THE LIME 



563 



others of its kind to form the arched 



avenue, making covered way from the 



wide park-land to some " stately home," 



or leading up to the great cathedral. With 



equally fitting and more gentle grace it is 



often found roofing the path that joins 



lych gate and porch, 



in the approach to 



some rural house of 



prayer. For there is 



about the Linden tree 



a subtle element of 



sympathy, that is 



quickly responsive to 



what is deepest and 



highest in our human 



feelings and interests. 



In winter this tree, 

 with tall central 

 column, bearing abun- 

 d a n t and slender 

 branches and twigs, 

 can scarcely be mis- 

 taken. The lower 

 branches often present 

 an angular, or elbowed 

 appearance. The tree 

 margin shows close-set, 

 fine division and inter- 

 lacing. The base of the 

 bole is frequently beset 

 and hidden by crowds 

 of shoots. The twigs 

 and buds, more brightly 

 red than those of any 

 of our larger trees, give 

 to the Linden at this 

 season a glow of 

 warmth. In spring 

 this colour deepens with 

 the increase of sun- 

 light ; but not until 

 the year is weU ad- 

 vanced do the buds expand, putting forth 

 their drooping canopies of lustrous green. 



Not until summer is here have the new 

 shoots expanded, bearing, horizontally, 

 their two rows of fully opened leaves of 

 cheerful green. And not until midsummer 

 do the flower buds appear, beneath the 

 still protecting sprays of foliage, in little 

 ranged groups, as pearly pendants ; open- 

 ing out, under awning of spread fairy 

 wings, into sweet bell clusters, whose 

 tinkling might be audible to fancy but 

 for the all-pervading other melody, of in- 



sect wings and insect voices, stirring the 

 scented air to incalculable vibrations. 



With autumn changes quickly super- 

 vene, for the Lime is of tender nurture. 

 Leaves soon begin to yellow over ; fruits 

 formed, but with us seldom ripened, sail 



LIME IN WINTER. 



away, bearing no promise with them, their 

 high purpose frustrated under hard cir- 

 cumstance. By mid-autumn the Limes 

 are bare, gleam of twig and bud alone 

 abiding out of all their short-lived fairy 

 frolic. 



The bark is but slightly roughened into 

 narrow vertical furrows. The twigs are 

 cylindrical, and take a zigzag course. In 

 colour they are a brilliant red, merging 

 into greenish grey. The buds are arranged 

 alternately on these ; they are stout, red 

 as the twigs, and bulging on one side. 



