AR AUCARI A ARBOR V I T JE. 



187 



From the Aralia umbellifcra an aromatic gum-resin 

 is obtained. 



Among the plants included under this family, the 

 P/IIKLV quinmiefolium, or American ginseng, particu- 

 larly demands attention. This plant would appear to 

 resemble closely the celebrated Chinese ginseng, 

 which has been so much praised for its tonic, restora- 

 tive and invigorating qualities. These qualities are 

 said to be possessed by it only in the fresh state. The 

 roots are washed and prepared in a particular manner 

 by the Chinese. According to Father Huton,whohas 

 written a paper on the subject in the Philosophical 

 Transactions, this root gives immediate relief after 

 fatigue, strengthens the stomach, promotes the appe- 

 tite, and gives a vigorous tone to the body even in 

 extreme old age. The qualities of the ginseng have, 

 however, been much exaggerated, and it is now 

 scarcely ever used in Europe. 



The ivy, with its beautiful evergreen foliage, adorn- 

 ing our walls and covering the trunks of trees, belongs 

 to this family. The berries of the ivy were supposed 

 by the ancients to possess purgative qualities ; and 

 an extract was made from them which was used 

 in dropsy and jaundice. The leaves have been 

 employed for dressing burns and blisters, and a resin 

 is obtained from the stalk in warm climates, which is 

 used to form a varnish. 



ARAUCARIA. The Chilian name (Latinised) 

 of a magnificent genus belonging to Diaecia mona- 

 delphia of Linnaeus, and the order Coniferce of Jussieu. 

 This fine forest tree arrives at the height of one 

 hundred and fifty feet, and with a trunk of propor- 

 tionate bulk. It was introduced to England as long 

 ago as the year 1796, but it is hardly hardy enough 

 to bear the open air of Britain. 



Araucaria imbricate. 



In the royal garden at Kew, and at Dropmore, the 

 seat of lady Grenville s there are pretty large speci- 

 mens of this interesting tree, which require temporary 

 coverings in the depth of winter. It is, however, 

 expected that, as the plants increase in size, and when 

 the growth becomes moderate, they will acquire 

 greater hardihood, so as to be placed among and 

 classed with our natural forest trees. We have as 

 yet no good account of the quality of the timber, 



but presume that like others of the cone-bearing 

 family, yielding a resinous sap, the wood must be 

 durable. Congenerous species of this tree have been 

 found in other provinces of South America besides 

 Chili, and also in Australia; hence their names are 

 not yet very well defined. The Chilian species now 

 under notice has been called Colymbea quadrifaria by 

 Salisbury ; but this name has been set aside for the 

 first, given by Ruiz and Pavon, viz. Araucaria imbri- 

 cata, so called from the scale-like position of the leaves 

 on the stem. Another even more majestic species 

 has been found on and introduced from Norfolk Island, 

 and at first was called A. excelsa in the Hortus Kew- 

 ensis. This last, however, has been raised to the 

 dignity of a new genus, under the name of Altingia (a 

 German botanist) excelsa, by Noronha, the Spanish 

 traveller. To this genus another species, found in 

 New Holland, had been added by Mr. G. Don, which 

 he has called Altingia Cunninghami. There is yet 

 another genus of this natural order, found subsequently 

 to the above mentioned in China, and named (in honour 

 of the Messrs. Cunningham) by Dr. Brown, Cun- 

 ninghamia lanceolata,a.nd which is the Pinus lanceolata 

 of Lambert, and Sells jaculifolia of Salisbury. 



The regularity of growth in these genera is one of 

 their most conspicuous characters ; the exact sym- 

 metry of the Norfolk Island Altingia is peculiar ; no 

 other tree is more uniformly tapering from the base 

 to the summit, nor so truly decussated in the branches 

 diverging from the stem at equal intervals, in the most 

 uniform manner. So much does regularity appear in 

 the young trees, that they would be most repulsive 

 objects to a flowing-handed painter if called on to 

 represent them faithfully on canvass, because every 

 one viewing his work would pronounce it to be done 

 by scale and compass. 



There is another peculiarity observable among this 

 tribe of plants, viz. the definite constitutional structure 

 and powers or tendencies of their several buds or 

 parts. Their gems or buds are either principal, 

 secondary, or tertiary. Of principals, each tree 

 (if we except accidents) develops but one to form the 

 stem, and which, until it gains its natural altitude, 

 continues to ascend perpendicularly. This cannot 

 be made to do the office or take the direction of a 

 branch ; so neither can the secondary order of buds, 

 and which serve to produce branches, take or do the 

 office of a leader. The third order of buds are pro- 

 duced from and along the sides of the branches, and 

 when developed have usually a pendent or hanging 

 character, rendering the tree very graceful, especially 

 as they are again ramified at the points. 



These trees have been propagated by layering and 

 grafting ; but if the scions or layers be the points of 

 branches, the young plants, even by the most attentive 

 training, cannot form trees of the natural character, 

 they always taking a horizontal direction. If, how- 

 ver, a young perfect tree have its stem forcibly bent 

 down upon the ground, latent gems will be put forth 

 possessing all the properties of principals ; and these, 

 either layered or made grafts of, will grow up perfect 

 trees. 



Imported seeds, direct from Chili, are often found 

 deficient on their arrival in this country. Lately, 

 however, a collector has discovered a mode of trans- 

 porting them in the greatest safety and perfection ; 

 so that we may hope to see thousands of perfect 

 seedlings in every public nursery. 



ARBOR VIT^E. An ornamental evergreen 

 shrub or tree, called by botanists Thuja, of which 



