THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 341 



pendula. Where there is sufficient skill for the task of growing 

 Wistaria sinetisis as a weeping standard tree, it makes a grand feature 

 on a lawn, and blooms so profusely as in some seasons to be as densely 

 covered with its purple racemes as a specimen of Cytisus or an 

 exhibition Azalea. But it must have room, the stem must be sup- 

 ported by a stake, the growth must be led on light supports in the 

 directions necessary to form the proper outliues, and the subsequent 

 growth must be pinched in from the middle of June to the middle of 

 July, or it will soon grow out of bounds, and become an almost inex- 

 tricable confusion. There are a few other varieties of well known 

 trees which deserve attention for their elegantly pendulous habit. 

 The weeping limes, poplars, oaks, and beeches have their several 

 distinctive characters ; but amongst them the palm for distinctness 

 and beauty must be awarded to two of the poplars — Fopulus canescens 

 pendula and P. tremiila ijendula, the constant agitation of the leaves 

 of the last-named, together with its fine weeping habit, render it a 

 most interesting subject, and its beauty comes out fully when its 

 light tints and graceful outlines are assisted by dark backgrounds of 

 more massive timber. Of the beeches, Fagiis pendida nova is the 

 most pendulous habited, and is a proper subject for a grand style of 

 planting, but of no use at all in a small garden. The most distinctly 

 pendulous oak is Qucrcus pednncnlafa pendula, a very lively tree, 

 combining grace with majesty. The weeping Turl^ey oak, Q. cerris 

 pendula, is a great beauty. We are not fond of the ash, and rarely 

 derive any pleasure from its aspect in gardens ; but as the ash has a 

 fame in woodcraft, it is well we can introduce two very elegant weep- 

 ing varieties in addition to the well-known weeping ash of the London 

 gardens. The common weeping ash is Fraxinus excelsior pendida, a 

 truly noble tree when well grown, and the best for giving shade to a 

 resting-place ; but with Londoners it is not now in very high repute, 

 owing to its frequent use in tavern-gardens, where it is generally 

 associated with tawdry rockeries and little dens called '* arbours," 

 dedicated to drinking and riot. Considered apart from such scenes, 

 it is a truly noble tree, and well worth the care necessary to train out 

 the growth in the formation of a gigantic umbrella of its large deep 

 green leaves and rigid branches. It is, however, quite surpassed in 

 beauty by two variegated-barked varieties — F. excelsior argentea pen- 

 dula, and F. excelsior aurea pevdida, the one having a silvery, aud the 

 other a golden-coloured bark. The bright colours of the young twigs 

 of these varieties have a very curious eftect, as the tracery of the 

 whole of the tree appears to be picked out in bright lines, and this 

 tends greatly to relieve the stiffness and formality peculiar to the 

 weeping ash. The weeping walnut, Juglans regia pendida, is not to 

 be recommended for choice purposes. It is a noble tree, but should 

 only be planted where it can grow to a large size and form timber in 

 the proper sense of the word. 



Having in view only the best among hundreds of varieties of trees 

 of more or less pendulous growth, we shall name only one more of 

 deciduous habit, and that is the weeping thorn, Crataegus pendula 

 nova, a very elegant lawn tree, and a proper companion to standard 

 weeping roses, which scarcely need mention, for no one could forget 



