  hundred  and  forty;  and,  as  charcoal,  as  fourteen 
nundred  and  seven  is  to  sixteen  hundred.     The  ashes  of  this  tree  are  rich  in 
alkaline  salts;  and  among  seventy-three  kinds  of  trees,  M.  Werneck  found  thai 
it  occupied  the  tenth  place  in  productiveness  of  potash.     The  inner  bark,  like 
that  of  the  European  lime-tree,  is  sometimes  employed  for  making  bast-mats  and 
ropes.     Young  deer  are  very  fond  of  this  bark;  and  in  Norway  the  inhabitants 
kiln-dry  it,  and  grind  it  with  corn  to  make  flour  for  bread.     The  Leaves  and 
young  shoots  of  the  elm  were  used  by  the  Romans  to  feed  cattle,  and  they  are 
still  employed,  in  may  parts  of  France,  for  the  same  purpose ;  and  both  in  France 
and  Norway,  they  are  boiled  to  serve  as  food  for  pigs.     In  Russia,  the  leaves  ol 
the  Ulmus  c.  parvifolia  are  used  for  tea.    The  bark  is  highly  astringent,  and  both 
the  leaves  and  bark,  it  is  said,  contain  a  considerable  proportion  ot  glue.     Y  nun 
the  bark  there  has  been  extracted  a  principle  called  ulndne,  which  is  regarded  by 
some  as  a  constituent  of  every  vegetable.     A  decoction  ot  the  bark  fmparte  a 
yellow  colour  to  wool.     In  Norway,  the  bark  is  employed  m  tanning  skins.      1  be 
fruit,  in  a  sreen  state,  is  sometimes  eaten  as  a  salad. 

As  a  picturesque  tree,  «  the  elm,"  observes  Gilpin,  «  has  not  so  d.st.nct  a  char- 
acter as  either  the  oak  or  the  ash.  It  partakes  so  much  of  the  oak,  that,  when  it 
is  rough  and  old,  it  may  easily,  at  a  little  distance,  be  mistaken  for  one:  though 
the  oak,  (I  mean  such  an  oak  as  is  strongly  marked  with  its  peculiar  character  ) 
can  never  be  mistaken  for  the  elm.  This  is  certainly  a  defect  in  the  elm;  for 
strong  characters  are  a  great  source  of  picturesque  beauty.  1  his  def  .  ..  how- 
ever,  appears  chiefly  in  ;he  skeleton  of  the  elm:  ...  lull  foliage,  3  characters 
more  marked, 
this  respect, 
owing  as 

lip-htne^s-     t  commonly  tiancs  loose.y,  auu  w,  >i>  &  >■>  ■•*■ ,  • ;  ■  .<    i 
elm  natura  y Sows  upright  and,  when  it  meets  with  a  soi   .<   oves  rises  highet 
th?nTrgeiL?alityof\rees:  and,  after  it  has  assumed  the  dignity  and  boarj 
63 


498  ULMUS    CAMPESTEIS. 

roughness  of  age,  few  of  its  forest  brethren,  (though,  properly  speaking,  it  is  not 
a  forester,)  excel  it  in  grandeur  and  beauty.  The  elm  is  the  first  tree  that  salutes 
the  early  spring,  with  its  light  and  cheerful  green;  a  tint  which  contrasts  agreea- 
bly with  the  oak,  whose  early  leaf  has  generally  more  of  the  olive  cast.  We  see 
them  sometimes  in  fine  harmony  together,  about  the  end  of  April  and  the  begin- 
ning of  May.  We  often,  also,  see  the  elm  planted  with  the  Scotch  pine.  In  the 
spring,  its  light-green  is  very  discordant  with  the  gloomy  hue  of  its  companion ; 
but,  as  the  year  advances,  the  elm  leaf  takes  a  darker  tint,  and  unites  in  har- 
mony with  the  pine.  In  autumn,  also,  the  yellow  leaf  of  the  elm  mixes  as 
kindly  with  the  orange  of  the  beech,  the  ochre  of  the  oak,  and  many  of  the  other 
fading  hues  of  the  wood.  *****  The  elm  throws  out  a  beautiful 
bloom,  in  the  form  of  a  spicated  ball,  about  the  bigness  of  a  nutmeg,  of  a  dark- 
crimson  colour.  This  bloom  sometimes  appears  in  such  profusion  as  to  thicken 
and  enrich  the  spray  exceedingly,  even  to  the  fulness  almost  of  foliage.  *  *  * 
*  *  The  branch  of  the  elm  has  neither  the  strength  nor  the  various  abrupt 
twistings  of  the  oak ;  nor  does  it  shoot  so  much  in  horizontal  directions.  .Such, 
also,  is  the  spray.  It  has  a  more  regular  appearance,  not  starting  off  at  right- 
angles,  but  forming  its  shoots  more  acutely  with  the  parent  branch ;  neither  does 
the  spray  of  the  elm  shoot,  like  the  ash,  in  regular  pairs  from  the  same  knot,  but 
in  a  kind  of  alternacy.  It  has,  generally,  at  first,  a  flat  appearance ;  but,  as  one 
year's  shoot  is  added  to  another,  it  has  not  strength  to  support  itself;  and,  as  the 
tree  grows  old,  it  often  becomes  pendent  also,  like  the  ash ;  whereas  the  tough- 
ness and  strength  of  the  oak  enable  it  to  stretch  out  its  branches  horizontally  to 
the  very  last  twig."* 

As  an  ornamental  tree,  the  Ulmus  campestris  is  employed  both  in  Britain 
and  on  the  continent,  more  especially  in  France  and  Holland,  for  lining  avenues, 
and  particular  for  public  walks.  For  this  purpose  it  is  well  adapted,  from 
the  comparative  rapidity  of  its  growth,  the  straightness  of  its  trunk,  the  facility 
with  which  it  bears  lopping,  the  denseness  of  its  foliage,  its  hardiness,  and  its  i 
great  longevity. 

*  Forest  Scenery. 


Ulmus  america?ia, 
THE  AMERICAN  ELM. 

Synonymes. 


Ulmus  americana, 

Orme  d'Amerique,  Orme  parasol, 

Amerikanische  Ulme, 

Ulmo  americano, 

American  White  Elm,  Canadian  Elm, 

White  Elm,  Rock  Elm, 


'  Linnjeus,  Species  Plantarum. 
[  Michaux,  North  American  Sylva. 

Loudon,  Arboretum  Bntannicum. 

France. 

Germany. 

Italy. 

Britain. 

Anglo-America. 


«  «3rST£  figMuresSwN°nh  AmeriCai1  Sy'Va'  Pl  m '  LOUd0,,•  Arb~  BriUxmlcum,  Hi.,  fie.  1MB.  and  vii.  pi.  * 

Specific  Characters.    Leaves  with  their  disks  unequal  at  the  base,  4-5  inches  long,  inclusive  of  a  long 
acuminate  point,  from  2-2£  inches  broad,  serrate,  and  mostly  doubly  so  ;  the  axus  of  the  veins  nndef- 
neath  joined  by  a  membrane ;    petioles  from  1-1*  inches  in  length,  and  clothed  with  short  hairs 
i  lowers  efiuse,  with  the  peduncles  short  and  glabrous.     Stamens  5—8.     Samara  fringed  at  the  ede»> 
with  hairs  ovate,  acute.     Young  branches  brown,  and  covered  with  fine,  short  hairs— Adavt,,/ 
Willdenow's  Enum.  Plant.  r     ' J 


Description. 

^HE    Ulmus 
americana, 
when  stan  d- 

H  ing  in  the 
forest,  is  a  lofty  tree,  with  a  remarka- 
bly clean,  straight,  round  trunk,  with 
a  small,  much  contorted  head;  but,  in 
a  clearing,  where  it  grows  in  an  insu- 
lated manner,  receiving  a  full  supply  of 
light  and  air,  it  appears  in  all  its  ma- 
jesty, towering  to  an  elevation  of  eighty 
or  one  hundred  feet,  with  a  stem  from 
four  to  six  feet  in  diameter,  which,  at 
ten  or  twenty  feet  above  its  base,  usually  ramifies  into  three  or  more  primary 
limbs,  that  continue  gradually  spreading  outward  and  upwards  to  a  greal  length, 
dividing  and  sub-dividing  into  many  smaller  ramifications,  and  diffusing,  on  all 
sides,  numerous  long,  flexible,  and  pendulous  branchlcts,  bending  into  regular,  fes- 
toons, and  giving  to  the  tree  a  broad  and  somewhat  flat-topped  summit,  of  regu 
lar  proportions  and  admirable  beauty.  When  growing  in  the  last-named  situa- 
tion, this  tree  is  often  marked  by  two  or  more  small  branches,  lour  or  li\«'  feel 
in  length,  proceeding  from  near  the  first  ramification,  and  descending  along  the 
trunk;  and  the  larger  branches  or  limbs  arc  sometimes  covered  with  little  ragged 
twigs,  as  if  clothed  with  tufts  of  hair.  The  bark  of  the  trunk  is  tender,  deeply- 
furrowed,  and  almost  white.  The  leaves,  which  are  four  or  five  inches  lone,  are 
alternate,  unequal  at  the  base,  •oval-acuminate,  generally  doubly  denticulated, 
with  regular  and  prominent  ribs,  rough,  and  ol  an  almost  glossy  deep-green  aboi 
and  pale  and  downy  beneath.  The  flowers,  which  appear  m  March,  April,  or  May, 
before  the  leaves,  are  very  small,  of  a  purplish  colour,  supported  by  short,  slen- 


500 


ULMUS  AMERICANA. 


der  foot-stalks,  and  are  united  in  bunches  at  the  extremity  of  the  branches.  The 
seeds,  which  are  contained  in  flat  oval,  fringed  capsules,  notched  at  the  base, 
arrive  at  maturity,  in  the  northern  parts  of  the  United  States,  from  the  middle  of 
May  to  the  first  of  June. 

Varieties.  The  Ulmus  americana,  like  its  European  congener,  has  compara- 
tively, the  same  aptitude  to  vary  from  seeds,  and  has  already  given  rise  to  seve- 
ral varieties ;  but,  as  such  a  state  of  confusion  exists  in  botanical  works,  not  only 
as  relates  to  the  American  elms,  but  to  all  others  of  the  genus,  and  as  the  obser- 
vations and  experiments  as  regards  their  culture  and  growth,  have  been  some- 
what limited,  it  is  difficult  to  determine  whether  they  all  belong  to  one  race,  or 
consist  of  several  distinct  species, — a  problem  which  can  never  be  satisfactorily 
solved  before  they  are  studied  and  cultivated  under  the  most  varied  circum- 
stances, during  a  period  of  several  years.  As  with  the  European  elms,  we  have 
classified  them  all  under  one  head,  giving,  as  usual,  among  our  synonymes,  the 
names  under  which  they  are  described  as  species,  by  one  or  more  authors. 

1.  U.  a.  subsessilifolia.  Subsessile-leaved  American  Elm ;  Ulmus  americana, 
of  authors ;  a  large  tree,  with  divergent  branches,  indigenous  chiefly  to  the  Alle- 
ghany Mountains,  sometimes  attaining  a  height  of  seventy  or  eighty  feet.  The 
leaves,  which  are  three  or  four  inches  long,  are  subsessile,  ovate-acuminate, 
doubly  serrate,  oblique,  and  sub-cordate  at  the  base,  rough  above,  and  slightly 
pubescent  beneath. 

2.  U.  a.  alba,  Loudon.  Whitish-branched  American  Elm ;  a  tree  native  of 
Louisiana  and  other  states,  growing  to  a  height  of  fifty  or  sixty  feet,  having  long, 
flexible,  hanging  branches,  with  whitish  bark.  The  leaves  are  oblong,  obliquely- 
acute  at  the  base,  doubly-denticulate,  rough  and  lucid  above,  and  villous  beneath. 

3.  U.  a.  pendula,  Loudon.     Pendulous-branched  American  Elm. 

4.  U.  a.  rubra,  Loudon.  Reddish-branched  American  Elm,  with  the  branches 
red,  and  the  leaves  ovate,  rugose,  and  rough. 

5.  U.  a.  foliis  variegatis,  Loudon.      Variegated-leaved  American  Elm. 

6.  U.  a.  racemosa.  Racemose-flowered  American  Elm ;  Ulmus  racemosa,  of 
Nuttall,  Gray  and  Torrey,  and  others ;  Orme  a  grappe,  of  the  French ;  Trauben- 
Ulme,  of  the  Germans ;  Thomas'  Elm,  Norhern  Cork-barked  Elm,  of  the  Anglo- 
Americans.  This  variety  was  first  described 
and  figured  by  Mr.  David  Thomas,  of  Cayuga 
county,  in  the  state  of  New  York,  in  the  nine- 
teenth volume  of  Silliman's  "  American  Journal 
of  Science  and  Art."  It  abounds  throughout 
western  New  York,  and  is  also  found  in  Can- 
ada and  Vermont.  The  large  primary  branches 
produce  corky  excrescences,  somewhat  like 
those  of  the  wahoo  elm  (Ulmus  a.  alata.) 
The  leaves  are  broadly-ovate,  acuminate,  doubly- 
serrated,  glabrous,  and  somewhat  shining  above, 
with  the  under  surface  and  ribs  slightly  pubes- 
cent. The  flowers,  which  are  yellow,  and  appear 
in  April  or  May,  are  small,  distinctly  pedicellate, 
and,  unlike  those  of  any  other  elm,  are  dis- 
posed in  racemes,  composed  of  several  clusters 
of  two  to  four  together,  and  extending  from  the 
length  of  from  one  inch  to  two  inches  and  a 
half,  often  furnished  with  one  or  two  small,  but 
perfect  leaves,  before  the  opening  of  the  termi- 
nal buds.  The  samarge  are  large,  of  an  elliptic  form,  very  pubescent,  thickly 
fringed  on  the  margin,  with  their  membranes  more  extended  on  one  side,  as  indi- 


AMERICAN   ELM. 


"      I 


cative  of  a  second,  though  abortive  cell.     The  seeds  ripen  in  May  or  Jan..    at 
which  Ume  they  may  be  collected  and  sown;  and,  if  properly  tre  L      t        w 
immediately  come  up,  and  make  strong  shoots  the  first  season 
777  ±-™™k       Tawny-budded  American  Elm  ;    Ulmus  rubra,  of   Michaux 

Ulmus  fuhaoi  Pursh,  Loudon,  and  others;  Orme  rovgc,  OrnU  eras,  of  th 
J?  aI  If16  f^Dof  the  Germans ;  Slippery  Elm,  Red  Elm,  Redwoods  a 
Elm,  Moose  Elm  of  the  British  and  Anglo-Americans.  This  tree  bears  a  strong 
resemblance  to  the  Dutch  cork-barked  elm,  (Ul- 
mus campestris  major,)  of  Europe.  It  often  at- 
tains a  height  of  fifty  or  sixty  feet,  with  a  trunk 
fifteen  or  twenty  inches  in  diameter.  The  bark 
of  its  trunk  is  brown,  and  deeply-furrowed;  and 
that  of  the  branches  rough,  and  lighter  coloured. 
The  leaves  are  ovate-oblong,  acuminate,  nearly 
equal,  and  more  or  less  cordate  at  the  base,  ser- 
rated, with  unequal  teeth,  rugose,  very  rough, 
and  hairy  on  both  surfaces ;  being  larger,  thicker, 
and  rougher  than  those  of  the  Ulmus  americana. 
The  leaf-buds,  which  are  also  larger  and  rounder 
than  those  of  that  tree,  are  covered,  a  fortnight 
before  their  developement,  with  a  tawny,  or  rus- 
setty  down,  by  which  this  tree  can  readily  be  dis- 
tinguished from  any  other  variety.  The  flowers, 
which  appear  in  April  and  May,  are  produced  in 
tufts  at  the  extremity  of  the  young  shoots ;  and 
the  scales  which  surround  the  branches,  like  the  buds,  are  covered  with  down  ; 
the  calyx  is  downy  and  sessile ;  the  stamens  short,  and  of  a  pale-rose  colour. 
The  seeds,  which  usually  ripen  from  the  middle  to  the  last  of  May,  are  lai ■_ 
destitute  of  fringe,  orbicular  or  obovate  in  shape,  and  strongly  resemble  those  ol 
the  English  elm.  With  the  exception  of  the  maritime  districts  of  Carolina, 
Georgia,  and  Florida,  this  tree  is  found  in  almost  every  part  of  the  United  Stati  s, 
and  of  Canada;  but,  in  Ohio,  Kentucky,  and  Tennessee,  it  is  more  multiplied 
than  east  of  the  Alleghanies,  where  it  grows  on  the  richest  lands  of  an  uneven 
surface.  It  is  less  abundant,  however,  than  the  Ulmus  americana,  with  which  it 
rarely  associates,  as  it  requires  a  more  substantial  soil,  somewhat  free  from  mois- 
ture, and  even  delights  in  elevated  and  open  situations,  such  as  the  steep  banks 
of  the  Hudson  and  of  the  Susquehannah.  The  heart-wood  is  coarse-grained,  and 
less  compact  than  that  of  the  Ulmus  americana,  and  is  of  a  dull-red  tinge  :  winner 
the  name  "Red  Elm."  Even  in  the  branches  of  one  or  two  inches  in  diameter, 
the  perfect  wood  forms  the  principal  part.  From  its  durability,  the  timber  of 
this  tree  is  employed  with  advantage  in  the  regions  where  it  abounds,  in  the  con- 
struction of  houses,  and  sometimes  of  ships.  It  is  said  to  be  the  best  of  the  Amer- 
ican woods  for  making  blocks  employed  in  the  rigging  of  vessels,  and  its  scarcity 
in  the  Atlantic  states  is  the  only  cause  of  its  limited  consumption  for  thai  pur- 
pose. It  also  makes  excellent  rails,  which  are  of  long  duration,  and  are  formed 
with  little  labour,  as  the  trunk  may  be  easily  and  regularly  split.  The  bark,  wlueb 
is  very  mucilaginous,  contains  certain  proportions  of  sugar,  galic  acid,  and  super- 
tartrate  of  potash.  Medicinally,  it  is  said  to  be  alternative,  tome,  and  diuretic, 
and  is  employed  for  the  cure  of  herpetic,  and  leprous  eruptions.  The  leaves, 
which  emit  an  agreeable  smell,  have  been  employed  as  food  for  the  larva'  of  the 
silk-moth.  The  bark  and  small  branches,  with  the  leaves,  macerated  in  water, 
yield  a  thick  and  abundant  mucilage,  which  is  used  m  forming  a  refreshing  and 
soothing  drink,  in  coughs  and  rheums.  This  mucilage  is  also  substituted  for  the 
roots  of  the  marsh  mallow,  (Althaea  officinalis,)  in  making  i  mollienl  suppurative 
cataplasms. 


502 


ULMUS  AMERICANA. 


8.  U.  a.  incisa,  Loudon.  Deeply-toothed-leaved  American  Elm.  This  variety 
differs  from  the  others,  in  having  the  leaves  somewhat  more  deeply  serrated,  and 
rather  smaller,  approaching  nearer  to  those  of  the  Ulmus  campestris  effusa,  of 
Europe. 

9.  U.  a.  longifolia.  Long-leaved  American  Elm  ;  Ulmus  longifolia,  of  Rafin- 
esque;  a  shrub,  with  smooth,  slender,  striated  branchlets,  eight  or  ten  feet  in 
length,  native  of  Alabama  and  Tennessee.  The  leaves,  which  are  three  or  four 
inches,  long,  about  an  inch  wide,  and  smooth  on  both  sides,  are  borne  on  short 
petioles,  are  thin,  oblong-elongate,  sub-cordate  at  the  base,  doubly  serrated,  and 
acuminate  at  the  apex. 

10.  U.  a.  obovata.  Obovate-leaved  American  Elm  ;  Ulmus  obovata,  of  Rafin- 
esque;  a  tree  thirty  or  forty  feet  in  height,  a  native  of  Kentucky  and  Illinois. 
The  branchlets  are  terete,  smooth,  and  rugose.  The  leaves,  which  are  from  four 
to  six  inches  long,  and  three  or  four  inches  wide,  are  borne  on  short  petioles,  are 
obovate,  acuminate,  obliquely-obtuse  at  the  base,  doubly  serrated,  nearly  smooth 
on  the  upper  side,  and  villous  beneath. 

11.  U.  a.  grandidentata.  Lar ge-loothed  American  Elm ;  Ulrnus  dentata,  Yel- 
low Elm,  of  Rafinesque ;  a  tree,  native  of  Alabama,  with  terete,  smooth  branch- 


lets.     Its  leaves,  which  are  six  or  seven  inches 


long, 


and  three  or  four  inches 


broad,  are  borne  on  petioles,  at  least  an  inch  longer  than  in  any  other  elm ;  they 
are  acute  and  entire  at  the  base,  obovate,  with  large,  sub-equal,  sharp  teeth  in 
the  upper  half,  sub-acuminate  at  the  end,  and  smooth  on  both  sides.  The  flow- 
ers occur  in  fascicles,  with  the  pedicels  filiform,  the  calyx  campanulate,  the 
stamens  exserted,  and  the  pistil  cuneate-oblong,  bifid  by  the  two  styles.  The 
samarae  are  fasciculate,  peduncled,  oblong,  bifid,  and  fimbriate  on  the  sides. 

12.  U.  a.  alata.  Cork-winged  American  Elm;  Ulmus  alata,  of  Michaux, 
Loudon,  and  others ;  Orme  aile,  Orme  fongeux,  of  the  French ;  Gejlugelte 
Ulme,  of  the  Germans ;  Wahoo  Elm,  of  the  British  and  Anglo-Americans.  This 
variety  forms  a  tree  of  a  middling  stature,  com- 
monly not  exceeding  thirty  feet,  with  a  trunk  nine 
or  ten  inches  in  diameter.  The  branches  are  gar- 
nished throughout  their  entire  length,  on  two  oppo- 
site sides,  with  fungous  appendages,  about  a  quar- 
ter of  an  inch  in  width,  which  have  given  rise  to 
the  name  of  alata,  or  winged.  The  leaves,  which 
are  borne  on  short  petioles,  are  of  an  oblong-oval 
form,  narrowed  to  an  acute  point,  denticulated,  and 
almost  equal  at  the  base.  The  flowers  put  forth  in 
April,  just  before  the  unfolding  of  the  leaves,  and^4|| 
do  not  differ  materially  from  those  of  the  other  elms. 


The 


samara?,  which  are  much  smaller  than  those 


of  the  Ulmus  americana,  are  downy,  and  bear  a 
dense  fringe  at  the  edge.  This  tree  is  indigen- 
ous to  eastern  Virginia,  the  maritime  districts  of 
Carolina  and  Georgia,  to  western  Tennessee,  and 
some  parts  of  Kentucky.  It  is  generally  found  on 
the  banks  of  rivers,  and  in  the  great  swamps  enclosed  by  the  pine-barrens.  The 
wood  of  this  variety  is  fine-grained,  more  compact,  heavier,  and  stronger  than 
that  of  the  Ulmus  americana.  The  heart-wood  is  of  a  dull  chocolate-colour,  and 
always  bears  a  great  proportion  to  the  sap-wood.  In  some  parts  of  the  southern 
states,  it  is  used  for  the  naves  to  coach-wheels,  where  it  is  preferred  for  this  pur- 
pose to  the  tupelo,  (Nyssa,)  being  both  harder  and  tougher  than  that  wood;  but 
ir  is  not  particularly  appropriated  to  any  other  use.  This  variety  was  introduced 
i  i  to  Britain  in  1820,  where  there  are  small  specimens  to  be  found  in  many  of  the 
collections.     It  is  perfectly  hardy  in  New  York,  as  has  been  fully  tested  on  the 


AMERICAN    ELM.  5QO 

Hudson    above  the  Highlands,  where  there  is  a  fine  tree  which  annually  flow*  rs 
in  April  or  May.  J 

13.  U.  a.  dimidiata.     Dimidiate-leaved  American  Elm;   Ulmus  dimidiate  01 

Rafinesque;  a  shrub  with  smooth,  angular  branchlets,  native  of  Georgia  and 
Florida,  and  growing  from  eight  to  twelve  feet  in  height.  The  leaves  whirl, 
are  borne  on  short  petioles,  are  of  two  forms,  from  one  to  two  inches  in  length 
allot  a  pale  colour  sub-coriaceous  texture,  equally  serrate,  with  the  has,  veri 
oblique  often  one  side  decurrent,  and  the  other  reduced  in  size  or  dimidiate;  thai 
is,  in  the  narrow  leaves  the  base  of  one  side  is  removed  upwards  of  the  petiole 
and  is  much  reduced  in  its  dimensions. 

14.  U.  a.  opaca.  Densely-shaded  American  Elm;  Ulmus  opaca.  of  Nuttall; 
Orme  opaque,  of  the  French ;  Undurchsichtige  Ulme,  of  the  Germans.  This 
curious  elm  was  discovered  in  1818,  by 

Mr.  Nuttall,  near  the  confluence  of  Kiam- 
esha  and  Red  Rivers,  in  the  territory  of 
Arkansas.     He  describes  it  as  forming  a  \  ^\l 

majestic,  spreading  tree,  with  smooth  and 
brownish  branchlets,  of  the  dimensions 
of  the  ordinary  oak,  and  remarkable  for 
the  smallness  and  thickness  of  its  oblique 
and  unusually  blunt  leaves,  which,  with 
their  short  stalks,  are  only  about  an  incli 
in  length,  and  half  as  broad  as  they  are 
long;  they  are  very  numerous,  close 
together,  scabrous,  with  minute  papilla?, 
are  of  a  somewhat  shining  and  deep- 
green  above,  and  paler  beneath;  they  are  oblong-ovate;  mostly  obtuse,  doubly 
denticulated,  oblique  at  the  base,  as  well  as  the  whole  outline,  with  one  half 
much  narrower  than  the  other;  and  the  nerves  on  the  under  side,  are  pubescent, 
strong,  pennate,  simple  or  forked.  The  flowers  are  fasciculated  in  small  num- 
bers, and  occur  on  short  peduncles.  The  samara?  are  of  an  elliptic  form,  rat  In  r 
deeply  bifid  at  the  summit,  and  covered  with  a  dense,  somewhat  ferruginous 
pubescence,  even  when  ripe.  The  density  of  shade  produced  by  this  tire,  adds 
Mr.  Nuttall,  "so  crowded  with  rigid  leaves,  and  the  peculiarity  of  its  appearance, 
entitle  it  to  a  place  in  the  nurseries  of  the  curious,  and  it  is  probably  quite  hardy 
enough  for  all  temperate  climates.     To  this  species  Virgil's  epithet, 

'Fcecundse  frondibus  ulmi.' 

might  more  justly  be  applied  than  to  any  other."* 

Geography  and  History.  The  Ulmus  americana  is  indigenous  to  North  Amer- 
ica from  Nova  Scotia  to  Louisiana.  It  appears  to  be  tin'  most  multiplied,  and 
attains  the  greatest  dimensions,  within  the  territory  situated  between  the  forty- 
first  and  forty-sixth  degrees  of  north  latitude,  which  comprises  the  principal  puts 
of  the  provinces  of  Upper  and  Lower  Canada,  Nova  Scotia,  and  New  Brunswick, 
and  of  the  states  of  New  England  and  New  York.  In  the  middle  stairs,  and 
farther  southward,  it  becomes  less  multiplied;  but  west  of  the  Alleghanies,  it  is 
particularly  abundant  in  ah  the  fertile  bottoms  watered  by  the  streams  that  sw.ll 
the  Mississippi  and  the  Ohio,  which  are  inundated  by  the  floods  of  spring. 

This  species  was  introduced  into  Germany  in  the  early  part  of  the  \  VII  Ith  cen- 
tury, and  one  of  the  first-planted  trees  is  still  growing  at  Schwobbache,  near  I'yr- 
mont,  in  Westphalia.  It  does  not  appear  to  have  been  propagated  in  Britain, 
however,  before  the  year  1752,  when  it  was  planted  at  Mile  laid.  London,  hy 

*  North  American  Sylva,  p.  ?6. 


504  ULMUS    AMERICANA. 

Mr.  Jarnes  Gordon ;  though,  as  Martyn  observes,  no  notice  was  taken  of  it,  or  of 
any  other  American  elm,  in  the  edition  of  Miller's  "  Dictionary,"  which  was 
published  sixteen  years  afterwards.  It  has  doubtless  existed  in  the  arboretum  at 
Kew,  and  probably,  in  the  grounds  at  Syon,  but  it  is  not  to  be  found  of  much 
magnitude,  at  present,  in  either  of  these  collections.  There  are  trees,  however, 
in  the  garden  of  the  London  Horticultural  Society,  and  in  the  Edinburgh  botanic 
garden,  which  exceed  thirty  feet  in  height.  The  American  elm  seldom  flowers 
in  England,  and  never  ripens  its  seeds. 

Seeds  of  the  Ulmus  americana  were  sent  to  France  by  M.  Michaux,  in  1807, 
from  which  several  thousand  plants  were  raised;  and,  of  which,  according  to 
the  "  Nouveau  Du  Hamel,"  there  are  very  fine  specimens  at  Trianon,  where 
they  are  distinguished  from  all  other  elms  by  the  superior  beauty  of  their  leaves. 

In  America,  the  "favourite  elm,"  and  several  other  native  trees,  are  insepara- 
bly connected  with  the  history  of  the  country.  They  forcibly  appeal  to  the 
imaginations  of  the  people,  not  only  by  being  associated  with  the  sports  of  child- 
hood, the  coming  and  singing  of  birds,  and  with  the  haunts  of  young  men  and 
maidens,  fondly  and  joyously  traced  in  by-gone  days ;  but  they  teach  lessons  of 
wisdom  to  aged  and  hoary-headed  men — bespeak  their  country's  wrongs — their 
country's  glory,  and  tell  them  much  concerning  the  mutability  of  things  below. 
Had  these  trees  the  gifts  of  reason  and  speech,  or  could  their  "  leaves  form  words 
when  shaken  by  the  wind,"  how  many  tales  of  loves  and  woes — of  human  suf- 
fering and  human  joys  would  they  unfold.  But,  as  these  ancient  tenants  of  the 
soil  are  not  endowed  with  voice  and  memory,  let  us  be  ourselves  the  oracles,  and 
discourse  to  our  own  ears  upon  some  of  the  events  which  have  transpired  within 
the  dim  vista  of  two  hundred  years. 

penn's  treaty  elm. 

"With  kind,  assuring  words, 
And  answering  deeds,  he  binds  the  deathless  chain 
Of  friendship;  and  though  o'er  his  silent  grave, 
Time  long  hath  wander'd,  still  at  the  blest  name 
Of  the  beloved  Miquon,  starts  the  tear 
Of  Indian  gratitude." 

Traits  op  the  Aborigines. 

Towards  the  close  of  the  year  1682,  the  commissioners,  who  accompanied  the 
first  detachment  of  colonists  to  Pennsylvania,  had,  in  compliance  with  the  pro- 
prietary's instructions,  negotiated  a  treaty  with  the  neighbouring  tribes  of  Indians, 
for  the  purchase  of  the  lands  which  they  were  to  occupy,  and  for  the  assurance 
of  perpetual  peace  and  friendship  between  the  two  races  of  people.  "  The  relig- 
ious principles  of  Penn,"  says  his  biographer,  "  which  led  him  to  the  practice  of 
the  most  scrupulous  morality,  did  not  permit  him  to  look  upon  the  king's  patent, 
or  legal  possession  according  to  the  laws  of  England,  as  sufficient  to  establish  his 
right  to  the  country,  without  purchasing  it  by  fair  and  open  bargain  of  the  na- 
tives, to  whom  it  properly  belonged.  He  had  instructed  commissioners,  who 
arrived  in  America  before  him,  to  buy  it  of  the  latter,  and  to  make  with  them  a 
treaty  of  eternal  friendship.  This,  those  commissioners  had  done,  and  now,  by 
mutual  agreement  between  him  and  the  Indian  chiefs,  it  was  to  be  solemnly  rati- 
fied. He  proceeded,  therefore,  accompanied  by  his  friends,  consisting  of  men, 
women,  and  young  persons  of  both  sexes,  to  Coaquannoc,  the  Indian  name  for 
the  place  where  Philadelphia  now  stands.  On  his  arrival,  he  found  the  sachems 
and  their  tribes  assembling.  They  were  seen  through  the  woods,  as  far  as  the 
eye  could  reach,  and  looked  frightfully,  both  on  account  of  their  number  and 
their  arms.  The  Quakers  are  reported  to  have  been  but  a  handful  in  comparison, 
and  without  any  weapon ;  so  that  dismay  and  terror  must  have  seized  them,  had 
they  not  confided  in  the  righteousness  of  their  cause.     It  is  much  to  be  regretted, 


AMERICAN    ELM. 


51 1? 


*  hen  we  have  accounts  of  minor  treaties,  between  William  Penn  and  the  Indian* 
that  no  historian  has  any  particular  detail  of  this,  though  so  many  mention  it 
and  all  concur  in  considering  it  the  most  glorious  of  any  in  the  annals  of  the  world 
Ihere  are,  however,  relations  in  Indian  speeches,  and  traditions  j„  Quaker  fam- 
ilies, descended  from  those  who  were  present  on  the  occasion,  from  which  we 
may  learn  something  concerning  it.  It  appears,  that  though  the  parties  were  to 
assemble  at  Coaquannoc,  the  treaty  was  made  a  little  higher  up  at  Shacka- 
maxon.  Upon  this  site,  Kensington  now  stands,  the  houses  of  wh.ch  may  be 
considered  as  the  suburbs  of  Philadelphia.  There  was  at  Shackamaxon,  an  elm 
tree  of  a  prodigious  size.  To  this  the  leaders  on  both  sides  repaired,  approach- 
ing each  other  under  its  widely-spreading  branches.  William  Penn  appeared  in 
his  usual  dress.  He  had  neither  crown,  sceptre,  mace,  sword,  halberd,  or  any 
insigna  of  eminence.  He  was  distinguished  only  by  wearing  a  sky-blue  sash 
round  his  waist,  made  of  silk  net-work,  and  of  no  larger  dimensions  than  an  offi- 
cer's military  sash,  which,  except  in  colour,  it  resembled.  On  his  rieht  hand  was 
Colonel  Markham,  his  secretary  and  relative;  on  his  left,  his  friend  Pearson, 
followed  by  the  train  of  Quakers.  Before  him  were  carried  various  articles  of 
merchandize,  which,  when  they  came  near  the  sachems,  were  spread  upon  the 
ground.  He  held  a  roll  of  parchment,  containing  the  confirmation  of  the  treaty 
of  purchase  and  amity,  in  his  hand.  One  of  the  sachems,  who  was  the  chief  of 
them,  then  put  upon  his  own  head  a  kind  of  chaplet,  in  which  appeared  a  small 
horn.  This,  according  to  scripture  language,  and  among  the  primitive  eastern 
nations,  was  an  emblem  of  kingly  power;  and  whenever  the  chief  who  had  a 
right  to  wear  it,  put  it  on,  it  was  understood  that  the  place  was  made  sacred,  and 
the  persons  of  all  present  inviolable.  Upon  putting  on  this  horn,  all  the  Indians 
threw  down  their  bows  and  arrows,  seating  themselves  round  their  chiefs,  in  the 
form  of  a  half  moon,  upon  the  ground.  The  principal  sachem  then  announced 
to  William  Penn,  by  the  aid  of  an  interpreter,  that  the  nations  were  ready  to  heat 
him.  He  then  said  that,  the  Great  Spirit,  who  made  him  and  them,  who  ruled 
the  heavens  and  the  earth,  and  was  acquainted  with  the  innermost  thoughts  of 
man,  knew  that  he  and  his  friends  had  a  hearty  desire  to  live  in  peace  and 
friendship  with  them,  and  serve  them  to  the  utmost  of  their  power.  It  was  not 
their  custom  to  use  hostile  weapons  against  their  fellow  creatures,  therefore  came 
they  to  this  treaty  unarmed.  Their  object  was  not  to  do  injury,  and  thus  pro- 
voke the  Great  Spirit,  but  to  do  good.  They  had  met  them  on  the  broad  path- 
way of  good  faith  and  good  will,  so  that  no  advantage  was  to  be  taken  on  either 
side,  but  all  was  to  be  openness,  brotherhood,  and  love.  After  these  and  othei 
words,  he  unrolled  the  parchment,  and  by  means  of  the  same  interpreter,  con- 
veyed to  them,  article  by  article,  the  conditions  of  the  purchase,  and  the  words 
of  the  contract  then  made  for  their  eternal  union.  Among  other  things,  they  were 
not  to  be  molested  in  their  lawful  pursuits,  even  in  the  territory  tiny  had  alien- 
ated, for  it  was  to  be  common  to  them  as  well  as  to  the  English.  They  were  to 
have  the  same  liberty  to  do  all  things  therein,  relating  to  the  improvement  of 
their  grounds,  and  providing  sustenance  for  their  families,  which  the  English 
had.  If  any  dispute  should  arise  between  the  two,  if  should  be  settled  by  twelve 
persons,  half  of  whom  should  be  English,  and  half  Indians.  He  then  paid  them 
for  the  land,  and  made  them  many  presents  beside,  from  the  merchandise  which 
was  spread  before  them.  Having  done  this,  he  laid  the  roll  of  parchment  on  th> 
ground,  observing  again,  that  the  ground  should  be  common  to  both  people  He 
then  added,  that  he  would  not  do'like  the  inhabitants  of  Maryland,  that  is.  call 
them  only  children  or  brothers;  for  parents  were  sometimes  unkind  to  their  chil- 
dren, and  brothers  would  often  differ;  neither  would  he  compare  the  friendship 
between  them  to  a  chain,  which  the  rain  might  rust,  or  a  tree  fall  upon  and 
break;  but  he  should  consider  them  as  the  same  flesh  and  blood  with  the  <  fort* 
64 


506  ULMTJS    AMERICANA. 

tians, — tne  same  as  if  a  man's  body  was  to  be  divided  into  two  parts.  Taking 
up  the  parchment,  he  then  presented  it  to  the  sachem  who  wore  the  horn  in  his 
chaplet,  and  desired  him  and  the  other  sachems  to  preserve  it  carefully  for  three 
generations,  that  their  children  might  know  what  had  passed  between  them, 
when  they  were  no  longer  living  to  repeat  it.  It  is  to  be  regretted  that  the 
speeches  of  the  Indians  on  this  memorable  day,  have  not  come  down  to  us.  It 
is  only  known  that  they  solemnly  pledged  themselves,  according  to  the  manner 
of  their  country,  to  live  in  love  with  William  Penn  and  his  children  as  long  as 
the  sun  and  moon  should  endure.  Thus  ended  this  famous  treaty  of  which 
more  has  been  said  in  the  way  of  praise,  than  of  any  other  ever  transmitted  to 
posterity."  To  this  may  be  added  the  concise  eulogium  of  Voltaire,  who  pro- 
nounced it  to  be  "  the  only  treaty  which  was  ratified  without  an  oath,  and  the 
only  one  wjjich  was  never  broken." 

The  tree,  under  which  the  foregoing  transaction  took  place,  was  long  regarded 
by  the  Pennsylvanians  with  universal  veneration.  During  the  war  of  indepen- 
dence, General  Simcoe,  who  commanded  a  British  force  at  Kensington,  when  his 
soldiers  were  cutting  down  all  the  trees  around  them  for  fuel,  placed  a  centinel 
under  Penn's  elm,  to  guard  it  from  injury.  In  1810,  this  tree  was  blown  down 
in  a  gale  of  wind,  when,  on  counting  the  annular  rings,  it  proved  to  be  two  hun- 
dred and  eighty-three  years  of  age,  having  been  one  hundred  and  fifty-five  years 
old  at  the  time  the  treaty  was  signed.  Shortly  after  this  accident  occurred,  a 
large  portion  of  the  tree  was  conveyed  to  the  seat  of  the  representative  of  the  Penn 
family,  at  Stoke,  near  Windsor,  in  England,  where,  it  is  said,  it  still  remains  in 
a  state  of  complete  preservation. 

LIBERTY    TREES. 


(1 


"  When  people  first  thought  of  making  Liberty  a  goddess,"  says  Dr.  Smith, 
and  consecrating  trees  to  her,  we  cannot  say ;  but,  about  the  time  when  the 
troubles  between  the  American  colonies  and  the  mother  country  commenced,  there 
appears  to  have  been  laid,  in  England,  an  unpopular  excise  upon  cider,  and  the 
sufferers  under  the  act  assembled  near  Honiton,  in  Devonshire,  and  appropriated 
an  apple-tree  as  an  altar  at  which  they  might  sacrifice  the  image  of  the  minister 
with  whom  the  act  originated.  It  was  in  imitation  of  this  exhibition,  that,  we 
suppose,  our  revolutionary  Liberty.  Trees  took  their  rise.  The  most  famous 
were  the  ones  at  Boston,  Providence,  Newport  and  New  York.  It  fell  to  the 
native  elm  to  be  selected  for  this  purpose  in  America.  That  which  was  set  apart 
in  Boston,  was  a  wide-spreading  and  beautiful  tree,  which  stood  in  front  of  the 
house  that  now  makes  the  corner  of  Essex  and  Washington  streets,*  opposite 
Boylston  market.  *****  Several  other  large  elms  grew  in  the  vicinity, 
and  our  aged  inhabitants  remember  the  place  by  the  name  of  the  neighbourhood 
of  the  elm-trees.  It  was  on  the  14th  of  August,  1765,  that  this  tree  was  devoted 
to  the  '  Sons  of  Liberty,'  to  expose  on  it  the  effigies  of  the  men  who  had  rendered 
themselves  odious  by  their  agency  in  procuring  or  favouring  the  passage  of  the 
Stamp  Act ;  and,  on  the  11th  of  September  following,  they  fixed  a  copper  plate, 
two  feet  and  a  half,  by  three  feet  and  a  half  in  dimensions  upon  it,  bearing  the 
inscription,  in  gold  letters,  the  tree  of  liberty,  Aug.  14,  1765.  Ever  after,  most 
of  the  popular  meetings  of  the  'Sons  of  Liberty'  were  held  in  the  square  round 
this  tree.  *****  The  British  made  it  an  object  of  ridicule.  The  soldiers 
made  poor  Ditson,  whom  they  tarred  and  feathered,  parade  in  front  of  this  tree, 
before  they  would  let  him  go,  and  one  of  the  greatest  exploits  during  the  siege 
was  the  felling  of  this  famous  eye-sore.     This  was  effected  about  the  last  week 

*  It  was  remarked  by  La  Fayette,  at  the  time  he  visited  Boston,  in  1824,  that  "  The  world  should  never 
forget  the  spot  where  once  stood  the  Liberty  Tree,  so  famous  in  your  annals." 


AMERICAN    ELM.  .-,il7 

in  August,  1775.  One  Job  Williams  was  the  leader  of  the  party  that  accom- 
plished the  feat,  leaving  nothing  but  the  stump  above  ground— the  root  they  could 
not  touch.  One  of  their  comrades  lost  his  life  by  accident  on  the  occasion. 
This  tree  had  been  planted  one  hundred  and  twenty-nine  years,  (according  to  the 
Pemberton  MSS.)  '  in  1646,  and  bore  the  first  fruits  of  Liberty  in  America.'  \\  e 
are  informed  by  an  old  and  reputable  inhabitant,  who  was  present  at  the  tin. 
that  the  tree  when  cut,  made  fourteen  cords  of  wood."  < 

The  Liberty  tree  at  Providence,  in  Rhode  Island,  was  also  an  elm.  and  stood 
in  Olney's  Lane,  in  front  of  a  house  formerly  occupied  as  a  tavern.  It  is  said  to 
have  been  remarkable  for  its  size,  and  served  as  a  point  of  reference  to  strangers 
when  they  arrived  in  the  place.  This  elm  was  dedicated  to  the  "  Sons  of  I  liberty" 
on  Monday,  July  25th,  1768,  when  a  great  concourse  of  people  had  assembled, 
and  an  animated  discourse  was  delivered  from  the  summer-house  in  the  tr<  e,  by 
Mr.  Silas  Downer,  a  member  of  the  bar.  The  people  placing  their  hands  on  the 
tree,  he  pronounced  aloud  the  following  words  : — "We  do.  in  the  name  and  behalf 
of  all  the  true  sons  of  liberty  in  America,  Great  Britain,  Ireland.  Corsica,  or 
wheresoever  they  may  be  dispersed  throughout  the  world,  dedicate  this  tree  of 
liberty.  May  all  our  counsels  and  deliberations,  under  its  venerable  branches  be 
guided  by  wisdom  and  directed  for  the  support  and  maintenance  of  that  liberty 
which  our  forefathers  sought  out  and  found  under  the  trees  in  the  wilderness; 
may  it  long  flourish,  and  may  the  sons  of  liberty  often  repair  hither  to  confirm 
and  strengthen  each  other.  When  they  look  toward  this  sacred  elm,  may  they 
be  penetrated  with  a  sense  of  their  duty  to  themselves  and  their  posterity,  and 
may  they,  like  the  house  of  David,  grow  stronger,  while  their  enemies,  like  the 
house  of  Saul,  shall  grow  weaker  and  weaker — Amen." 

TREES    OF   FRIENDSHIP. 

In  the  town  of  Natick,  in  Massachusetts,  in  front  of  the  residence  of  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Peabody,  successor  to  the  Apostle  Eliot,  near  the  site  of  the  old  Indian 
meeting  house,  there  formerly  stood  two  stately  elms,  which  were  planted  in 
about  the  year  1722.  It  is  related  by  Mr.  John  Welles,  that  a  deputation  of  In- 
dians came  to  their  newly-settled  minister,  bearing  these  trees  upon  their  shoul- 
ders, requesting  permission  to  plant  them  out  before  his  door,  as  a  mark  of  their 
regard,  or  as  the  "Tree  of  Friendship."  These  trees,  it  is  said,  flourished  for 
about  ninety  years,  when  the  larger  one  was  struck  by  lightning,  and  soon 
after  died.  The  other  shortly  after  began  to  decline,  and  subsequently  fell  into 
a  state  of  decay.  The  girth  of  these  trees,  at  a  foot  above  the  ground,  was 
twenty-one  feet,  having  acquired  an  annual  increase  of  trunk  of  about  nine- 
tenths  of  an  inch. 

In  the  year  1752,  Mr.  Peabody  died,  and  the  year  following,  he  was  succ<  • 
by  Rev.  Stephen  Badger,  who,  on  taking  up  his  residence  in  that  vi.inny.  was 
soon  after  visited  by  some 'Indians  of  the  same  tribe,  with  the  request  that  they 
might  also  plant  the  "Tree  of  Friendship"  before  Ins  door.  The  request  was 
granted,  and  two  elm  trees  were  planted,  which  are  still  standing,  in  lull  vigour 
having  attained  about  the  same  dimensions  as  those  planted  m  1  i  22. 

THE    GREAT    ELM    IN    BOSTON. 

The  noble  elm,  which  stands  so  conspicuously  near  the  centre  of  the  Common, 
in  Boston,  and  which  adds  so  much  to  the  picturesque  beauty  of  those  public 

grounds,  is  much  revered  by  the  citizens,  and  usually  attiacts  the  adm.ration  and 

*  Boston  News-Letter  and  City  Record,  Edited  by  Dr.  Jerome  v.  C.  Smith  L  p.  19. 


508  ULMUS   AMERICANA. 

particular  attention  of  strangers.  According  to  a  statement  in  the  "  Boston 
Traveller,"  of  the  20th  of  April,  1844,  it  did  not,  as  many  suppose,  spring  from 
the  soil  on  which  it  now  stands,  but  was  set  out  there  by  Captain  Daniel  Hench- 
man— at  what  time,  we  are  unable  precisely  to  say,  but  believe  it  was  some- 
where about  the  year  1670,  and  therefore  it  is  about  one  hundred  and  seventy- 
five  years  old.  It  was  stated  by  Madam  Scott,  the  widow  of  John  Hancock, 
that  Captain  Henchman  brought  this  tree  from  the  North  End,  and  planted  it  in 
the  place  where  it  now  stands,  on  the  moist  lands  of  the  Common — a  proper 
place  for  an  elm.  In  Whitman's  history  of  the  Ancient  and  Honourable  Artillery 
Company,  we  find  it  stated  that  Captain  Henchman  was  a  school-master  in  Bos- 
ton, from  1666  to  1671.  He  joined  the  Ancient  and  Honourable  Artillery  Company 
in  1675.  "  He  was  a  distinguished  captain  in  King  Philip's  war,  of  a  company 
of  foot,  June  26,  1675,  in  company  with  Captain  Prentice,  with  a  troop  of  horse, 
and  was  the  person  who  set  out  the  great  elm  tree  on  Boston  Common,  for  a 
shade  to  the  military  companies  which  might  exercise  there  in  after  time."  About 
forty-five  years  ago,  this  tree  had  a  large  hollow  in  it,  and  was  apparently  rapidly 
decaying ;  but  by  proper  modes  of  treatment,  which  modern  times  have  discov- 
ered, and  particularly  that  recommended  by  Forsyth,  its  decay  was  arrested,  its 
vigour  restored,  and  it  is  now  apparently  as  flourishing  as  ever,  and  without  any 
appearance  of  the  hollow,  which  was  once  large  enough  for  a  boy  to  hide  him- 
self in. 

The  present  height  of  this  tree,  (April,  1846,)  is  about  sixty-five  feet;  the 
girth  of  its  trunk,  at  a  yard  above  the  ground,  eighteen  feet,  and  the  diameter 
of  its  head,  ninety  feet. 


THE    GREAT    ELM   IN   PITTSFIELD. 

"Wise  with  the  lore  of  centuries, 
What  tales,  if  there  were  tongues  in  trees, 
That  giant  elm  could  tell." 

In  the  centre  of  the  public  square,  in  the  beautiful  town  of  Pittsfield,  in  Mas- 
sachusetts, there  stands  alone,  in  all  its  majesty,  encircled  by  a  new  generation 
of  lesser  trees,  a  venerable  old  elm,  which  measures  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
eight  feet  in  height,  with  a  trunk  thirteen  feet  and  nine  inches  in  circumference, 
at  a  yard  from  the  ground,  and  ninety  feet  to  the  lowermost  limbs.  At  the  time 
the  town  was  first  settled,  nearly  one  hundred  years  ago,  it  was  a  beautiful  tall 
tree,  at  least  a  century  and  a  half  old,  which,  from  the  symmetry  of  its  trunk, 
and  its  palm-like  summit,  was  spared  by  the  woodman's  axe,  while  the  rest  of 
its  forest  brethren  were  felled  to  the  ground.  With  this  much  revered  and  ancient 
tenant  of  the  soil,  there  are  associated  numerous  incidents,  which,  in  themselves, 
would  fill  a  volume  ;  and  it  is  to  be  regretted  that  the  immediate  object  and 
limited  length  of  this  treatise,  prevents  us  from  entering  into  them  in  detail.  It 
was  beneath  the  shade  of  this  tree  that  the  American  troops,  of  that  part  of  Mas- 
sachusetts, at  present  known  as  the  county  of  Berkshire,  and  the  valley  of  the 
Housatunnuk,  were  marshalled,  previous  to  their  march  to  Bunker  Hill.  And 
the  first  agricultural  fair  in  America  was  held,  in  October,  1814,  under  its 
boughs. 

At  the  request  of  a  highly  valued  friend,  we  insert  the  following  spirited 
and  graphic  lines,  by  Mr.  N.  S.  Dodge,  of  Pittsfield,  which  appeared,  a  few 
years  since,  in  the  "  Berkshire  Whig."  Their  intrinsic  merit,  more  especially 
from  the  relation  which  they  bear  to  this  "  primeval  aboriginal  of  the  soil,"  which 
has  been  rocked  by  the  storms  of  centuries,  and  scathed  by  the  thunder's  bolt, 


AMERICAN    ELM. 

tesltidltteSnfT°"d  andfr6Ct  ^nuno,^  may  commend  itse 
taste  and  attention  of  the  many  admirers  of  this  old  and  venerable  friem 

STjbe  33tabe  ©in  32lm. 

Hail  to  the  Elm!  the  brave  old  Elm  ! 

Our  last  lone  forest  tree, 
Whose  limbs  outstand  the  lightning's  brand 

For  a  brave  old  Elm  is  he  ! 
For  fifteen  score  of  full  told  years 

He  has  borne  his  leafv  prime, 
Yet  he  holds  them  well,  and  lives  to  tell 

His  tale  of  the  olden  time! 

Then  hail  to  the  Elm  !  the  green-topp'd  Elm  ' 
And  long  may  his  brandies  wave 

For  a  relic  is  he,  the  gnarl'd  old  tree, 
Of  the  times  of  the  good  and  brave. 

The  weary  hunter  from  the  chase 

Rested  beneath  his  shade  ; 
In  the  twilight  pale  the  lover's  tale 

Was  told  the  dark-hair'd  maid! 
And  gath'ring  from  the  mountain  sides 

When  roused  the  braves  to  war, 
Like  a  banner  he,  the  old  Elm  tree, 

Waved  on  the  sight  afar. 

When  echo  from  the  eastern  heights 

Told  of  old  Bunker's  hill, 
And  mustering  thick,  while  hearts  beat  quick, 

Were  men  of  nerve  and  will. 
The  old  tree  reared  his  crested  top, 

Like  a  warrior  bold  and  free, 
An  emblem  true  to  each  yeoman's  view 

Of  death  or  victory. 

The  good  old  days  of  winter  drear, 

The  sleigh-ride  and  the  ball, 
The  good  old  times,  when  New  Year's  chimes 

Sent  cheer  to  cot  and  hall ; 
When  music  light,  and  glances  bright 

Made  Christmas  evenings  gay, 
He  welcom'd  them,  the  hale  ofd  Elm, 

With  his  branches  sere  and  gray. 

But  they  are  gone,  those  good  old  times, 

No  Christmas  days  remain ; 
Gone  too  each  man  of  the  stalwart  van — 

In  the  churchyard  all  are  lain; 
Each  hoary  head  in  his  narrow  bed 

Hath  gather'd  him  to  rest. 
Yet  still  waveth  he,  the  old  Elm  tree, 

A  canopy  over  the  blest. 

Then  hail  to  the  Elm  !  the  brave  old  Elm  ! 
Our  last  lone  forest  tree ! 

And  long  may  he  wear,  that  his  kindly  care 
O'er  our  children's  children  be  I 

To  the  extreme  regret  of  the  citizens  of  Pittsfield,  especially  of  those  who  were 
born  under  its  shade,  this  tree  was  struck  by  lightning  on  the  3Uth  of  June,  1841, 
by  which  a  broad  strip  of  bark  was  rent  from  the  entire  length  of  tin*  trunk. 
Measures  were  immediately  taken  to  repair  the  injury,  by  the  application  of  ;i 
plastic  compound,  but  some  of  the  branches  begin  to  exhibit  marks  "I  decay, 
and  it  is  feared  that  this  noble  relic  of  antiquity  is  fast  approaching  its  final  dis- 
solution. 

THE    HATFIELD    ELM. 

The  largest  Ulmus  americana  we  have  on  record,  stood,  until  a  few  years 
since,  in  the  town  of  Hatfield,  in  Massachusetts,  near  the  river  Connecticut. 
The  girth  of  its  trunk,  at  a  yard  above  the  ground,  was  thirty-four  feet,  and 
twenty-four  and  a  half  feet  at  five  feet  above.  There  was  a  cut  in  the  trunk 
about  four  feet  above  the  ground,  which  popular  tradition  says  was  made  by 
the  tomahawk  of  an  Indian,  for  the  greatest  use  of  the  water  ever  known  in 
the  above-named  river. 


510  ULMUS   AMERICANA. 


THE    GREAT    ELM    AT    JOHNSTOWN. 

At  Johnstown,  near  Providence,  in  Rhode  Island,  there  is  an  American  elm, 
with  a  trunk  twenty-four  feet  and  three  inches  in  circumference  at  two  feet  above 
the  ground,  twenty-one  feet  and  eight  inches  at  a  yard  above,  and  holds  nearly 
the  same  size  for  twelve  feet.  The  trunk  divides  into  eight  main  branches, 
which  extend  themselves  into  a  broad,  spreading  summit. 

THE    WASHINGTON    ELM. 

In  the  city  of  Cambridge,  in  Massachusetts,  there  stands,  in  the  vicinity  of 
Harvard  University,  a  beautiful  elm,  named  after  General  Washington,  which 
has  a  trunk  thirteen  feet  and  three  inches  in  circumference,  and  is  estimated  to 
be  one  hundred  and  thirty  years  of  age.  It  is  said  that  the  "celebrated  Whit- 
field, when  excluded  from  the  pulpits  of  the  town  and  college,  preached  under  the 
shade  of  this  tree  in  the  summer  of  1744.* 

Soil,  Propagation,  fyc.  The  Ulmus  americana  delights  in  low  and  humid 
situations,  such  as  the  rich  bottoms  or  interval  lands  along  the  banks  of  rivers 
and  streams,  or  on  the  borders  of  swamps,  where  the  soil  is  deep  and  fertile.  It 
will  grow,  however,  on  any  soil  that  is  not  too  dry  and  barren,  and  in  any  situ- 
tion  within  its  natural  limits,  how  much  soever  exposed.  The  propagation  and 
management  of  this  species,  and  those  of  the  European  elm,  are  nearly  the  same, 
and  consequently  need  not  be  repeated  heie. 

Accidents,  Insects,  fyc.  The  American  elm  is  subject  to  but  few  diseases,  and 
is  not  very  liable  to  accidents,  except  in  being  sometimes  prostrated  by  violent 
winds.  But,  unfortunately,  the  foliage  of  this  noble  tree  serves  as  food  for  sev- 
eral kinds  of  insects,  or  their  larvae,  while  its  bark  and  wood  are  pierced  by 
others  for  the  purpose  of  making  provision  for  their  young.  Among  the  latter 
class  may  be  mentioned  the  pigeon  tremex,  (Tremex  columba,)  which  pierces 
the  tree  half  an  inch  or  more  in  depth,  wherein  she  deposits  her  eggs.  The 
body  of  the  female  is  described,  by  Dr.  Harris,  as  "cylindrical,  about  as  thick  as 
a  common  lead-pencil,  and  an  inch  and  a  half,  or  more,  in  length,  exclusive  of 
the  borer,  which  is  an  inch  long,  and  projects  three-eighths  of  an  inch  beyond 
the  end  of  the  body.  The  latter  rounds  upwards,  like  the  stem  of  a  boat,  and  is 
armed  with  a  point,  or  short  horn.  The  head  and  the  thorax,  are  rust-coloured, 
varied  with  black.  The  abdomen,  or  hinder  and  longest  part  of  the  body,  is 
black,  with  seven  ochre-yellow  bands  across  the  back,  all  of  them  but  the  first 
two  interrupted  in  the  middle.  The  horned  tail,  and  a  round  spot  before  it,  im- 
pressed as  if  with  a  seal,  are  ochre-yellow.  The  antennae  are  rather  short  and 
blunt,  rust-coloured,  with  a  broad,  black  ring  in  the  middle.  The  wings  expand 
two  inches  and  a  quarter,  or  more ;  they  are  smoky-brown,  and  semi-transparent. 
The  legs  are  ochre-yellow,  with  blackish  thighs.  The  borer,  awl,  or  needle,  is 
as  thick  as  a  bristle,  spear-pointed  at  the  end,  and  of  a  black  colour ;  it  is  con- 
cealed, when  not  in  use,  between  two  narrow,  rust-colored  side-pieces,  forming  a 
kind  of  scabbard  to  it."  The  male,  continues  the  same  author,  "is  extremely 
unlike  the  female,  in  colour,  form  and  size,  and  is  not  furnished  with  the  remarka- 
ble borer  of  the  other  sex.  He  is  rust-coloured  variegated  with  black.  His 
antennae  are  rust-yellow,  or  blackish.  His  wings  are  smoky,  but  clearer  than 
those  of  the  female.  His  hind-body  is  somewhat  flattened,  rather  widest  behind, 
and  ends  with  a  conical  horn.  His  hind-legs  are  flattened,  much  wider  than 
those  of  the  female,  and  of  a  blackish  colour;  the  other  legs  are  rust-coloured, 

*  North  American  Review. 


AMERICAN   ELM.  511 

and  more  or  less  shaded  with  black.     The  length  of  his  body  varies  from  thi 
quarters  of  an  inch  to  one  inch  and  a  quarter;  and  Ins  wings  expand  from  one 
inch  and  a  quarter  to  two  inches,  or  more.     *****     The   female,  when 
about  to  lay  her  eggs,  draws  her  borer  out  of  its  sheath,  till  it  stands  perpendicu- 
larly under  the  middle  of  the  body,  when  she  plunges  it.  by  repeated  wriggling 
motions,  through  the  bark  into  the  wood.     When  the  hole  is  made  deep  enough, 
she  then  drops  an  egg  therein,  conducting  it  to  the  place  by  means  of  the  two  fur- 
rowed pieces  of  the  sheath.    The  borer  often  pierces  the  bark  and  wood  to  the  depth 
of  half  an  inch,  or  more,  and  is  sometimes  driven  in  so  tightly,  that  the  insect 
cannot  draw  it  out  again,  but  remains  fastened  to  the  tree  till  she  dies.    Th< 
are  oblong-oval,  pointed  at  each  end,  and  rather  less  than  one-twentieth  of  an 
inch  in  length.     The  larva  or  grub,  is  yellowish-white,  of  a  cylindrical  shape, 
rounded  behind,  with  a  conical,  horny  joint,  on  the  upper  part  of  the  hinder 
extremity,  and  it  grows  to  the  length  of  about  an  inch  and  a  half.     It  is  often 
destroyed  by  the  maggots  of  two  kinds  of  ichneumon-flies  (Pimpla  atrata,  and 
lunator,  of  Fabricius.)     These  flies  may  frequently  be  seen  thrusting  their  slen- 
der borers,  measuring  from  three  to  four  inches  in  length,  into  the  trunks  of  tn 
inhabited  by  the  grubs  of  the  tremex,  and  by  other  wood-eating  insects:  and 
like  the  female  tremex,  they  sometimes  become  fastened  to  the  trees,  and  die. 
without  being  able  to  draw  their  borers  out  again."*     Among  the  lepidopterous 
larvae  that  attack  the  elm,  are  those  of  the  four-horned  ceratomia,  (Ceratomia  <//<tt<l- 
ricomis,  of  Harris,)  and  those  of  several  species  of  Geometridte.  such  as  span- 
worms,  loopers,  measurers,  etc.,  including  those  of  the  lime-tree  winter-moth, 
(Hybemia  tiliaria,  of  Harris,)  and  the  common  canker-worm  {Phdlana  vernata, 
of  Peck.)     The  leaves  of  this  tree  are  also  preyed  upon  by  a  coleopterous  beetle 
and  its  larvae,  (Chrysomela  scalaris,  of  Le  Conte,)  and  likewise  by  the  Ian-;"  of 

'  Junbex 
)r.  Har 
..  period  . 

which  come  to  their  growth  in  August,  measure  from  an  inch  to  an  inch  ami  a 
half  in  length,  are  rather  thick  and  cylindrical  in  their  form,  and  have  twenty- 
two  legs,  or  a  pair  to  every  ring,  except  the  fourth.  They  have  a  firm,  r 
skin,  of  a  pale,  greenish-yellow  colour,  covered  with  numerous  transverse  wrin- 
kles, with  a  black  stripe,  consisting  of  two  narrow  black  lines,  along  the  top  ot 
the  back,  from  the  head  to  the  tail;  and  their  spiracles,  or  breathing-holes,  are 
also  black.  When  at  rest,  they  lie  on  their  sides,  curled  up  in  a  spiral  form,  and. 
in  this  position,  look  not  much  unlike  some  kinds  ol  cockle  or  snail  shells.  I  M 
all  the  false  caterpillars  of  the  genus  cimbex,  this  insect,  when  handled  or  dis- 
turbed, betrays  its  fears  or  its  displeasure  by  spirting  out  a  watery  fluid  from  cer- 
tain little  pores,  situated  on  the  sides  of  its  body,  just  above  its  spiracles.  Uter 
its  feeding  state  is  over,  it  crawls  down  from  the  tree  to  the  ground,  and  conceals 
itself  under  fallen  leaves  or  other  rubbish,  and  there  makes  an  oblong-oval,  bro 


not 


cocoon,  very  closely  woven,  as  tough  as  parchment,  and  about  an  men  ,n  ength 
In  this  the  false  caterpillar  remains  unchanged  throughout  the  winter  and  is  no 
transformed  to  a  chrysalis  till  the  following  spring.  At  length  toeinsect  burst 
its  chrvsalis  skin  and,  by  pushing  against  the  end  of  its  cocoon,  fort  es  oil  a  Utth 
SStoR"  M,  through  the  opening  thus  mad.  ,t  comes  forth  >n  a 

Wlpfotfr^s\nd  Uses     The  wood  of  the  Ulmus  americana,  like  that  of  the 
Eiuouean  dm    s  of  a  dark-brown  colour,  and  is  liable  to  decay  when  erDOsed  to 

to  the  longitudinal  fibres,  it  exhibits  the  same  numerous  and  flne  unduh 


ation- 


♦  Report  on  the  Insects  of  Massachusetts,  pp.  389,  390,  ct  391.  t  Ibidem,  p. 


512  ULMUS    AMERICANA. 

bat  it  splits  more  easily,  and  has  less  compactness,  hardness,  and  strength, 
weighing,  when  perfectly  dry,  only  thirty-three  pounds  to  a  cubic  foot.  The 
principal  uses  to  which  this  timber  is  applied,  are  for  making  naves  or  hubs  to 
wheels,  for  piles  and  foundation  pieces  to  mills,  canal  locks,  and  for  many  other 
purposes  where  strength  is  required,  and  the  work  is  cor.  stantly  buried  in  water 
or  mnd.  In  the  state  of  Maine,  it  is  occasionally  employed  for  the  keels  to 
vessels,  for  which  purpose  it  is  well  adapted  on  account  of  its  size.  It  is  also 
employed  for  the  swingle-trees  of  the  carriages  of  great  guns ;  and  in  some  parts 
>f  the  country,  where  more  appropriate  wood  is  not  to  be  found,  it  is  used  for 
making  ox-yokes,  sleds,  and  other  implements  of  husbandry.  The  bark,  which 
is  easily  detached  from  the  tree  during  eight  months  of  the  year,  is  sometimes 
used  for  making  bast-mats,  ropes,  or  withes,  and  for  the  bottoms  of  chairs.  The 
wood,  when  dry,  makes  excellent  fuel,  and  when  burned,  yields  a  brge  propor- 
tion of  ashes,  which  abound  in  alkaline  salts.  In  Canada,  and  in  the  northern 
parts  of  the  states  of  Maine,  New  Hampshire,  Vermont,  and  New  York,  a  profit- 
able business  is  followed,  especially  in  connection  with  clearing  the  forests,  in  pre- 
paring the  salts  of  ley,  for  the  manufacture  of  potash.  The  method  generally  adopted 
for  procuring  these  salts,  is  detailed  by  Gosse,  in  his  "  Canadian  Naturalist,"  as  fol- 
lows : — "  One  man,  or  more  commonly  two,  go  into  the  woods  with  holders,  and  a 
kettle  or  large  caldron,  and  make  a  kind  of  camp,  very  much  like  a  sugar  camp. 
As  winter  is  the  usual  season  of  operation,  they  often  make  a  rude  hut,  or  some 
little  protection  from  the  cold.  They  commence  their  business  by  felling  such  trees 
in  the  neighbourhood  as  suit  their  purpose;  unless  they  have  another  object  in 
view,  the  clearing  of  the  land  for  cultivation,  in  which  case,  they  cut,  and  burn 
indiscriminately,  all  the  timber,  except  such  as  is  saved  for  some  peculiar  pur- 
pose, such  as  cedar  for  fencing,  &c.  Having  cut  enough  to  begin,  and  divided  it 
into  logs,  they  pile  them  on  one  another  by  rolling  them  up  an  inclined  plane, 
made  by  stakes  from  the  lower  logs  to  the  ground.  They  then  fill  the  interstices 
with  dry  brush,  seasoned  wood,  &c,  and  set  fire  to  the  whole,  taking  care  to 
have  sufficient  wood  that  will  burn  to  consume  that  which  would  not  burn  with- 
out assistance.  The  ashes  are  collected  from  time  to  time,  and  put  into  a  holder, 
shaped  like  an  inverted  cone,  with  the  bottom  open ;  a  little  straw  is  placed  over 
the  hole  at  the  bottom,  a  receiver  placed  beneath,  and  water  poured  on  the  ashes, 
the  water  filters  through,  and  runs  into  the  receiver,  having  extracted  the  alkali 
contained  in  the  ashes,  which  stains  it  of  a  dark  colour,  like  that  of  brandy. 
This  is  called  lye,  or  ley,  and  is  boiled  down  till  the  water  is  evaporated,  and  the 
alkali  is  left,  which  is  the  potash  in  a  very  impure  state ;  it  is  of  a  black  colour, 
and  is  called  salts  of  ley.  This  is  sold  to  those  who  keep  a  potashery  where  it 
is  cleansed  from  its  impurities,  I  believe,  by  burning  in  a  furnace,  and  becomes 
the  potash  of  commerce." 

As  a  picturesque  tree,  the  American  elm,  in  woodland  scenes,  is  rarely  sur- 
passed by  its  forest  brethren,  in  point  of  beauty,  or  of  size.  When  standing  in  a 
wood,  in  a  soil  it  loves,  it  naturally  grows  upright,  and  rises  higher  than  a  gen- 
erality of  other  trees ;  and,  when  standing  insulated  and  alone,  in  a  newly-cleared 
field,  with  its  top  decayed  and  dead,  save  here  and  there  a  small  tuft  of  leaves, 
stretching  forth  its  naked  and  withered  arms,  it  forms  a  striking  emblem  of  the 
aged  patriarch,  who  has  outlived  all  his  fellows,  and  is  a  stranger  in  the  land 
which  gave  him  birth,  in  whom  death  is  already  struggling  with  life,  and  will 
soon  gain  the  ascendency.  But  when  cultivated  or  grown  in  a  pasture  or  in  the 
lawn  standing  in  lonely  majesty,  towering  to  the  height  of  a  hundred  feet,  with 
its  lowermost  limbs  diverging  outward  and  upwards,  at  a  few  yards  above  the 
ground,  and  afterwards  dividing,  and  sub-dividing  into  numerous  smaller  ramifi- 
cations, and  diffusing  on  all  sides  its  pendulous  branchlets,  floating  lightly  in  the 
air,  it  forms  an  object  of  dignity  and  grandeur.     This  tree,  too,  is  among  the  first 


AMERICAN   ELM.  513 

to  salute  the  early  spring  with  its  light  and  cheerful  green,  which,  though  dis- 
cordant at  first  with  the  gloomy  hue  of  the  pines  and  firs,  partakes  of  a  darker  tint. 
as  the  season  advances,  and  unites  in  harmony  with  their  unchanged  boughs.     In 
autumn,  also,  before  the  nightly  frosts  and  chilly  winds  have  done  their  work, 
the  bright  golden  foliage  of  the  elm  kindly  mixes  with  the  various  hues  of  the 
poplar  and  the  maples,  which  display  all  shades  of  red,  from  the  deepest  crimson 
to  the  brightest  orange;  a  tint  that  contrasts  agreeably,  at  this  season,  with  the 
pale-yellow,  sober  foliage  of  the  birch  and  the  beech,  with  the  different  shades  of 
brown  in  the  bass-wood  and  the  ash,  or  with  the  buff-yellow  of  the  larch.     Th* 
beech,  the  ash,  and  the  larch,  however,  do  not,  in  general,  take  much  part  in  this 
gorgeous  pageant.     The  ash  is  chiefly  leafless  at  this  time,  and  its  glory  has 
passed  away  before  the  other  two  have  scarcely  begun  to  fade.    Indeed,  "  the 
glossy  green  of  the  beech  is  perhaps  more  effective  than  if  it  partook  of  the  gen- 
eral change ;  and  even  the  gloomy  blackness  of  the  resiniferous  trees,  by  reliev- 
ing and  throwing  forward  the  gayer  tints,  is  not  without  effect." 

In  America,  particularly  in  New  England,  the  elm  is  very  generally  adopted 
as  an  ornamental  tree  for  lining  streets,  high-ways,  &c,  and  as  such,  there  are 
but  few  others  more  appropriate. 

65 


Genus  PLANERA,   Gmel. 


L_na :  e  -  -  -  .TgnTTiia  Monaecia ;  or  Tetr-Pent-andria  Digynia. 

Synonymcs. 

Or  Authors  . 


Jikob  Planer,  professor  of  botany  it  Erftrrth.  who  pub 

Generic  Character*  Sexes  polygamous,  or  each  in  a  distinct  flower:  in  each  case  upon  the  same  plant. 
C  i  yx  of  female  and  bisexual  flowers  bell-shaped,  distinct  from  the  OTary.  membranous,  green,  of  one 
piece,  but  having  5  dilate  lobes.  Stamens,  in  the  bisexual  flower.  4 — 5,  less  developed  than  those  in 
the  male  flower.    On  St  grass  -    sess        diverging,  white,  pimpled.     Fruit 

roundish,  gibbous,  poimei  toy,  --celled,  each  cell  containing  1-seed.  Calyx  ::"  male  flower  as  in  the 
female  and  bisexual  flowf  r;  Stamens  4 — 5.  inserted  near  the  centre  of  the  bottom  of  the  calyx,  and 
:;.;.■  -  "  •  -  Az:i?rs  reaekmg  i  Bttk  beyond the  lobes  :.  the  :i.yx .  ':  kbe  mtwaidty  ::  the 
filamen:     :  -  I : bes  that  seem  as  -.   indS        -  -d  lengthwise.    In  P.  gmeiim 

ulrnifoha.)  the  fruits  are  in  heads  ;  and  in  P.  richardii.  nearly  sohtary.  Leaves  alternate,  and  more 
or  less  orate  and  toothed ;  feather-veined  and  annual ;  and  the  flowers,  small,  and  not  showy.  P.  rich- 
ardii has  stipules,  which  are  ..:.  pointed,  villous,  and  soon  fall  off. — Adapted,  frowi  Turpi*,  Mi- 
ckata,  and  London. 

,HE  genus  Planera  embraces  deciduous  trees  and  shrubs,  natives  of 
western  Asia,  and  of  North  America :  quite  hardy  in  Britain,  and 
in  the  middle  states  of  the  American  union,  and  are  readily  propa- 
gated by  grafting  on  the  elm.  by  layers,  and  cuttings  of  the  roots. 
or  from  seeds,  in  any  common  soil.  There  are  at  least  two  spe- 
cies in  this  genus,  the  zelkoua-tree.  (Planera  richardii.)  and 
Gmelin's  planera  (Planera  ulrnifoha.)  The  former  is  a  beautiful  lofty  tree. 
growing  to  a  height  of  seventy  or  eighty  feet,  native  of  the  country  between  the 
Black  and  Caspian  Seas,  particularly  of  Imiretta  and  Mingrelia :  also  of  the  north 
of  Persia,  and  of  Georgia.  It  is  distinguished  by  its  shining-green,  broadly 
crenulated  leaves.  ::s  smooth,  greenish  trunk,  and  somewhat  resembles  the 
beech,  except  that  its  branches  are  more  numerous,  and  grow  more  erect.  Both 
the  sap-wood  and  the  heart- wood  of  the  zelkoua  are  employed  as  timber  for  the 
same  purposes  as  the  oak.  The  heart-wood,  when  cut  obliquely,  resernb.es  that 
of  the  robinia.  and  like  that  wood,  presents  numerous  interlacements  of  fibre. 
It  is  very  heavy,  and  when  dry.  becomes  so  extremely  hard,  that  it  is  difficult 
to  penetrate  it  with  nails.  It  has.  also,  the  great  advantage  of  never  becoming 
worm-eaten,  however  old  it  may  be.  It  is  remarkably  durable  as  posts,  to  stand 
either  in  water  or  in  the  earth-  The  largest  recorded  tree  of  this  species,  in  Eu- 
rope, is  on  the  estate  of  M.  le  Compte  de  Dijon,  at  Podenas.  near  Xerac.  in 
France,  in  the  department  of  the  Lot  et  Garonne.  It  was  planted  in  17S9  :  and 
on  the  29th  of  January.  1831,  it  measured  nearly  eighty  feet  in  height,  with  a 
trunk  three  feet  in  diameter,  at  a  yard  above  the  ground.  The  Planera  richardii 
5  first  introduced  into  Britain  in  about  the  year  176'J.  and  planted  in  the  gar- 
dens ai  >yon  and  at  Kew.  in  which  there  are  specimens  exceeding  fifty  feet  in 
height.  The  zelkoua  or  zelkona.  was  introduced  into  the  United  States  in  1 7^4. 
by  the  late  William  Hamilton,  at  the  Woodlands,  near  Philadelphia,  where  there 
are  five  beautiful  fasti giate-gro wing  trees,  from  forty-five  to  fifty  or  more  feet  in 
heisht.  with  trunks  from  eighteen  inches  to  two  feet  in  diameter. 


Planera  ulmifo' 

THE  ELM-LEAVED  PLANERA. 


Planera  gwulini, 

Planera  a  feuiBes  d'orme, 
Clmenblittriare  Planera. 
Planera  a  fogiie  di  olmo, 

ah's  Planera,  Planer-tree. 


-•" """.:.  .-...-  .1-   ;    .--i 


;  i^ 


Bai±  -  K--.--Aire»«P» 


iT'.s  "-T.T: 


N:r.i 


=       - 


ir  ._:; 


Specific  Characters.    Flowers  in  heads,  opening  befiite  tte  leaves,  and  borne  on 
developed  in  some  year  previous.    Leaves  with  obvious  petioles,  disk 

:  1  —     :  _  1   :  r 


VI     JH 


Description. 

Si^TpHE  P.?.neratLmifolia  is  a  ".     ■        rub 
5^  -  H  i^  or  low  tree,  growing  to  a  heisht  of 
§ !    J    H  twentv  to  fortv  feet,  with  a    r 
*?•?  x r.-J  : ." :  m  twelve  to  fifteen  inches  in  diam- 
eter.    The  leaves  are  about  an  inch  and  a  half  Ions,  oval- 
acuminare.  denticulated,  of  a  lively  sreen  on  the  upper  sur- 
face, and  gray  beneath,  much  resemblinz  those  of  the  Ulmus 
campes::.?   except  in  being  serrated  with  equal  teeth.     The 
flowers,  which  appear  early,  and  before  the  leaves,  occur  at  the 
ends  of  the  branches,  in  globose  heads,  and  upon  very  short 
foot-stalks.     They  are  small,  of  a  greenish-brown  colour,  and  are  not  all  const 
uous.     The  fruit,  which  is     ...ill.  oval,  inflated,  and  rough,  becomes  brown  before 
the  fall  of  the  leaves,  and  contains  minute  seeds. 

Geography. ,  $mc.     This  species  is  a  native    :>:::'.  A.:.--  '.ere  it  is  found 

in  Kentucky,  Tennessee,  the  country  bordering  on  the  M  and  through- 

out most  ::"  the  s  "iihem  states,  particularly  in  the  large  swamps  on  the  bore 
of  the  river  Savannah,  in  Georgia.     It  was  introduced  into  Britain  in  1S16.  but 
is  rare  in  collections:  thoush  it  might  readily  be  multiplied  b     _       .ng  on  the 
elm. 

Properties  and  Uses.    The  wood  of  the  Planera  ulmifolia.  according  to  Mkhaux. 
is  hard,  strong,  and  seeminsly  proper  for  various  uses :  but.  as  it  is  somew 
rare,  and  rather  limited  in  its  growth  it  is  not  appropriated  to  any  particular 
in  the  arts. 


Genus   CELTIS,    Toum. 

Ulmaceae.  Polygamia  Monoecia ;  or  Pentandria  Digynia. 

Syst.  Nat.  Syst.  Lin. 

Derivation.    The  word  Celtis  is  one  of  the  names  anciently  given  to  the  lotus,  and  is  said  to  refer  to  the  European  nettle- 
tree,  (Celtis  australis,)  haying  been  known  to  the  ancient  Celts. 

Cmerk  Characters.  Flowers  borne  upon  the  shoots  of  the  year,  axillary  ;  either  solitary,  or  2 — 3  together, 
each,  in  any  case,  upon  a  peduncle  ;  or  from  2  to  many,  in  a  raceme  or  panicle ;  in  the  kinds  hardy  in 
Britain,  the  flowers  are  protruded  just  previously  to  the  leaves  to  which  they,  or  the  fruits,  are  after- 
wards axillary ;  bisexual,  or  less  commonly,  by  the  imperfection  of  the  pistil,  only  male  in  effect ;  both 
kinds  upon  one  plant,  and  when  they  occur  in  the  same  raceme,  the  latter  are  the  lower.  Calyx  bell- 
shaped,  distinct  from  the  ovary,  5 — 6-parted,  the  segments  imbricate  in  aestivation.  Stamens  5 — 6, 
inserted  into  the  base  of  the  calyx,  oppositely  to  its  lobes,  and  they  are  shorter  than  the  lobes.  Fila- 
ments at  first  incurved.  Anthers  cordate -acuminate ;  the  cells  2,  opening  at  the  sides.  Ovary  ovate, 
1-celled.  Stigmas  2,  sessile,  acuminate,  long,  spreading  or  recurved,  downy  or  glanded,  simple  or  2- 
parted.  Fruit  a  drupe,  sub-globose.  Ovule  and  seed,  each  1,  and  pendulous.  Embryo  sickle-shaped, 
its  radicle  uppermost ;  traces  of  sub-gelatinous  albumen  are  between  the  cotyledons.  Leaves  alternate, 
in  2  ranks,  ovate  and  pointed,  unequal  at  the  base,  serrate ;  rough  on  the  upper  surface,  apparently 
from  the  callous  bases  and  remains  of  bristles ;  annual  in  the  hardy  kinds,  in  Britain,  and  these  have 
the  primary  veins  forming  but  a  small  angle  with  the  midrib,  and  extending  through  a  considerable 
portion  of  the  length  of  the  disk.  Stipules  lanceolate,  soon  falling  off.  Leaves  in  the  bud  not  folded,  but 
plaited,  with  scales  present  between  leaf  and  leaf.  Fleshy  part  of  the  fruit  eatable,  but  small  in  quan- 
tity.— Loudon,  Arboretum,  from  Nees  Von  Esenbeck,  Sprengel,  and  Others. 

^HE  genus  Celtis  is  composed  of  handsome  trees  and  shrubs,  natives 
of  Europe,  northern  Africa,  the  Levant,  China,  India,  North  and 
South  America,  the  West  Indies,  &c.  Most  of  them  have  spread- 
ing heads  and  slender  branchlets,  covered  with  tough  fibrous  bark 
of  the  nature  of  hemp,  varying  in  size  and  foliage,  bearing  small 
edible  fruit,  which  is  remarkably  sweet,  and  is  said  to  be  whole- 
some. The  most  noted  species  are  the  European  nettle-tree,  (Celtis  australis,) 
and  the  North  American  nettle-tree  (Celtis  occidentalis.)  The  former  is  a 
deciduous  tree,  native  of  both  shores  of  the  Mediterranean,  and  is  particularly 
abundant  throughout  the  whole  of  the  south  of  France,  Spain,  and  Italy,  and 
is  distinguished  by  its  long,  slender,  flexible  branches,  with  a  grayish  bark, 
spotted  with  white,  and  slightly  covered,  at  the  extremities,  with  down.  The 
leaves  are  of  a  dark-green,  marked  strongly  by  the  nerves  on  the  lower  side, 
and,  when  young,  are  covered  with  a  yellowish  pubescence.  They  are  oval- 
lanceolate,  terminating  in  a  point  at  the  summit,  and  at  the  base,  with  one  side 
prolonged  down  to  the  petiole.  The  flowers,  which  are  small,  greenish,  and 
inconspicuous,  are  produced  at  the  same  time  as  the  leaves.  The  fruit,  which  is 
blackish,  when  ripe,  and  resembles  a  small,  withered,  wild  cherry,  is  said  not  to 
become  edible  till  the  appearance  of  the  first  frost ;  and  remains  upon  the  tree 
until  the  following  spring.  It  is  remarkably  sweet,  and  is  supposed  to  have  been 
the  lotus  of  the  ancients,  the  food  of  the  Lotophagi,  which  Herodotus,  Dioscor- 
ides,  and  Theophrastus  describe  as  sweet,  pleasant,  and  wholesome;  and  which, 
Homer  says,  was  so  delicious  as  to  make  those  who  ate  of  it,  forget  their  coun- 
try. This  tree  is  much  used  in  the  north  of  Italy,  and  in  the  south  of  France, 
for  planting  squares  and  public  walks,  where  it  is  frequently  to  be  found  from 
forty  to  fifty,  and  even  seventy  feet  in  height.  The  wood  is  extremely  compact, 
ranking  between  that  of  the  live  oak  and  the  box,  for  hardness  and  density,  and 
'•onsequently  is  applicable  to  a  great  variety  of  purposes  in  the  arts. 

All  the  species  will  grow  in  a  rather  moist  soil,  and  may  be  propagated  by  lay- 
ers, and  in  most  cases  from  seeds. 


Celtis  occidentalism 
THE  AMERICAN  NETTLE-TREE. 

Synonrjmes. 


Celtis  occidentalis, 

Micocoulier  d'occident,  Micocoulier  de 
Virginie,  Micocoulier  des  Antilles,  Tro- 
phus  d'Amerique,  Bois-ramon, 

Abendlandischer  Ziirgel, 

Celto  occidentale, 

Bois  inconnu, 

North  American  Nettle-tree, 

American  Nettle-tree,  Sugar  Berry-tree, 


Linn-eus,  Species  Plantarum. 
Michaux,  North  American  Sylva. 
Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicuin. 

France. 

Germany. 

Italy. 

French  Illinois. 

Britain. 

United  States. 


Derivations.    The  specific  name  occidentalis  is  derived  from  the  Latin  occido,  to  set,  or  go  down  ;  twin?  reference  to  this 
tree  as  growing  in  a  direction,  from  Europe,  towards  the  setting  sun.    The  appellation  Nettle-tree  relates  to  the  similarity  of 
the  leaves  of  this  tree  to  those  of  some  kinds  of  nettle  (Urtica.)    This  species  is  called  Sugar  Berry,  from  the  iwaetnc 
the  fruit. 

Engravings.    Michaux,  North  American  Sylva,  pi.  114;  Loudon,  Arboretum  Britannicum,  vii.,  pi.  243  et  249;  and  tha 

figures  below. 

Specific  Characters.    Leaves  alternate,  ovate-acuminate  ;  in  the  acuminate  part,  and  at  the  base,  entire  ; 
in  the  interval  on  each  side,  serrate;  base  acute,  oblique,  unequal;  glabrous  on  the  upper  surface, 
pubescent  beneath,  and  marked  with  conspicuous  veins.     Flowers  solitary ;  in  the  lower  part  of  the 
branch,  3  in  an  axil ;  in  the  upper  part,  1  only  in  the  axil.    Fruit  solitary,  axillary,  on  pedicels  sub 
equal  or  shorter  than  the  petioles ;  globular,  obscurely  purple  or  red. 


Description. 

g^^ilHE  Celtis  occidentalis 
L1  H  1*4  is  a  large  tree,  varying 
J    |fin   height   from    thirty 
to  seventy  feet,  with  a 


I,  ,j  _     j  ^  ,  U1AK9  V"1  "\»V  KSWJtOJ  ^  I 

trunk  from  eighteen  inches  to  four  feet  or  more 
in  diameter.  Its  branches  are  numerous  and 
slender,  and  the  limbs  originate  at  small  dis-  j- , 
tances  from  the  ground,  and  seek  a  horizontal  X\~~\ 
or  an  inclined  direction.  The  bark  of  the  trunk 
is  rough,  and  that  of  the  secondary  branches 
smooth  and  even.  The  branchlets  are  angu- 
lar, pubescent,  but  not  dotted.  The  leaves, 
when  young,  are  ovate-lanceolate,  and  some- 
what downy.  When  adult,  they  are  broadly 
ovate-acuminate,  about  three  inches  long,  oval- 
oblique  or  acute  at  the  base,  very  acuminate  at 
the  summit,  and  distinctly  toothed  in  their  cen- 
tral margins.  Their  colour  is  a  beautiful  dark 
green,  smooth  or  slightly  rough  on  the  upper  surface,  and  hairy  OX  pubescent 
beneath,  with  numerous  prominent  veins.  They  may  readily  be  distinguished 
from  those  of  the  European  species,  by  being  larger,  ol  a  ighter  and  more  shining 
green,  and  by  their  dying  off  earlier,  with  a  brighter  yellow  hue,  1  he  Bo*  i 
which  put  forth  in  March,  April,  or  May,  are  very  small,  white,  and  are  suc- 
ceeded by  purplish-red  drupes,  of  a  round  form,  and  about  the  Size  ol  a   Wild 


5  IS  CELTIS    OCCIDENTALS. 

cherry.     When  ripe,  it  is  rather  fleshy,  very  sweet,  and,  like  that  of  the  Celtis 
anstralis,  of  Europe,  becomes  shrivelled,  and  of  a  brownish  or  blackish  cast. 

Varieties.  The  trees  belonging  to  the  genus  celtis,  like  those  of  pyrus,  fraxinus, 
ulmus,  and  others,  from  the  similarity  of  their  habits,  and  their  apparent  apti- 
tude to  sport  by  the  influences  of  soil,  climate,  &c.,  it  seems  to  us,  are  subject  to 
similar  variations,  and  consequently  should  be  reduced  in  the  number  of  theii 
species.  We  have  accordingly,  for  the  sake  of  brevity,  and  the  convenience  of 
classification,  brought  all  the  North  American  kinds,  including  those  usually 
regarded  as  species  by  botanists,  under  one  head,  and  have  considered  them  only 
as  varieties  of  the  Celtis  occidentalis.  Those,  however,  who  differ  from  us,  in 
opinion,  will  find  no  difficulty  in  recognizing  among  our  synonymes,  the  names, 
as  given  by  Michaux.  Nuttall,  Loudon,  and  others,  whereby  they  will  be  enabled 
to  know  under  what  head  they  are  described  in  the  works  of  these  authors. 

1.  C.  o.  longifolia.  Loner-leaved  American  Nettle-tree;  Celtis  longifolia,  of 
Nuttall ;  Micocoidier  a  longues  feuilles,  of  the  French  ;  Langbldttriger  Zurgel, 
of  the  Germans ;  a  fine  shady  tree,  sometimes  attaining  the  height  of  sixty  or 
seventy  feet,  native  of  Missouri,  Arkansas,  Louisiana,  and  Texas.  The  branches, 
when  young,  are  tomentose,  but  become  dotted  and  smooth  with  age.  The 
leaves  are  broadly  ovate-lanceolate,  entire,  gradually  acute,  oblique  and  une- 
qual at  the  base,  from  two  inches  to  three  inches  and  a  half  in  length,  and 
from  one  inch  to  an  inch  and  a  half  wide,  and  smooth  on  both  surfaces.  The 
flowers,  which  come  out  in  March  or  April,  with  the  unfolding  of  the  leaves,  are 
small,  of  a  greenish  colour,  and  are  succeeded  by  small  brownish-yellow  berries 

2.  C.  o.  tenuifolia,  Lamarck.  Thin-leaved  American  Nettle-tree ;  Celtis  tenui- 
folia,  of  Nuttall;  Micocoidier  a  feuilles  deliecs,  of  the  French;  Diinnbliittrigei 
Ziirgel,  of  the  Germans;  a  small  shrub,  with  erect  divaricate  branches,  growing 
to  a  height  of  from  two  to  five  feet,  a  native  of  Maryland  and  Virginia;  flower- 
ing in  May,  and  bearing  small,  solitary  berries,  which  are  glaucous  and  brown. 
The  branchlets  are  angular  and  smooth.  The  leaves,  which  are  from  one  to 
two  inches  long,  in  the  adult  state,  are  cordate-ovate,  slightly  acuminated,  serru- 
late in  the  middle,  but  occasionally  without  teeth,  smooth,  and  rather  thin. 

3.  C.  o.  maritima.  Seaside-inhabiting  American  Nettle-tree ;  Celtis  maritima, 
of  Rafinesque ;  a  small  crooked  shrub,  three  or  four  feet  in  height,  growing  on 
the  sea-shore  from  Long  Island,  in  New  York,  to  Chesapeake  Bay.  Its  branches 
are  cinerous,  and  slightly  dotted ;  the  leaves  small,  ovate-acuminate,  with  large 
serratures,  rough  on  both  sides,  with  the  petioles  and  nerves  pubescent ;  and 
flowers  in  May. 

4.  C.  o.  cordata,  Loudon.  Heart-leaved  America?i  Nettle-tree;  a  tree  with 
reddish  branchlets,  attaining  a  height  of  twenty  to  forty  feet,  and  native  of  Ken- 
tucky, Illinois,  &c.,  where  it  is  sometimes  called  hack-berry,  which  more  pro- 
perly belongs  to  the  Celtis  o.  crassifolia.  The  leaves,  which  are  from  three  to 
five  inches  in  length,  and  from  an  inch  to  two  inches  wide,  are  ovate-oblong,  or 
acuminate,  sub-cordate,  or  truncate,  and  slightly  oblique  at  the  base,  rough 
above,  and  smooth  beneath,  with  regular  reticulate  nerves. 

5.  C.  o.  reticulata.  Reticulate-nerved-leaved  American  Nettle-tree;  Celtis 
reticulata,  of  Torrey  and  Nuttall ;  Micocoidier  a  feuilles  reticidees,  of  the  French  ; 
Netzblattriger  Zurgel,  of  the  Germans;  a  tall  shrub,  with  numerous  smooth, 
slender  branches,  discovered  by  Dr.  E.  P.  James,  near  the  base  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  in  1S19.  It  has  since  been  met  with  by  Thomas  Nuttall,  in  the 
same  mountain  range,  along  the  borders  of  the  Oregon,  towards  the  Blue  Moun- 
tains, particularly  on  the  banks  of  the  Brulee,  a  small  stream  falling  into  that 
river.  The  leaves,  according  to  Mr.  Nuttall,  become  thick  and  rigid,  and  are 
about  an  inch  and  a  half  long,  by  less  than  an  inch  wide,  acute,  but  scarcely 
acuminate,  with  a  few  irregular  serratures  toward  the  point,  though  a  number 


AMERICAN   NETTLE-TREE. 


519 


rftLe  leaves  may  be  observed  to  possess  no  serratures  at  all;  thev  are  verv 
oblique,  and  slightly  sinuated  at  the  base,  are  shining  and  scabrous  on  the  upper 
surface,  and  pubescent  beneath  along  their  prominent  reticulate  nerves,  thouTat 
length   nearly  or  quite   smooth      The  drupes   are   globose,   solitary    on  I  or 
peduncles,  and  are  of  a  brownish-yellow  colour. 

6.  C.  o  crassifolia  Thick-leaved  American  Nettle-tree ;  Celtis  crassifolia,  of 
Michaux,  Loudon  and  others ;  Micocoidier  dfeuilles  ipaisses,  Micocoidier  a  feuilles 
en  coeur,  of  the  French ;  Dickblattriger  Zurgel,  of  the  Germans ;  Hack  Berry 
Hag  Berry,  Hog  Berry,  Hoop  Ash,  of  the  Anglo-Americans.  This  tree,  which 
has  hitherto  been  treated  as  a  species,  some- 
times grows  to  a  height  of  more  than  eighty 
feet,  but  with  a  trunk  of  the  very  dispropor- 
tionate diameter  of  only  eighteen  or  twenty 
inches.  It  is  distinguished  by  the  form  of  its 
trunk,  which  is  straight  and  undivided  to  a  great 
height ;  and  by  its  bark,  which  is  of  a  grayish 
colour,  unbroken,  and  covered  with  asperities, 
unequally  distributed  over  its  surface.  Its 
leaves  are  larger  than  those  of  any  other  tree 
of  the  genus,  being  six  inches  long,  and  from  Nfjji 
three  to  four  inches  broad  ;  they  are  oval-acu- 
minate, broad,  heart-shaped,  auricled  and  un- 
equal at  the  base,  serrated  with  unequal  teeth. 
of  a  thick  and  rather  leathery  texture,  and 
rough  on  both  surfaces.  The  petioles  are  from 
one  fourth  to  one  half  of  an  inch  in  length,  and 
are  slightly  hairy.  The  flowers,  which  put 
forth  in  May,  are  small,  white,  and  are  often  united  in  pairs  on  a  common  peduncle. 
The  fruit,  which  is  of  a  roundish  form,  and  slightly  pointed  at  the  apex,  is  of  a  dark- 
brown,  or  nearly  black  colour,  when  ripe,  about  the  size  of  a  bird-cherry,  and  is 
borne  on  slender  peduncles,  that  are  longer  than  the  petioles  of  the  leaves.  The 
banks  of  the  Delaware,  above  Philadelphia,  may  be  considered  as  its  nothernmost 
limit,  as  an  indigenous  tree.  East  of  the  Alleghanies,  it  is  restricted  within  nar- 
row boundaries,  being  a  stranger  to  the  lower  parts  of  Virginia,  and  of  the  more 
southern  states  ;  but  west  of  these  mountains  it  is  profusely  multiplied,  in  all  the 
valleys  that  stretch  along  the  rivers  throughout  Ohio,  Kentucky,  and  Tennessee. 
It  was  introduced  into  Britain  in  1812,  where  it  is  only  considered  as  an  orna- 
mental tree.  It  is  well  adapted  for  plantations,  where  a  screen  or  shade  is 
required,  from  the  rapidity  and  luxuriance  of  its  growth,  and  the  large  size  and 
thick  texture  of  its  leaves.  The  wood  is  of  but  little  value,  from  its  weakness 
and  liability  to  decay,  when  exposed  to  the  alternations  of  moisture  and  dryness. 
It  is  compact  and  fine-grained,  however,  though  not  heavy;  and  when  freshly 
exposed  it  is  quite  white.  Sawn  in  a  direction  parallel  or  oblique  to  its  longitu- 
dinal fibres,  it  exhibits  the  fine  undulations  that  are  observed  in  the  locust  and  in 
the  elm.  The  sap-wood,  if  laid  open  in  spring,  will  change  in  a  few  minutes, 
from  pure  white,  to  green.  In  the  parts  of  the  country  where  this  tree  abounds, 
its  timber  is  sometimes  employed,  in  building,  for  the  covering  which  supports  the 
shingles  of  the  roofs.  As  it  is  elastic,  and  can  easily  be  divided,  it  is  also  some- 
times used  by  farmers  for  the  bottoms  of  chairs,  and  by  the  Indians  for  making 
baskets.  In  Ohio  it  is  employed  for  the  rails  to  rural  fences,  as  it  is  straight- 
grained,  free  from  knots,  and  is  wrought  with  the  greatest  ease. 

Geography,  fyc.  The  Celtis  occidentalis  is  sparingly  scattered  throughout  the 
Uniteof  States,  from  Massachusetts  on  the  north,  Carolina  and  Georgia  on  the 
south,  and  Missouri  and  Illinois  on  the  west.     In  its  natural  habitat,  it  preiers  .- 


520  CELTIS    OCCIDENTALIS. 

cool,  shady  situation,  and  a  deep,  fertile  soil,  as  along  the  borders  of  rivers, 
among  other  trees.  It  was  introduced  into  Britain,  by  Mr.  John  Tradescant,  in 
1656,  where  it  has  proved  to  be  a  very  hardy  and  ornamental  tree,  and  has  since 
been  cultivated  in  many  of  the  European  gardens. 

The  largest  recorded  tree  of  this  species,  in  Britain,  is  at  Syon,  which  has 
attained  the  height  of  fifty-four  feet,  with  a  trunk  nearly  two  feet  and  a  half  in 
diameter,  and  an  ambitus  or  spread  of  branches  of  thirty  feet. 

The  largest  Celtis  occidentalis,  in  France,  is  in  the  Jardin  des  Plantes,  at  Paris, 
which  has  been  planted  about  one  hundred  and  forty  years,  and  has  attained  a 
height  of  nearly  seventy  feet,  with  a  trunk  about  two  feet  in  diameter,  and  an 
ambitus  of  forty  feet. 

At  Briick,  on  the  Leytha,  in  Austria,  there  is  a  tree  of  this  species,  which,  in 
forty-five  years  after  planting,  had  attained  the  height  of  sixty  feet,  with  a  trunk 
two  feet  and  a  half  in  diameter,  and  an  ambitus  of  forty  feet. 

In  Germany,  in  the  botanic  garden  at  Gottingen,  there  is  an  American  nettle- 
tree,  which,  in  thirty  years  after  planting,  had  attained  the  height  of  thirty  feet, 
with  a  trunk  a  foot  in  diameter. 

In  the  United  States,  at  Springfield,  in  Massachusetts,  there  is  a  Celtis  occiden- 
talis fourteen  feet  in  circumference. 

Propagation,  fyc.  The  Celtis  occidentalis  is  readily  propagated  by  layers  or 
from  seeds,  and  will  best  succeed  in  a  rich,  fertile  soil,  which  is  rather  cool  and 
moist.  The  only  insect  of  note  that  is  found  upon  this  tree,  in  the  United  States, 
is  the  larva  of  the  hack-berry  moth,  {Sphinx  drupiferarum,  of  Abbott,)  which  is 
nearly  three  inches  long,  half  of  an  inch  thick,  of  a  green  colour,  beautifully 
marked  and  shaded  with  pink,  and  a  brilliant  white. 

Properties  and  Uses.  The  wood  of  the  Celtis  occidentalis,  when  perfectly 
seasoned,  is  of  a  dark-brown  colour,  hard,  compact,  supple  and  tenacious,  which 
renders  it  appropriate  for  many  purposes ;  but,  from  its  comparative  scarcity,  and 
growing  among  an  abundance  of  more  valuable  trees,  it  never  has  been  applied 
to  many  uses  in  the  arts.  It  has  sometimes  been  employed  by  the  wheelwright 
for  shafts,  by  coopers  for  hoops,  and  it  has  been  wrought  into  whip-stocks,  axe- 
helves,  and  various  other  articles  of  use. 

In  Europe,  it  is  cultivated  solely  as  an  ornamental  tree ;  and  as  it  possesses 
the  property  of  keeping  on  its  leaves  very  late,  which  die  off  of  a  bright  yellow, 
it  well  deserves  a  place  in  every  collection. 


L- 


jUPDiNu  -_-..      jv9    igai 


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DEC  "  2 181? 


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QK      Browne,  Daniel  Jay 

/+81       The  trees  of  America 

B78 

cop.  2 


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