396 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. [Oct. 



Is not the removal of all fallen leaves one of the causes of the 

 starvation of the trees in Kensington Gardens ? In Kew Gardens 

 also the large trees are suffering from tlie careful sweeping] up of 

 their natural food. 



Another cause of the death of trees in Kensington Gardens, is 

 the trees having grown too closely together, without open spaces 

 enough to create a circulation of air. — I am, etc., 



Henky Eogers, Capt. E.N. 



Haktley, PLYMOUTn, \Zth Sejyt. 1885. 



THE BLADDER-NUT TREE. 



SIE, — Many thanks for naming the bladder-nut tree. I have 

 measured it to-day with a rod, and find it exactly 18 feet high, 

 with a spread of branches 13 feet. It is very mucli injured by a 

 large silver variegated holly standing close to it. I find Babington 

 puts it in the same tribe as the spindle tree, viz. Cclastraceoi. — -- 

 Yours, etc. Geo. Dodds. 



"VVyreside Cottage, Lancaster, lilh Sept. 1885. 



[The spindle tree is of British origin ; the bladder-nut is a native 

 of Eastern and Western Europe. — Ed.] 



ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



" Young Fokestek " — Twigs fkom Curraghmore, Ireland. — 

 No. 1, Salishuria adianti folia, syn.- Giiiko hiloba, maiden-hair tree. A 

 very fine specimen of this singular tree, introduced about a century 

 ago from China and Japan. It is said that only the male plant is in 

 cultivation. No. 2, Dicrvilla amalilis, syn. Wcigcla amahilis. The 

 family are handsome shrubs, natives of Eastern Asia and North 

 America, named after a botanical author. There are many hand- 

 some varieties of this and D. rosea, some of which are probably 

 hybrids, have white flowers, striped red, purplish red, with many 

 variations of colour. No. 3 is Pcrncttya inucronata, a native of tlie 

 extreme South of America, the white pendulous flowers of which 

 are distinguished by ten glands alternating with the stamens. 

 No. 4 is Magnolia tripetala, syn. M. umhxlla, the umbrella tree, a 

 native of North America. The usual height of the tree is from 20 

 to 30 feet high. As you say, yours must be " a beautiful, well- 

 furnished tree" when it is about 30 feet high, and must have been 

 the cause of remark to intelligent observers. Your climate must 



