Salix 1753 



The weeping willow was introduced into England some time before 1730, as it 

 was on sale in London, according to a catalogue ^ published in that year. CoUinson 

 states^ that it was introduced by Mr. Vernon, Turkey merchant at Aleppo, who 

 planted it at his seat in Twickenham Park, where CoUinson saw it in 1748. The 

 latter says that this tree was the original of all the weeping willows in England ; and 

 adds that he measured one in 1765 at Mr. Snelling's at Godalming, which, though 

 only fifteen years old, was 6 ft. in girth. 



There was a famous weeping willow, planted by Pope in front of his villa at 

 Twickenham, which was felled' in 1 801, when the story was given in St. James's 

 Chronicle, August 25-27, of that year,* that this tree was the first one planted in 

 England, having been introduced as a withy round a package from Spain ; but 

 doubtless Pope's tree was a cutting from Mr., Vernon's willow. 



Another celebrated tree was the weeping willow in St. Helena, which was 

 planted in 18 10, and was a favourite of Napoleon. After his death cuttings were 

 brought to England, and planted in many places, where they were called Napoleon's 

 willow, but differed in no respect from the ordinary form.^ There is a weeping 

 willow at the Fountain Pond, Cassiobury, which formerly bore a plate ® stating that 

 it had been a cutting from the tree in St. Helena. This tree fell and sustained 

 considerable damage; but it has been replanted, and, according to Mr. Daniel Hill, 

 who measured it in 191 2, is 36 ft. high and 4 ft. 7 in. in girth. (A. H.) 



The weeping willow strikes freely from cuttings, and grows rapidly in good soil 

 beside water ; but is very liable to have the young shoots killed by frost, and is not 

 nearly so hardy as the hybrid S. Salamonii. It is one of the earliest trees to come 

 into leaf, and the latest in retaining its foliage, being frequently green in December. 



The finest trees known to Loudon were those at various places on the banks of 

 the Thames, which were 50 to 60 ft. high in 1838 ; but it is doubtful if any of these 

 now survive, as it is not a long-lived tree. The best that I have seen is perhaps a 

 tree (Plate 379) on the Promenade, Cheltenham, which was planted about i860, 

 and is still thriving, although its limbs have been supported by iron rods for some 

 years. It measured in 191 1 about 75 ft. by 9 ft., and on 24th November 191 1, after 

 a severe frost, it still retained most of its leaves. 



There are several picturesque trees,' but of no great height, growing on the banks 

 of the Cam, behind the Colleges of Cambridge. These are exceeded in size by one 



1 Miller, Caialogus Plantarum, a Catalogs of Trees, Shrubs, Plants, and Flowers, which are propagated for sale in 

 Gardens near London, p. 71 (1730), where it is mentioned as " S. orientalis, T. Cor. 41. The weeping willow vulgo." 



2 Dillwyn, Hortus Collins. 48 {1843), quoted by Loudon, Card. Mag. xix. 64 (1843). Alton, Hort. Kew. v. 356 (1813), 

 states that the weeping willow was first cultivated in 1692 in the Royal Garden at Hampton Court, but gives no authority for 

 this. If true, the introduction into Western Europe was probably made by Wheler. Aiton quotes Plukenet, Phytographia, 

 t- 173) fig- S> which is not the weeping willow. 



' Corbett, in Mem. Twickenham, 285 (1872), states that this tree perished and fell to the ground in 1801. The wood 

 was worked up by an eminent jeweller into all sorts of trinkets and ornaments, which had an extensive sale. The Empress of 

 Russia took cuttings from Pope's willow in 1789 for the gardens at St. Petersburg. 



« Phillips, Sylva FloHfera, ii. 263 (1823). 



' Loudon, Arb. et Frut. Brit. iv. 2588 (1838), and Trees and Shrubs, 758 (1842). Forbes, Salic. Wobum. 43 (1829) 

 states that a plant raised from a cutting of the St. Helena tree was identical with the common weeping willow. 



« D. Hill, in Trans. Herts. Nat. Hist. Soc. xiv. pt. ii. 132 (191 1). 



' These trees are comparatively young, and have replaced the original trees, which were planted in 1760. Cf. Willis 

 and Clarke, Archit. Hist. Univ. Camb. ii. 646 (1886). 



