Chap. X.] 



TREES FOR CITIES. 



155 



Northern Italy ; in the towns of cold Central France, in the fine 

 old cities in La Belle Touraine, and in Anjou, where the Camellia 

 and Azalea grow luxuriantly in the open air ; in the numerous new 

 boulevards of Paris ; under a scorching sun in Naples ; and in many 

 other places, thousands of miles from its native home in North 

 America ; and everywhere it is by far the noblest city- tree. In no 

 place are there finer individual specimens of it than in London, 

 although receiving no such attention as they do elsewhere. 



^■iN^i^^fm^xi^M 



Planes on Paris Quays, 



Fairly and roundly developed specimens of the Plane have in 

 summer almost the grace of a weeping-tree. In winter the 

 branches retain this character, but also present a rugged Gothic 

 picturesqueness, while the pendulous seed-vessels and striking 

 column-like bole add to their beauty in the winter season, when 

 the trees are at rest and safe from smoke. 



It is only a few years since the possibility of growing Planes 

 on the Thames Embankment was doubted by many ; now we have 



