1887-88.] Annual Increase in Girth of Trees. 263 



Of the two Deodars measured throughout the decennial 

 period, No. 30, now nearly 6 feet in girth, is the largest of its 

 species in the garden. It was still a fine and rapidly grow- 

 ing tree in 1878, but, like all of its kind which have passed 

 their early youth, it had lost much of its original handsome 

 form. Although healthy enough in appearance now, the 

 foliage is thin at the top, and the form of the tree is some- 

 what stunted. These faults are visible also in the much 

 younger No. 29, which in 1878 still retained its handsome 

 shape. The yet younger Nos. 1 and 2 in the small Deodar 

 grove have always hitherto had a perfectly healthy and 

 handsome appearance. 



The annual increase of the two older trees, which alone 

 were measured for the decennial period, averaged only 

 0'72, but this was mainly owing to the depressing effect 

 of the three bad seasons, which was great at the time, 

 and, in the case of the oldest of all, apparently permanent. 

 Excluding this one, and taking the last five years only, 

 the average of the three healthier trees was a little above 

 1 inch. 



The individual and aggregate ranges were very high in 

 both the trees tested for the whole period. 



In the first depression the two older trees, which alone 

 were tested at that time, suffered a great and progressive 

 fall from 2-30 in 1878 to 0-60 in 1881. A rally to 1-60 

 took place in 1882, but the species was severely affected in 

 the depression of 1883. All four were then available, and 

 their total increase was only l"9o, while next year it was 

 4*05. In the depression of 1887 only one of the Deodars 

 participated. 



Cedrus africana. — The single measured specimen of this 

 species was in 1878 branched to the ground. In spring 

 1885 it was cleared of surrounding high shrubs, but without 

 perceptible effect on the girth-increase. The stem has now 

 been pruned for the lower 5 feet, and the long curved branches 

 are rather sparse ; the bark has also become covered with 

 small shallow cracks, which however exude little turpentine. 

 It has proved the quickest grower of the evergreens measured 

 in the Botanic Garden, its annual average being 1"51. It 

 has also grown remarkably steadily, the annual range varying 

 only between 1-75 and I'SO. The effects of the three bad 



