Laburnum 152.7 



8 ft. 3 in,, 7 ft. 5 in., and 6 ft. near the ground, with a height of about 30 ft., and 

 a spread of foHage of about 1 8 yards. 



In the laundry yard at Alnwick Castle there is an immense spreading tree, 

 dividing at the ground into two main trunks about 43 ft. high and 1 1 ft. 2 in. round 

 at the ground. This is probably one of three trees mentioned by Loudon,^ the 

 largest of which in 1835 measured 6 ft. 11 in. in girth, and contained 46 ft. of timber. 

 Mr. Gillanders believes it to be over one hundred years old, and says that it shows 

 signs of decay. 



At Inveraray it also grows to a large size, as I saw a log lying in the Duke of 

 Argyll's yard in 1905 which was about 8 ft. in girth, and from which some very 

 handsome furniture was afterwards made. At Dalkeith Palace ^ there is a remarkable 

 Laburnum, low and spreading in habit, but covering a piece of ground 60 ft. across. 



Timber 



The wood of Laburnum is hard and heavy, weighing about 53 lbs. to the cubic 

 foot when dry, according to Loudon, and is very durable when exposed to wet ; and 

 Mr. Vicary Gibbs tells me that a clothes-line prop of laburnum outlasted one of yew. 



In colour the heartwood is dark when old, but the wood varies in colour with 

 age, and rapidly becomes darker when exposed to light, becoming dark olive or 

 red brown, and showing small medullary rays. When thoroughly dry it makes 

 remarkably good joints, and is a first-class cabinetmakers' wood, taking a fine surface 

 and good polish. Sang says^ that in his time (1812) it was the most valuable timber 

 grown in Scotland, and that a quantity of it was sold in 1809 at Brechin Castle and 

 Panmure at los. 6d. per foot. It was then used for cabinetmaking, musical instru- 

 ments, handles, and chairs ; * and I can say from personal experience that it is a most 

 excellent wood for furniture. I have seen old cabinets made in Scotland in which 

 this wood was used in transverse sections, like the so-called oyster-shell cabinets 

 made from slices of walnut wood. I believe it would also be well adapted for 

 parquet. (^- J- ^v 



1 Arb. et Frut. Brit, iv., Suppl. 2551 {1883). ^ Bean, in Card. Chron. li. 168 (1907). 



3 Nicol, Planter's KaUndar, 91 (1812). 



« Cf. Card. Chron. xxxvii. 397 (1905), where Mr. Coomber mentions a beautiful set of chairs made by Mr. Ross from 



trees which grew near Peterhead. 



2 C 



VI 



