Nat. Ord. (Natural Order) Santalace�. Lin. Syst. (Linnean System) Polygamia, Di�cia. 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.
