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introduction of trees or other plants into districts unsuitalole for ilieir 

 proper development. Many plants are peculiarly affected by climate, 

 the fact that such will grow even luxuriantly in a certain locality makes 

 it by no means sure that they will produce in paying quantities any 

 useful products derived from them in their natural habitat. Most 

 plants show impatience of being grown in unsuitable soil or climate by 

 their behaviour as to flowering or fruiting. Many of our wild plants 

 when grown in England, flower very seldom or not ac all, as the 

 Virginian Creeper and Wax Works Vine {Celastrus scandefis). The 

 charming British Columbian shrub Nidtallia cerasiformis although it 

 flowers frequently and profusely in England, will not produce the 

 exquisitely beautiful waxy berries, with their shades of pure white, 

 yellow, pink and black, all growing on the same bnsh and 

 at the same time, which make it such an attractive object in the 

 Vancouver Island hedgerows and woods. Similarly the produc- 

 tion by plants of alkaloids, aromatic oils, and other products 

 which may be utilized in the various arts and sciences, is much affected 

 by change of climate. But, on the other hand, many most useful 

 members of the vegetable kingdom can, and have been introduced 

 from one part of the world to others where they were not found natur- 

 ally. Tea from China, and coffee from Arabia, the banana from Africa, 

 the peach from Persia, and many other luscious fruits ; our own indian 

 corn, the sugar cane and numerous grasses are now grown over far 

 wider areas on the globe's surface, than were originally adorned with 

 them by nature. Forest trees and trees and shrubs for hedges and 

 ornament, are frequently being imported from one country in'o 

 another or from other parts of the same country. But all plants, even 

 from the same locality, do not thrive similarly when placed under the 

 changed conditions of soil and climate consequent upon their introduc- 

 tion into another country or locality. In this way thousands of plants 

 have been destroyed and much capital squandered, which might have 

 been obviated had there been a botanic garden, where caretul experi " 

 ment could have been made beforehand with all the particulars record- 

 ed for reference when required. Certain trees will thrive well in some 

 localities for a few years and then suddenly their development wil 

 cease — instances of this are found in the attempted cultiration of certain 



