540 



RARE EVERGREEN TREES. 



Kig. 119. Branch and cone of the 



C^ar of LdxLnon, one-sixth of the 



natural size. 



The spring is the better season for plant- 

 ing the Cedar of Lebanon in this climate. 

 When the small 

 trees are grown in 

 pots, there is no dif- 

 ficulty in transport- 

 ing them to any dis- 

 tance, and as the 

 months of Septem- 

 ber and October are 

 the best for import- 

 ing them from Eng- 

 land, we trust our 

 leading nurserymen 

 who are now impor- 

 ting thousands of 

 fruit trees from Lon- 

 don and Paris an- 

 nually, will provide 

 a sufficient stock of this most desirable ever- 

 green for the spring sales of 1S48. If the Ce- 

 dar of Lebanon does not become a popular 

 tree with all intelligent planters in this coun- 

 try, who have space enough to allow it to show 

 its beauties, and a climate not too inclement 

 for its growth, then we have greatly over- 

 rated the taste of those engaged in rural im- 

 provements at the present moment, in the 

 United States. The only reason why this 

 grandest and most interesting of all ever- 

 green trees, which may be grown in this 

 country as easily as the hemlock, wherever 

 the peach bears well, has not already been 

 extensively planted, is owing to two causes. 

 First : that its merits and its adaptation to 

 our soil and climate, are not generally 

 known ; and second, that it has as yet, with- 

 out any sufficient reason, been difficult to 

 procure it, even in our largest nurseries. 

 We trust that our remarks may have the 

 effect of inspiring many with an apprecia- 

 tion of its great charms, and that our ener- 

 getic nurserymen, well knowing that there 



arc thousands of j'oung trees to be had in 

 England, which may be imported in autumn, 

 from one to three feet high, and in pots, in 

 perfect condition, will be able in future to 

 supply all orders for Cedars of Lebanon. 



While we are upon the subject of ever- 

 green trees, we will briefly call the atten- 

 tion of our readers to another rare conifer- 

 ous species, which is likely to prove a very 

 interesting addition to our hardy arbore- 

 tums. 



This is the Chili Pine, Araucaria imbri- 

 cata, a singular and noble evergreen from 

 the Cordilleras mountains, in South Amer- 

 ica, where it attains the height of 150 feet. 



This pine, commonly known as the Arau- 

 caria,) from Araucanos, the name of the 

 Chilian tribe in whose country it grows,) 

 is distinguished by its scale-like foliage, 

 closely over-laid or imbricated, its hori- 

 zontal branches springing out from the trunk 

 in whorls or circles, and its immense glob- 

 ular cone, or fruit, as large as a man's head, 

 containing numerous nutritious and excel- 

 lent nuts. A single fruit contains between 

 200 and 300 of these kernels, which Dr. 

 PcEPPiG informs us, supply the place of both 

 the palm and corn to the Indians of the 

 Chilian Andes. " As there are frequently 

 20 or 30 fruits on a stem, and as even a 

 hearty eater among the Indians, except he 

 should be wholly deprived of every other 

 kind of sustenance, cannot consume more 

 than 200 nuts in a day, it is obvious that 

 18 Araucaria trees will maintain a single 

 person for a whole year." The kernel is 

 of the shape of an almond, but twice as 

 large, and is eaten either fresh, boiled, or 

 roasted ; and for winter's use, the women 

 prepare a kind of pastry from them.* 



We borrow from ih.e' Arboretum Brittan- 

 icum, an engraving, one-sixth of the size 



* Arbcfetum Brittanicum, p. 2438. 



