38 THE JOVRXA.L OF BOTAXY 



(which I give in diary form) were made were some twenty fine 

 examples, averaging about 8.j feet high, and at or rather jjast their 

 best (sav, 100 or 12.5 3'ears old, for this is a comparatively short-lived 

 species) ; most of them stand either actualh'^ in my garden or in the 

 drive leading up to the house, but a few in adjacent fields and 

 hedgerows : — 



1911, Feb. 19. — A number of trees standnig in hedgerows near 

 the house were in full fiower. Six days earlier, on the 12th, I had 

 noted that a number of trees, apparently of this species, growing in a 

 more exposed situation at Stisted, in Xorth Essex, were just about to 

 fiower, though none had actually done so. 



1912, Februan/ 4< (aboul). — Trees in the driv^e now in full fiower, 

 especiall}^ one which seems always to fiower rather earlier than the 

 others, but the exact date of first opening not noted. Mr. Turner 

 informed me that certain trees which he believed to be of this 

 species, growing near Coggeshall, were in flower on 21st Jan. in 

 this year. 



1*912, December 27 {about). — The specially-early tree mentioned 

 above must have been in fiower on or before this date (that is,, /or the 

 second time witlini the year) ; but I did not perceive the fact until a 

 week later, namely, on — 



1913, January 4, when it and some of the other trees in the 

 drive were well in fiower, though not fully so. The quantity of 

 fiower seems likely to be exceptionally large this year. 



January 10. — A violent wmd has stripped nearly all the flower 

 off the trees round the house and has carried a large quantity of 

 it into the pond in the garden, where, floating on the surface, it was 

 driven by the wind up to one end, forming a thick coating or scum, 

 dark red in colour, which could be gathered up in large hand-fulls, 

 and must hive been suflicient in total quantity to fill several bushels. 



1914, February 21. — The treos round the house are now all 

 in fall flower. They must have been out at least a fortnight ago, 

 but I failed to observe their first opening. They are, therefore, about 

 six weeks later in flowering this year than they were last. A high 

 wind last night has again stripped the trees of most of their flowers, 

 which have again formed a thick red scum on the surface of m.\ pond, 

 though not nearly to the same extent as last year. 



Ajjril 13. — In spite of the destruction of flower by the high 

 wind nearly two months ago, the trees are all bearing, especially 

 near their tops, fair crops of samaras, which is very unusual for this 

 species. 



April 28. — The samaras are still developing, but are not yet 

 mature. It looks as though the trees were going to produce a large 

 crop of fertile seed, though not nearly to the same extent as 

 in 1909. 



Mry 2. — The samaras are beginning to fall. Some appear to 

 enclose fertile seeds, but the great majority are clearly infertile. 

 A trip on this date to north-west Essex, via Dunmow, Thaxted, 

 Saffron Walden, and Ashdon to the borders of Cambridgeshire and 



