405 



In some respects the two most interesting trees at Verrieres are 

 hybrids: Juglans Vil mo r in i ana and Abies Vilmorin i. The first 

 of these is of unrecorded origin, but is certainly a hybrid between 

 the common and the black walnuts. It was planted in 1816, ami 

 is now a splendid tree over 90 ft. high. Its finely-shaped trunk is 

 10 ft. 2 in. in girth. The hybrid fir is of even greater interest. 

 The cross was made here in 1867 by the late M. Henri de Vilmorin, 

 between A. cephalonica and A. Pinsapo, and from the solitary seed 

 produced, this tree, now 50 ft. high, was raised. Both in foliage 

 and in habit the tree resembles A. Pinsapo (the seed-bearer) but its 

 cones are more like those of A. cephalonica. These cones are pro- 

 duced abundantly, and carry fertile seed from which young trees 

 have been raised ; some of these seedlings more closely resemble 

 the male parent in foliage. So far as is generally known this is 

 the only hybrid conifer ever raised artificially. There is a tree of 

 the rare Larix occidentalis about the size of the Kew specimens : 

 like them, it produces an abundance of cones, none of which ever 

 contain any fertile seed. This may be due to the comparative 

 juvenility of the trees, but it is not favourable to the hopes enter 

 tained in regard to this tree that it may eventually till to some 

 extent the place now occupied by the common larch in English 

 forestry. 



One of the finest examples of Pseudolarix Fortunei in France is 

 38 ft. high and 3 ft. in girth of trunk. Two of the noblest trees of 

 the garden are specimens of Corsican pine (Pinus Lancui) ; they 

 are about 90 ft. high with smooth, erect, columnar trunks. Two 

 large cedars of Lebanon do much to give this garden the air ot 

 distinction which it enjoys. A tree I had not seen before was a 

 fastigiate variety of the white mulberry. Of some good oaks the 

 best are Quercus lanuginosa, 70 ft. high ; Q. heterophylhi (carrying 

 mistletoe) 73 ft. high ; Q. bicolor, 5 ft. 4 in. m gr" " "" 



Q. palastris, 70 f t. high and 6 ft. 6 in. in girth. -.. 



the garden contains many rare and beautiful shrubs and herba- 

 ceous plants. 



Besides all these, 



Lbs BARRES. June 2'6 and 24. 



To anyone interested in new and rare shrubs the most interesting 

 place on the Continent at the present time is the fruticetnm in 

 process of formation by M. Maurice L. de Vilmorin at l£*™J 

 M. de Vilmorin has been in close relationship «*^J*ri2 

 chiefly missionaries, in China for many years past, and tomng 



received from them seeds of many species V™7 10 ™1? ™^Z?™ 

 Europe, he has been able to get together a collection quteun^e 

 in the richness of its Chinese representatives. Over sixty j ears 

 ago the grandfather of the present proprietor planted . arge areas 

 of trees 8 at Les Barres under forest conditions with a view 

 to testing their value in French forestry. Jhew Plantotr t J 

 which consist of a considerable variety of bo*h O d«dl« 

 World trees, planted in large blocks M ° f * J in ^ P na v, 

 or variety, are now of considerable interest and value ^ 

 been acquired by the French State and Les ^ £^ 



magnificent 



