Page:The Atlantic Monthly Volume 6.djvu/278

 270 Among the Trees. [September, shafts are despoiled of the greater part them, however, from the repeated crop- of their lateral branches, and the tree has ping -which they have suffered, exhibit no expansion until it has made its way a round head of long, slender branches, above the level of the wood. The trees growing out of the extremity of the be- that cannot reach this level will in a few headed trunk. years perish ; and this is the fate of the My remarks thus far relate to trees greater number in the primitive forest, considered as individual objects; but I But after they have attained this level, must not tire the patience of the reader they spread out suddenly into a head, by extending them farther, though there Many such trees are seen in recent clear- are many other relations in which they ings ; and when their termination is a reg- may be treated. In whatever light we ular hemisphere of branches and foliage, regard them, they will be found to de- the tree exhibits a shape nearly approach- serve attention as the fairest ornaments ing that of a parasol. of Nature, and as objects that should be The Elm, under "these circumstances, held sacred from their importance to our often acquires a very beautiful shape, welfare and happiness. The more we Unlike other trees that send up a single study them, the more desirous are we undivided shaft, the Elm, when growing of their preservation, and the more con- in the forest as well as in the open plain, vinced of the necessity of using some becomes subdivided into several slightly active means to effect this purpose. He divergent branches, running up almost takes but a narrow view of their impor- perpendicularly until they reach the level tance who considers only their value in of the wood, when they suddenly spread the economy of animal and vegetable themselves out, and the tree exhibits the life. The painter has always made them parasol shape more nearly even than the a particular branch of his study ; and the Palm. When one of these forest Elms poet understands their advantage in in- is left by the woodman, and is seen stand- creasing the effect of his descriptions, ing alone in the clearing, it presents to and believes them to be the blessed gifts our sight one of the most graceful and of Providence to render the earth a beau- beautiful of all arborescent forms. tiful abode and sanctify it to our affec- The rows of Willows, so frequent by tions. The heavenly bodies affect the the way-side where the road passes over soul with a deeper sense of creative pow- a wet meadow, afford the most common er ; but trees, like flowers, serve to draw examples of the pollard forms. Some of us more closely to the bosom of Nature, these willows, having escaped the period- by exemplifying the beauties of her han- ical trimming of the woodcutter, have diwork, and the wonders of that Wisdom become noble standards, emulating the that operates unseen, and becomes, in our Oak in the sturdy grandeur of their giant search for it, a source of perpetual de- arms extending over the road. Most of light.