The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-11-18
TREES.
A Treatise on Some OF
Richmonds oldest
Inhabitants.
yESERATED sPSCIMENs OF THE
iFAIy ABoRIGISEs.
Interesting "Reminiscences.

1t is of trees We speak, not OF men;
they lie better than most men, they
always look upward TO the light, bend
oil they can to the storm, and break only
when IL can't be helped. If hollow, not
from choice, ooly submitting TO times
demand, decay The heart they have Is
always genuine, be ii little or much, and
is the strongest part of them-like friend.
ship grows slowly II 20 be the truest.
Yes, IL Is OF trees we speak; not OF trees
in general but Of few in particular
landmarks now passing away, and none
TO succeed them.
Much could be said Of irees-how
stately st times and places; how majestic
in their own dominions, how magnan-
imous, themselves the strongest, ever
protecting the weakest How silent IN
suffering, wibcing only as in haste The
cIuel axe undOes the life that cost hun
bred Years 10 make; and then how grest
the faIll Do not suffer? Who knows
Are we not told the whole creation
groancth and travalletb In pain together
until now Yet they have their Iejoic'
irgs delight IN songs Of birds and spring
flowers: look tenderiy on the iimid ones
al their feet listen 10 the prsttlng
brooks that How On forever and for
aught we know welcome the coming
storm: but 10 glory in its tumalts and
lighiniRgs. They have their bonofs too,
are viewed with respect as age increases,
in such regard having advantage over
man himself And then, finally, they are
innocent; no consciousness OF wrong TO
10 hx
neace until. Obedient to the universal
law, they sink to rest, and are so re
received into the bosom OF mother eartb.
The few In particular are remains OF
past age-old inhabitants, having ascot
atoms unknown 10 many, and now Tad
ing. tOgei her with the memories OF those
who helped 10 give them life. They are,
on such account, worthy Of notice, ere
thew themselves shall have gone. Many
of them were the earliest representatives,
of certain taste for aIb0rcuiture which
once prevailed among The people OF Rlch-
nfond, and they now survive 10 illustrate
the good sense and refinement Of their
departed contemporaries. There wtre 9th
ers In great favor al the first, but hey
have at this time totally passed out of
oyerbalanced their merits that they were
allowed TO die out MANY Of the trees
now well known and common in the
State were exOtiCs, and do not compare
in beauty or in dignity with the natives
of our own forests. AS a rule, we all
nrefer whatever comes 10 US favored
with remoteness or has fictitious value,
no matter what may be the attractions OF
the more dome tic product If, Tor in
stance. the common black gum or the sas-
sa(ras tree came from India and bore a
long name, how they would be sought
after and purchased as rare and beautiful
ornaments for parks The gorgeous To-
uage of the former, both in summer and
autumn, would scarcely he more admired
than would the exquisite tinjs o. the lat
ter when seen bearing over rs saffron
robes the purple clusters of is shining
fruit The largest and perhaps the old
est tree now ia Richmond Is The SD called
sycamore near the corner of Franklin
and Sixth streets Ii is a plane tree, or
huttonwood, and was planted there by a
Frenchman named Dobie in 1888, cOnse-
quenily has Wilnes ed the events OF more
than century, and still commands The
respect of all passers-by as STANDS
stretching rs sturdy arms across the en-
tire street. These trees must have been
very popular in Olden times. Besides the
number 10 be found about the city, there
are no less than twenty 10 be seen
on the Capi,ol square. Why they were
called sycamore cannot be explained, Tor
that is really the fg.iree of the East, the
same which Zaccheus the short, cimed TO
get view Of the Saviour passing that
way. and which Is generous enough to
supply three crops OF fruit each year.
No one seems 10 know where THIS
Freedman lived on Why be should have
planted this tree az that spot. II must
have been large Tree before The Gun
ninghams built the Oldest house ~ lhat
neigh6orhOOd the tasteful mansion no"
occupied by Mr. Robert Archer Cur an
costors we're evidently fond OF that beau
tiful and stately representative OF the
tropical South, the magnolia. They
could not have shown better taste, and II
ia TO be hoped this charming exotic VIII
continue 10 be fayorite with their des-
pendants. Although ii lives and tiourishes
a few degrees further North, II declines
TO bloom beyond this latitude, and curl
GUS 20 say now and then one Is 10 oe
found which produces AL through the
summer a flower or two al time. when
the first magnolia tree was brought 10
Richmond is not known. There are
many quite large ones, which for lbs
reason must be old, as il is Of slow
growth. Its presence is always suggest
i've Of taste and refinement and being an
evergreen adorns the grounds OF lis own
or al all seasons. The Oldest and largest
specimen in the city and perhaps in the
State is to be found in the yard OF me
Wickham house. now owned by Mr:
Mann s. Valentine. This stately relic OF
A ps,rician age was planted in 800 by
Mr.. John Wickham, who soon after be-
gan the construction of the dwelling Just
referred to. anG which was finished IN
1912. Il would be interesting 10 know
where IL originated whether II was
brought from the South or was grown
from the seed Ii would be equally curi-
Gus to compute the number OF It's scions
and other descendants. Seversl'other IN
diyiduals of this tree rival 1t in symetery
and beauty, but it excels them all IN Dig
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