2298 



ARBORETUM AND FRUTICETUM. 



PART III. 



The girt of tlie largest 

 comiiion spruce on 

 the estate is 5 ft. 

 10 in. at the surface 

 of the grouud ; and 

 that of the hirges^ 

 Mack spruce is 5 ft. 

 1 in. The pecnhari- 

 tics of growth which 

 we have mentioned 

 arc shown in several 

 specimens in different 

 parts of the proper- 

 ty ; tlic most fantastic 

 of vvhicli is one grow- 

 ing in the centre of 

 a piece of elevated 

 mossy ground, about 

 an acre in extent, 

 and within the bound- 

 ary of the kitchen- 

 garden wall, called th( 

 Wilderness. This tree 

 has received the ap- 

 pellation of the Tra- 

 velling Fir, on ac- 

 count of its branches 

 having taken root 



wherever they have ' * -- "^^^^T » >. .. ,'TS5^t y-V-'(>Si5»/<. 



come in contact with the soil In this s[)ecimcii (^g. 2215., to a scale of 

 1 in. to 12 ft.), man} natuial Lijeis fiom the tiunk, and from the primary 

 substcms, have taken root, so as to form a double series of young trees, 

 ill two concentric circles round the parent trimk. The depth of the peat 

 soil where this remarkable spruce grows is about 14 ft. That portion of 

 the branch which is between the trunk of the original tree and the part where 

 it roots into the ground, and which is sometimes several feet in length, rarely 

 increases in diameter after its extremity has rooted (as shown in fig. 2216., 

 to a scale of 2 in. to 4 ft.). If these horizontal branches do increase in dia- 

 meter, it is in a very slight degree; as some branches proceeding both from 

 the main trunk and from primary substcms, in tlie first concentric circle 

 of young trees formed by them, vary from 2 ft. to G ft. in length, and are 

 only from l^in. to Sin. in diameter; while their extremities, which have 

 rooted in the ground, and assumed the appearance of stems, vary from 6 in. 

 to 2 ft. in circumference. The branches proceeding from the |)rimary substems 

 have also branches, etjuaily healthy with themselves, proceeding from them, 

 and with every appearance of their producing others ; wiiich, if allowed room, 

 may, in course of time, cover the whole Wilderness. Tliat portion of the 

 mam stem, or trunk of the parent tree, whicli remains above the surface of 

 the soil, is little more than 4 ft. high before njjrigiit branches are produced ; and 

 it is 7 ft. in its greatest circumference. These upright branches, or rather limbs, 

 are from .'iO ft. to :i!j ft. in height. The [)rimary substems, which constitute the 

 inner concentric circle of young trees, vary from H ft. to 25 It. in height; and 

 the secondary substems, which form the trees of the outer circle, are from 

 4 ft. to 10 ft. high. There are u|)wards of thirty rooted stems surrounding 

 the mother tree ; and .'{O ft. is the greatest diameter of the space covered 

 by stoloniferous branches ; though in one case a secondary layer has reached 

 as far as 18 ft. from the main trunk. The otiier s|)ecimens of tiiis kind of tree 

 were far inferior in size to the one now described; perhaps owing to the cattle 

 browsing the side shoots, and destroying the tops of the young oflfspring; 



