tion to the Hebrew tamaris, a cleansing-the twigs being used for brooms.

This is an almost evergreen tree, and is peculiarly suited to gardens on the seashore, as it is nearly the only ligneous plant which will thrive in such situations. In marine gardens on the coasts of Sussex and Suffolk it is much cultivated.

In ancient times it was denominated infelix, under Pagan malediction, and was used in making wreaths to be worn by malefactors. It is easy of cultivation, and if planted singly in a lawn, in a few years, will shew a handsome heath-like bush. N. O. Tamaricacea. L. S. Pentandria Trigynia.

T. Gallica

Germanica

T. libanotica
Taurica

TAXODIUM-THE TAXODIUM, or DECIDUOUS CYPRESS.

From taxus the yew, and the Greek eidos, like; the tree resembling the yew. Lofty, deciduous trees, natives of the southern part of North America. They are separated from the genus Cupressus, principally because the male catkins are disposed in loose spreading bunches, instead of being solitary and terminal; and because the female catkins are roundish and scaly, like the male, and each scale has only two perfect flowers. These trees are sometimes one hundred and twenty feet high, with a trunk often from twenty-five to forty feet in circumference at the base; but the base is usually hollow. In consequence of this hollowness, the trees which are to be felled, are often cut off five or six feet from the ground. The wood is universally employed throughout the United States, for the best kind of shingles; and, in Louisiana, it is used for almost every other purpose to which timber is applied. N. O. Coniferæ. L. S. Monacia Monadelphia.

T. distichum nigrum

T.

nutaris
Sinense

TAXUS-THE YEW.

From the Greek toxon, a bow, being formerly much used in making bows; or from taxis, arrangement, from the leaves being arranged like the teeth of a comb; or from toxicon, poison, though Pliny says, that poison (toxicum) was so named from this tree, which was considered poisonous. Evergreen trees, with numerous, mostly linear, and entire leaves: natives of Europe, Asia, and North America. The Yew sends

dense head, and

out numerous spreading branches, forming when full grown, usually attains the height of thirty or forty feet. It was formerly much valued in Britain, on account of the use made of its wood for bows, this weapon being that principally used by the Britons in their wars. In its wild state, the Yew affords food to birds by its berries. The wood is hard, compact, of a fine and close grain, elastic, splitting readily, and is almost incorruptible. The fineness of its grain is owing to the thinness of its annual layers-280 of these being sometimes found in a piece not more than twenty inches in diameter. It is universally allowed to be the finest European wood for cabinet-making purposes. N. O. Conifera. L. S. Diæcia Monadelphia.

T.

baccata

fol. variegatis

T. Hibernia
Canadensis

TECOMA-THE TECOMA, or TRUMPET FLOWER.

From Tecomaxochitl, the Mexican name for one of the species. Beautiful hardy climbers, which fix themselves to trees or walls by their roots, like the ivy. The T. radicans has its flowers at the end of the shoots in large bunches, and these have long swelling tubes, shaped somewhat like a trumpet. The corolla is large, of a scarlet and orange colour. This and the T. radicans major are natives of North America, the latter having the larger flowers, and of a paler scarlet. The T. grandiflora is a native of China and Japan; and its flowers are pendulous, forming terminal cross-armed panicles, large, of a tawny orange colour on the outside, and of a tolerably bright reddish orange colour inside, with brighter streaks. It flowers in July and August. N. O. Bignoniacea. L. S. Didynamia Angiosperma.

From the Greek thermos, a lupine, and opsis, resemblance, on account of the resemblance of the species to lupines. A shrub, a native of Nepaul, growing to the height of eight or

ten feet. The young flowers are silky, are of a bright yellow, and much larger than those of the common laburnum, to which they bear a general resemblance. N. O. Leguminosa. L. S. Decandria Monogynia.

THYMUS VULGARIS-COMMON THYME.

From the Greek thymos, courage, the smell of thyme being reviving; or from thyo, to perfume, it being formerly used for incense in the temples. A neat little evergreen shrub, when kept in a dry calcareous soil, or on rockwork. N.O. Labiatæ. L. S. Didynamia Gymnosperma.

THUJA-THE ARBOR VITA.

From the Greek thyon, a sacrifice, in consequence of the resin of the Eastern variety being used instead of incense in sacrifice. Why it is called Arbor Vitæ is uncertain; but it is imagined it may be on account of the supposed medicinal quality of its berries. Narrow, pyramidal, evergreen trees, or large fastigiate shrubs, natives of Asia, Africa, and North America. The T. occidentalis, in its native country, North America, is said to be a tree from forty-five to fifty feet in height, with a trunk sometimes more than ten feet in circumference. The Oriental is a low tree; the Plicata is a very branchy, spreading, light green tree. N.O. Coniferæ. L. S. Monacia Monadelphia.

T. occidentalis

orientalis
Tatarica

T. plicata
Japonica
Wareana

TILIA-THE LIME TREE.

The derivation is uncertain; some derive it from the Greek ptilon, a feather, from the feathery appearance of the bracteas; but others derive it from the Greek plural word tilai, light bodies floating in the air. The French derive their name of the genus, tilleul, from tailler, either because the tree bears pruning well, or because the wood may easily be carved into any required form. Timber trees, with mellifluous flowers, and a remarkable bractea attached to the peduncle of each of the cymes of flowers. Some parts of the wood of this tree are much used by the makers of piano-fortes, in forming the keys

of the instruments, and upon which the finger plate of ivory is laid. N. O. Tiliaceæ. L. S. Tetrandria Tetragynia.

The name is derived from the Celtic word ac, and refers to the points or branches covered with prickles. It is an evergreen shrub, enlivened with bright yellow flowers, and may be cultivated in any tolerably good dry soil. N. O. Leguminosæ. L. S. Monadelphia Decandria.

U. Europæus pleno

U. strictus

ULMUS-THE ELM. (Its Anglo-Saxon name.)

Of this useful tree we have fifty-four species and varieties in our Arboretum. The Ulmus campestris, or the witch-elm, is of this large number, alone a British tree, as we are informed by Dr. Hunter, in his note, to Evelyn's Silva. The wood of the elm is singularly useful for all agricultural and mechanical purposes, on account of its bearing the extremes of wet and dry situations without injury. It is, therefore, much used in the construction of water-wheels, aqueducts, and for ship planks below the water line. Rails and gates are often made of this material; and coffins, where a single one only is used, almost invariably so. Turners, and fine workers of wood, use it in forming some of the elaborate carvings of domestic architecture. The young leaves possess valuable medicinal properties, and have been substituted in some English counties as fodder for cattle in time of scarcity and high prices. N. O. Ulmaceæ. L. S. Pentandria Digynia.

U. campestris

fol. variegatis
fol. maculatis

C. campestris crispa

cucullata

glomerata

Said to be derived from the Latin vico, on account of the pliability of the branches of some species. It is a garden shrub so well known in the vicinity of London, that any lengthened description would be misplaced. This Arboretum possesses a greater variety of this interesting plant, than will be met with in the books of horticulture, or in most collections of horticulturists. N. O. Caprifoliacea. L. S. Pentandria Trigynia.