326 BKECK'S BOOK OF FLOWERS. 



marks : " South of New York, it will certainly form one of the 

 most beautiful of ornamental trees ;" but in a northern latitude 

 it may not succeed so well. Bishop Heber describes it " as the 

 glory of the Himalayas, a splendid tree, with gigantic arms, 

 and dark, narrow leaves." 



Araucaria imbricata, or Chilian Pine. The editor of the 

 Horticulturist is of opinion that, from the experience of a num- 

 ber of seasons, this tree will prove hardy in the latitude of New 

 York, and quotes a description of it from the London Horticul- 

 tural Magazine : " Leaves generally eight together, ovate 

 lance-shaped, thickened at the base, stiff, straight, with persis- 

 tent mucros ; cones globular at the end of the branches, about 

 the size of a man's hand ; scales beautifully imbricated. 



" A remarkable evergreen tree, of magnificent dimensions, 

 almost the only one to be met with in those districts where it is 

 indigenous. It is a high tree, from eighty to one hundred feet, 

 with a trunk like a pillar. Standing closely together in the 

 forest, the trees are generally devoid of branches to the height 

 of fifty or sixty feet. The top is in the shape of a depressed 

 cone ; the side branches proceeding from the trunk in a hori- 

 zontal direction, and ascending lightly at the tips. Over those 

 branches the leaves are thickly set, like scales, which give an 

 appearance of richly-embossed work. From the thick coating 

 of leaves which pervades the whole outlines of the tree, an 

 idea of some brittleness is conveyed to the mind. The wood, 

 however, was successfully used in ship-building, in 1780, by 

 Don Francisco Dendariarena." " This plant is a native of 

 Chili, in South America. The tree is particularly ornamental, 

 and no plant can be used with greater effect in distinguishing 

 particular spots of country appropriated to art. It should be on 

 every gentleman's lawn. It is both elegant and unique." 



