220 The Trees of Great Britain and Ireland 



Cultivation 



Colonel Henry Bunbury brought seeds from India in 1851, from which plants 

 were raised by Sir Charles J. F. Bunbury^ at Barton in Suffolk. The large tree ^ 

 now flourishing on the lawn at Barton (Plate 65) is one of the original seedlings, 

 and measured, in 1904, 66 feet high by 7 feet 9 inches in girth. Another tree in 

 the arboretum at Barton measured 65 feet high by 7 feet 2 inches in girth ; and 

 divides into two main stems at 7 feet above the ground. This tree flowered for the 

 first time in 1858, producing twelve panicles, being then only seven years old from 

 seed, and 16 feet in heig-ht. It did not suffer in the least from the terrible winter 

 of i860, and flowered as usual in the summer following. In 1868 it ripened fruit, 

 and four thriving plants were raised from its seed. There are no records of the 

 tree on the lawn, which is now the finer of the two. Other trees were planted 

 apparently at Mildenhall,^ which is about fifteen miles distant from Barton ; but these 

 never throve, and none remain. The soil at Mildenhall is a light loam on chalk, 

 and probably did not suit the tree. 



I saw the beautiful tree at Barton in full flower on June 24, 1905, when it did 

 not seem to have received the least injury from the severe frosts and cold north-east 

 winds which had occurred a month previously, and which ruined the flowers and 

 destroyed the fruit of the common horse-chestnut in many places. 



It seems incredible that this species should be so rare and have remained so 

 little known in England, where it ought to be planted generally in the south and 

 west. Mr. Bean says that the seeds soon lose their vitality if kept dry, and that of 

 some scores received in ordinary paper packets from India in recent years, not one 

 has germinated at Kew. He recommends that the seeds should be gathered as soon 

 as ripe, and be sent packed in fairly moist soil. Mr. Walker, the gardener at Barton, 

 informed me that it ripens seed in good years, and showed me several seedlings 

 raised from them which appeared to grow as well as the common horse-chestnut. 



The only other place except Kew, however, where we have seen it, is at 

 Tortworth, where the Earl of Ducie planted in 1S90 a few seeds which were sent 

 to him by the late Duke of Bedford. The seedlings were planted at first in sunny 

 places in the open, but did not thrive until moved to a sheltered dell in 1900, 

 where they are now growing well, the best being about 12 feet high. 



At Kew there are two or three small trees which have flowered a few times. 

 It seems, therefore, that it only requires a good deep soil and a sheltered situation 

 to succeed as well as it has done at Barton. The late Lord Morley informed me 

 that there was a tree recently planted, but growing very well at Saltram, his place 

 in Devonshire. 



According to Jouin,' this tree is quite hardy at Metz. (H. J. E ) 



' ■^'■^"'''""' ^"'"^ 73 (1889). ^ Figured m Card. Chron. .904, xxxvi. 206, SuppI Illust 



Card. Chron. 1903, xxxiii. i88. 4 MUt. Deut. Dendrol. Gesell. 1905, p. ,2. 



