JAIsUARY. 11 



regions of these hills are of distinguished beauty, though the Chilian 

 Palm is no longer seen in a flourishing state so far to the south, and 

 the far-famed Araucaria, the loftiest tree of extra-tropical South 

 America, finds the climate too warm to thrive in. A couple of cul- 

 tivated sjDecimens of it near Talcalmano, and another near St. Tho- 

 mas, give, however, some idea of Avliat this majestic tree must be in 

 its native mountain locality, and raise one's anticipations of the 

 vegetation of those unexplored regions to a high degree. AVhen, 

 having made your way through dense thickets of the Puya, which 

 here grows to an unusual size, you at length reach the highest 

 point of the peninsula, which, from having been a signal station, 

 bears the name of La Sentinela, a prospect opens upon you pos- 

 sessing every requisite of a rich and varied landscape. Shrubs of 

 low growth, which at no time of the year are destitute of foliage, 

 — and, in truth, two or three kinds of trees only are properly deci- 

 duous here, after the manner of the northern world — rise around 

 the place where you are standing, without, however, intercepting 

 the view of the distance. Near the foot of the mountain are seen 

 the two bays and the wooded hills by which they are partly inclosed. 

 Farther on stretches the plain of Concepcion, with its scattered 

 clumps of trees and herds of cattle feeding, and behind the city bare 

 rocky heights show themselves; while the Biobio, of majestic breadth, 

 flows between its picturesque banks to the sea; and on a clear day 

 the snowy summits of the Andes, though not to any great extent, 

 are visible ; while behind you the eye loses itself in the blue distance 

 of the boundless ocean." — Poeppig, Reise in Chile, &c., vol. i. pp. 315 

 et seq. 



The account of the Doctor s excursion to the Araucaria forests, 

 on the lower ranges of the Andes, near the village of Antuco, would 

 extend this article to a greater length than might perhaps he con- 

 venient to you; but if I find, from your insertion of this, that you 

 are desirous of it, I will send it in time for the next Number. 



Mediterraxeus. 



ROSES FROM SEED. 



One of the floricultural problems for which a solution seems 

 most difficult to be found is the all but entire neglect with which 

 amateurs have so long treated this interesting branch of garden- 

 ing. Growers can hardly be included in the charge ; for the time 

 and attention necessary to carry it out with any hope of success are 

 more than they can devote to it. To the amateur, therefore, have 

 we for years looked, in the expectation of being ere this relieved 

 from the odium of the French lady's remark to us, " You have no 

 good English Kose — they are all irom France;" and except for De- 

 voniensis, then in perfection (in August), coming to our rescue, how 

 entirely should we have been without a substantial reply! Although 

 we have raised few good seedlings, however, we cannot entertain the 



