212 ENGLASH ABBOBICULTDRAL SOCIETY. [Jan., 



30 ft. from the ground was of the enormous girth of 40 ft. The same 

 traveller speaks of the wood as being firm, heavy, with few knots, of 

 a yellow colour, a,nd not in the least liable to warp. This tree has 

 of late years been extensively planted at Alnwick Park, where it 

 does remarkably well. It seems to answer best on the lower grounds 

 and denes, and iu almost any soil, if dry, but does not do so well 

 upon the higher lands, as the tops, when tender in early summer, are 

 liable to be broken by the winds. One tree in this park has attained 

 a height of over 80 ft., and measures 7 ft. 8 in. in girth at 4 ft. from 

 the ground. This tree has been planted about fifty years. Another 

 group were planted fourteen years ago on loamy soil. The best of these 

 are now 35 ft. high, with a girth at 1 ft. from the ground of 36 in. 

 The next group, planted twelve years ago, on gravelly soil, are now 

 30 ft. in height, with a girth at 1 ft. from the ground of 30 to 

 33 in. The average yearly growth of these will be about 3 ft., and 

 they look healthiest on a north aspect. Selby mentions a specimen 

 at Jardine Hall, Dumfriesshire, which, planted out as a seedling, in 

 fourteen years attained a height of 25 ft., with a girth of stem at 

 1 ft. from the ground of 2 ft. 9 in. The growth of the leading shoot 

 in one year measured 4 ft. This tree is planted on light gravelly 

 loam. But many young trees of this variety when planted on the 

 outskirts of plantations, or on very exposed places, suffer heavily 

 with the winds. I have very rarely found them doing well on high 

 situations, one exception being at Whitfield Hall, where there is one 

 tine specimen growing at a high elevation. Many suffered severely 

 from the frost in the winters of 1879 and 1880. But I think that, if 

 the situations on which they are planted are selected so as to suit the 

 constitution of the tree, they may be considered hardy. A dies grandis 

 is a native of Vancouver's Island, where it attains a great size. This 

 variety is also well worth attention, and to the best of my knowledge 

 it is perfectly hardy in our climate. I have never yet found it in the 

 least affected by frost. It grows very rapidly, making young shoots 

 of from two to three feet in one season. This tree in its native 

 country equals Ahics Douglassii in hugeness of stature. But of the 

 ([uality of its timber 1 am not able to speak, as I have not seen any 

 of it cut up, and have no reliable information on the subject. 

 Another splendid tree, to which I wish to call your attention, is Picea 

 nohilis, one of the finest of our ornamental conifers. There are a few 

 fine specimens of this grand Pine in our immediate neighbourhood, 

 notably at Duke"s House, the seat of Mrs. Backhouse, and atSandhoe, 

 the residence of Hugh Eenwick, Esq., also near Hexham. I have here a 

 fine cone from one of the trees growing at Sandhoe. But I am sorry 

 that either from the absence of male blossom, from unsuitable 



