The Vinton record. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1866-1891, 1869-10-28
r For the Record.
Trees and Shrubs of Ohio.
BY REV. c. II. WARREN.
KENTUCKY COFFEE TREE.
GymR0clddus CdtadeRsis.l

NV""tVS'uuuS IuluuenSS.l
This exceedingly beautiful
tree is pretty generally distrib.
uted over the United States; it
is found growing as far north
as Montreal in Canada, but it
is met with more frequently in
Western New York, Ohio, In.
diana, Kentucky and Tennessee
it is seen developing its grand.
est perfections; along those
winding rivers and creeks
whose banks are unsurpassed
in fertility, it rises up in all its
crowning elegance to the
height of fifty or sixty feet
with a straight'clean trunk and
out'spreading branches. The
leaves are doubly primate, be.
ing composed of a great mum.
Der ofbluish>green leaflets, and
and are generally from two to
three feet long, and about fif-
teen to twenty inches wide,
when the tree is thrifty. The
entire foliage hangs in a WELL
rounded mass that would ap-
pear almost too heavy, were it
not lightened in effect by the
loose tufted aspect of each in
dividual Leaf. In the latter
part of the flowery month of
May, the blossoms unfold them.
selves being of whltish color,
and are borne in loose spikes;
which are succeeded by large
brownish pods, which are some
what fiat and curved, contain>
six or seven large grey seeds,
being imbedded in a sweet
pulpy substance. 1t is neces>
sary in order to to the produc.
tion Of seed that the male and
female should grow near each
other. In the first settling of
the State of Kentucky by these
hardy and enterprising pio-
neers who emigrated from the
Eastern States, and began
their career in the primeval
wilderness, where it was very
difficult 10 secure the necessa-
ries of life, except as pro.
duced by them from the fertile
soil imagined that they had
discovered a valuable substi.
tute for the article of coffee
in the seeds of this noble tree,
hence the name Coffee Nut
Tree was given to it. This
unique tree well deserves a
place in every collection Of
trees for ornamenting grounds.
We seldom see it in cultivation
in the landscape, but why |
cannot easily understand, as it
is beautiful in every stage of
growth, from the small tender
plant to the aged towering
tree. Those who having once
beheld it standing singly on
some extended grassy plain,
clothed fully with its peculi-
arly charming sylvan robe will
not soon forget its august ap.
pearance. In the sunny days
of balmy spring and sultry
summer, its elegant foliage and
pretty flowers render it an OBJ
ject of rare beauty, whether
growing upon the verdantlawn
or gentle rising hill. When
chilly winter with his raging
storms, piercing winds, driving
SHOWS and desolating frosts
reigns supre me over hill, noun
tain and vale, binding the mur.
muring streams in icy chains
and rolling his freezing car
over earth's vast domains, this
handsome tree stands up as an
object of interest to all who
admire the novel and excellent.
Notwithstanding it is entirely
destitute of small spray, when
its leaves have fallen, this is
only calculated to add to its |
singularity and interest. The
thick, blunt terminal branches
without any perceptible buds,
stamp it with a popularity dis |
covered in few trees in our
whole native sylvia. 1t should |
be planted adjacent to the