the late Mr Charles MTntosh was consulted by
: the same
level at which they had been recei\'ed
manure to Conifers still subsisted, being present wh.
a proprietor who had a few Arancarias all standing at from the nursery some years before—that is, about a foot high,
better soil, or a supply of manure to be applied to their roots. Both
cessful. The plants soon started,
(ist June 1867), gives an instructive experiences to th.
formed the subjects of Mr Bai
of flower and fruit, from which
recommended their removal into
s were tried, and both were sucles,
in the Gardeners Chronicle
Tie effect. The two trees which
id fruiting in Britain. The
fruiting of those at Bicton
no means the only instances of the tree flowering ?
flowered and fruited, so has that at Dropmore; th^
A tree at Tortworth Court was covered with magnifid
places they were similarly fruitful. The first tree, howc
have been one in the garden of the Marquis Ridolphi, near Turin, \\
nes in 1864; a
•hich flowered
In choosing a locality in which to plant the Araucaria, there i
situations. It prefers open and exposed spots, where it braves the stc
time receiving a fairer share of sunshine ; but it should not be 1
These are the localities which it affects in its native countries, and it
should suit it here. Mr Fowler, the gardener at Castle Kennedy, mc
place by Lord Dalrymple, a considerable number having, some se\'en
wrote (1S60), been planted in a very exposed situation, where they
ance, already doubling the size of Scotch Firs and other trees, which had bei
years before them. On inquiring of Mr Fowler what had been their pro;
•e still thriving—indeed, pictures of perfect health, as occasion from the severity of the winter. This arises,i
and consequent high winter temperature, the thermon
iserve no tree in this locality, where we sufi"er
lations as the Araucaria imbricata, as it sufi"e
ibundance
.r, are by
md are now of some ize. Mr Ba
: account of his expei
:s' experiments, are male and female, and have produced
promising young progeny has been reared. These, howc
tree at Kew has repeate<lly
we ha\-e already spoken of
id, doubtless, at many other
n Europe is understood to
•hich flowered in September 1S40.
i867)that "the trees at
having suff-ered on any
geographical position, ;
tkm 16° of frost. I ol;
to plant in exposed siti
foliage, occasioned by the branches coming in violent contact with c
had some trying weather last April in the shape of cold frosty east wi
night The effect is still visible on most of our Coniferre. Even th.
Scotch Fir, on the exposed side, had much of their last year's growtlin
a single instance, injured, except as iiulicatcd above. I have a
. no need to select warm sheltered
m and defies the breeze, at the same
:<posed to a \-ery low temperature,
; only reasonable to expcct that they
itions that this had been tried at that
ir eight years pre%-ious to the time he
:re growing with remarkable luxuriplanted
as nurses several
progress since, he wrote us (July
IS all
oKxx Arancarias arc—they not
ises, no doubt," says he, " from our
rmometcr seldom indicating more
1 from high winds, so well adaj.tcd
further than a little bruising of the
ach other during gales of W'
nds, which continued for ne:
e Finns Anstriaca and the
IS killed. The Arancarias
strong impres.si<m that the .r'
.villyd clothe many a hillside where almost nothing else will live—particularly in situati
ed from the seaside. At present there is considerable prejudice against its cultivât
the destruction of so many specimens during the severe winter of 1862-63. The great su
attended the planting of it out in suitable soils and situations, will help to remove this ;
knowledge becomcs diffused among planters of the climate, soil, and situation most
successful culture, I venture to predict that a tree so unique and so beautiful will yet be exin
these islands ; and that it will thrive in a much greater variety of situations than is get
always a\-oiding to plant it in situations where the thermometer ranges very low. Ilei
the hundred, many of the best specimens being upwards of 25 feet in height, none c
before 1S47."
Another, and a not less important point to be attended to in choosing a site for
is to sec that the soil is thoroughly drained. Wc have already said that it like
We
a fort-
I far
ni, arising from
:cess which has
and when more
suitable for its
msively plante<!
generally su])i)osed.
they are grown bjmteil
plan
open ]
that ;
and is.
equally dislikes a close retentive soil; but this is only saying, in other words,
drainage, A retentive soil is more difficult to drain effectually than an open soil, a
badly drained ; and this is, doubtless, the reason why it prefers the one soil to the oth.
ng Araucarias,
)i-ous soil, but it
requires gootl
n fact, generally
is not, liowe\'er,
that
that it has any disinclination to moisture. Like the majority of Conifers, it likes %vater, notwithstanding
Po^ppig's statement, already quoted, that in Chili its favourite habitat is steep rocky ridges where there is no
\vatcr. That statement must not be taken too literally. The testimony of other travellers (such as that of
Pavon above quoted) shews merely what we see at home, that it is not fresh water, or plenty of it, that it
dislikes, but stagnant water, which disagrees with it. It cannot endure water standing about its roots. A
wet subsoil is destruction to it as soon as its roots reach it; btit, properly applied, it delights in moisture.
We may give, as an illustration of moisture properly applied, the instance of the two trees which stood
in the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, of which we have already spoken. These arc reported to have
owed much of their unusual size and vigour to an intelligent appreciation of their natural conditions in their
native country, and a practical imitation of it in this, by Mr M'Nab, who has charge of the Botanic Garden
in Edinburgh. He reasoned thus; " T h e Araucaria grows in a countiy-whose climate is subject t..
excessive moisture at the period of the year when the winter's snows on tho peaks above begin to melt at
the approach of summer. So far as moisture is concerned, therefore, the treatment indicated would
appear
to be a liberal supply of water in spring to imitate the mcking of the snows." On thi
I hint Mr M-Nab
acted. " During the last fifteen years." says he {Edi,i. Phil. Tra.
were regularly supplied every morning with thirty barrels of water, besides
round the extremities of the roots, composed of very okl rotted manure anc
the very lat^e size of the annual Layers produced during the last fifteen yeai
where no extra water was siven,"
' P' 3'3). "the two large plants
a triennial renewal of the soil
[ loam. This may account for
s, compared with those sections
The success, in this instance, may also :
lave been to some extent due to the trees being planted in
It the advantage of this. Where the tree is growing in poor
/e the roots will be found of great benefit There used to be
n the shape of manure to Coniferous trees, and it is not wholly
good deep soil. We have already pointed o
soil, top-dressing and stirring the surfacc abo
a strong prejudice against applying anything
abandoned e
applied, it is
Mr Fc
comparative
ven yet Against its injudicious
not easy to exceed with the An
,vler {loc. cit., p. 158) narrates ar
character, would be conclusive c
or excessive application w
instance of its application
the point, if confirmation
1 opiwrtunity, some , of seeing this illus
cl on ratliei
e retain the prejudice : but properly
at Castle Kennedy, which, from its
were needed:—
id to be made ievel across, running
very objec
then, a
. — - ed3or4feetofcuUi.
orth sule; the surface soil on the souEl, side wa^ taken off, to the deplli of 18 inches <
, t'or a few years aftenvards they made ne.irly equal progress on both sides, till the
inetrabie gravel); those on die opposite side, having depth of open [x>rous soil, shot
ble, and to remedy which it was necessary to commence top-dressing. Thi, had to b.
; t,-. some extent, a^-ainst applying an>tliing like manures to Coniferou? plants, 1
op-dressing—the refuse of the garden after being well rotted, Tho beneficial effecl
llovving season the growth of the trees treated i
side reached
natters which
prejudice did
frequently applied liberal lop-tlressings of an
ssuine that dry unhealthy apiiearance which many of them do when planted
none more so than with tlie A. imbricala. I generally apply the top-di
colour of the foliage became much darker,
years aftenvards the elTcet was apparent, 1 liave since ver
rotten leaves, old liot-bed dung, S:c„ to any Conifers which
thill soils. The result is very s.itisfactor}- witli all, but witii
in winter or spring, but any other season might ansevcr."
ootsoftliose on the s
ra[iidly ahead—a statf
cautiously gone about,
commenced by using wiiat is known as
was soon app.-irent. In a few weeks the
this manner was much greater, and for
impost 1 can gel hold of, including
cither
Mr Fowler also speaks of the advantage of stirring the soil and keeping it clear of v
• veiy generally adopted for all trees which are much cherished or require care:—
n.illy stirred and kept clear of weeds. An ,
)n)ewlicre In the proportion of on the grass tc
Il of nearly 2 feet. If any dilTerence in quality c;
The A
it. Sheep, 1
High Gi-ove
his in which
[ 3 2 ]
11 to be fond of it. Soi
other is and has be•ne under grass sine. planted. The growth of the trees
le red land, PrevloiJ S to planting, the osil. on both. sides had been trenched
favour of the sid,e u nder grass, '
: suffer from vi ;i-min, althougl 1 somcti imes rabbits attack
1 years since w;i happened to visit the late Mr Blandy, of
fsheep had bee n imprudently turned i Into a small field of
••aucarias: iiex t morning eve •xyArai icciria was standing
^ i l i t e t î l r i â t f ë i i i î i l i l î f i i ;