41 



It may be mentioned that there is an attractive variety of 

 "the White Poplar (Bolleana) with erect branches closely resemb- 

 ling the Lombardy Poplar. There is a fine specimen of this, 67ft. 

 liigh, near the large Ginkgo tree at Kew. There are a few speci- 

 mens in the Upper Valley Gardens at Bournemouth. According 

 to Dr. Henry, there is also< an erect variety of the Black Italian 

 Poplar in cultivation on the Continent. By courtesy of Lord 

 Egmont, I have seen some fine Black Poplars flourishing on the 

 other side of the river, near Avon Castle. The girth of the largest 

 is 12ft. There are also a few Grey or Abele Poplars. 



Willows. 



It is related that a certain botanist of distinction being con- 

 sulted by an amateur about some variety of willow . exclaimed : 

 44 Pray, don't tempt me among the willows ; that way lies mad- 

 ness." There are about sixteen recognised British species, be- 

 sides an infinite number of hybrids. I will only attempt to speak 

 of a few of the commoner willows that are of most value for their 

 timber. There is no doubt that what is known as the Blue Willow 

 (Salix ccerulea) is in greatest demand as it produces the only wood 

 suitable for first-class cricket bats. It is supposed to be a hybrid 

 between the White Willow and the Crack Willow (fragilis). The 

 Blue Willow originated in the eastern countries and most of the 

 supplies of timber are still drawn from that area. Almost fabulous 

 -prices are recorded to have been paid in some instances. Elwes 

 states that in January, 191 2, eleven Blue Willows were sold in 

 Hertfordshire at fourteen years of age for or about 13s. per 



cubic foot. In 1888 a Blue Willow at Boreham, in Essex, measur- 

 ing 101ft. high, with a girth of 16ft. 3111., yielded timber sufficient 

 for 1 179 cricket bats. From! the same estate another Blue Willow 

 was sold in 191 1 for ^70. The White Willow (S. alba), more 

 commonly known as the Huntingdon Willow, also supplies a rapid 

 return of light, tough wood, suitable for flooring and cart and 

 waggon bodies. Some kinds of willows are cultivated along the 

 river margins for osiers for basket making. Then there is the 

 well-known Weeping Willow (Salix babylonica). This is sup- 

 posed to have been brought to England in 1730 from the 

 Euphrates Valley and planted at Twickenham Park. A great 

 impetus was given to its, cultivation through the introduction from 

 St. Helena of Weeping Willows raised from a tree in that island 

 under which Napoleon was buried. Several fine specimens, des- 

 cendants of this tree, are to be met with at Kew and on the banks 

 of the Thames ; some of them are 50ft. or 60ft. in height. 



Sycamores and Maples. 



Continuing our review of naturalised or British trees we come 

 to another interesting group. The sycamore is said to have a 

 life period probably three times that of the beech, and almost 

 equal to that of the oak. It is a native of Central and Southern 

 Europe, but flourishes, exceedingly, in many parts of Britain. 



