[ Correspondents sendhig letters signed unth miiiah or fictitious n^mes are 

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ABIES DOUGLASII. 



Sir, — This tree may be found iuterspersed through most of the planta- 

 tions at Penrhyn Castle, in North AY ales, where it thrives remarkaVtly well, 

 especially where it is well sheltered. 



The leader, liowevei-, on passing above the average height of the 

 surrounding trees, being so slender and brittle, generally gets broken over 

 by the wind, thereby causing the tree to send forth a plurality of leading 

 shoots, which Ijy no means enhance its beauty. If these were corrected, 

 and only one left as a future leader, it would probably fare the same as the 

 previous one. 



Two trees of this kind, standing within a few yards of each other on 

 the side of the carriage drive leading to the castle, are of the following 

 dimensions : — Circumference at three feet from the ground — No. 1, 7 feet 

 8 inches; No. 2, 10 feet 10 inches; spread of branches, 40 feet. They 

 are well clothed with glossy foliage to the ground, seem in perfect health, 

 and would have been model specimens had their leaders not been broken off. 



I have also noticed this frailty of the leaders of the A. Dowjlam on an 

 estate in the north of Ireland. 



Perhaps in some places it attains a taller growth, and may not meet with 

 the same obstacles as here, most of our woods being exposed to the high 

 winds blowing in from the Irish Sea, and lying at a considerable ele^'a- 

 tion above sea level ; but I doubt very much if this tree will be found 

 rising to a great height anywhere, except in low-lying and well-sheltered 

 districts. 



I have been thinking that a plantation formed of it alone, or mixed 

 with silver fir (whose height and rate of growth more nearly approaches 

 that of the Alms Doiiylasii), might succeed better than when nursed up 

 amongst the ordinary run of forest trees ; and I would feel oljliged for 

 some opinion on the subject from others interested in the successful 

 vultuvo of this valuable species of fir. 



An OBfteBVFR 



