Woodland fine in colour 125 



Maples. Some of these are splendid in colour, the 

 best for Britain being the Norway Maple, which has 

 given me a finer result as regards colour than any other 

 tree. The American Maples are brilliant, too, though 

 generally not quite so vigorous in our country. The 

 smaller Japanese Maples are also often rich in colour, 

 but in woodland work we must always prefer the greater 

 trees. The Silver-leaf Maple (Acer dasycarpum) is one 

 of the most graceful of trees ; in early spring it is covered 

 with myriads of reddish flowers ; then its leaves, green 

 above, silvery-white below, turn in autumn to a varied 

 colour. The Scarlet Maple is brilliant in colour, and in 

 spring bears its deep red blossoms. The Sugar Maple 

 (Acer saccharinum) is one of the brightest of American 

 trees, and is much valued, both for its wood and for the 

 beauty of its form and foliage, but it is not so free in our 

 country. The purple-leaved forms of the Sycamore, 

 and also of the Norway Maple, are worth having, but 

 only when they may be raised from seed. If we had 

 but the Tree Maples alone, and excluding every golden 

 variety or variegation, we could make our woodland 

 into a noble picture of fine colour in autumn. 



Willows. Taking them all the year round, I know 

 nothing quite so refined in colour as the Tree Willows, 

 and all the better if grouped by streams, in moist 

 woods, and in rich bottom soil. They differ each month 

 in effect, and are always good in colour, even when bare 

 of leaves. The best is the White Willow (Salix alba), 

 which grows into a forest tree ; the Red and the Yellow 

 Willows, by botanists supposed to be forms of the White 

 Willow, are distinct from it for woodland planting; all 

 give good colour and are easily raised. I should like to 

 see these Tree Willows grown from seed, if possible, as 



