THE GIANT ARBOR-VIT^. 343 



Some of the largest specimens of the Giant Arbor-Yitse that I 

 know of are growing in alluvial matter, which has been deposited 

 by a rapid-flowing English river, this being largely commingled 

 with rocky debris carried down from the hills by the stream. 

 One of these, pei-haps the largest, was, when I measured it in 

 July 1887, 76 feet in height, with a trunk girthing 4 feet 11 

 inches at a yard from the ground, and 4 feet 8 inches at 5 feet 

 up ; the diameter of branches being 15 feet. Others in the same 

 place ranged from 50 feet in height upwards, with straight, clean, 

 and well-formed stems ; the situation was sheltered, and the trees 

 were planted among old specimens of the English oak, elm, and 

 ash, as well as a few Eastern spruces, Douglas firs, and Weymouth 

 pines. At Hafodunos, in North Wales, this tree grows with great 

 luxuriance, and this is all the more remarkable, as the site is in a 

 romantic mountain valley, and fully exposed, at over 900 feet 

 altitude. We were quite surprised to see how well these trees did 

 at that altitude, the growths being long and well-matured, while 

 foliage of the most healthy description was abundantly produced. 

 It is questionable whether any other of the newer conifers, except- 

 ing perhaps the Austrian and Corsican pines, would have succeeded 

 so well under similar conditions. In the pai-k at the same place, 

 and at altitudes ranging from 700 feet to nearly 900 feet, this 

 fine tree is everywhere seen in the most luxuriant condition, thus 

 demonsti'ating its great value for planting in high-lying and 

 breezy situations. The soil here is a rich sandy loam, resting on 

 broken whinstone. In the chalky districts of Kent the Giant 

 Arbor-Vitse is likewise quite at home, although the annual growth 

 does not appi'oach that on heavier and damper soil. 



Sir C. W. Strickland writes to say, that at Hildenley, Malton, 

 Yorkshire, he has this Thuja thriving well in good alluvial soil, 

 and also in that of a very opposite description. " There is a 

 hillside here," says Sir Charles, " with a thin soil upon limestone 

 rock, which I planted two or three times over with larch with very 

 small success — chiefly, I believe, on account of the extreme dry- 

 ness of the site. The Thuja grows there with great vigour, and 

 I have scarcely lost one of those planted. Among the other 

 merits of this Thuja is the ease with which it can be transplanted, 

 owing to its having bushy fibrous roots, instead of the long tangles 

 which larch and many other conifers have." 



There can be little doubt, however, that in this country the 

 Giant Arbor- Yita^ thrives better when planted in i-ich dampish soil, 



