TREES ABOUT TOWN 



pale yellow blossom, to which bees resort in num- 

 bers, making a pleasant hum, which seems the 

 natural accompaniment of summer sunshine. Its 

 leaves are put forth early. 



Horse-chestnuts, too, grow quickly and without 

 any attention, the bloom is familiar, and acknowl- 

 edged to be fine, and in autumn the large sprays 

 of leaves take orange and even scarlet tints. The 

 plane is not to be mentioned beside either of them. 

 Other trees as well as the plane would have flour- 

 ished on the Thames Embankment, in consequence 

 of the current of fresh air caused by the river. 

 Imagine the Embankment with double rows of 

 oaks, elms, or beeches ; or, if not, even with limes 

 or horse-chestnuts ! To these certainly birds would 

 have resorted possibly rooks, which do not fear 

 cities. On such a site the experiment would have 

 been worth making. 



If in the semi-country seats fast-growing trees 

 are needed, there are, as I have observed, the lime 

 and horse-chestnut ; and if more variety be desired, 

 add the Spanish chestnut and the walnut. The 

 Spanish chestnut is a very fine tree ; the walnut, 

 it is true, grows slowly. If as many beeches as 

 cedar deodaras and laurels and planes were planted 

 in these grounds, in due course of time the tap of 

 the woodpecker would be heard : a sound truly 



worth ten thousand laurels. At Kew, far closer 



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