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6 0 ARBORETUM ET FRUTICETUM BRITANNICUM.
100. n i i a eu ro poe'a lacin iàta .
B. Varieties differing in the Colour o f the young Shoots.
Each o f the varieties included in Division A may have subvarieties differing
m the colour o f the young wood; but we shall only notice those
in general cultivation.
2 T. ». 5 rhhra. T. corinthlaca Bosc; T. corallina Hort. Kew.; T
miropæ'a ^ rubra Sibthorp ; T. europæ'a y Smith’s Flor. Brit. 571. ■
1 . grandifoha/3 Smith’s Fng. Flora, 3. 19. — Young shoots o f a
bright red ; apparently a vai-iety o f T. e. intermèdia.
2 1. ». 6 parvifòlia aurea (T h e piate in Arb. B n t., 1st. edit. vol. v. ;
and our fig . 101.) - Young shoots o f a rich yellow. Height 15 ft.
to It.
2 T. ». 7 grandifòlia aurea. — Twigs of a fine yellow. Leaves large.
Tree 60 ft. to 80 ft.
Other Varieiies. There is a vai'iety with vai iegated leaves, b ut it is such a
X. r iL IA U EÆ : t i ' l i a . 67
ragged ill-looking plant th a t we deem it altogether unworthy of culture.
Host, in hi,s Flora .iuslriaca, has tile following naines, which he considers as
species : T. »itifòlia ; corylifòlia ; grandifòlia Sm. ; coràllina, syn. europæ'a
Hook. Bond. ; mutabilis ; làte bracteàta ; præ'cox ; pyramidàlis ; intermèdia
; tenuifòlia; obliqua; europæ'a Ah. ; parvifòlia Sm.; argèntea, syn.
álba Waldst. et Kit. Icon. t. 3. (F l. Aus., voi. ii. p. 59—63.)
The wood of the lime tree is of a pale yellow or white, close-grained, soft,
light, and smooth, and not attacked by insects. I t weighs, per cubic foot,
wlien green, 55 lb. ; half-dry, 45 lb. ; imd dry, 37 lb. ; and it loses a third
part of its weight, and a foui'th part o f its bulk, by dryirg. (Baudrilt.) I t is
used by pianoforte-makei's for sounding-boards, and by cabinet-makers for a
variety of purposes. I t is carved into toys, and turned into domestic utensils
of various kinds, and into small boxes for the apothecaries. The most elegant
use to which it is applied is for ornamental carving, for which it is superior to
every other wood. This wood is said to make excellent charcoal for gimpowder
; even better than alder, and nearly as good as hazel. Baskets and
cradles were formerly made from the twig.s ; ami shoemakers and glovers are
said to prefer planks of lime tree for cutting the finer kinds of leather upon.
The leaves of the lime tree, in common with those of the elm and the poplar,
were used, both in a dried and in a green state, for feeding cattle, by the Ro-
and they are still collected for the same purpose in Sweden, Norway,
Carniola, and Switzerland. One of the most important uses of the lime tree,
in the North of Europe, is that of supplying material for ro[ies and bast
mats ; the latter o f which enter extensively into European commerce. The
Russian ¡leasants weave the bark o f the yo'img shoots for the upper parts of
their shoes, the outer bark serves for the soles ; and they also make o f it,
tied together with strips of the inner bark, baskets and boxes for domestic
purposes. The outer bark o f old trees supplies them, like that of the birch,
with tiles for covering their cottages. Roises are still made from the bark o f
the tree in Cornwall, and in some parts of Devonshire. The fishermen of
Sweden make nets for catching fish of the fibres o f the inner bark, separated,
by maceration, so as to form a kind of flax ; and the shepherds of Carniola
weave a coarse cloth of it, which serves them for iheir ordinary clothing. The
sap of the lime tree, drawn off in spring, and evaporated, affords a considerable
quantity o f sugar. The honey produced by the flowers is considered superior
to all other kinds for its delicacy. London and Wise recommended the lime
tree, as preferable to the elm, for sheltering gardens or orchards ; because the
roots do not, like those of the elm, spread out and impoverish all around them.
A deep and rather light soil is recommended ; but the laigest trees are generally
found in a good loamy soil. In dry situations, th e lime never attains
a large size, and it loses its leaves earlier than any other tree. Being a tree
o f the plains, rather than o f the mountains, it does not appear suitable for exposed
surfaces : but it requires a pure air rather than otherwise ; for, though,
it is found in towns on the Continent, and sparingly so in Britain, the smoke
o f mineral coal seems more injurious to it than it is to the platanus, the elm
or some other trees. I t is seldom propagated otherwise than hy layers, which
are made in the nurseries in autumn and winter ; and which become rooted,
so as to admit of being taken off; in a yeai-. The tree in Britain appears seldom
to ripen its seeds.
Î 2. T. (E U R .) a ' l b a Waldst. 4 Kit. The white-leaved European Lime Tree,
and Kit. PI. H u n g .; Do n ’s Mill. 1. p. 553.
Synonymes. T. americàna D u R o i ; T. argentea Desf., Dec. Cat. Hort. Monsp., and Bec . Pro
p. 513.; T. rotundifòlia Vent, and N . D u H am. ; T. tomentósa Moench.
Engravings. Waldst. and Kit. P I. Hung., 1 .1. 3 . ; Wats. Dend., t. 71.; th e plate in Arb. B rit., 1st
edit., vol. V . ; and our Jig. 102.
Spec. Char., 4c. Petals each with a scale at the base inside. Leaves cordate,
somewhat acuminated, and rather unequal a t the base, serrated, clothed with
white down beneath, but smooth above, 4 times longer than the petioles.
F ruit ovate, with 5 obscure ribs. (Don’s Mili.) F ru it evidently ribbed.
F 2