22 



JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



BARE TREES AND SHRUBS IN THE ARNOLD 

 ARBORETUM, U.S.A. 



By Mons. Maurice de Vilmokin, F.R.H.S. 



[Head March 27, 1894.] 



The subject I have to deal with is in itself a very extensive one ; 

 and if I had been expected to give all the interesting circum- 

 stances about the origin and organisation of the Arnold Arbore- 

 tum, as well as the history of the introduction and properties and 

 a brief description of the plants contained therein, I should at 

 once have declined a task so far beyond my capabilities. It 

 will, I think, be much more useful to say a few words on the 

 actual condition of the grounds at the Arboretum (after recalling 

 very briefly its past history), and then to take a general survey of 

 the whole collection, passing by a great many plants, and stopping 

 only where a peculiarly fine or vigorous or rare tree or shrub 

 would cause a visitor to pause and make inquiry of his guide 

 about it. The questions asked about a plant would be as to its 

 earliness ; the way to get it into flower ; how to distinguish it from 

 closely related species ; how much frost it will bear, and so on. 



The Arnold Arboretum is situated some six miles south-west 

 of the city of Boston ; the ground is much broken in every direc- 

 tion by gentle or steep slopes, so that sunny and warm or cool 

 and moist places are to be found in different parts of the en- 

 closure. The summer is very warm, but the air is not so dry as 

 it is some miles more inland. In winter the thermometer will 

 fall almost every year to 10 degrees below zero (Fahrenheit) y 

 and the common Yew, the Thuya gigantea, &c, are not proof 

 against such extremes, and as a consequence it may be safely 

 said that all the plants successfully cultivated there will stand 

 the winter in any place in England or France. 



I need only remind you very briefly of the gift by Arnold ; 

 the agreement made by his friend and trustee, Emerson, with 

 the Corporation of the Harvard University ; the appointment of 

 Professor C. S. Sargent as director ; the liberality of the 

 Director and of Mr. Hunnewell in providing for a special building, 

 for the museum and library ; the beginning of the organisation ;. 

 the gathering together of living or dried specimens from alt 



