52 



problems of tliis and recent planting seasons has been tlie pro- 

 vision of space for tlie enormous number of now hardy trees and 

 shrubs, chiefly from China, that have been added to the Kew 

 collections. In putting oat these plants in permanent places^ 

 two important matters have to be kept in view. One is that these 

 new species should be placed in contiguity to others of the same 

 genus, so that visitors may be enabled to find reasonably quickly, 

 by means of the published guide, the tree or shrub they desire to 

 study or compare. The other consideration is that the landscape 

 beauties of Kew, which it has been the aim of successive Directors 

 to inaintain and develop, should not be affected. There is scarcely 

 anything more calculated to detract from the dignity of a demesne 

 like that of Kew, with its fine old trees and spacious vistas and 

 lawns, than the promiscuous planting of a largo number of small 

 trees just out from nursery quarters. 



The general lines of the Kew Arboretum were laid down by 

 Sir Joseph Hooker about forty years ago, at a time when the 

 present enormous accretions of material could not have been fore- 

 seen. The spaces originally allotted to certain genera and families 

 have consequently proved quite inadequate. In some instances 

 it has been necessary to move an entire genus or even Natural 

 Order to a new site so that the development of a neighbouring one 

 may be provided for. This involves much labour, and for it to be 

 done without incurring serious or perhaps irreplacable losses very 

 careful transplanting is necessary. 



Henry 



"J"-— ^»"s ii'-va. — xix ubsuuiULioii wiiu iTroi. JX. xLenvy, ox 



the Royal College of Science, Dublin, some experiments in the 

 hybridisation of timber-producing trees have been carried out. 

 The extraordinary vigour of some hybrid trees such as Salia^ 

 coerulea, S. Salanioni, Populus serotina and P. Eugenei, various 

 elms, etc without counting more doubtful instances like the 

 London plane and common lime, led Prof. Henry to attempt the 

 production of others of equal or perhaps greater value, whose 

 onjm (unlike most or all of those mentioned) would be known 

 and recorded. The experiments were carried out on larches, 

 poplars, ashes, alders oaks and walnuts, and the Isolation of the 

 flowers, their cross-fertilising, as well as the protection and 

 gathering of the seeds, was done by members of the Kew staff. 

 Seeds were developed on two larches, seven poplars, nine ashes, 

 one alder, two oaks and one walnut. Of thesef all the poplars and 

 oaks as well as four ashes have already germinated. 



hv^liaZ\ ^V^^'^'^P'' ^P^' occasions during 1914 Kew suffered 

 oy storms, ihe most serious loss nomiTr^A n^ ht.^^i. itn-x. ^i.^r. 



iU larcp nr>^ r iV . ,.^ '°^^ occurred on March 16th, when 



dendrol B^l - ""m ' '^^^''^'^ ^''' ^* t^« ^^^«^ ^^^ oi the Bhodo- 

 anda'ainfiT^^^^^^^ .(See Z. R 1914, p. 173.) In May, 



occ.;irrurfrf ' ^"^ \'' ""'"'^'^ ^y thundoritorms On each 

 HghS S/bl'\'i:^^' a tal Atlas cedar was struck by 



iifeutmng. I'robably the moat v o.Tpnf ^ir.A ^4- „£ xi .1 



occurred on DecemLr 28+^ L t ^''V.l'^ ^* ^^'^ 5 

 MarpT. fi.. .:l:l??^^r*^ between 8 and 10 p.m. As 



March 



in 



and some 



