12 THE RHODODENDRONS
Westward again, as far, indeed, as the western termination of the Himalaya, the species descend lower than in
Bootan: an anomalous fact, for which, in our ignorance of the contrasting features which may distinguish the Eastern
from the Central Himalaya, I can only assign conjectural causes. Among these may be the proximity of the ocean
to the Sikkim portion of the range, and the presence of heavy mountain-masses covered with winter, and even perpetual,
snow, to the south and east of the upper extremity of the Brahmaputra, whereas the genus is found nearly 2,000 feet
lower than in Sikkim. The descent of the snow line in Upper Assam to 14,000 or 15,000 feet, is no doubt due
to the same causes, and this is a most remarkable fact. Uniformity of temperature, excessive humidity, and a broken
surface, produce the same effect here as in the high southern and antarctic latitudes,—favouring the formation of
snow and its permanence, and also extending the range of tropical,' forms upwards to a greater elevation, and the descent
of temperate or arctic forms to a lower one; of which no stronger proof can be required than the descent of Rosacea
and JEricea, and the great elevation which Rqfflesia, Baianophora, and other eminently tropical genera, attain on the
Himalaya.
Too much stress cannot be laid upon this fact, that the snow-line ascends with the latitude on the Himalaya,
from 14,500 feet at its south-east extreme in Upper Assam, south of the Brahmaputra, lat. 27° N., to 20,000 feet at its
north-west extreme in the regions near and beyond the Sutledge, in lat. 36° and 37° N . , Had the level of perpetual
snow remained uniform throughout these 600 miles of northing, then climate would have only annihilated the effect of
distance from the equator. But if we allow that, cateris paribus, a degree of latitude is the index of a change of
300 feet in the snow-line, we must also allow that the limit of perpetual snow is 8,000 feet lower in Upper Assam than
its height on the Sutledge Himalaya would indicate, being 15,000 instead of 23,000 feet; and, vice versa, that if
14,500 is that limit at Assam, as determined by latitude alone, in Kunawur we should have it at 11,000 instead of 20,000.
Only four species, R. Dalhousice, R. Campbellia, R. argenteum, and R. arborewm grow near Darjeeling. The second
and fourth form scattered bushes at 7,500 and 8,000 feet: the R. argenteum is a small tree, at 8,000 and 9,000 feet,
strangely associated with Baianophora, Convattaria, Baris, Spharopteris, Lawrus, and Magnolia.
It was on the ascent of Tonglo, a mountain on the Nepalese frontier, that I beheld the Rhododendrons in all
their magnificence and luxuriance. At 7,000 feet, where the woods were still dense and subtropical, mingling with Ferns,
Bolhos, Peppers, and Figs, the ground was strewed with the large lily-like flowers of R. Dalhousice, dropping from the
epiphytal plants on the enormous Oaks overhead, and mixed with the egg-like flowers of a new Magnoliaeeous tree, which
fall before expanding and diffuse a powerful aromatic odour, more strong, but far less sweet, than that of the Rhododendron.
So conspicuous were these two blossoms, that my rude guides called out, “ Here are lilies and eggs, Sir, growing out
of the ground! ”—No bad comparison. Passing the region of Tree-Ferns, Wallnut, and Chestnut, yet still in that of the
Alder, Birch, large-leaved Oak (whose leaves are often eighteen inches long), we enter that of the broad-spathed Arum
(which raises a crested head like that of the Cobra de capel), the Kadswra, Stauntonia, Convallaria, and many Rosacea.
The paths here are much steeper, carried along narrow ridges or over broken masses of rock, which are scaled by the aid
of interwoven roots of trees. On these rocks grow Hymenophylla, a few Orchidea, Begonia, Cyrlandracea, Aroidea of
curious forms, the anomalous genus Streptolirion of Edgeworth, and various Oryptogamia, and the Rhododendron
arboreum is first met with, its branches often loaded with pendulous mosses and lichens, especially TJsnea and Borrera.
Along the flat ridges, towards the top, the Yew appears with scattered trees of Rhododendron argenteum, succeeded
by R. Campbellia. At the very summit, the majority of the wood consists of this last species, amongst which
and next in abundance occurs the R. barbatvm, with here and there, especially on the eastern slopes, R. Falconeri.
OF SIKKIM-HIMALAYA. 13
Mingled with these: are Byri, Bruni, Maples, Barberries, and Azaleas, Olea, Eetv, Umonia, Hydrangea, several Capri-
folidcèoe, Gaidtleria, and' Andromedathe Apple and thé Rose are most abundant. Stauntonia, with its glorious racemes
of purple flowers; creeps over all; so do Kadswra and Oclma; whilst a Currant, with erect racemes, grows épiphytally on
Rhododendron and on Byrus.
The habits of the species of Rhododendron differ considerably, and, confined as I was to one favourable spot by a deluge
of rain, I had ample time to observé four df them. R. Campbellia, thé only bne in full flower early in May, is the most
prevalent, the ropes of my tent spanning an area between three of them. Some were a mass of scarlet blossom, displaying
a sylvan scene of the most gorgeous description. Mr. Nightingale’s 1 Rhododendron groves, I thought, may surpass these
in form and luxuriance of foliage, or in outline of individual specimens; but for splendour of colour those of the Himalaya
can only be compared with the Butea frondosa of the plains. . Many of their trunks spread from the centre thirty or
forty feet every way, and together form a hemispherical mass, often forty yards across and from twenty to fifty feet in
height! The stems and branches of these aged trees, gnarled and rugged, the bark dark-coloured arid clothéd with
1 ^ Erobley near Romsey, Hants, the seat of William Edward Nightingale, Esq., whose beautiful grounds boast of drives through
what may really be called woods or groves of Rhododendrons, many of them self-sown.—The mention of these grounds (adorned with exotic
Rhododendrons) by a naturalist luxuriating amidst the aboriginal species of the lofty mountains of Sikkim-Himalaya, makes me desirous
tò introduce here a brief notice of the plants in question. I could not trust my own memory for a correct statement of what it has been
my privilege to see, but Miss Nightingale has obligingly communicated to me the following particulars :—
Our Rhododendrons were chiefly planted about thirty years ago: the largest number are in an exceedingly wet ‘bottom' of deep
black peat full of drains, sheltered with sloping banks of Birch and Fa, with a good deal of Laurel, large Kalmias and Azaleas near the
road. This part was originally a nureery-garden of about four acres : the shrubs have been cut continually to keep the road clear, and now-
make a bank seventeen or eighteen feet high. They are scattered over the high ground (a dry black sand) for about two miles, where
they cover another bank of heathery soil and another bottom of the deep peat. There are not above a dozen of the R. maximum amongst
them, and about three times as many of the arboreum and hybrid Scarlets which we find quite hardy, but which seem to flower best in the
high and dry situations. The Ponticum and var. roseim seed themselves to a great extent, and the consequence is an immense variety in the
sflaP.®> size* ar>d colour of the flowers, hardly any two plants being quite alike.
' "Thc lai'gest Smgle Rhododendron is one hundred and fifty feet round and twenty feet high : there are several of ninety-seven and ninety-
eight feet round, but these have been cramped for room by their neighbours. The tallest I can find grows between a Birch and a Portugal Laurel,
end is twenty-five feet high, its single upright stem measuring nineteen inches in circumference. It is quite an exception, for they fork generally
immediately on emerging from the ground; and though there is one which measures five feet ten inches in the girth of its trunk an inch from
the ground, yet as he leaves his good ways and divides immediately after, I am not sure you will grant him his diploma as a tree. The forks
are from eighteen inches to two feet in circumference. The variegated kind, with long footstalks to the flowers, has perhaps the thickest stem
with us. The outside branches of the large individuals root themselves all round and make impenetrable thickets. We plant out the
seedlings, which come up very thickly wherever an open space gives them room, and they are now scattered over most of the wild ground about.
"I think this is pretty nearly all we have to tell, but we may add that the Kalmias and Yellow Azaleas are some of them ten feet hi°h
and wide in proportion."
It may be interesting to record some particulars of another favoured spot for Rhododendrons, namely, Penllergare, Glamorgan, the
seat of Dillwyn Llewellyn, Esq., who writes in reply to my queries :—
. “Tlie SG; ancl dluiate of tlus ^strict suit that class of plants well, as is attested by the seedlings of the common Rhododendron Ponticum,
which appear in thousands throughout our woods. The rough sketch I enclose is of this species : it measures in height fifteen feet ten
inches, and completely covere a circumference of one hundred and ten feet. The plant grows by itself upon a lawn, without any trees to
overshadow or interfere with it, and it forms a perfectly symmetrical and compact shrub, with dense foliage and short-jointed wood.
“Tit haVe aìS° “ sPeoimen °tR- arboreum, var. roseum, nine feet four inches in height, and in circumference forty-eight feet : it was
planted fifteen years ago and has never received the slightest protection.' Like the last, it stands alone on a lawn, and is of a beautifully
compact form. It has 3,200 flower-buds now upon it. The single stem from which it rises measures one, foot nine inches in girth.
‘The American species also flourish here with great vigour. A specimen of R. Catawbiense measures nine feet six inches in height, and
covers forty-one feet six inches of circumference: this, however, is much younger than either of the preceding. It is also growing under
have been ” oak-trees' for wllidl reason it is somewhat drawn and not so fine and thick in its growth as it might otherwise
It may be observed that Mi-. Loudon, in his Arboretum Britannicum, has not described any specimens of Rhododendron arboreum of the
size above given. The largest he has noticed are at Wimbledon House, thirty-three feet in the spread of its branches ; at Cuffnells in
Hampshire, tiurty-mne feet ditto; Woburn Abbey, twenty-eight feet ditto; Shipley Hall, Derbyshire, fiffy-six feet ditto, and sixteen feet the
greatest height. E d.
D