Box 22, Folder 8: Trees of Wisconsin 1859, 1867

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Downing considers this tree very important as an ornament about our houses and yards, where it is well entitled to a place. "In summer, its charming foliage and agreeable flowers render it a highly beautiful lawn tree; and in winter, it is certainly one of the strangest trees in appearance in our whole native sylva. Like the Ailantus, it is entirely destitute of small spray, but it also adds to this the additional singularity of thick, blunt, terminal branches, without any perceptible buds. Altogether, it more resembles a dry, dead, and withered combination of sticks, than a living and thrifty tree. This rare and very unique exception to the usual beautiful diversity of spray and ramification is highly interesting in the neighborhood of other full-sprayed species, where the curiosity which it excites will add greatly to its value as an interesting tree at that season of the year."- (Landscape Gardening, p. 117).

The Coffee Tree flowers in June, and the pods are ripe for gathering in October. The seeds are very hard, and should be immersed for a few minutes in boiling water. Thus treated, they vegetate freely. Our Wisconsin people would do well to obtain a supply of these seeds, and cultivate this valuable tree.

6. Gleditschia triacanthos, of Linnaeus.-Honey Locust.

According to the observations of the late much lamented Prof. S.P. Lathrop, this tree grows as far north as the vicinity of Beloit, in the valley of Rock river. It may be known by its numerous large thorns, its delicate doubly pinnate leaves and its long brownish pods. In the valley of the Ohio it attains its greatest perfection. Though not a very important tree for any useful qualities, it is well worthy of cultivation on account of its beauty.

Mr. Downing in his standard work on Landscape Gardening, speaks of it as "much finer in appearance than the common locust, (Robinia pseudacacia) although the flowers are greenish and inconspicuous, instead of possessing the beauty and fragrance of the latter. There is, however, a peculiar elegance about its light green and beautiful foliage, which wafts so gracefully in the summer breeze, and folds up on the slightest shower, that it stands far above that tree in our estimation, for the embellishment of

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scenery. The branches spread out rather horizontally in a fine broad and lofty head; there are none of the dead and unsightly branches so common on the locust, and the light feathery foliage, lit up in the sunshine, has an airy and transparent look rarely seen in so large a tree, which sometimes produces very happy effects in comparison with other trees. The bark is of a pleasing brown, smooth in surface; the branches are studded over with curious, long triply pointed thorns, which also often jut out in clusters in every direction from the trunk of the tree, to the length of four or five inches, giving it a most singular and forbidding look. In winter, these and the long red pods which hang upon the boughs at that season, give the whole tree a very distinct character. Another recommendation of this tree is the variety of picturesque shapes which it assumes in growing up; sometimes forming a tall pyramidal head of fifty or sixty feet, sometimes a low, horizontally branches tree, and at others it expands into a wide irregular head, quite flattened at the summit. When but a limited extent is devoted to a lawn or garden, this tree should be among the first to obtain a place; as one or two, mingled with other larger and heavier foliage, will at once produce a charming variety.

There are some specimens of this fine tree in the vicinity of Milwaukee, having been introduced as early as 1837, by Dr. W. P. Proudfit. It has been recommended, among other plants as a substitute for the English hawthorn for hedges; but does not seem to be much employed for that purpose. It might be made to answer for such defenses as are only intended to guard against cattle, etc., as along the lines of railroads, and on stock farms.

The trees with leguminose pods growing naturally in the north-western States, but not yet detected growing naturally in Wisconsin, are

1. The Locust Robinea pseudacacia Linn., extensively cultivated throughout Wisconsin-and deservedly so-on account of the value of the wood and the beauty of the tree for purposes of ornament, &c.

2. Cercis Canadensis, Linn., Red Bud, or Judas tree. A small ornamental tree completely covered with bright red flowers early

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in the spring. It should be introduced into all ornamental grounds and would doubtless withstand the rigors of our climate. It grows naturally in middle Illinois.

3. Gleditschia monosperma, the honey locust with pods bearing only one seed, was found in southern Illinois by Michaux; but, later botanists have not been able to find it there.

Order IV. Rosaceae.-The Rose Family.

This large family of plants includes not only the true Roses, but, under its several subdivisions, the Plum, Cherry, and Spiraea; the Geums, and Potentillas; the Strawberry, Blackberry, and Raspberry; and the Thorns, Apples, and Pears. Many of the most valuable fruits peculiar to this latitude and climate belong to the Rosaceae. A large share of the species are herbaceous, or shrubs, and therefore do not fall under our notice, at present. There are nine, mostly small trees, in Wisconsin, belonging to the family under consideration,-being one sixth of the whole number; and the proportion of plants of this family to the whole number of Wisconsin flowering plants, is as one to twenty five.

10. Prunus Americana, of Marshall.-The Wild Plum.

This small tree, with its rich red or yellow fruit, grows very plentifully in every part of the State, where there are low, damp, rich grounds, especially along the margins of rivers and swamps. The flowers appear in May, before the leaves are fully expanded, and the fruit is ripe in August. The tree is much branched, and beset with strong thorn like stubs, forming a strong protection to the fruit, and causing much trouble in gathering it. The wood is hard, of a dark reddish color, resembling the wild cherry. If it could be obtained in sufficient quantity, it might be substituted for that wood in cabinet making, &c.

The Wild Plum naturally runs into numerous varieties. Mr. Nuttall counted no less than a dozen different kinds in one orchard examined by him, in Canada. This natural tendency shows that differences of soil and culture have decided effects

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on this wild fruit, and may be a hint to fruit growers to make experiments with a view to its improvement. Dr. Darlington informs us that it has been improved by long culture, in eastern Pennsylvania, both in size and flavor, the fruit sometimes attaining the size of a common apricot; though it is not probable that any very special efforts were made to produce this result.

With the skill of modern fruit culturists, it might without doubt, be greatly improved. It has the decided advantage over the garden varieties of not being attacked by the curculio, the pest that destroys the fruit of our finest kinds without mercy.

The Wild Plum appears to have been formerly much cultivated in our country; and from some indications it is probable that several of the Indian tribes may have planted this tree near their villages. The thickets of wild plum trees are usually allowed to remain by the first occupants of our new lands; but the introduction of better kinds soon cause them to be abandoned.

This species was first described very fully and accurately by Humphrey Marshall, of Pennsylvania, in 1785, but has been confounded with others, by some writers. The errors were detected as early as 1829, and pointed out by Dr. Darlington, in

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the Annals of the New York Lyceum of Natural History; yet we find English botanists still copying the old blunders. Even in the last work of Loudon, it is placed under the name of Cerasus nigra-the black cherry! There can be no doubt that the name given by Marshall, and adopted by all American authors, is the proper one-having been first applied.

The figure represents the leaf and fruit, of the full size of nature.

There are in the United States four different species of native or Wild Plum; one of them (P. maritima, Wang.) is confined to the Atlantic States; another, (P. glandulosa, Hooker,) has only been found in Texas; and the last, P. chicasa, Michx., the Chickasaw Plum,) grows as near to us as the southern part of Illinois and the adjacent parts of Missouri.

11. Prunus Pennsylvania, of Linnaeus.-Bird Cherry.

The Bird Cherry is not very common with us. It has been detected in the vicinity of Milwaukee; Mr. John Townley has found it in the interior of the State, and Professor Agassiz carried it from the shores of Lake Superior.

The bark of this tree is, like that of most of the cherries, smooth and brown, detaching itself laterally; the wood is fine grained, of a reddish hue; the inferior size of the tree only forbids its use in the mechanical arts. Of all the American species this one bears the greatest analogy to the cultivated cherry tree imported from Europe.

In Professor Emmons' very valuable Report on the Trees and Shrubs of Massachusetts, we find it stated that this tree grows in the most exposed situations; in some parts of Maine and New Hampshire, it springs up abundantly on soil which has been recently laid open to the sun in clearing, and especially after it has been burnt over there is a common opinion among the ignorant that it springs up without seed, in consequence of some action of heat upon the soil. If they would take the pains to examine, they would, however, find great quantities of the seed (or stones as they are called,) just beneath the surface of the ground. This excellent advice of Prof. Emmons-to examine