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mound to the left of the entrance gates to Kew Palace from the 
riverside, the tree was described ‘when in its rime, as a goo 
specimen os = beauty and great height. The girth of the 
trunk at 4 feet from the ground was 18 feet 7 inches. The tree is 
said to have pte a favourite haunt with the children of George III 
when “ pursuing their youthful studies.” (A.B., 1891, p. 318.) It 
is perhaps for this reason that in some books the tree is referred to 
as the “ King’s Lime.” During a heavy storm on January 27, 
1901, the tree suffered Mg all that remained was about 9 feet 
of the trunk. (K.B., 1901, p. 86.) Being of historic interest the 
portion remaining was sade, to look presentable with the aid of a 
few bricks and cement. As evidence of the life left in the old tree 
Nesed away on April 3 and burned. 
A.O. 
The Cricket-bat Willow.—A paper published in the Kew Bulletin, 
1907, p. 311, dealt with the identity of the forms of Salix whose 
timbers are most prized by cricket-bat makers. It was there shown 
that the best of all willows for bat-making is a pyramidal-growing, 
female form of the blue willow (Salix alba var. coerulea), which, 
restriction of the best cricket-bat willow to nae Seiten counties 
was due to its being a local variety, or perhaps hybrid, emia 
by inheritance those peculiar qualities the cricket-bat maker 
desires; or, whether ace qualities were ca to, and dependent on, 
local conditi ions of climate or soil. is well known the East 
Anglian climate is the driest and sinters in the United Kingdom, 
and it was by no means certain in the opinion of several competent 
observers that the timber of the cricket-bat willow would retain its 
peculiar value if it were produced, say, in the warm, humid climate 
of Cornwall or in the somewhat similar conditions of the west of 
Scotland. Large numbers of cricket-bat willows have been planted 
during the past five years and it has become important to ascertain 
how far the labour and expense incurred in such districts is likely 
to be recompensed, 
Through the kindness of Mr. J. Arthur Campbell we are able to 
give an encouraging report on some timber of cricket-bat willow 
wn on his estate at Arduaine, Lochgilphead, Argyllshire. 
Mr. Campbell, for experimental purposes, made a plantation —. 
of about 150 trees in 1903 and 1904. One of these, plant 
1904, having attained a diameter in its trank of 6 to 7 inches he east 
down and sent to Mr. D. J. Carter, willow dealer of Newtown, 
Waltham Cross, Herts, to ascertain its suitability and value for 
bat-making. Mr. Cattor reported that it was perfectly satisfactory 
