io8 LONDON TREES 



of London, even in very smoky and confined 

 districts. 



The White Beam tree (P. Arid) is a reliable, small- 

 growing, and very ornamental subject, with large, 

 pinnately-divided leaves that are thickly covered with 

 a dense, silvery down on the under sides, which give 

 the tree a bright and unusual appearance when ruffled 

 by the wind. The loose clusters of white flowers 

 are succeeded by red or scarlet fruit. 



It is a common tree in the London parks and 

 squares, where it succeeds in a most satisfactory way, 

 even in confined spaces. Some of the oldest and 

 largest trees of the White Beam are those in the gardens 

 of the Royal Botanic Society, Regent's Park, the best 

 of which is 35 feet high, the branches covering 

 a spread of 48 feet in diameter, with a stem girth of 

 5 feet. Standing alone these are magnificent speci- 

 mens, the height and branch spread being quite 

 exceptional. But probably the largest Beam tree 

 in London is that in Colder 's Hill Park, the huge 

 stem of which rises to 55 feet in height, with a girth 

 at 3 feet of 6 feet 3 inches. 



Though found naturally on chalk soils, yet the 

 White Beam tree has attained to a large size on the 

 London clay, as the many beautiful specimens on 

 Primrose Hill and throughout the parks generally 

 will bear testimony. In several of the confined East End 

 gardens it also attains to a fair size and looks healthy. 

 Mountain Ash (P. Aucuparia). This, the best- 

 known member of the family, is well represented in 

 some of the suburban gardens and parks, where it 

 produces flowers and fruit in fair abundance. Its 

 airy lightness and fresh-green, pinnate, fern-like leaves, 

 as also dense clusters of creamy-white flowers which 



