ACCLIMATIZATION, ETC. 281 



therefore few in number. It is often the case in Germany also, as 

 for example after the mild winter of 1883-84, scarcely any blossoms 

 came to perfection. 



The large heart-shaped leaves resemble those of the kindred 

 Catalpa varieties, are large and darker green, however, and appear 

 earlier. When propagated by shoots from the root, the growth is 

 surprising, and the leaves attain enormous size. In the summer of 

 of 1885, such a shoot, near the railway station at Godesberg, near 

 Bonn, measured 2'8 m. in height and 17-5 cm. in circumference. 

 Single leaves on stems 42 cm. long and 8 cm. in circumference were 

 80 to 90 cm. long and over 60 cm. broad. But, notwithstanding its 

 surprising growth, the Paulownia has no great popularity with us. 

 The tree is too bare at the flowering season, and it sheds its 

 branches too easily to preserve a pleasing symmetrical form. It 

 happens, therefore, that only the old specimens are generally found 

 whose trunks have a circumference of about 2 m. After the tree 

 was introduced into France, in 1834, many of them were soon 

 taken thence into other countries. The Paulownia was formerly 

 cultivated on some of the Paris boulevards, but has been removed. 

 It is frequent as an umbrageous tree in Florence, e.g., on the road 

 to Fiesole, where, toward the end of April, the air is filled with the 

 fragrance of its blossoms. Large Paulownia and Eucalyptus trees 

 are most prominent of all in the public park in the neighbourhood 

 of the railway station at Cordova. But here, as elsewhere in Medi- 

 terranean regions, one has the impression that the energy with 

 which Kiri was cultivated 40 or 50 years ago is a thing of the 

 past. 



PcBOJtia Motitan, Sims, Jap. Botan, is found in many varieties, 

 most of them introduced by Fortune, P. albiflora, Pall., Jap. Shaku- 

 yaku, less frequently. It is not the rose, but Botan, and the kindred 

 Shakuyaku, which is praised by the poets in Chinese literature 

 as the queen of flowers. It is spoken of also in the "Memoires 

 des Chinois," Paris, 1877, as the pride and glory of China. And 

 correspondingly it is one of the most popular modes for decoration 

 in Chinese and Japanese art industry. The great healing power 

 ascribed for ages to its roots (see p. 136), together with its beautiful 

 leaves and flowers, may have contributed to its high esteem. Both 

 varieties of pseony, known in our gardens by the common designa- 

 tion, P. arborea, Don., are classed with the most beautiful spring 

 flowers. Fragrance is denied them, however, as it is to all the other 

 pseonies. Their first introduction from China into England was in 

 1789, and is attributed, as I have already mentioned, to Sir Joseph 

 Banks. He brought to Europe, the year before, also, — 



Hydrangea hortensis, Smith {Hortensia opuloideSy Lamk.), Jap. 

 Ajisai. Few of the older importations from Eastern Asia have 

 been more quickly and widely extended than this Hortensia. We 

 have a great many varieties, whose original, simple forms are found 

 in the forests of China, and more frequently in those of Japan. In 



