TWO FOREST ARBORETUMS NEAR BRUSSELS. 9 



very fine colour in autumn, said the forest guard who had been 

 deputed to go round the arboretum with me. This seems a case 

 of a sub-tropical tree growing well in a cold temperate climate, 

 like Cupressus macrocarpa, Finus insigfiis, and some others. 



Quercus cerris. At 19 years, average 4 inches diameter by 

 30 feet high, and shows a first-rate growth. 



Picea sitchensis. Sitka spruce. Has been failing here since 

 the drought of 191 1. 



Picea Omorka, from Bosnia and Montenegro. Shows a quite 

 good growth and a handsome appearance, the leaves glistening 

 white in the sun. 



Picea alba. White spruce of America. Grows vigorously 

 here, more especially when young. The catalogue says that the 

 growth of the three American spruces — white, black and red— are 

 all good at Groenendaal ; but this is questioned by M. Drion. 



Pinus contorta var. Murrayana. Very rapid growing. The 

 forest guard with me here says he has seen leading shoots one 

 metre in length on these trees. It is only the Murrayana 

 variety that shoots up so well, says the forest guard. At 14 

 years it now averages 4 inches diameter by 26 feet high. This 

 is somewhere near two-thirds the growth of Douglas. In this 

 connection, I may mention that the Murray pine is the straightest 

 and nearly the tallest conifer in a small pinetum here at Hobart, 

 Tasmania. 



Pinus Laricio var. austriaca. Austrian pine. Not doing well 

 at Groenendaal ; wants lime. But P. Laricio var. corsicana shows 

 a better growth ; also P. Laricio var. calabrica. M. Drion notes 

 that the Corsican Laricio would show a better growth here, but 

 has been left too long unthinned. A plot here at 16 years of 

 age shows (in the trees not dominated) average diameters of 

 5 inches and heights of 23 feet, and similarly a plot at 23 years 

 7 inches diameter. The Corsican Laricio is valued in Belgium 

 as being straighter and faster-growing than Scots pine, and 

 hardier as regards soil, insect and fungoid pests : but so far it 

 has not ousted the Scots pine, because it is more difficult to 

 transplant, and the timber has not the same assured value. He 

 cites a small plot at Roosveld (near Thouront), which, at 

 66 years of age, had a mean height of over 83 feet and diameters 

 varying from 10 inches to 30 inches. 



Fraxinus excelsior. At 18 years the plot averages 4 inches 

 diameter by 36 feet high — all well grown. 



