122 
The Garden Magazine, April, 1921 
ENGLISH ELM 
An old tree which has survived the transformation of The 
Woodlands from an ancient country seat to its present sad uses 
principal cemeteries of Philadelphia. The use of 
the land for burial purposes has resulted in the de- 
struction of most of the trees, shrubs and herba- 
ceous plants grown by the first William Hamilton. 
Only a remnant remained, when the writer, as a 
student of botany in the near-by University of 
Pennsylvania, for the first time explored The 
Woodlands in 1888. The noteworthy trees of 
the old garden then standing, but which have 
since disappeared were White Pines, a large spread- 
ing Beech, and a fine Magnolia grandiflora. Two 
large Ginkgo trees (Ginkgo biloba) planted in 
1784, are still standing (1921) and still in vigorous 
hsalth. The largest, about 75 ft. tall, measures 
7 ft. 7 in. in circumference. The other, nearest 
the house, measures 6 ft. 6 in. in circumference, 
three feet from the ground. Both trees are stami- 
nate and come into flower about April 28th or 
May 30th, and synchronously with them a female 
tree three miles away near Overbrook is ready to 
receive the pollen which may be accidentally blown 
from the male trees in The Woodlands. Under 
date of June 10th, 1919, Prof. C. S. Sargent of the 
Arnold Arboretum writes: “ It is probable that the 
first Ginkgo tree in this country was one planted 
at Woodlands, and we are curious to know if this 
original plant which is mentioned in your Bota- 
nists of Philadelphia, is still standing. If it is 
living would it be possible to get the trunk cir- 
cumference at three feet from the ground and its 
approximate height? This tree if living is certainly 
one of the most interesting of exotic trees which 
have been planted in the United States.”* 
Near the Ginkgo trees is a Pawpaw (Asimina 
triloba) with a stem circumference of 1 ft. 5 in. 
A short distance away are two large English Elms 
(Ulmus campestris). One of them is 10 ft. 1 in. in 
circumference, the other is iq ft. 3 in. around. 
An English Maple (Acer campestre) with numerous 
sprouts from its base and roots, and in vigorous 
health notwithstanding the clouds of smoke from 
the near-by railroads and manufacturing plants, is 
6 ft. 9 in. in circumference. Here also are found 
descendants of the first Ailanthus tree planted in 
America by William Hamilton in 1784. There are 
also several other noteworthy trees, tabulated as 
follows: Buckeye (Aesculus flava) 5 ft. 3 in. in 
circumference; Catalpa (Catalpa speciosa) 8 ft., 9 
in.; Honey Locust (Gleditsia triacanthos) 9 ft.; 
Mossy-cup Oak (Quercus macrocarpa) 10 ft. 3 in. 
The cemetery still has a piece of woodland 
adjoining the University Botanical Garden and a 
*Compare statement as to the Ginkgo tree in Bartram Gar- 
den, 9 ft. 3 in. circumference. (Garden Magazine, Oct. 1920, 
page 80.) 
LARGE TULIP TREE (Liriodendron tulipifera) 
This venerable giant, fifteen feet in circumference, lin- 
gers in the valley at The Woodlands, rather pathet- 
ically reminiscent of gayer and more glorious days 
