the existing canopy of an old wood where the trees will soon be removed. The black walnut requires strong sunlight for its successful growth, yet lateral protection is necessary during the first few years. Heavy shade is hurtful, as it hinders the ripening of the wood of the shoots. The black walnut, after it has successfully passed the dangerous period of youth, becomes perfectly hardy ; and older plants resist both spring and winter frosts. Schwappach advocates close plant- ing, with beech or hornbeam as nurses, and recommends thinning at 15 to 20 years old, to remove badly-shaped trees, and to give more light to those which are destined to remain."
In France Henry has seen a small plantation of black walnut near Annecy ; but the results obtained were unsatisfactory, as the young plants had suffered much from frost. M. Pardé,® however, strongly recommends its cultivation, and points out that, unlike the common walnut, it can be grown as a forest tree; and states that at Les Barres it sows itself regularly and abundantly.
Remarkable Trees
The largest tree which we know of in England is growing in the London County Council public park of Marble Hill, Twickenham, in rich alluvial soil close to the Thames. It was measured by Sir Hugh Beevor and Dr. Henry in August 1905, and the height was found to be 98 feet, the stem girthing at 5 feet up 14 feet 3 inches. The bole is about 18 feet long, dividing into two great limbs, with large spreading branches, forming a beautifully symmetrical crown. The diameter of the greatest spread of the branches was 93 feet (Plate 76).
Perhaps the next finest tree now standing in England is the one which I figure (Plate 77), and which grows on a bank at The Mote, near Maidstone, the property of Sir Marcus Samuel, Bart. I have twice measured this tree, first in 1902, when I made it 103 feet by 12 feet in girth, and again in 1905, when I made it ror feet by 12 feet 6 inches. I am informed by Mr. Bunyard of Maidstone that it was probably planted about 100 years ago by his grandfather. The tree is so healthy, and apparently growing so fast, that it may become very much larger than it now is. At Gatton Park, Surrey, the seat of J. Colman, Esq., there was, in 1904, a tree about 100 feet by 9 feet 6 inches in girth, with a very tall, handsome trunk. Another at the same place, which, when I saw it, was lying on the ground, was about 95 feet by 9 feet, with a bole 10 feet long, and, according to the measurement given me by the late Mr. Cragg, agent for the estate, contained 315 cubic feet of timber.
At Highclere, Berks, there is a fine tree 90 feet by 9 feet 6 inches; and at Bute House, Petersham, Henry measured one 78 feet by 11 feet 10 inches in 1903. At Burwood House, Surrey, Col. Thynne has measured a tree, which I have not seen,
1 Mr. John Booth of Berlin, who has for many years been one of the best advocates for the planting of exotic trees for
timber, tells me that the black walnut has been largely planted near Strassburg under the direction of Forstmeister Rebmann,
and the results are extremely successful.
2 Les Principaux Végétaux Ligneux Exotigues, p. 21.
