FOREST TREES. 



413 



I have one or two Red Horse-chestnut trees (^Esculus rubicunda), 

 from North America, which are of lower and slower growth than the 

 common horse-chestnut The red chestnut is one of the most beautiful 

 trees which can be grown on a large lawn. It should stand by itself, 

 and its branches should touch the ground, when the peculiar glossy cha- 

 racter of the foliage, contrasting with pink blossoms, renders it highly 

 ornamental. There is a yellow horse-chestnut, which I grow, but it is 

 not particularly beautiful, and may be dispensed with, except when 

 there is ample room, and great variety needed. 



The Lime may be seen in the highest perfection in Beddington 

 Park from my garden. It is called the Tillia europcea (fig. 938), 

 or Linden-tree, and has been the theme of admiration of German 

 poets. The exquisite forms of some of the 

 Park specimens greatly adorn our landscape. 

 There was once a grand avenue of limes, 

 but many have been destroyed by the 

 builder since he invaded this charming spot. 

 The tracery of the branches of the Lime- 

 tree seen against a clear blue sky in 

 winter is highly elegant, and then I never 

 can look at it without delight. The odour 

 of the flower in summer is delicious. Two 

 fine lime-trees grow in the Bank of England 

 before the windows of the parlour, in the 

 former churchyard of St. Christopher-le-Storks. The mats with 

 which we cover our plants in winter are made in Russia from its 

 inner bark, and gardeners use strips of this bark to tie up their 

 plants. Virgil says that he was displeased to see garlands tied 

 with the inner bark of the linden : " Displicent nexje philyra 

 coronae." Herodotus says : " The Scythian diviners take also the 

 leaves of the lime-tree, which, dividing into three parts, they twine 

 round their fingers; they then unbind it, and exercise the art to 

 which they pretend." The aphides which live upon it make so 

 much honeydew, that food is prepared for thousands of bees, wasps, 



FIG. 938. Lime. 



