5° 



FLORA AND SYLVA. 



some of the oldest trees in England are 

 still standing. It is not a long-lived 

 tree, its wood starting to decay almost 

 as soon as mature, though it often 

 reaches a height of 100 to 120 feet. 

 As in all Poplars the sexes are apart, but 

 the female form of the Lombardy Pop- 

 lar is so rare that only occasional speci- 

 mens are found amongst thousands of 

 the male trees ; in northern Italy it is 

 more frequent, but is nowhere common. 

 The trees are mainly planted beside 

 roads to form avenues, or near water in 

 contrast to trees of low and spreading 

 form, and so planted their growth is 

 seen at its best, and is striking and beau- 

 tiful. For avenues, though their growth 

 is rapid and so regular as to form vistas 

 of great effect, the trees become dan- 

 gerous when old, and their branches so 

 brittle as to prove a frequent cause of 

 accident. At the same time, from their 

 compressed form ofgrowth, it is possible 

 to plant many trees in a small space, 

 and their light shade is not so harmful 

 to surrounding growth as that of denser 

 trees, but the long roots run far and ex- 

 haust the soil for some distance around, 

 not infrequently throwing suckers. 



In the centre of Europe the Lom- 

 bardy Poplar is as striking a feature in 

 the landscape as is the Eastern Cypress 

 upon the shores of the Mediterranean. 

 In many parts of France, Germany, and 

 the centre of Europe it is seen in avenues 

 of great length. In many parts of the 

 Rhone Valley the approach to well-nigh 

 every town and village is flanked by its 

 avenue of Lombardy Poplars, often of 

 great beauty and height, their deeply- 

 furrowed trunks giving a fine buttressed 



effect with age. For many miles of its 

 course the River Po is bordered by lines 

 of these trees; indeed, it is so plentiful 

 throughout northern Italy as to give a 

 distinct effect to the entire landscape. 



SINGLE CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 



In such a season as that just passed 

 Chrysanthemum lovers have had reason 

 to bewail their losses from damp and 

 mildew amongst plants of the large- 

 flowered classes of Japanese and in- 

 curved forms. The single - flowered 

 kinds alone have escaped, and this is one 

 more good reason for growing them in 

 larger quantity. For light effect in de- 

 coration they are best of all, lasting fresh 

 for weeks, and looking better in artifi- 

 cial light than heavier flowers. There is 

 now, too, a good choice of kinds, giving 

 a long season of bloom and much varie- 

 ty in form and colour. The newer kinds 

 of to-day are better than the older ones, 

 in which the yellow disc was often ill- 

 defined and partly hidden by distorted 

 petals, or the habit faulty. Seedlings 

 have now no chance, except with good 

 habit and clear, distinct outline. It is 

 not many years since Mr. Wells, of Earls- 

 wood, was taken to task for wasting his 

 efforts upon single forms, but to-day 

 there is a demand for these plants second 

 only in importance to the Japanese sec- 

 tion. Visitors often turn with something 

 of relief from the beautiful but heavy 

 show-flower to the elegance of itsdaisy- 

 like form. Another great merit of these 

 is, that many a grower that can ill spare 

 room under glass for the more tender 

 kinds may yet, thanks to their hardi- 

 ness, enjoy the singles in the open air, 



