CHAP. CV. 



CORYLACEJE. c'A HIMNUS. 



2013 



fcrence at 5 ft. from the ground, having increased 18 In. from 1812, when it measured 5 ft. in girt. 

 In Ireland, at Cypress Grove, it is 90 ft. high, diameter of trunk 2 ft 8 in. and of the head 100 ft. ; 

 in King's County, at Charleville Forest, 8 years planted, it is 18ft. high; in Fermanagh, at 

 Florence Court, 35 years planted, it is 40ft. high ; in Galway, at Cool, it is 36ft. high, diameter of 

 trunk 1ft. 3 in., and of the head 20ft; in Sligo, at Mackree Castle, it is 62 ft. higl), diameter of 

 the trunk 3ft, and of the head 48 ft. ; in the county Tyrone, 60 years planted, it is 50ft high, 

 girt of trunk 6 ft., and the diameter of head 40ft. In France, near Nantes, 100 years old, it is 90ft. 

 high, with a trunk 8 ft. in circumference. In Belgium, in the wood belonging to the villa of M. 

 Mei'lemeester, near Ghent, is a serpentine walk about 300ft. long, covered with hornbeam trained 

 to a vaulted treillage. This leads to an artificial cave, which is paved with the metatarsal bones oi 

 sheep. We afterwards come to Pan's Theatre, this is wholly formed of hornbeam trees and bushes, 

 which the shears have curiously tortured into the appearance of a stage with side scenes, and of 

 front and side boxes, and parterre, or pit. (Neill Uort. Tour., p. 56.) In Hanover, in the Gtit- 

 tingen Botanic Garden, 20 years planted, it is 2U ft. high. In Bavaria, in the Botanic Garden 

 at Munich, 24 years old, it is"l8 ft. high. In Austria, at Vienna, in the University Botanic Garden, 

 40 years old, it is 48 ft. high, diameter of the trunk 1 ft. 3 in., and of the head 30 ft. ; at Laxenburg, 

 60 years planted, it is 38 It. high, diameter of the trunk 1 ft 1 in., and of the head 12 ft. ; at Kopenzel, 

 40 years planted, it is 30 ft. high, the diameter of the trunk 6 in., and of the head 18 ft. ; in the 

 garden of Baron London, 20 years old, it is 25ft. high, diameter of trunk 1ft. 2 in., and of 

 head 16ft. ; and at Briick on the Leytha, 60 years old, it is 48 ft. high, diameter of the trunk 2 ft., 

 and of the head 39ft In Prussia, near Berlin, at Sans Souci, 35 years old, it is 36ft. high, diameter 

 of trunk 1 ft. 4 in., and of the head 15ft. In Sweden, at Lund, in the Botanic Garden, it is 48 ft. 

 high, diameter of the trunk 2ft., and of the space covered by the branches 38ft. In Italy, in Lorn- 

 bardy, at Monza, 40 years old, it is 45ft. high, the diameter of the trunk 1 ft 3 in., and of the head 

 30ft The var. inclsa, 24 years planted, is It ft. high. 



2. C. (B.) AMERICA'NA Michx. The American Hornbeam. 



Identification. Michx. Amer., 2. p 201. ; Willd. Sp. PI., 4. p. 468. ; Pursh FL Amer. Sept., p. 623. ; 



Dend. Brit, t. 157. 



Synunywc. C. virgini&na Michx. Arb. t t. 8. 

 Engravings. Dend. Brit., t. 157. ; Michx. N. Amer. Syl., 3- t. 108. ; and our fig. 1936. 



Spec. Char., $c. Bracteas of the fruit 3-partite; middle division oblique, 

 ovate-lanceolate, 1 -toothed on one side. (Willd.) A low tree, generally 

 from 12 ft. to loft, high, but sometimes from 25 ft. Gin. to 30ft.; a native 

 of North America. Introduced in 1812. The American hornbeam is 

 smaller than that of Europe ; as, though under 

 peculiarly favourable circumstances it sometimes 

 attains the height of 25ft. or 30 ft., these instances 

 are of rare occurrence, and its ordinary stature is 

 that of a large shrub. The trunk is rather thick 

 in proportion to its height, and frequently obliquely 

 and irregularly fluted. The branches are numerous, 

 short, and thickly set, so as to give the whole tree 

 a dwarfish and stunted appearance. The bark is 

 smooth, and spotted with white. The leaves are 

 oval, acuminated, and finely dentated. The female 

 flowers are collected in long, loose, pendulous cat- 

 kins, like those of the European hornbeam; and, 

 like that species, the bracteas expand, with the pro- 

 gress of the fruit, into a kind of leaf, furnished at 

 the base with a small, hard, oval nut. The catkins 

 often remain attached to the tree after the leaves 

 have fallen. The tree prospers, in North America, 

 in almost every soil and situation : it is found, ac- 

 cording to Michaux, as far north as the provinces 

 of Nova Scotia; and, according to Pursh, as far 

 south as Florida. The wood is white, and exceed- 

 ingly fine-grained and compact. According to Michaux, " the dimensions* 

 of the tree are so small as to render it useless even for fuel ; but young 

 trees are employed for hoops in the district of Maine, when better kinds 

 cannot be procured." (A r . Amer. Syl., Hi. p. 29.) It was introduced by 

 Pursh, in 18 H; and there are plants of it in some of the London nurseries. 

 It is propagated by layers, and sometimes by imported seeds. 



Statistics. In Sussex, at West Dean, 15 years planted, it is 21 ft. high In Staffordshire at Trent 

 ham, L'.> years planted, it is 35ft. high, diameter of the trunk 1 ft., and of the head 27 ft In Scot 

 land, at Dalhousie Castle, 15 years planted, it is 14ft high. In France, near Paris at Sceaux 20 

 years old, it is 36ft high. In Italy, at Monza, 24 years planted, it is 24ft. high diameter of 'the 

 trunk 8 in., and,of the head 20 ft. Price of plants, in the London nurseries, 2$ each 



