in 1 899, on August 1 1 th ; they were sent direct from Italy 

 and at that time were nine feet high. Protection has been 

 given in severe weather by fastening mats around them. 

 The tallest of the Spruce Firs in the wood beyond is 1 00 

 feet high ; in the end of the eighteenth or early in the nine- 

 teenth century a public road ran through this dell from 

 Redmile, and was diverted when the two hills were joined 

 together, and a carriage way made up to the Castle. 



A walk to the eastward from the Statuary Garden con- 

 tinues for some distance among the trees on the south side of 

 the Castle. These include some very fine specimens of the 

 Scotch Fir, one of which is 77 feet high and 10J feet in 

 circumference ; below the bank on the right a rare Bamboo 

 B. mitis is growing, B. palmata and B. nigra may be found 

 farther on ; B. mitis is said to grow 50 feet high in Japan. 

 Some young plants of rare Himalayan Rhododendrons have 

 lately been planted under the trees on the left, and are 

 growing well ; also Embothrium coccineum, a very beautiful 

 shrub from Chili, promises to do well here. 



On the left a fine group of Berberis Darwinii gives a 

 glowing mass of golden flowers in the spring, and is followed 

 closely by B. stenophylla which is not so dense growing and 

 is paler in colour, this is a hybrid between B. Darwinii and 

 B. buxifolia and is a hardier kind ; B. Darwinii is a native 

 of Southern Chili, and was introduced in 1 849 ; it is one of 

 the best of our flowering shrubs, but is sometimes injured by 

 frost in severe winters. 



An upright growing shrub with small leaves near the 

 above is Leptospermum scoparium fastigatum. It was brought 



