216 IN A GLOUCESTERSHIRE GARDEN 



she often told me that she knew nothing in foliage 

 more beautiful than the Salisburia in its autumnal tints. 

 I know of few better trees for a lawn; in its early- 

 stages it grows very slowly, but when fully established 

 it groAvs rapidly, and becomes a tree always of a good 

 shape, and with light, graceful foliage. Botanically it 

 is a most interesting tree. Though closely allied to 

 the yew, it is as unlike a yew as possible, and the 

 leaves have a really wonderful resemblance to the 

 maidenhair fern. It comes from China and Japan, 

 and often bears its Japanese name, ginkgo, but it 

 is more commonly known as the maidenhair-tree. I 

 have never seen the flowers or fruit, and they are 

 seldom produced in England ; ^ and it has the further 

 interest that, though only introduced a little over a 

 hundred years, it is an old inhabitant of England, both 

 the leaves and fruit being found in some of the carboni- 

 ferous strata. In some years the autumn foliage is of 

 a rich golden colour; and the leaves are so slightly 

 attached to the branches that even in midsummer a 

 high wind or a sharp shower will almost strip the tree, 

 and bring down a 'rustling shower of yet untimely 

 leaves' (Thompson). 



1 In a few instances tlie fruit has been produced in England by 

 grafting the two sexes on the same tree. By this means fruit has 

 been produced at Worcester. 



