314 
FLORA AND SYLVA 
use has long ceased, but the pods are 
sometimes eaten fresh, or preserved in 
sugar like the Tamarind. 
While hardy quite into the north 
of Britain and not very particular as to 
soil, it is only seen at its best in the 
deep rich soils of our warmer bottom- 
lands, and when so placed is of far 
more rapid growth than upon meagre 
or cold soils. Where its roots can go 
deep it stands drought well, but is not 
easy to move except while young, the 
roots being few, thick, and striking 
straight down in the same peculiar way 
in which the few stout branches stand 
bolt upright. Young trees are easily 
raised from imported seed, or from root- 
cuttings which sometimes grow away 
at a great pace, reaching 3 to 4 feet in 
a year, and sometimes sulk and will 
hardly move at all. This same sulking 
is often seen with carefully moved trees, 
so young ones should always be chosen 
as being more likely to get over this 
trouble. Once fairly started the tree 
grows very regularly, and fast in view 
of its short season, for the great leaves 
are the last of any to appear in spring, 
and fall with those of the Horse Chestnut 
in the autumn. The whole tree is char- 
acteristic, with a head narrow and pyra- 
midal, though appearing more rounded 
in summer from the ample leaves, while 
the stem and branches are covered with 
dark-grey bark so rough and deeply 
fissured, and with so many projecting 
fragments, that it may be known even 
at a distance by this alone. The wood 
is very tough and compact, lasting well 
in contact with the soil, and though 
cross-grained, difficult to season, and 
hard to work, of some value for building, 
and in cabinet-making for its fine rosy 
colour and high polish. An added merit 
is that the wood matures so fast that 
there is very little waste even in small 
trunks, the sapwood being reduced to 
a few thin layers. Mature trees reach 
a height of 60 to 80 feet with a trunk 
several feet in diameter, and though so 
little planted of late years as to be un- 
known in many nurseries, there are 
fine trees in the country which have 
reached these dimensions. A tree so 
different from any other, so hardy, and 
so easily grown, deserves a place wher- 
ever suitable conditions can be found. 
GYMNOCLADUS CHINENSIS. 
One of the most interesting results of 
our fuller knowledge of the Chinese 
flora has been the finding of trees and 
plants belonging to genera until lately 
thought to be peculiarto North America. 
This Chinese Gymnocladus is one of 
these. It was first brought to Europe 
from Shanghai and was somehow sup- 
posed to be common there, whereas it 
is now doubtful whether it exists there 
at all. Its actual distribution is similar to 
that of theChinese Tulip-tree,extending 
from Kiukiang in thepro vinceof Kiangsi 
to Mount Omi in Western Szechuan, 
but unlike the Tulip-tree it is confined 
to the Yangtsze Valley, never ascending 
to elevations above 3,000 feet. 
The Chinese tree averages 20 to 40 
feet in height, is very handsome, and in 
general appearance similar to the Ameri- 
can tree. It differs in having leaflets 
onlyhalf the size, obtuse and emarginate, 
instead of acuminate. The flowers are 
I violet instead of greenish and the seed- 
