90 STUDIES, SCIENTIFIC AND SOCIAL chap. 



the temperate regions of the higher Himalayas, among 

 which are the favourite deodara, some beautiful maples, 

 birches, and oaks, the elegant leycesteria, some fine ber- 

 berries, rhododendrons, and other interesting plants. 



There remain the temperate forests of the Southern 

 Hemisphere, chiefly represented in Chili and Patagonia, 

 in Australia, and in New Zealand, and comprising a 

 number of very interesting species, many of which will 

 grow in this country. From Chili there is a peculiar 

 pine, libocedrus, and the well-known araucaria, which 

 when grown in avenues or masses produces a very grand 

 effect. Many of our favourite shrubs come from this 

 region, as the golden-balled buddlea, the lovely flowering 

 evergreens, escallonia and berberis, and the pretty cross- 

 leaved veronica. These would form exquisite flowering- 

 thickets to set off the stiff forms of the araucarias. From 

 Australia and New Zealand more variety may be ob- 

 tained, though comparatively few of the trees of these 

 countries have yet been proved to be perfectly hardy. 

 The common Eucalyptus globulus, celebrated as a remover 

 of miasma, suffers much from frost when young, but may 

 possibly become hardier as it grows older. Other species 

 of eucalyptus are much more hardy and more ornamental. 

 One raised from seed by myself has, in an exposed situa- 

 tion, reached a height of twenty feet in five years, though 

 once cut down by frost. Another mountain species, raised 

 at the same time, is only five feet high, but is perfectly 

 hardy, the leaves being quite uninjured by frost, and it 

 will probably grow into a lofty tree.^ Some of the acacias 

 are also probably hardy, as they grow well and flower 

 beautifully out of doors ; but the most elegant of these 

 southern trees are the pittosporums of New Zealand, 

 which in five years have formed splendid bushes nearly 

 six feet high, and as much in diameter, with delicate 

 foliage of a pale green colour which does not appear to 

 suffer the least from any ordinary winter's frost. These 

 will grow into small flowering-trees fifteen or twenty feet 

 high, having an appearance quite distinct from anything 



1 This tree, Eucalyptus Gwmii, is now (1899) over 30 feet high, the 

 stem being nearly 3^ feet in circumference. 



