136 A SPKING TOUR IN PORTUGAL. 



in replenishing our shrubberies from the nurv«ery gardener's 

 stores. 



But in speaking of shrubs and trees I cannot do better 

 than introduce my readers at once to the luxuriant gar- 

 dens of the English chaplain, the Rev. Edward Whiteley, 

 whom we have to thank, not only for the most unbounded 

 hospitality, but for repeated acts of kindness and courtesy 

 shown us throughout our stay at Oporto, and for a large 

 amount of very valuable information regarding the less 

 frequented portions of northern and eastern Portugal, which 

 his long residence in the country, as well as his adventurous 

 spirit of exploring, and his ardent love of fine scenery 

 liave well qualified him to impart. Within the grounds 

 of this highly esteemed gentleman are congregated some 

 of the finest specimens of trees and shrubs which, I 

 make bold to say, are to be found in the world, within 

 so limited a space ; indeed, two of them, a tulip tree and 

 a magnolia, are amongst the sights of Oporto, which 

 strangers seldom fail to visit, even in this land of luxuriant 

 vegetation. Both are large forest trees, throwing out their 

 branches laterally with great vigour, well grown and still 

 growing, and overshadowing a wide extent of ground. 

 With the assistance of Mr. Whiteley, I took an accurate 

 measurement of these two trees, while F. took their 

 portraits with his camera. We found the tulip tree, at 

 three feet above the ground, to measure seventeen feet one 

 inch in circumference, while it attained an altitude of 

 ninety feet, and was literally covered with blossom. A 

 perennial spring of water trickled near its roots, and, 

 doubtless, this was the secret of its vigorous growth and 

 rapid increase. The magnolia tree was, perhaps, even 

 more extraordinary, as it extended over a larger area of 

 ground, and some of its branches were huge limbs. It 

 measures sixty feet in height, and thirteen feet four inches 

 in girth at three feet from its base. It is in the height of 



