18S6-87.] and New Zealand Trees in Arran. 25 



Britain) this tree is most conspicuous. This is the tallest, 

 and in weight of timber the greatest tree in the world. 

 Baron Miiller mentions one 471 feet in height, and another 

 69 feet in circumference at the ground, and 15 feet in cir- 

 cumference at the height of 210 feet. This is the species 

 from which the Eucalypt oil of commerce, now so mucli 

 imported, is mainly obtained. The great monarchs of the 

 Australian forest form a variety which Baron Miiller pro- 

 poses to call E. amygdalina, var. rcgnans. Those growing in 

 Arran were from a packet of seed which produced the two 

 varieties known. Four were planted in Arran, two of each, 

 but both of the ordinary variety were killed by the frost of 

 1880—81, and one of the regnans variety was blown over by 

 the wind. One only remains, but fortunately it is the giant 

 {regnans) variety. I conclude that it is this variety, because 

 when young the leaves were roundish in shape, alternate, 

 and provided with a short stalk, while those of the other 

 were longish, sessile, and opposite. The variety that sur- 

 vives also grew with more rapidity than the other. I may 

 add that seed sent me by Baron Miiller, and marked simply 

 E. amygdalina, produced the common variety, the kind which 

 had been killed in Arran. Had it been the giant species he 

 would almost certainly have named it as such. I conclude, 

 therefore, that Arran has the honour of growing the grand 

 monarch of the Australian forest. It is in an admirable 

 situation in the garden at Cromla, where it is sheltered on 

 the north and east by a wood. It was sown in 1871, and 

 is now 28 feet in height and 14:\ inches in girth, and adds 

 annually 2 feet to its height and If inch to its girth. The 

 leaves are 8-^ inches long and f inch in breadth. It bloomed 

 this year, being the first time, I believe, that it has flowered 

 in the open air in Britain. It began to open towards the 

 end of August. (This was a late season ; in an ordinary 

 season it would bloom at the middle of the month.) At the 

 same time a large standard myrtle near to it also began to 

 bloom. The genera Myrtus and Eucalyptus are very closely 

 related, and the bloom of the two is similar in size and in 

 appearance. The tree can be seen from the highway, and 

 when it rises above the surrounding trees, which it will soon 

 do, it will be well seen also from the sea. 



The Manna Gum {Eucalyptus viminalis, South-Eastern 



