304 



lieiglit and is 3 ft. 9 in, in girtlu lu many respects this is the 

 best of all limes. Its branches are rather peucTuluus and its dark 

 green leaves are remarkably glossy and clean looking., Cercidi- 

 Ijhyllum japomcuvi^ usually rather disappointing in this country, 

 is 25 ft, high at Tortworth> and thriving. Corniis controversa 

 (commonly but erroneously named C, irachypoda in gardens) is 

 20 ft. high,, very distinct in its horizontal branching. Of Acantho- 

 panaw ricinifolhun, a remarkable araliad becoming 80 ft. or more 

 high in Xorth Japan, but of which few plants have succeeded 

 for any length of time in England, Lord l)ucie has a promising 

 young tree 25 to 30 ft, high, its trvink girthing 23 in. breast high, 

 3 ft. 1 in. at the base, Madura aurantiacay the Osage orange, is 

 generally considered to be dioecious, but a tree at Tortworth — the 

 only one there — has borne fruit. Magnolia acuminata, the so- 

 called cucumber ti-ee of North America, is represented by a 

 very elegant tree 50 ft, high. Another interesting American 

 tree, the tupelo {Nyssa sylvatica), is thriving well with the 

 boggy condition at the root which it affects in its native country. 

 This tree is Avortli growing for its autumn colour. In tlte park 

 is probably the best example in Britain of the blue ash {Fnuvinu.^ 

 quadrangulata) so distinct in its square four-angled stems. Ten 

 years ago this tree was 34 ft. high and 1 ft. 10 in. in girth of 

 trunk. Now it is about 40 ft, hio-h and 2 ft. 8 in. in i>*irth. 



n 



o 



For the tboroiigli study of tke Arboretum at Tortwortli several 



full days would be needed. TUe notes on which this paper is 



based were hurriedly taken during a visit of a few hours on May 



-8th, 1915. The girths given are correct, but the heights are 



approximate, there being no time to use a dendrometer. But I 



tried to avoid the usual fault of esaggeratiuj.' the stature of the 

 trees. *= 



To conclude, a few words must be given to the celebrated 

 lortworth cliestnut {Castanea mtiva) now a ruin, but a magnifi- 

 cent and by no means a lifeless one. It stands near the site of old 

 lortworth Court and the Church. Owing to the rugged and un- 

 even character of its trunk it was not easy to measure accurately, 

 but 1 made t}ie narrowest girth 51i ft., equal to about 5^ yards 

 m average diameter. According to legend. King John h...- 

 council under it, and even in King Stephen's reign Evelyn says 

 It was known as the Great Chestnut of Tortworth Little is left 

 Tiow but the remains of its gigantic bole, the upper part of which 

 bears a tliiu furnishing of leaf-bearing branches, and occasional 





XXIX.—THE BLACK OR BERRY-BEARING ALDER 



FOR GUNPOWDER. 



[Rhamnus Frangula, L.) 



W. Dallimoee. 

 r.tjv''^ 'ri"*''"^' complaints have been made during recent years 

 riffienut^^ ^°''' i^'^'^l t^^'^''^ ^^r coppice wood and the 

 tSS ^Y'"'"'"'^- '"^ ^^^^°« '^ ^•'^^■^^'^* for some kinds, yet 



auantrtv in l^^'T^'^ ''''''^'. *^"* '^^ ^«* produced in sufficient 

 quantity to supply the demand, and adequate steps do not appear 



