THE ROMANCE OF OUR TREES 



specimens are rare in England and in northern 

 Europe. When it was brought to this country is un- 

 known but probably toward the end of the 18th 

 century. It has also been carried to South America, 

 and travellers say that in Chile, especially by sides 

 of irrigation canals, magnificent specimens occur. 

 Near Boston, Mass., it is scarcely hardy, but in the 

 Arnold Arboretum some trees raised from cuttings 

 I sent from near Ichang in central China are promis- 

 ing. 



A hybrid, supposed to be between S. babylonica 

 and S. alba, named 5. Salamonii and of which only 

 the female is known, is a much more hardy tree. 

 It is not quite so pendulous but its increased hardi- 

 ness is a great asset. This valuable tree originated 

 on the estate of Baron de Salamon near Man- 

 osque (Basses Alpes) before 1869, when it was put 

 on the market by Simon-Louis of Metz. Another 

 handsome Weeping Willow, a supposed hybrid be- 

 tween S. babylonica and S. fragilis, named Salix 

 blanda, is a much more hardy tree than the Babylon 

 Willow. It is a very fast-growing tree with long, 

 pendent branchlets which almost reach to the ground. 

 There are two forms of Salix blanda, one with yellow 

 shoots called "Niobe" and one with reddish shoots 

 known as the "Wisconsin Weeping Willow." Then 

 there are Salix purpurea pendula and Salix alba vital- 

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