58 
New England. Generally, however, it has not proved a good tree be- 
yond the limits of the cool damp woods which are its home, for in less 
favorable situations the leaves are disfigured by the red spider which 
often kills them. The other American species are still little known in 
parks and gardens. 
The studies of Linden-trees at the Arboretum have shown that the 
European species grow more rapidly and give every promise of being 
better trees in this climate than the American or Asiatic species. This 
is unusual, for of other European trees only the Beech and White 
Willow grow better here than their American relatives, and except 
Lindens all eastern Asiatic trees are more at home in eastern North 
America than the trees of Europe. The five European species, Tilia 
platyphyllofs, T. cordata, T. vulgaris, T. tomentosa and T. petiolaris, 
and several varieties of the first, are growing here in a satisfactory 
manner. The first of these trees is easily distinguished by the hairs 
which cover the lower surface of the yellow-green leaves and the young 
branches. This tree is the first of the European species to flow'er. It 
has long been cultivated in the eastern states; indeed it appears to be 
the common European Linden sold by American nurserymen, although 
as an ornamental tree it is the less desirable of the European Lindens. 
Tilia cordata, distinguished by its small cordate leaves pale and glau- 
cous on the lower surface, is the last of the Lindens to flower. It is 
a beautiful tree which also in Europe grows to a large size, but is not 
very often seen in this country. A better tree here than either T. platy- 
phyllos or T. cordata, T. vulgaris is now generally believed to be a 
natural hybrid of these species. The leaves are dull green on the up- 
per surface, paler on the lower surface, and without hairs with the 
exception of those in the tufts in the axils of the veins below. This 
tree, which has been often planted in the northern and middle states, is 
one of the best trees to shade the streets of northern cities. The 
largest and handsomest Linden-trees in the neighborhood of Boston 
are of this hybrid. 
The two Lindens of eastern Europe, T. tomentosa and T. petiolaris, 
are distinct and handsome trees with leaves silvery white on the lower 
surface, which can be easily and successfully grown in southern New 
England. T. tomentosa, which is common in the forests of Hungary, 
in this country forms a broad, compact, round- topped head with erect 
branches and large leaves erect on short stalks. T. petiolaris is a more 
beautiful tree with pendulous branches which form a narrow head and 
leaves drooping on long slender stems. It has proved to be one of the 
handsomest exotic trees which can be planted in the eastern states. 
It is occasionally seen in the neighborhood of Boston, but it is more 
common southward, especially in Newport, Rhode Island, where there 
are a number of noble specimens. 
It is too soon to speak with authority on the value of the Asiatic 
species. Only T. japonica has been long enough in this country to 
give any real indication of its value. It is a graceful and handsome 
little tree which is the first of the Lindens in the Arboretum collection 
to flower, but as yet shows no indication of growing to the great size 
