By Thomas Bruges Flower, Esq. 207 



variety which we commonly plant " T grandiflora," (Engl. Bot. 

 Suppl. t. 2720,) is of South European origin, with the leaves still 

 ! further enlarged by cultivation. 



Few persons we believe can look at a lime tree in full and 

 luxuriant foliage, without admiring the living pyramid it presents, 

 or pronouncing it amongst the finest and most striking of our forest- 

 trees, and that its character is such we need only refer to the mag- 

 nificent specimens at Moor Park, or to others of great magnitude 

 in England mentioned by Mr. Loudon. 



The flowers which generally begin to open about the middle of 

 June are in perfection in July, and are remarkable for their 

 delicious scent which perfumes the air to a great distance around; 

 these from the honied sweets they contain, are irresistibly attractive 

 to the honey-bee and other insects, which in thousands flock to its 

 honied stores, for which reason Yirgil in his beautiful description 

 of the industrious Corycian, places the lime and the pine in the 

 neighbourhood of his hives. The wood of the lime tree which is 

 yellowish white in colour, is turned to a variety of useful purposes; 

 but the most elegant application is for fine carving, in the practice 

 of which art it is justly preferred to every other. 



" Smooth Linden best obeys 

 The carver's chisel : best his curious work 

 Displays in nicest touches." 



The exquisite productions of Grinling Gibbons executed in this 

 material some two hundred years ago, may be seen in St. Paul's 

 Cathedral, at Windsor Castle, Chatsworth and other places, still 

 looking sharp, delicate and beautiful, as when they came from the 

 artist's chisel. The bark tough and strong, separates readily into 

 layers, and is the material of which the Russian or Bass mats are 

 made. The family of Linnaeus are said to have derived the name 

 from a gigantic lime or linden-tree, called in Swedish Linn, 

 standing upon the farm occupied by his ancestors, and possibly the 

 picturesque village of Lindhurst in the New Forest, may also have 

 derived its name from a wood (hurst) of Limes (Linden) now no 

 longer existing, as both "T. europcea" and " parmflora" are occa- 

 sionally found in old hedge-rows about Lymington, which is not 

 very distant from the former place. 



