106 



The Dictionary of Gardening, 



Araucaria — conti7iued. 

 winters out of doors. Few trees can compete with them in 

 symmetry and eleg'ant proportion for conservatory decora- 

 tion, where they may be gfrown in large tubs, or planted 

 out. Small plants grown in pots are most serviceable for 

 table and other decorative purposes. They thrive in a 

 good fibrous loam, mixed with leaf soil and sand. Propa- 

 gation by means of seed is the surest and most satisfactory 

 method ; the seed should be sown in pans or boxes, or if in 

 large quantities, in a bed, with but gentle heat ; they 

 usually take some time to germinate. Cuttings are procured 

 by taking off the leading shoots, and fixing them firmly in a 

 pot of sand ; they first require a cool place, but may after- 

 wards be subjected to slight warmth. When rooted, they 

 should be potted off into the soil above mentioned. The 

 young growths which afterwards shoot from the plant, 

 whence the cutting, may be taken off and treated in much 

 the same manner. These are the only methods of pro- 

 pagation worth pursuing. 



A. Balans9B (Balansa's). male co7ies cylindrical-conical, 2in. 

 J'einale cones elliptic globose, 4in. ; scales obovate, cuneate. I. 

 arcuately-uncinate, ovate triangular, imbricated round tlie dis- 

 tichous, simple branchlets. h. 130ft. to 160ft. New Caledonia, 

 1875. A fine greenhouse plnnmsely branched tree. 



A. Bidwillii (Bidwill's).* liimya-Bunya Pine : Moreton Bay 

 Pine, cvnen sub-globose, loni;est diameter lOin. to 12iu., shortest 

 9in. to lOin. l. ovate-lanceulate, in two nearly horizontal rows, 

 acuminated, slightly convex above, concave beneath, leathery, 

 deep shining green. h. 150ft. Moreton Bay. Habit very 

 regular and symmetrical. Greenhouse species. 



A brasiliensis (Brazilian). /. oblong-lanceolate, much attenuated 

 at the point, loosely imbricated, deep green ; lower part of the 

 trunk usuallv free from branches, terminating in a rounded head. 

 /(. 70ft. to lO'Oft. BrazU, 1819. A. b. gracilis, and A. b. Ridoljiana 

 are two forms of this species. 



A. colunmaris (columnar). A synonym of A. Cookii. 



A. Cookii (Cook's).* I. awl-shaped, short, densely imbricated 

 around the frondose branches. Described by Mr. Abbay as having 

 " a somewhat curious habit, even wlien growing alone, of shielding 

 their branches for five-sixths or more of their height, and tlien 

 replacinji them by a smaller and more bushy growth, so that the 

 tree at a distance presents a very columnar appearance, the 

 resemblance being increased by the summit being crowned with a 

 mass of foHage somewhat like a capital." h. 200ft. New Caledonia, 

 ISfil. Syn. a. coiumnaris. 



''IG. 144. AUAUCARIA EXCELSA. 



A. Cunninghami (Cunningham's).* I. on the sterile branches 

 needle-shaped, obscurely quadranftular, rigid, acute ; on the fertile 

 branches shorter, stouter, closely appressed, bright green ; upper 



Araucaria — continued. 



branches ascending, lower ones horizontal, k. 100ft. Moreton 

 Bay. This fine species we have found to be quite hardy on the 

 south-west coast of England. 



A C. glanca (milky-green). A very handsome variety, with silvery 

 glaucous leaves. 



A. excelsa (lofty).* The Norfolk Island Pine. l. awl-shaped, 

 curved, sharply acuminated, bright green, densely packed on the 

 frondose, deltoid, horizontal, or pendulous branches, ^\'hen well 

 grown, tliis is a beautifully symmetrical greenhouse or conserva- 

 tory species, attaining to a height of 150ft., and a circumference of 

 20ft. or more. Norfolk Island. This is especially desirable in a 

 small state. There are several varieties known, the best being : 

 A. e. gtauca, having lig'hter green, and very glaucous foliage; 

 and A.e. rubasta, wliich is larger in all its parts. See Fig. 144. 



A. Goldieana (( .'oldie's).* Allied to A. Rulei. I. produced in 

 whorls, pendulous, dark green, varying in size. New Caledonia 

 Most distinct and elegant for conservatory decoration. 



A. imbrlcata (imbricated).* The Monkey Puzzle. Ji., male and 

 female catkins on separate trees ; the males are six or seven in a 

 cluster, pedunculate, yeUow, and oval with numerous scales, imbri- 

 cated, long, and recurved at the points ; the female catkins are 

 oval, with numerous wedge-shaped scales, with narrow oblong 

 brittle points ; they are produced at the ends of the branches. 

 conesy when fully ripe globular, from Sin. to 4in. in diameter, 

 dark brown. The branches are horizontal, inflexed, and ascend- 

 ing at the extremities, and are produced in whorls. I. ovate- 

 lanceolate, sessile, thickened at the base, stiff, leathei'y, straight, 

 somewhat keeled-shaped below, and strongly mucronate at the 

 apex ; verticillate, with seven or eight in a whorl, imbricate, and 

 closely encircling the branches, concave, glabrous, shining, 

 marked with longitudinal lines, dotted on both sides, h. 50ft. 

 to 100ft. Chili, 1796. A well known hardy tree, of striking 

 aspect, and indispensable to Arboreta and shrubberies. See 

 Fig. 145. 



A. Rulei (Rule's).* male cones oblong obtuse ; fonale cones oval. 

 l. oblong-lanceolate, with a prominent dorsal nerve, more closely 

 appressed, and less sharply pointed than in the foregoing species ; 

 imbricated in four rows. Branches horizontal ; branchlets often 

 quite pendulous, h. 50ft. Papuan Archipelago. 



A. R. elegans (elegant).* I. smaUer ; whorls of branches closei 

 together ; branchlets more slender. An elegant form ; and, from 

 its comparative dwarf and graceful habit, shoidd be very generally 

 grown. 



AHrBOR. A tree. A perennial plant, having a distinct 

 bole or trunk, from which the main branches grow. 



ARBORHSCZiNT. Having a tendency to become a 

 tree. 



ARBORETUIil. A collection of hardy trees formed 

 for pleasure or instruction, and which, when weD managed, 

 is a source of much interesting study. They afford shelter, 

 improve the local climate, renovate bad soils, &c., and also, 

 by concealing or hiding disagreeable objects, heighten the 

 effect of agreeable ones, create beauty, and add value. A 

 properly arranged Arboretum should be constructed with a 

 view to picturesque beauty, and not systematically, as is 

 usually the case in Botanic Gardens, although scientific 

 purposes are best served by a systematic arrangement. 



ARBOR-VITJS. S^e Thuja. 



ARBOUR. A seat sm-rounded by lattice work, covered 

 by Vines, Wistarias, or other climbing plants. 



ARBUTUS (from arboise, Celtic for austere bush; in 

 allusion to the austere quality of the fruit). Strawberry Tree. 

 Ord. Ericaceae. Trees and shrubs, with evergreen alternate 

 laurel-like leaves. Corolla globose, or ovately campanulate ; 

 petals five, reflexed. Very ornamental subjects for lawns and 

 shrubberies, thriving well in a light sandy or peaty soil. 

 They may be propagated by seeds, which should be sown in 

 sand during March ; by budding, and by inarching ; the first 

 mentioned method is the one most generally employed, with 

 good results. The various sorts may be grafted, budded, 

 or inarched upon A. Unedo. The greenhouse species are 

 rare in cultivation, but their management does not ma- 

 terially differ from other plants requiring a similar tem- 

 perature. 



A. Andrachne (Andrachne).* d. greenish-white: panicles ter- 

 minal, erett, clothed with viscid down. March and April. I. 

 ohlnng, blinitish, entire in some, a little serrated in others, 

 glabrous, h. 10ft. to 14ft. Greece, 1724. A tine ornamental 

 tree. 



A. A. serratifolia (saw-edge-leaved), d. yellowish, disposed in 

 rather large terminal clusters. I. serrated, and narrower than 

 those of the species. SVN. A. serratifolia. 



