THE STORY OF THE GINKGO 



tree was spoiled by a storm two years ago which 

 broke off one of the principal branches. In the 

 Missouri Botanic Garden, St. Louis, grows a fine 

 Ginkgo-tree which is about 65 feet tall and 7 feet in 

 girth. Probably the largest and best Ginkgo in this 

 country is at Hyde Park, on the Hudson, New York, 

 which as before stated was planted very early in the 

 19th century by Doctor Hosack. In a letter, the 

 present owner, F. W. Vanderbilt, Esq., courteously in- 

 forms me "that it measures 11 feet 2 inches around 

 the trunk two feet from the ground just where the 

 branches begin to spread, 1 1 feet i inch at six 

 inches from the ground, 70 feet spread from tips of 

 branches, and the height from 80 to 85 feet. This 

 tree is in splendid condition and vigorously healthy. 

 It is always perfectly clean and has never had a dead 

 branch on it of even the smallest size and the tree has 

 never required spraying during the 24 years I have 

 been here." 



Perhaps the best- known Maidenhair-trees in 

 America are those forming the avenue in the De- 

 partment of Agriculture grounds, Washington, D. C. 

 There are some ninety trees in the avenue and on the 

 curves of the drive which lead into the avenue. The 

 trees were all planted at the same time but vary 

 greatly in size. The tallest is about 52 feet and 

 a good many of them are about 48 feet in height, 



63 



