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IRISH GARDENING 



Experimental Planting in 

 France. 



AnouT fifteen years ago M. Philippe de Vilniuriu 

 established in Central France, in Charollais, at 

 Donipierre-les-Ormes (Saone-et-Loire), a tree 

 nursery for studying on a large scale under forest 

 conditions, the accliniatation and utilisation of 

 the forest and ornamental trees, cultivated in his 

 experimental grounds at Verrieres (8eine-et-Oise). 



The estate, called " Fezanin." is at an altitude 

 of l."^7t) feet. Forty-four acres of hills are at pre- 

 sent planted, all of which slope down to a lake 

 covering 10 acres. The soil is granitic, composed 

 of rock more or less worn away by exposure, the 

 finer portions of which have accumulated in the 

 lowest parts and form the vegetable soil. The soil 

 is very permeable, very poor in lime and clay, 

 and subject to drought in the sloping parts more 

 exposed to the sim. As in many mountains, moist 

 portions are found liere and there, giving very 

 vigorous growth. By reason of the altitude the 

 climate is cold, and there is snow for a great pari 

 of the winter. 



The first plantation was made in 1903, and plant- 

 ing was continued regularly in autumn every 

 year up to 1915. Since the death of M. de Vil- 

 morin the experiments have been continued by 

 Mme. de Vilmorin and the author. Very interest- 

 ing results have already been obtained. Over 

 50,0:)(i young trees have been planted, distributed 

 as follows : — 



A fairly large number of trees proved insuffi- 

 ciently hardy and incapable of thriving under the 

 harsh soil and climatic conditions; these dis- 

 appeared or only lived in a weak state. Un- 

 fortunately the war has not allowed a complete 

 list of these trees to be made yet. The winter 

 1916-17 caused the loss of many trees which had 

 resisted till then, especially of several Araucaria 

 imbricata, whic-h froze completely. 



As a rule deciduous trees did nuich less well at 

 Pezanin than the conifers. Nearly all tlie Jugland- 

 aceae succumbed ; only a few Juglans Vilmoriniana 

 managed to take hold in one part of the nursery. 

 All the Carya died. The Pterocarya and Juglans 

 which have survived have lost all their stem and 

 are growing in bushes from the base. The Catalpa, 

 Paulownia, some Acer, Aesculus and Pavia, 

 Fraxinus, Gleditschia, Tilia. many bush Legumin- 

 aceae, and various Rosacae, are doing fairly well, 

 usually growing from the foot instead of forming 

 a stem. 



On the other hand, certain trees, especially 

 conmion acacia, birch, hornbeam, and Planera, in 

 particular, then oaks, willows, and alders, do more 

 or less well, according to the species to which 



they belong and the place in which they are 

 planted; the depth of the soils which varies 

 greatly in the different parts, naturally has much 

 influence on their vigour. All oaks do well at 

 Pezanin, but the rapidly growing American 

 species, especially Quercus coccinea, Q. palustris, 

 il rubra, Q. tinctoria, &c., grow as rapidly as the 

 willows when their roots find a little depth or 

 fissures in the underground rocks; their colours in 

 autumn are very brilliant. Some Quercus 

 dentata (Q. Daimio), grown in a fresh position, 

 have developed exceeding well after having re- 

 fused to grow for several years. 



Some trees that are usually weak elsewhere, 

 particularly at Verrieres have developed sur- 

 prisingly well. This is the case with : Dirca palus- 

 tris, the curious " leather w^ood " tree, whose 

 branches are so supple that they can be rolled up 

 like straps; with Nothofagus antarctica, which 

 grows almost as vigorously as an elm, which it re- 

 sembles by its foliage; Halesia tetraptera, the 

 " siiver-bell " tree which flowers and fruits \v. 

 abundance; Hamamelis virginica was in flower 

 in November, 1917, at planting time; various 

 Rhododendron crosses, planted in numbers in a 

 clearing, have taken root and are growing 

 strongly; on the contrary. Azalea amoena could 

 not resist the great cold, whilst Daphne Mezereum 

 album is growing well, being apparently well 

 suited to the conditions there. 



In general, the conifers, which form the basis 

 of the plantations, have done the best. Besides 

 the forest trees common to the region, many 

 species, having found suitable surroundings there, 

 have grown up into fine saplings. Shoots over 

 3 feet high are not uncommon with the Douglas 

 fir. Abies balsamea has found so good a position; 

 fresh, and with a northern exposure, that some 

 strong specimens planted in 1907 are now nearly 

 2G feet high. 



Abies arizonica argentea, the famous " cork fir " 

 now diffused in Europe for some 15 years, does 

 splendidly; its thick and conical habit of growth, 

 together with its fine glaucous tint, make it one 

 of the finest conifers in the plantation. Abies 

 grandis (Vancouver fir) competes in height with 

 the silver fir and wins by its massive branching 

 system which spreads curiously before it begins 

 to thicken. Abies concolor and A. lasiocarpa are 

 in perfectly suitable surroundings, and are 

 noticeable for their fine stature and their dis- 

 tinctive blue colouring. Abies Nordmanniana, A. 

 cephaloniea and several other species do- very 

 well, even A. Pinsapo, a southern tree; on the 

 contrary, however, A. cilicica, which begins vegeta- 

 tion early, freezes in spring and becomes stiff and 

 spindle-shaped. 



Several Piceas succeed at Pezanin. Besides 

 Picea excelsa, grown as a forest tree the follow- 

 ing may be noted : — P. pungens (P. Parryana), 

 and its very ornamental glaucous forms; P. 

 Morinda, whose young shoots are liable to freeze 

 in winter; P. Orientalis, with its small, close, dark, 

 green foliage — it is very distinctive and grows 

 very well; P. sitchensis (P. Menziesii), much finer 

 than in the Paris region, too hot and dry for it 

 during summer. On the other hand, P. ajanensis 

 does not do at all: P. Alcockiana, for which it was 

 long mistaken, freezes in spring; and P. Omorica, 

 so remarkable at Verrieres, remains very poor. 



The Atlas cedar and its silvery form, from which 

 such fine colour contrasts were expected, are 

 weakly and without any ornamental effect. The 

 slow growing, bushy foliage of the cedar of 



