Platanus 621 



they do not like cold wet soil or heavy clay ; and a seedling which I brought in a 

 bottle from the Temple of Diana at Ephesus in 1874, and planted out at Colesborne, 

 has never been able to make good growth on account of the spring frosts, which cut 

 it back in most seasons ; and after thirty-three years' growth is only a stunted bushy 

 tree 20 feet high. 



The true oriental plane is always liable to be cut by frost at any age, and 

 the branches and twigs assume a zigzag habit in consequence ; but no tree succeeds 

 better in the smoky air of towns than the maple-leaved or London plane, which 

 is by far the largest tree in all the London squares, parks, and gardens, and seems 

 likely to live to a very great age. 



As regards hardiness, the plane seems, when of sufficient size, to endure the 

 severest winter frosts, but requires a higher summer temperature than the north and 

 west of England usually affords. In the south-east it is almost everywhere one of 

 the finest exotic trees we have, but should not be planted on poor, stony land or in 

 places exposed to cold winds. 



The oriental plane is one of the very few trees that will grow on strongly 

 alkaline soil, and has been successfully planted on the alkaline lands of the San 

 Joaquin valley in California.* 



Remarkable Trees 

 Var. typica. 



Perhaps the finest specimen in England of the oriental plane is one which was 

 planted by Bishop Gunning in the palace gardens at Ely, of which he was bishop from 

 1674 to 1684. This tree seemed to be failing some years ago, probably owing to a 

 succession of dry seasons, and on the advice of Sir W. Thiselton Dyer was liberally 

 top-dressed with good soil ; the result was so good that when I saw it in 1903 it was 

 in good health, and measured 104 feet high by 20^ in girth. In 1896 it was found 

 by the shadow to be about 100 feet high and 23 feet in girth at 3 feet from the 

 ground. It forks at about 10 feet, where an immense limb comes off, and the 

 branches almost touch the ground all round. It grows on a low hill 50 to 60 feet 

 above the level of the fens, but is sheltered on the north and east by buildings. 

 On 15th October 1903 (a very wet season), the leaves were still quite green, but 

 there was no fruit. Plate 174 is selected from several photographs taken at 

 different times, as giving the best representation of this noble tree. 



In the garden of the Lady Margaret Professor of Divinity at Christ Church, 

 Oxford, there is a very old plane, said to have been introduced by Dr. E. Pococke, 

 who was Professor of Arabic in 1636. It is of no great height and throws out an 

 immense limb close to the ground, where it measures 18 feet 10 inches in girth. 

 When I saw it in September 1907, fruit of the last year was still hanging on it, 

 together with full-grown fruit of the current year, and in some cases six or seven 

 balls were borne on one peduncle. 



At Hawsted Old Place, near Bury St. Edmunds, there are three very large 



' Hilyard, Soils, 480 (1906). 



