48 Mr. Winch on the Geography of Plants. [July, 



There appears something enigmatical in the causes which 

 affect the growth of many exotic shrubs well known in gardens 

 and plantations ; for many natives of the north of Asia, Portu- 

 gal, Japan, and even South America, resist the severity of our 

 winters much better than many which are indigenous in Italy, 

 the south of France, and of Germany. The strongest instances 

 are those of the common myrtle, pomegranate, and oleander, 

 all of which, though European plants, perish at a temperature 

 no way injurious to the Rhododendron ponticum of Asia Minor; 

 this, as well as the Rhododendron maximum of North America, is 

 much more hardy than the bay, or even than the Portugal laurel. 

 The common laurel and bay never flower here, nor will the 

 strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo), Aucuba japonica, Pyrus japo- 

 nica, nor Buddlaea globosa of Chili, perfect their seeds. On the 

 other hand, the Provence rose of the South of France is found 

 every where, and the white rose (Rosa alba) is naturalized on 

 the shores of Tyne, yet Rosa sempervirens flowers but spar- 

 ingly, and the yellow rose (Rosa lutea) never flowers in the vici- 

 nity of Newcastle, but both flourish in the neighbourhood of 

 Hexham at a distance of 30 miles from the sea ; the three latter 

 are from Germany.* 



On the coast of Greece, Albania, and Dalmatia, I have observed 

 the limestone rocks covered with the Mastic (Pistacia lentis- 

 cus) myrtle, rosemary, Laurus tinus, strawberry tree (Arbutus 

 unedo), and juniper. Of these, the first and second will not survive 

 our winters ; the third, fourth, and fifth, will not perfect their 

 fruit ; but the last ascends to the top of our highest mountains. 



I shall now briefly notice such exotic trees as succeed best 

 with us in woods and plantations : the horse chesnut from the 

 north of Asia, Populus dilatata from Italy, Populus balsamifera, 

 P. monilifera, and P. angulata from North America, several 

 of the genus Pinus and of Quercus from the same country, the 

 larch and silver fir from the Alps, the spruce fir of the north of 

 Europe, and some of the American ashes ; but the Platanus 

 orientalis, P. occidentalis, Liriodendron tulipifera, the cork 

 and evergreen oaks, and cedar of Lebanon, thrive only in the 

 most sheltered situations and best soils. 



N. I. Winch. 



America, which Dr. Smith has separated from the Swiss Tofieldia, which he has 

 named T. alpina (See Linn. Trans, vol. xii. p. 239). On the same mountainous 

 moors, Carex capillaris, a rare Lapland and Swiss species of Sedge, is likewise 

 met with. Cornus suecica should have been included among the Lapland plants in 

 the former part of this paper. 



» For a brief account of the Roses of the district, see Monthly Magazine,, 

 April, 1816. 



