New-York tribune., 1894-04-13


Northern parks and gardens. Quite as peauti-
full. though not hardly as large is the biacK
haw. Viburnum prunifoum, which is very com
mon in the Middle and Southern states IN carry
snrjng il Is covered with clusters OF white flow
ers and in autumn its dark-bue fruit with req
stems hangs to the branches until winter fairly
sets in The plum-shaped leaves turn TO bright
scarlet in the fall, all visitors to Central Park
have an opportunity Of Observing for this tree
is quite abundant in plantations there.
The sorrel tree or sour wood occasionally at
tains a height Of sixty feet. Its natural range
Is from Westmorcland County, Pennsylvania,
southwark but II will flourish as far north as
New-England. and in this latitude it Is a small
tree with beautiful glossy leaves and dropping
clusters of white flowers which resemble the
lily Of the valley and autumn foliage which Is
unsurpassed in splendor. To the same family
belongs the kalmia mountain laurel. we'll
known shrub here. which In the Carolina noun
tains attains the size Of a far-sized apple tree
Everybody is familiar with its delicately marked
white or pink flowers, and 1t is universally ad-
mired as one Of the most beautiful Of North
American plants. The rhododendron rose
bay is closely related to the kalmia. and while it
is never more than a stout shrub in this lati-
/ tude, ii reaches height sometimes Of forty feet
in the mountains of Georgia and Caro-
lima This plant. Rhododendron maximum,
would be more generally seen IN cultivation but
for the fact that hybrids Of the Catawbiense
race have been produced which have much
larger ahd more snowy flowers. and vet It Is
one Of thN hardest and most easily cultivated
of all the rhododendrons and it's blood has helped
it give vigor to many of our most beautiful
garden hybrds
/ There a OF no
hamames witch hazel. which In the rich
soil OF the mountains OF Carolina and Tennessee
becomes a tree thirty feet high; nor Of the man
grove. a round-topped tree upon the shores Of
Florida and the delta of the Mississippi. whose
peculiar growth with shellish clustered on its
stems st attracts the attention Of the traveller
as 1t did the pioneers to the shores Of the New
World; nor of the Hercules club, Aralia spinosa.
which also becomes tree in the Big Smoky
Mountains. while further north il Is a peculiar
shrub whose stout-armed stems, immense leaves
and flower clusters have made It a favorite in
the gardens of all temperate countries: nor Of an
elder on the Mexican border. a leafy-headed
tree planted for shade in Northern Mexico and
lower California, and offering very little botan-
! ically from the elder which is the commonest
of shrubs in our hedgerows.
The sparke-berry is worthy Of mention as the
attains the dignity Of tree in this country, 1t
/ ranges from the coast region of North Carolina
to the Gulf States. and from Southern Illinois to
Texas. and sometimes becomes a tree twenty or
thirty feet high. With it's shining leaves and
abundant white flowers, it is one OF the most
attractive Of our vacc!niums and II might well
be used as an ornamental plant; indeed. II was
: once cultivated in Europe although 1t is now
seldom If ever seen outside Of It's native wilds.
/ Besides the trees above named more than a
| score of others not 50 well known. but equally
| interesting. are described and figured in this
! sumptuous volume. one of these is the Georgia
bark or Finkneya. one Of the very rarcst trees in
/ the country. 1t Is found occasionally On the
borders Of streams from the coast region of South
Carolina to the basin OF the Upper Appalachic0a.
II is tree some twenty-five feet high and in
late May, when ii IS covered with open clusters
Of flowers seven or eight inches across It is one
Of the most beautiful Of North American trees
II is once in a while seen in the gardens Of old
plantations in South Carolina and Georgia. but IT
has been sngularly neglected by cu,tvators. Tho
mastc. Sideroxylon Mastichodendron, which
reaches a height Of seventy feet in Florida +.
| the largest and most beautiful Of the tropica
trees which found on the coast II FlOri la ano
/ It produces heavier wood than any American
tree Of its size. The remaining trees described
are found In Southern Florida and usually belong
to the fora Of the West Indies. or in southwestern
Texas and Arizona. and these are usually out
posts Of the forest fora Of Mexico.
As 10 Professor Sargent's work can only
! repeat what has been said in notices Of the pre-
vious volumes; as it exhibits the same wide re
search. thorough scholarship and conscienuoui
accuracy. Mr.. FaXons drawings continue q de-
light the eye by their grace while they repro
duce the botanic characters Of leaf and nowe
and fruit in their natural attitudes we'll fl
the disscctions with a fidelity and finish which
have never been eXcee1 IN any similar series.
The volume is most appropriately and "af
fectionately dedicated 10 Frederic Law Omstcd
the great artist whose love for nature has beer
a priceless benefit to his fclow-countrymen."