9 6 



FLORA AND SYLVA. 



pencils, who find the supply not nearly 

 equal to their wants. 



The American Red Oak [Quercus 

 rubra). — The Red Oak of America 

 could scarcely fail to be included in the 

 experiments made here, for this tree is 

 very hardy and not exacting as regards 

 soil. The results have been most en- 

 couraging, the plots sown with acorns 

 of the Red Oak are perfect in growth, 

 but better still are the considerable 

 stretches of twelve to fourteen-year- 

 old trees grown in alternate lines with 

 the common Oak. For fuel there is 

 no reason to doubt that the Red Oak in 

 North Germany will be found superior 

 to the common Oak ; for cabinet work 

 its superiority has yet to be proved. 



The Swamp Oak [Q. palustris). — I 

 have seen some superb plantations in 

 the neighbourhood of Dusseldorf. M. 

 Joly, forester in charge of a fine estate 

 at Heetorf, has published a note on this 

 Oak, which has shown a marked supe- 

 riority over the common Oak in his 

 plantations ; and in Belgium its fine 

 qualities are well known. 



The Hickory (Carya amara). — 

 So far this tree has furnished the best 

 results of all at Eberswalde as to its 

 growth ; of the qualities of its wood it 

 is too soon to speak. It is well known 

 that several of the Hickories and Wal- 

 nuts furnish the famous hickory wood 

 which is so much in demand for coach 

 building and cabinet work, being at 

 once a fine deep colour and of remark- 

 able elasticity and strength. Trees of 

 merchantable size have very nearly all 

 disappeared from the United States, 

 any new plantations, therefore, have a 



manifest interest. At Eberswalde both 

 Hickory and Walnuts are planted in 

 long lines of seedlings alternately with 

 lines of the Common Oak. The growth 

 of the Oak trees has been superior to 

 that of the Walnuts, and in favour of 

 these the strongest branches of the Oak 

 have been removed yearly so that the 

 trees shall form a light shelter penetra- 

 ble by air and light. The oldest planta- 

 tions are fifteen to seventeen years old, 

 and show a healthy growth. C. alba, C. 

 porcina, and C.tomentosa. — These three 

 species give promise of sufficient vigour, 

 although inferior to that of C. amara. 



The Californian Maple (Acer ne- 

 gimdo, var. californicum). — Attention 

 has of late years been drawn to the ex- 

 tremely quick growth of this, and some 

 plantations of it in the Orleanais and 

 in Sologne are very interesting, and I 

 have made trials of it at Barres, where 

 some 300 acres of fallow land have 

 been turned into plantations of diversi- 

 fied kinds. The trees at Eberswalde are 

 eight years old, and they have already 

 a height of 40 to 45 feet, which agrees 

 with the results I have obtained at 



Barres. MAURICE L. DE VILMORIN. 



A Natural Brook in Level Country. — 

 "What pleased me most in the park was a 

 brook, a natural stream, with crystal-clear 

 water rushing over blocks of granite. I could 

 not have believed there was so great a fall in 

 flat Russia, from the Valdai Hills to the level 

 of the sea. It is unaccountable to me how land- 

 scape gardeners in flat countries will contrive 

 waterfalls instead of using their labour to make, 

 at least for a short distance, a murmuring brook. 

 The artistically victimised water is sent over 

 a plank into a six-foot-deep chasm, whence it 

 seems to creep away ashamed, not knowing 

 where to go." — Count Moltke. 



