THE VERNAL IMPULSE

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 232, 1 October 1928, Page 6

THE VERNAL IMPULSE

There is Jiothing more wonderful than the recurrence of /„he seasons, and there is no more interesting exemplification of the vernal impulse than that whij -h is afforded annually by the trees of Albert Park. For many years past the first signs of spriiig have been shown upon the topmost branch®*-, of a silver birch on the Kitchener Street side <<f the park and the blooms of a yellow kowhsi near the entrance which faces the University £ates. Year in and year out there has been a difference of days only in the time when the s! ver buds of the birch* and the first dainty yello** purses of the kowhai have appeared to gladden the hearts of city dwellers—hearts which respand no less truly than trees to the call of spring. This year, however, has seen a change in what had come to be regarded as the established -order, for the Brazilian tree, Erithbina Chrisf,.a Galli, on the northern slopes of the part, produced her scarlet flowers during 1 the second week of August—a full week before the first bfids were seen on the silver birch. An unconsidered outsider had won the first race of the spring season! Mr. Billingham, who has spen* manjy years in attending to the trees and shrubs of lovely city park, mentioned to a "Staj." 4s representative the other day that there migjit possibly be a further record in the coming qf the Atlantha Glandilosia, known to naturalists the world over as the "Tree of Heaven," classic in Chinese mythology. During th.* last 1 hree years the Albert Park* specimens of AlanJi.ha Glandilosia have made woniderful pii ogress, and in the veteran gardener's opinion it will not be surprising if, next year, its buds are seen even earlier than those" of the 'Erithrin*. H.A.B.