217 



f 



will be the most satisfactory time for the Falkland* as the winds 

 are stated to be at the worst in spring-. 



On account of the peculiar conditions prevailing in the Islands 

 it is probable that evergreen coniferous trees will prove more 

 successful than deciduous, broad-leaved trees, and for general 

 planting, particularly on the wetter ground, it is likely that the 

 most appropriate tree of all will be Picea sitchensis, followed bj 

 Picea Engelmanni and Picea alba. The two former are natives 

 m of Western N. America and the latter of Eastern N. America. 

 For well-drained land Pinus Banksiana from N. America, P. 

 contorta var. Murrayana from Western N. America and the 

 European Pinus C em bra and Pinus sylvestris miglit be tried. 

 As a shelter tree for the outskirts of plantations a trial should 

 be made of the Austrian Pine {Pinus Laricio var. nigricans). 

 This is an excellent shelter tree although its timber is not of 

 good quality. Other Conifers such as Cupressus nootkatensis, 

 Cupressus macrocarpa, Thuya plicata, and Araucaria unbncata 

 are worth a trial. 



Amongst broad-leaved trees the most likely ones to succeed 

 are Birches, Alders, Willows, Poplars and the Antarctic Beeches. 

 Of the Birches the form of B etui a alba, known as pubescens, and 

 the N. American B. occidentalis and B. papyrifera should be 

 tried. The most suitable Alders are Alrius glutinosa, and A. 

 incana, both European trees adapted for wet ground- Of the 

 tree Willows Salix alba, S. coerulea, S. fra gilts and S. viridis 

 are suitable, whilst of basket-making Willows S. triandra, 6. 



xi niinalis, S. purpurea and S. rubra might be tried. 

 Poplars should be represented by P. Eugenei, P. serotina, P. 

 canescens, and P. trichocarpa. The Sycamore, Acer Pseudo- 

 platanus, and the Antarctic Beeches from Tierra del Fuego are 

 also worth attention. For shelter and ornament the following 

 small trees and shrubs may be tried. Ligustrum ovalifolium, 

 Ij. vulgave, Tamavix in variety, Sambucus nigra, the stronger- 

 growing JSew Zealand Veronicas, Hippophae rhamnoides, 

 Escallonia macrantlta, Pyrus Aucuparia, P. Aria, P. intermedia, 

 Berberis Daricinii, B. Aquifolium . Rhododendron ponticum, R. 

 cataivbiense, Oleatia Haasfii, Calluna vulgaris, and Cytisus 



scoparius. 



To conduct anything like an exhaustive experiment with trees 

 planted under forest conditions will entail some considerable 

 expense, but that cannot be avoided, and in a letter to Kew, 

 dated 14th April, 1919, Mr. Blake says that he is willing to 

 undertake the preparation of all the land required for such an 

 experiment providing an expert man is provided to control the 



work. 



It is to be hoped that the Government of the Falkland Islands 

 may find itself in a position to accept Mr. Blake's interesting 

 offer, as the proper preparation of the ground, which is a 

 matter of considerable expense, is of prime importance, and 

 such an experiment should certainlv be made. 



Tussock Grass or Tussac Grass. 



Poa flabellata, Hook, f., the Tussock or Tussac Grass, is one 

 -of the most interesting plants of the Falkland Islands. It is 



