45 



makes Biron say to Holofernes, "Judas was hanged on an elder. '* 

 A remarkable Judas Tree is met with at Wick House, near Christ- 

 church, the residence of the Hon. F. J. Lascelles. Some years 

 ago it was blown down, and it was left lying on the ground. Not- 

 withstanding this misadventure it still survived and now covers 

 an area of 40ft. by 20ft. The main trunk measures 6ft. in girth. 

 A young Judas Tree, of bushy habit, about 20ft. high, grows near. 

 Both trees are covered with rosy flowers, which break out from all 

 parts of the stems and branches early in May. 



The Common Robinia, sometimes called an Acacia, is a 

 beautiful tree with white flowers, very common in the Bourne- 

 mouth district. The Robinias with pink and rose coloured flowers, 

 are still more attractive. The Pagoda Tree (Sophora) is another 

 attractive tree, seldom seen here. The blossoms appear in August 

 and September. They vary in hue from white to yellow, with a 

 tinge of purple. The Common Laburnum is a charming spring- 

 flowering tree ; but some forms of what is known as the Alpine or 

 Scottish Laburnum, which blossoms a fortnight later, are much 

 handsomer, and deserve to be more widely planted. 



Although not a pea-flowering tree mention may be made of 

 the Tulip Tree, which belongs to the same family as the Magnolia. 

 There are two fine specimens at Canford Manor, the largest is 

 62ft. in height, with a girth of 9ft. 6in. An equally large tree is 

 growing in the rectory grounds at Wimborne St. Giles, and 

 another at Creech Grange. Mr. Hargreaves informs me that a 

 handsome Tulip Tree at Cuffnells is 102ft. in height, with a girth 

 of 10ft. 2in. The Tulip Tree is a beautiful object with its bright 

 green foliage in summer; and its tracery of smooth grey branches 

 in winter. The Ailanthus, or the Tree of Heaven (on account of its 

 great height) is as admirably adapted far street planting as the 

 plane, and accommodates itself equally to the noxious air of 

 London. The tallest specimen in this neighbourhood is probably 

 that at Charborough Park, measuring 78ft. in height, with a girth 

 of 9ft, 



Planes. 



There are two well-known planes, usually met with in this 

 country — the Oriental Plane and the London Plane. What is 

 known as the American or the Western Plane has often been in- 

 troduced, but it is generally accepted that it has nowhere proved 

 a success. I have met with no specimens of the true Western 

 Plane in this neighbourhood. 



Although the Oriental Plane has been cultivated in England 

 since the middle of the sixteenth century, it is getting compara- 

 tively rare in some districts, having been ousted by the more 

 rapidly-growing London Plane. It is easily distinguished from the 

 latter bv its shorter and more rugged trunk and its deeper, often 

 doublv-lobed leaves. Few trees are longer-lived than the Oriental 

 Plane. There are two interesting references on this point : On the 

 banks of the Bosphorus there is a group of trees under which the 

 Knights of Godfrey de Bouillon on their way to the Crusades are 



