Timeline
This is a timeline of related documents retrieved from the Robert S. Cox Special Collections and University Archives Research Center of UMass Amherst with permissions. Special thanks to the Archives staff for their research help.
William Brooks writes Rebecca Brooks on October 7, 1883. In his letter he says that he:
"has been doing much of his botany work 'of seeds of a number of trees and plants peculiar to Hokkaido.' These he gives to the horticulturist Mr. Bochmer, who in return provides seeds of Japanese trees and shrubs. Brooks plans to send these home to get planted on his land."
This volume, VOL VIII, of Aggie Life begins with NO. 1 dated October 6, 1897 and ends with NO. 15 dated June 21, 1898. The following two college notes are located in this volume on page 139 in NO. 11 dated April 20, 1898.
The class of '99 planted their class tree at an early hour Friday morning. The tree is a fine elm and stands on the campus near the corner of South College. -- The early bird, etc.
Dr. William P. Brooks has recently published his thesis in German. It is a treatise on fertilizers and is the result of three years of hard work and study.
This paper was prepared for and shown at The National Shade Tree Conference in Boston, Mass. held September 2-4, 1936 by Professor of Horticulture of MA State College (now UMass Amherst). The professor writes about the history of William Clark and William Brooks and Hokkaido University in Japan. It includes drawings of the trees.
The professor writes:
"The trees shown in this exhibit are some of those first seedlings which have been growing in Amherst, and all but one on the MA State College Campus since 1877 (the Japanese Elm since 1890)..."
"The seeds of all the trees shown here with the exception of the maple came from the Island of Hokkaido (Japan)."
In the Blundell paper under: 6 Ulmus Japonica Japanese Elm:
6. Ulmus Japonica - Japanese Elm
This tree seems to resemble most closely the form of our American Elm than any other tree which grows, but it varies in one respect. It will hold its lower branches if lower branches are desired. Prune them off and a tree form similar to vase shaped but not pendulous American Elms is the result.
In most other respects this tree resembles our American elm, the bark may be neater and closer than the average American elm, and the leaves more similar to the thin leaved forms of our native elm. The foliage of this tree usually comes through the season showing no more serious injury than the native elm, and usually escapes with less.
The tree show in 70 feet tall, branch spread of 70 feet and girth breast height is 7 feet, 6 inches.
This tree was introduced by Dr. Brooks in 1890 and another specimen which he planted just outside his door, now the President's House on the campus at the Massachusetts State College, is 85 feet high, branch spread of 60 feet (the lower branches have been removed), and trunk girth, breast height, 8 feet, 4 inches. A photograph of this tree could not be obtained due to the proximity to other trees.
Other plants which these men sent over and of which large specimens are to be found on the Massachusetts State College Campus are Actinidia arguta, Bower actinidia; Actinidia polygama, Silver Vine; Acer pictum, Painted Maple. A wide variety of Dwarf Japanese Maples; Chamaecyparis in variety; Juglans mundshurica, Manchurian Walnut; Larix leptolepis, Japanese Larch, Magnolia soulangeana; Magnolia hypoleuca, Silver Magnolia; Magnolia Kobus; and two excellent specimens of Sciadopitys verticillata, Umbrella Pine.
Download a scanned image of the paper. A text version in paper format of the Blundell paper is available to be viewed by visiting the Robert S. Cox Special Collections & University Archives Research Center at UMass Amherst. A digitized text version is not available.
This news article is dated January 29, 1974 and was published in the Collegian. about the Japanese Elm tree.
It took 350 pounds of fertilizer, a rope fence and a bold sign to save the oldest Japanese Elm tree in the country.The tree, which is also the first of its kind to grow n the United States, is located in front of South College. Its life was jeopardized when construction of the new library caused the water table in the area to drop. Also, the tree was further endangered by soil compaction caused by people continuously walking over the tree's century old roots.
According to Gordon King, professor of landscape architecture, the Elm was brought to UMass by Dr. Clark, president of the university during the 1870s. Clark received the tree as a gift from the Emperor of Japan along with other Japanese plants.
Believe it or not the tree is pretty famous.
'Nurserymen from this country and Europe often visit the tree," said King.
Students from Stockbridge and the Park Administration Department first observed the tree's decay and held a contest to create the sign now in front of the Elm. The students fertilized the area and the Grounds Department erected the very casual looking fence.
"The fence has to be replaced once a week," siad King. "It's always being torn down," he said.
This is a brochure published by the International Programs Office of UMass Amherst in 1975 titled: Japanese Trees In Amherst. It contains historical notes about William Clark and William Brooks and about the Japanese Elm tree and the seeds and seedlings Clark and Brooks brought back from Japan. The late professor Dr. John Maki wrote the historical notes. See the John Maki Papers from the Robert S. Cox Special Collections and University Archives Research Center of UMass Amherst to learn more about Dr. Maki.
The following is the text only from the brochure:
Japanese Trees In Amherst
Katsura
International Programs Office University of Massachusetts at Amherst
(Cercidiphyllum japonicum)
14 Boltwood Avenue, AmherstThis is a tree of unique appeara..11ce [sic], a familiar landmark in Amherst. and is perhaps one of the finest and oldest specimens in America.
Clark brought many katsura seeds and seedlings back from Japan and shared them with local citizens and the Arnold Arboretum in Boston.
This landmark tree, still growing beautifully on the grounds of the Episcopal rectory at I 4 Boltwood Avenue, is carefully nurtured by interested members of the Church and townspeople. Professor Frederick Tuckerman of Amherst College is reported to have said in admiration and concern for the tree that if the church ever caught fire he hoped every effort would be made to save the tree even if the building had to be sacrificed.
Its name comes from the similarity of the heart-shaped leaves to those of the redbud Cercis, but the resemblance stops there. It thrives in moist but well-drained soil, but also does well in drier situations as its wide distribution in Amherst shows. The large specimen growing on the hilltop site of the Clark Memorial Garden is a good example.
Umbrella Pine
(Sciadopitys verticulata)
Rhododendron Garden, UMClark was very impressed with the beauty of the umbrella pine he saw in Japan and wished to bring seeds back. Seeds were difficult to obtain, but a Japanese friend persuaded a nurseryman to climb a tree to collect seeds before they were dispersed.
The two large trees in the Rhododendron Garden were produced from Clark's seeds. It is believed that these specimens are the first ever to be grown in this country. The shorter tree on the right lost its top in the great hurricane of 1938. It sent up a new leader which later died. It was not until 1957 that a new top developed, restoring the tree to its present beautiful shape.
The umbrella pine is native to central Japan, growing to a height of about 50 feet. The leaves are stiff. leathery, and lustrous, arranged in whorls like the ribs of an umbrella, hence its name.
Japanese Elm
(Ulmus japonica)
Southeast corner, South College, UMThe Japanese elm more closely resembles the American elm than the European species in bark and leaf structure. It is more resistant to both beetles and disease than the others. It does not have the characteristic vase-shaped silhouette of the American elm with high, pendulous branches and long, bare trunk. Its branches are less pendulous and its low-growing branches conceal its strong, straight trunk.
Brooks brought this tree to the campus about 1890 after his return from Hokkaido. This tree is reported to be the first of its species introduced in the U.S. Since it was threatened with root damage in the 1970s, it has been carefully nurtured and protected.
Japanese Lilac
(Syringa amurensis japonica)
Sweetser Park, AmherstThe beautiful masses of creamy-white flowers of this Japanese lilac appear in the latter part of June following the earlier blooming common lilac. This lilac is most impressive in full bloom as the large loose panicles completely fill out. It is a hardy, widely distributed tree. Clark was responsible for its introduction into Amherst.
The tree toward the back of the house is Sawara false cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera). It bears many similarities to other Chamaecyparis varieties but its leaves are pointed at the end.
The tree toward the front of the house is the pendulous form of the Sawara cypress which has elongated, thread-like branches and is called Chamaecyparis pisifera filifera. It is a graceful and elegant tree.
Sawara False Cypress
(Chamaecyparis pisifera)
Blaisdell House, UMThe Sawara false cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera) is a very variable tree with many horticultural forms. Two specimens grow on the east side of Blaisdell House, used as a home in the early days of Massachusetts Agricultural College.
These were among the many varieties of the Chamaecyparis that Clark brought back. They are beautiful, long-lived trees with aromatic leaves and resinous wood.
The tree toward the back of the house is Sawara false cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera). It bears many similarities to other Chamaecyparis varieties but its leaves are pointed at the end.The tree toward the front of the house is the pendulous form of the Sawara cypress which has elongated, thread-like branches and is called Chamaecyparis pisifera filifera. It is a graceful and elegant tree.
Japanese Maple
(Acer palmatum)
Chancellor's House and Rhododendron Garden, UMClark brought back seeds of a number of varieties in the Acer palmatum group of Japanese maple.
Among those remaining on the campus today are some beautiful varieties, some red and some green. He shared many seeds of these with the Arnold Arboretum and townspeople. Seedlings from the original trees have found their way over the years into many Amherst private gardens, thus keeping alive the legacy of Clark's gift.
Kobus Magnolia
(Magnolia kobus)
Chancellor's House, UMThis is one of the hardiest Asiatic species, growing freely on Hokkaido hillsides. It grows to a height of 25 feet and is one of the earliest magnolias to flower. Its numerous broad, creamy-white flowers, slightly pink at the base, almost hide the bare branches. Its general effect is like the star magnolia's. Only when the tree is about ten years old does it bloom freely. It was first grown in the U.S. at the Arnold Arboretum from Clark's seeds. Brooks was responsible for planting the magnolia at the Chancellor's House in 1890.
Sargent Cherry
(Prunus sargenti)
Clark Grave, Triangle Street. Amherst"This specimen preceded any published record of this tree into cultivation outside of the Orient by l 5 years, being grown from seed sent by Col. Clark in 1877."-from a 1936 report by Professor L.L. Blundell of Massachusetts State College.
This very hardy and beautiful flowering cherry is native to Northern Japan, Hokkaido, and Sakhalin. It grows vigorously in New England, presenting in late April an outstanding display of lovely pink blossoms.
When Brooks left Japan in 1888, the Japanese Government presented him with a large number of young cherry trees in recognition of his long and valuable service in Hokkaido. He planted them along both sides of Farview Way where he lived. Seedlings from these trees are still being distributed to admiring Amherst citizens.
Other significant Massachusetts Agricultural College introductions include: l) Juglans sieboldiana the Japanese walnut. introduced by Brooks. The original tree is no longer standing, but the line is carried on by a beautiful specimen in the east garden of the Chancellor's House. 2) Larix leptoleps. the Japanese larch introduced by Clark and located on the west side of the Rhododendron Garden. 3) Acer shirasawanum (also introduced by Clark), a beautiful small-leaf Japanese maple, now gone; similar examples may be found near the University Infirmary. 4) Amurense phellodendron, the Sakhalin cork tree, a large and handsome tree, also gone, a descendant of which is located near Munson Hall.
Additional descriptive material on all these trees can be found in Trees in Amherst. published by the Garden Club of Amherst in l975.
Download a scanned image of the brochure. A paper copy of the Japanese Trees In Amherst brochure published in 1975 by the International Programs Office of UMass Amherst is available to be viewed by visiting the Robert S. Cox Special Collections & University Archives Research Center at UMass Amherst. A digitized text version is not available.