We have seen the Catalpa employed to great advantage in fixing and holding up the loose soil of river banks, where, if planted, it will soon insinuate its strong roots, and retain the soil firmly. In Ohio, experiments have been made with the timber for the posts used in fencing; and it is stated on good authority that it is but little inferior, when well seasoned, to that of the locust in durability.

Michaux mentions that he has been assured that the honey collected from the flowers is poisonous; but this we are inclined to doubt; or at least we have witnessed no ill effects from planting it in abundance in the middle States, in those neighborhoods where bees are kept in considerable numbers.

The Catalpa is very easily propagated from seeds sown in any light soil; and the growth of the young plants is extremely rapid. C. syringafolia is the only species.

THE PERSIMON TREE. Diospyros.

Nat. Ord. Ebenaceæ.

Lin. Syst. Polygamia, Diœcia.

The Highlands of the Hudson, and about the same latitude on the Connecticut, may be considered the northern limits of this small tree. It generally forms a spreading loose head, of some twenty or thirty feet high, in good soils in the middle states; but we have seen a specimen of nearly eighty feet, in the old Bartram Garden at Philadelphia; and fifty feet is probably the average growth on deep fertile lands in the southern states.

The Persimon bears a small, round, dull red fruit, about an inch in diameter, containing six or seven stones; it is insufferably austere and bitter, until the autumnal frosts have mellowed it and lessened its harshness, when it becomes quite palatable. Considerable quantities of the fruit are annually brought into New York market and its vicinity, from New Jersey, and sold: the produce is very abundant, a single tree often yielding several bushels. A strong brandy has been distilled from them; and in the south they are said to enter into the composition of the country beer. For the latter purpose they are pounded up with bran, dried, and kept for use till wanted.

The foliage of the Persimon is handsome; the leaves being four or five inches long, simple, oblong, dark green, and glossy, like those of the orange. The blossoms are green and inconspicuous.

The Persimon has no importance as a tree to recommend it; but it may be admitted in all good collections for its pleasing shining foliage, and the variety which its singular fruit adds to the productions of a complete country residence. The common sort (D. Virginiana) grows readily from the seed.

There is an European Species (Dyosporus Lotus), with yellow fruit about the size of a cherry, rather less palatable than our native kind. The specimens of this tree, which we have imported, appear too tender to bear our winters unprotected, so that it will probably not prove hardy in the northern states.

THE PEPERIDGE TREE. Nyssa.

Nat. Ord. Santalaceæ.

Lin. Syst. Polygamia, Diœcia.

The Peperidge, Tupelo, or sour gum tree, as it is called in various parts of the Union, grows to a moderate size, and is generally found in moist situations, though we have seen it in New York State, thriving very well in dry upland soils. The diameter of the trunk is seldom more than eighteen inches, and the general height is about forty or fifty feet. The flowers are scarcely perceptible, but the fruit borne in pairs, is about the size of a pea, deep blue, and ripens in October.

The leaves are oval, smooth, and have a beautiful gloss on their upper surface. The branches diverge from the main trunk almost horizontally, and sometimes even bend downwards like those of some of the Pine family, which gives the tree a very marked and picturesque character.

The Peperidge when of moderate size is not difficult to transplant, and we consider it a very fine tree, both on account of its beautiful, dark green, and lustrous foliage in summer, and the brilliant fiery color which it takes when the frost touches it in autumn. In this respect it is fully equal in point of beauty to that of the Liquidambar or Sweet gum, and the maples which we have already described ; and so fine a feature do we consider this autumnal beauty of foliage that we would by all means advise the introduction of such trees as the Peperidge into the landscape for that reason alone, were it not also valuable for its peculiar form and polished leaves in summer.

Besides the Peperidge there are three other Nyssas, natives of this continent, viz. the Black gum (N. Sylvatica),

a tree of greater dimensions, and larger, more elongated leaves, whose northern boundary is the neighborhood of Philadelphia; the Large Tupelo (N. grandidentata), a tree of the largest size, with large, coarsely toothed foliage, and a large blue fruit, three-fourths of an inch long, which is sometimes called the wild olive; and the sour Tupelo (N. capitata), with long, smooth, laurel-like leaves, and light red, oval fruit, called the Wild Lime, from its abounding in a strong acid, resembling that of the latter fruit. Both the latter trees are natives of the southern states, and are little known north of Philadelphia.

The wood of all the foregoing trees is remarkable for the peculiar arrangement of its fibres; which, instead of running directly through the stem in parallel lines, are curiously twisted and interwoven together. Owing to this circumstance it is extremely difficult to split, and is therefore often used in the manufacture of wooden bowls, trays, etc. That of the Peperidge is also preferred for the same reason, and for its toughness, by the wheelwrights, in the construction of the naves of wheels, and for other similar purposes.

Michaux remarks that he is unable to give any reason why the names of Sour gum, Black gum, etc., have been bestowed upon these trees, as they spontaneously exude no sap or fluid which could give rise to such an appellation. We e suspect that the term has arisen from a comparison of the autumnal tints of these trees belonging to the genus Nyssa, with those of the Sweet gum or Liquidambar, which, at a short distance, they so much resemble in the early autumn.

THE THORN TREE. Crategus.

Nat. Ord. Rosaceæ. Lin. Syst. Icosandria, Di-pentagynia.

A tree of the smallest size; but though many of the sorts attain only the stature of ordinary shrubs, yet some of our native species, as well as the English Hawthorn (C. oxycantha), when standing alone, will form neat, spreading-topped trees, of twenty or thirty feet in height.

Although the thorn is not generally viewed among us as a plant at all conducive to the beauty of scenery, yet we are induced to mention it here, and to enforce its claims in that point of view, as they appear to us highly entitled to consideration. First, the foliage-deep green, shining, and often beautifully cut and diversified in form -is prettily tufted and arranged upon the branches; secondly, the snowy blossoms-often produced in such quantities as to completely whiten the whole head of the tree, and which in many sorts have a delightful perfume -present a charming appearance in the early part of the season; and thirdly, the ruddy crimson or purple haws or fruit, which give the whole plant a rich and glowing appearance in and among our fine forests, open glades, or wild thickets, in autumn.

The most ornamental and the strongest growing indigenous kinds are the Scarlet Thorn tree (C. coccinea), and its varieties, the Washington Thorn (C. populifolia), and the Cockspur Thorn (C. crus-galli); all of which, in good soil, will grow to the height of twenty or thirty feet, and can readily be transplanted from their native sites.

The English Hawthorn is not only a beautiful small tree, but it is connected in our minds with all the elegant,