1526 The Trees of Great Britain and Ireland 



however, are sometimes completely killed by late frosts in April, as in 1859 at 

 Mildenhall.^ It is planted in Norway as far north as Trondhjem, and in Sweden as 



far as Stockholm.^ 



No tree is more easily raised from seed, or more easily transplanted than the 

 Laburnum ; and its rapid growth when young, and ability to thrive on the poorest, 

 driest, and most chalky soils, makes it a valuable addition not only to pleasure 

 grounds, where it is most generally seen, but also for plantations. 



Boutcher' recommends planting it in plantations where hares are numerous, 

 because as long as they can get Laburnum they will touch no other tree, and though 

 eaten to the ground every winter they will spring up again every summer. I have 

 proved the truth of this to some extent at Colesborne, and planted Laburnums in 

 quantity on the edge of plantations. But as the tree has a tendency to branch freely, 

 and the branches are easily broken by the wind, pruning must be done for some 

 years if a clean bole is desired. There is much variation in the habit ; some, having 

 a weeping tendency, should be selected for ornament ; whilst for timber, clean stems 

 of 10 to 12 ft. should be aimed at ; and on good soils I believe that, though the wood 

 is hardly known to modern cabinetmakers, it will have a considerable value at an 

 age when few other hardwoods have any. 



Remarkable Trees 



One of the finest I have seen in the south, is near the East Lodge at The Mote, 

 near Maidstone, in a sheltered dell. This in 191 1 was 38 ft. high, with a bole 

 8^ ft. in girth and 8 ft. high, but the stem was partly decayed and patched with lead 

 and plaster. 



At Ickleton Grange, near Cambridge, Mr. G. W. H. Bowen showed Henry, in 

 June 191 2, a remarkable plantation of Laburnum (Z,. vulgare), which is said to have 

 been made about 1790 by Mr. Percy Wyndham. It is four acres in extent, and is 

 situated on the south slope of a hill, the soil being very thin and resting on 

 impermeable chalk. The plantation was coppiced at an early period, most of the 

 trees being bushy, with several wide -spreading limbs, arising from stools of 

 considerable size. The largest specimen has eight great stems, 3 to 5 ft. in girth, 

 and about 30 ft. high. Though close together and almost forming pure canopy, the 

 trees are thinly clad with foliage ; and the soil beneath is covered with thick grass. 

 Seedlings, as soon as they appear, are eaten by rabbits ; but in the same soil in a 

 garden at some distance, which is surrounded by a Laburnum hedge, seedlings are 

 very numerous. Mr. Bowen has also some thriving Laburnums, which were originally 

 put down as stakes for fencing, but speedily developed roots and grew in this 

 chalky soil. 



At Coolhurst, near Horsham, there is a very old tree which leans over the road 

 and has been propped up to keep it from falling. In 1906 it was about 35 ft. high 

 by 3 to 4 ft. in girth. At " The Laburnums," near Stroud, there is a group of 

 three trees, the stems of which are close together at the base, girthing respectively 



1 Bunbury, Arb. Notes, 6 (1889). " WiUkomm, Forsil. Flora, 918 (1887). 3 jr^rese Trees, 109 (1775). 



