The extremely rapid growth of this tree when planted upon thin, barren, and dry soils, is another great merit which it possesses as an ornamental tree; and it is also a necessary one to enable it to thrive well on those very rocky and barren soils, where it is most in character with the surrounding objects. It is highly valuable to produce effect or shelter suddenly, on portions of an estate, too thin or meagre in their soil to afford the sustenance necessary to the growth of many other deciduous trees.