under bare poles. I-A'er>' leaf widiin reach had been nibbled off, and the stem barked to the bone, leaving
it white, pardy from rcsin exuding from the wounds, and partly from the exposed white wood.
At fu-st sight one would nc^t suppose the Araucaria a ver>- good subject on which to practise with the
knife, but it stands pruning better than most Conifers. Mr Blandy informed us that he had obseiTcd, that
if the branches which have to be removed arc cut off at a short distance from the stem, fresh shoots spring
from the base of the branches, whereas this is not .he case if the branches are cut off quite flush with the
stem. This sujiplies us with a means of replacing such branches as have become unsightly and attenuated
by accidcnt or otherwise. Mr M'Nab alludes to it as a means of more rapidly replacing large trees which,
after injuiy from frost or otherwise, may have been cut down to save their lives, like the masts of a shipwrecked
vessel- •' The Aniucaria, when cut down, veiy generally gives out shoots from the stool." Mr
M'Nab says " that the lower the trees are cut, the fewer and stronger will be the shoots produced—these can
be finally thinned out to single stems." Mr Fowler also bears testimony to the impunity with which it may
be pnmed. " I have frecpiently had occasion," says he, " to prune it; and wherever cut, dormant buds are
ready, at the axil of every leaf, to start into active existence ; in short, it stands the knife as well as
either the Holly or the Yew, and, in suitable soils, either for ornament or impenetrability, would be
superior to either." This propcrt}-, he suggests, might be taken advantage of by using the Arancaria as a
hedge-row plant, if the price of plants were oncc sufficiently moderate. The many trees now fruiting promise
that, ere long, plants will be abundant, and we may then have hedges which, with not less beaut)- than
the Holly or the Yew, will be more rapid in their growth, and infinitely more impenetrable. As, however,
it ajipeavs that they would be useless against sheep, it is possible that they might not be less palatable or
more formidable to cattle; but against human intruders, as fences around lawns and about a house, we
imagine they would be impregnable.
There is nothing peculiar in the growth of the seeds, or in the management and rearing of the young
plants. The seeds may be planted in various w-ays, but the usual and most natural plan is to prick them
into the ground for two-thirds of their length, the narrow end downwards. A little bottom heat brings
them briskly awa\-, and their large size enables e\-er3- step in the development of the ytning seedlings to be
easily studied. As in other plants, considerable variety occurs In the Idiosyncrasy, habit, and constitution
of different individuals. Some have their branches cur\-ed and growing upright, resembling antient candelabra,
others throwing out their branches horizontally, nnd others are partially pendulous, Variegated
individuals have also been raised.
Connncrcial Statistics and Prices.—In 1838, the prices of plants, 9 to 15 inchcs high, varied from 2 to
5 gnineas each. In 1840, one-year seedlings were first offered In considerable quantities at to £,(•> per
100; and five years later, those of the same plants that were 6 to 9 inches high were per 100, or
IOS, per dozen, and extra fine plants per dozen. In iSjo, (->- to 9-inch plants were 24s. f>er dozen ;
12 to 15 inches, 3s, 6d, cach ; and 18 to 24 inches, 7s, 6d In 1836, one-year-old seedlings were 7s. 6d.,
and two-year old los. 6d, per dozen ; i foot high plants, 2s, each ; 18 inches, 3s, fid-; 2 feet, 7s. fxl. to
IOS. 6d, ; zYz feet, 25s. to 30s.; to feet, 35s. to 50s-; 5 to 6 feet, 63s. to 105s. ; and from the lastnamed
date till the present time (1876), a usual practice has been to charge a guinea i>er f<K>t in height for
plants above 6 feet that are of fine symmetrical form, and that have been previously frequently trans()lanted.
In the most recently published nursery- catalogues, reductions of from 10 to 20 per cent, are made from the
last quoted prices, except for one and two-year-old seedlings, which, bcmg at present very scarce, are
entirely omitted in most of them.
Seeds.—These have hitherto been procurable only in in'egular quantities and cjualitles ; and as man\-
in even the best cargoes are incajiable of vegetating, the prices have varied from 30s, to 75s. per 1000.
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