94 



FLORA AND SYLVA, 



and in many ways. What various forms the Oak assumes in chase, or park, or 

 wood, and, perhaps most impressive of all, in the old Oak woods, where the trees 

 stand tall and close ! The tree varies in different counties ; such stately Oaks 

 as we may see by the roadside in Warwickshire we never see south of London, 

 where there are many Oaks in many forms. So, too, the Beech, a true northern 

 tree in its vigour ; how fine it is in many conditions — on chalky hills and also 

 in the level land, whether in Surrey or the Lothians ! It is more precious than 

 the Oak in one way, that we get it in a fine state over such vast areas, trees in 

 Denmark being as fine as those in Northern Greece. The Ash — one of our best 

 timber trees — is often fine in form in old states. There is a whole string of 

 Elms and their varieties in catalogues, but by far the best is our Wych, or 

 Mountain, Elm, a native tree; in beauty and dignity a noble tree, attaining some- 

 times a girth of trunk nearly, or quite, 50 feet and a height of 120 feet. Our 

 native Poplars are often neglected, the Abele and Grey Poplars being stately 

 trees, and the wood more valuable than it used to be. Among Pines, we have 

 none to surpass our native Fir in form and colour ; when old, valuable, too, 

 for timber. The field Maple is a neglected tree, but beautiful trees of it can 

 be seen here and there in woods, as at Mereworth and Brede. The Sycamore 

 Maple is a fine tree in form, as we may see at Knole and other places. This is a 

 tree of which the timber is valuable in certain industries, and it is worth plant- 

 ing, coming, too, so freely from seed. It is supposed to be a naturalised rather 

 than a native tree, but, covering a large area of the coldest parts of Europe, no 

 tree surpasses it in vigour and rapidity of increase. It is storm resisting, thrives 

 near the sea, as in Anglesey, and altogether is one of the best trees for planting. 

 The Tree Willows of Britain have value as timber, but are neglected by planters 

 even of gardens, though none of the variegated rubbish of the nursery gives any- 

 thing like so good an effect as the white, red, and yellow Willows in winter or 

 summer. The common Lime is not a native of Britain, but two other kinds 

 (Tilia cor data and T. platyphyllos) belong to our native flora, thus showing, 

 the love of this family for our island climate. The Hornbeam, a true native, is 

 neglected by planters, though it is common in some old woods. The Yew 

 should never be forgotten as a woodland tree, where its shelter for game is wel- 

 come. It is too much planted near houses, to the danger of animals, and to 

 the loss of all good flower-gardening, owing to its roots. The Holly, usually 

 in gardens a shrub, is on the hills, and in land that it likes, a tree 40 feet high, 

 and therefore never to be omitted in seeking evergreen effects. 



Trees of secondary value as timber are often of great value for their beauty, 

 and should never be forgotten by planters : — Crab, Hawthorn, Aspen, White 

 Beam, Wild Cherry, Bird Cherry (Prunus padus), often a fine tree, as at Long- 

 leat ; Mountain Ash, Wild Pear (the Pear — in good deep soil, as in Worcester- 

 shire — is a forest tree, and a very fine one), and the Wild Service Tree (Pyrus 



