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the maritime pine (?. Pinaster), I noted two trees of particular 
interest, one named var. Hamiltoni was 8 ft. 9 in., the other, 
var. dictrilis, 9 ft. 11 in. in girth of trunk. .A pine called P. 
altissima belongs probably to ?. Pinaster also. 
Siiver Firs.—No trees enjoy the soft, moist climate of the 
south-western counties more than the silver firs, and on the whole 
they are better developed at Bicton than the pines. For this 
untry many of them are giants, and more than any other 
conifers they help to produce the deep shady masses of vegetation 
whose luxuriance is so impressive at Bicton. Of the American 
species the two finest are Abies Lowiana and A. grandis; a tree 
of the former has a trunk 10 ft. in girth, and I judged it to be 
between 80 and 90 ft. high; whilst of the latter, one is 10 ft. 6 in. 
in girth and perhaps 10 ft. higher than the 4. “Lowiana. One of 
the rarest of silver firs to be seen in fine condition in the British 
Isles is A. amabilis (it er naturally to upwards of 200 ft.) ; 
at Bicton it is only 25 ft. high, but very healthy. A. bracteata, 
so remarkable for vis long soot pees eda? its large brown 
buds and formidably armed bra is repre nted by two trees, 
but neither is very healthy, acter the lai; ger one is perhaps 
45 ft. high. 
Of the Old World firs the finest at Bicton is a superb example 
of A. cephalonica, its se 16 ft. in girth; in the bulk of aber 
it contains this tree is probably unequalled amongst its kind in 
this country. The allied 4. Pinsapo, most distinct of European 
firs and confined in a wild state ae a Some ely small moun- 
tainous region in the south of Spain, n good health, one tree 
being 14 4 ft. 6 in. in girth of a ae = of branches making 
a fine pyramid 55 ft. high. There are finer trees of A. Pin nsapo 
in the country, but few that excel one of 4. Nordmanniana at 
Bicton; it is in perfect health and probably 80 ft. high, its 
trunk 7 ft. 4 in. in circumference 
The interesting A. SER Se rare in cultivation and con- 
fined in a wild state to a small area on Mount Babor in Algeria, 
is represented here by a tree whose dimensions exceed those of 
any other tree I bares seen recorded in this country; I estimated 
it at some 70 ft. in height and its trunk ured Bee 1it, 
round, Ganaie as rare as the Mt. Babor fir in cultivation is 
A. cilicica; here at Bicton is one over 50 ft. high and 4 ft. in 
eirth. To us in the dry, hot Thames Valley, where the common 
silver fir (A. pectinata), can scarcely be kept alive, much more 
grown to any size, no tree at Bicton is more impressiv: I 
measured one as carefully as I could, and made it about 125 ft. 
igh. 
Of Japanese firs, A. brachyphylla is 4 ft. 10 in. in girth or 
trink and some 60 ft. high, its health superb; even finer is a 
magnificent A. firma, 65 ft. high and girthing 5 ft. 9 in. 
di Phe Himalayan A. Pindrow is about 40 ft. high. 
Spruces.— Amongst the pres (Picea), none is finer than two 
Specimens of the Himalayan Picea Morinda—also known as P. 
Simithiana—so distinct iniong: its kind for the long, » wens 
branchlets; the larger one in the Pinetum girths 8 ft. 1 in. an 
