20 
FLORA AND SYLVA 
smooth-barked tree 30 or 40 feet high, 
with a spreading habit and almost always 
better developed on one side than on 
the other. Even when fully exposed and 
with no interference from other trees, 
it will put forth more and larger bran- 
ches in one direction, and that not 
always the sunny side ; this is not easy 
to explain, but all the trees that have 
come under my notice show this one- 
sided growth, inclining generally to the 
best sheltered side. The leaves of the 
Yellow-wood are oddly pinnate with 
the bases of their stalks hollowed to 
enclose the leaf-buds of the following 
year. The oval (or ovate) leaflets num- 
ber from 5 to II, they are 2 to 4 inches 
in length, and of a cheerful, intense 
colour, which is hard to describe. This 
tone of green, combined with the way 
in which the foliage droops in short, 
horizontal layers, throwing marked 
contrasts of light and shade, gives to the 
Virgilia a peculiarly sunny expression. 
The foliage dances in the lightest breeze, 
and the pure tone of its green lingers 
until the touch of hard frost, when, 
turning a glowing yellow, it still further 
deserves the name "golden" to express 
its sunny warmth. On the other hand, 
the Robinias, which the Yellow- wood 
resembles in some 
ways 
soon lose their 
freshness under the fierce sun and dry- 
ing winds of our summers, and before 
autumn take a prematurely faded look. 
The scented flowers of the Yellow- 
wood appear in May or early June as 
large clusters of creamy pea-shaped 
blossoms, 6 to 8 inches in length, and 
very freely produced. It is one of those 
graceful trees which, like the " lady- 
birch," give the idea of feminine slender- 
ness and refinement, as contrasted with 
the rugged strength of the Oak, the 
Chestnut, or the Beech, Its very caprice 
of outline only adds to the charm, as 
avoiding the tameness of more evenly 
shaped trees. 
The Virgilia must be planted small, 
and is particular as to soil and shelter. 
Here, at " Rose Brake," it has grown 
as freely as a Locust Tree, planted in 
fairly good loam on a clay subsoil, 
and a sheltered spot between gently 
sloping hills running parallel and almost 
due east and west. Its stem divides 
about 18 inches from the ground, 
spreading in V-shape, and each part 
again divided in the same way, with 
its largest development on the western 
side. There is (or was a few years 
since) a famous old tree growing in 
the Bartram Gardens, Philadelphia, 
which has just this trick of thrusting 
forth its main branches on the western 
side. In Germantown, Pa., there used 
also to be a fine old Virgilia mentioned 
by Michaux seventy years ago. I do 
not know whether it is still alive, but 
twenty years ago it was in full vigour, 
60 feet high, with a spread of over 70 
feet round. This tree hung over a road 
upon its southern side, the opposite 
side being shaded by large Pines. C/a- 
drastis lute a ^ with its pretty, fragrant 
flowers, its fine foliage eflects, and its 
graceful appearance, should be valued 
in landscape gardening, being also a 
clean tree which is seldom attacked by 
insects or disease. It begins to flower 
when quite small, and is worthy of a 
choice position where its branches can- 
not be broken by wind. 
If our little tree must change its name 
