200 



ever, to outweigli the margin of profit that would be likely to occur 

 from the larger timber, or by the cheaper price of felling and 

 handling of the Asiatic kind. 



Siberian yellow pine is the timber of Pinus Jcoraiensisj a large 

 tree growing up to 150 feet high in Eastern Siberia, Korea, 

 Manchuria, etc. It belongs to the five-leaved group of the genus, 

 and is recognised by its cylindrical, resinous winter buds, by the 

 pubescent bark of the young wood, its dark green leaves 3| to 4| 

 inches long> each with two glaucous lines running the full length, 

 and by its cylindrical cones which are from 5 to 7 inches long with 

 stalks an inch or so in length. The scales of the cones are large 

 and prominent, and the basal ones are recurved. It has been 

 grown in English gardens since 1861, the date of its original intro- 

 duction by Mr. J. G, Veitch. It does not> however, take kindly 

 to our gardens, and few fine specimens are known. 



W. D. 



Queensland Nut (Macadamia termfoJia). — This is an edible nut 

 produced by a small Proteaceous tree with dense foliage, found in 

 Queensland and in the northern part of New South AVales. The 

 fruit consists of a two-A^alved fleshy exocarp, the shell being 

 globular, smooth, shining, thick and woody, often exceeding one 

 inch in diameter. The kernels are described as of excellent 

 flavour, somewhat resembling, but superior to, that of the Filbert, 

 and to be much relished by Europeans and Aborigines alike. 

 To the latter the nuts are known as '^ Kendal-kendal,'^ being 

 valued as a nutritious article of food. Though the tree is of small 

 dimensions, the reddish-coloured, fine-grained wood is used for 

 cask-staves, cabinet work, veneers, shingles and bullock yokes. 

 The tree appears to be little known outside the Australian Con- 

 tinent, therefore its cultivation in other tropical or sub-tropical 

 countries would doubtless be worth a trial. It may be noted thnt 

 in its native habitat timber-getters are under restrictions with 

 regard to felling the trees. j, m. h. 



Thunderstorms at Kew. — On two occasions within a month 

 of each other, in May and June last, two Atlas cedars in Kew 

 were struck by lightning. On the first occasion, the even- 

 ing of May 22nd, one of the tall Atlas cedars forming the 

 avenue from the Pagoda to the south-west end of the Lake was 

 struck and its bark torn off in a curious spiral, the rupture 

 encircling the trunk three or four times. Some of the bark was 

 thrown thirty to forty yards away. During the same storm three 

 flag-stones in the paved path that surrounds the iron fence of the 

 Japanese Gateway (which stands not far from the cedar) were 

 lifted from the ground — one of them turned completely over. The 

 cedar struck on the second occasion stands in the Eose Garden. 

 The bark of tliis tree was also partially peeled off, but the injury 



was not so great as m the case of the tree struck during the earlier 



W. J. B. 



storm. 



