I 



A CAMPBELTOWN PALM-LILT. 61 



ever exhibits. It would have been a grand example even in its 

 native country, for a gentleman who for years held a high 

 official position in New Zealand said he had never seen there 

 its equal; while Professor Balfour, on seeing its photograph, 

 said he had never seen another so good. How completely it 

 had taken to its new home was shown by the seed which fell 

 from the tree germinating in the borders and footpaths beneath, 

 these being distributed to friends all around. Thus was it for 

 many years ; but, alas ! the tree is now a thing of the past. I 

 have said that the spot where it was planted seemed most 

 favourable, but few things are perfect. It grew mo%st luxuriantly, 

 but this also tended to its ruin. A great storm came from an 

 unusual quarter and in the direction in which it was most 

 exposed, and its luxuriance gave the wind the greater hold 

 upon it. The result was that it was so injured that it was 

 taken down. Now it is represented by its progeny. I give the 

 measurement of the largest of these — on© planted in 1877. 



August, 1905. — Height of ti-unk, 7 feet 8 inches; height of 

 tree, 22 feet; spread of branches, 16 feet 8 inches; girth of 

 stem, 3 feet 5 inches at five feet from the ground ; at base, 

 5 feet 6 inches; flowers this summer, twelve great terminal 

 bunches. 



Parent Tree. — The parent tree was planted about 1860, and 

 was thus more than a half older than the one sprung from its 

 seed. It would thus have now been 30 feet in height, and with 

 the very remarkable spread for a plant bearing the name of 

 Palm of fully 25 feet, and bearing about a score of magnificent 

 heads of flowers. The popular New Zealand name, " Umbrella 

 Palm," is given from its umbrella-like spread. 



Rope made of the Fihre of the Campbeltown Palm-Lilies. — 

 Lady Campbell, as alxtve stated, experimented in planting a 

 Palm-lily in the open air at Campbeltown. Captain Stewart, 

 late R.N., Stronvaan House, Campbeltown, has continued the 

 experiment by trying whether this tree, of rope-producing fibre 

 in Formosa and Japan, could be utilised for the same purpose in 

 Scotland. He caused leaves to be taken from the trees, steeped 



