LEYDEN. 159 



sisting of small willow-rods, peeled, and plaited together at 

 instertiees of a quarter of an inch. These are laid over the 

 face of the frames ; so that the force of the sun's rays is 

 greatly diminished, and only an agreeable broken light 

 reaches the plants below. 



Among the less common inhabitants of the open border, 

 a Judas-tree (Cercis Siliquastrum) excelled for vigour 

 and size ; being trained against the walls of two adjoining 

 houses, rising 25 feet high, and extending about 30 feet 

 along the walls. With no other protection than that af- 

 forded by the walls, it produces its flowers every summer ; 

 but they were now past. It is evidently a plant of very 

 considerable age. 



A Gingko-tree was pointed out to us by our conductor 

 as particularly worthy of notice. It is certainly a few feet 

 taller than the fine specimen already mentioned *, as grow- 

 ing at Mile End Nurseries Near London ; the stem is also 

 somewhat thicker, being not less than three feet in circum- 

 ference, at a foot and a half ? from the ground. But in re- 

 gard to handsomeness and shapeliness as a tree, it is much 

 inferior to the English one. Indeed, it had been crowded 

 and overgrown by some ordinary forest-trees ; and the gar- 

 dener seemed to pride himself on its transference, some 

 years ago, to its present situation : there was doubtless me- 

 rit in safely removing so large a plant ; but the choice of 

 its new place is far from being happy, a large common ash 

 here overshadowing it, than which it is not easy to conceive 

 any thing more prejudicial. It yields its flowers every sea- 

 son ; but they appear early in the summer. 



The only other rare tree which we observed, was the Sil- 

 ver-leaved Almond (Amygdalus orkntalis). The plant is 

 young, and appears to be grafted on a pear-tree stock. 



* Page 9. 



