NOTICES AND REVIEWS OF BOOKS. Ill 



increases to a greater degree than in tliose species of trees 

 which are credited with being "bad transplanters." 



We fancy most town tree-planters will smile at many of the 

 recommendations in the book. With the majority of the remarks 

 regarding the desirability of planting, and the necessity for 

 careful selection of the various subjects, we cordially agree ; 

 but we are unable to concur in the author's views on all 

 cultural details. We are not all so favourably situated in 

 regard to funds for the carrying out of work on such liberal 

 lines. 



Dealing with the other species of trees recommended, we 

 are tempted to ask if it is really true that the planting of elms 

 is now forbidden in the parks under Government control, as 

 elms are barely mentioned and not specially recommended, if 

 we except the pendulous form of Ulmiis montana^ which, 

 however interesting, is but a toy plant after all, only suited 

 for odd corners or villa gardens. What is wrong with the 

 typical English elm and its varieties? The London parks, aye 

 and English landscapes too, would lose much of their beauty 

 were the noble elms eliminated ; while v/e in the north would 

 equally suffer by the loss of the wych or mountain species. 

 The same remarks apply to the ash ; the weeping form which is 

 prominently noticed is more suitable for cemeteries than general 

 planting. The type tree and its varieties, as well as some other 

 species, are excellent subjects which develop noble proportions 

 in towns if the soil is moderately stiff and moist ; and the so-called 

 flowering ash — Fraxiniis ormis — is an excellent tree for a town 

 square or open space. 



It is news indeed to one who has lived a good part of his 

 life in a colliery district, to learn that " variegated sycamores and 

 horse chestnuts are favourite trees where the smoke is most 

 offensive." One of our favourite trees is the sycamore, but we 

 have been forced to discard it in districts where iron and chemical 

 industries are established to any extent ; while our experience 

 with Acers generally is that they are unreliable in the smoky 

 parts of a city. The common horse chestnut suffers equally 

 with the Acers. On the other hand, the red-flowered chestnut 

 {^'Esculus riibiamda) is an excellent town tree, though it does not 

 develop to the same size as its better known congener. 



In regard to the poplars, is there not some confusion in 

 relation to species ? We were under the impression that Fopuhis 



