122 KENSINGTON GABDENS. Pec, 



planting of Austrian instead of Scotch Pines is that T have lost faith 

 in the ability of procuring the true Highland Pine from nurserymen. 

 It is tolerably well known that the so-called Scotch seedlings are 

 frequently as foreign as the Austrian in their origin, so that, in the 

 most fitting situations, there is less inducement to adopt them as 

 standard trees. In England another consideration has to be con- 

 stantly regarded nowadays, which is the widely extended influence 

 of smoke, when selecting any variety of tree as a standard. Of all 

 coniferse Scotch Pines seem the first affected, and Austrian the last, 

 by this ever-increasing nuisance of unconsumed carbon in the air. 

 I had also given the Austrian Pine credit for being as hardy as any 

 tree of its character, and for this reason planted it at all elevations, 

 and hitherto successfully. I think it therefore important to record 

 the only failure I have met with, and perhaps among the readers of 

 Forestry this instance may elicit facts of a similar character which 

 may be of service to planters. W. Lipscomb. 



Kensington Gardens. — Perhaps something will now be done to remedy the 

 state of things existing in these gardens, for some time since a correspondent 

 writing to the Times gave the following account of their condition : — He said 

 These Gardens present a sad sight just now to those who knew them well a few 

 years ago. The huge boles of the dead trees which are being cut down are lying 

 about in all directions, and the open spaces thus created are exposing to view the 

 lank, rugged forms of the dying trees still standing. It would, perhaps, be dan- 

 gerous to leave the dead trees standing any longer, but the open spaces which are 

 being made by cutting them down wiir prove very injurious to those which it is 

 intended to preserve by exposing them to wind storms. Most of the trees in 

 the Gardens have been ruined by neglect of thinning years ago, and consequently 

 have long, weak stems and small roots, which make them easy victims to strong 

 winds. The large open space made by cutting down some trees on the north 

 side of the Gardens two or three years ago exposed some fine trees — especially 

 some fine healthy Beeches — which it was intended to preserve, but which were 

 unfortunately uprooted by the first wind storm which followed the clearing. 

 This, of course, is a danger well known to foresters, and is not ignored by them, 

 especially in old neglected plantations. Many of the trees still standing in the 

 Gardens are half dead already ; the upper portions appear to have been killed — 

 probably by the smoke from the houses which have sprung up to the westward — 

 since they attained their present height, but the lower portions appear to possess 

 a good deal of vigour. Would it not be well to pollard them by cutting freely 

 Into the living parts, instead of leaving them to die piecemeal, or cutting them 

 down at once as past recovery ? We do not like pollarding trees in England, 

 but here it is the least of two evils, as it is more than probable that the days of 

 tall naturally- shaped trees are over for Kensington Gardens — except, perhaps, 

 for Oriental Planes. The half -dead trees in the Gardens are chiefly Limes and 

 Elms, which bear pollarding well, and Chestnuts, which are less tolerant of it. 

 The lopped trees in Epping Forest and Burnham Beeches nre hardly less pictu- 

 resque than the natural ones, and at the worst pollarded trees are better than 

 no trees, and at the present rate of destruction Kensington Gardens promises 

 soon to be a real ' open space.' 



