Villas. 85 



general culture in Ireland than they have yet re- 

 ceived. 



Libocedrus Doniana (Thuja Doniana, or Dacrydium 

 phimosum, Kcucaha of the natives), from forests along 

 the banks of the Hokianga river, near the Bay of 

 Islands in the West Island of New Zealand, has for 

 several years stood out well in favourable situations 

 in Ireland. Of many border plants at Lakelands, I 

 much admired the only specimens of the true Corcly- 

 line indivisa which I have seen winter out in Ireland. 

 The group of three vigorous plants, which were 

 several years out, appeared to be offshoots from one 

 parent, which died. 



In outlets of towns and cities, and perhaps within 

 some of them, the evergreen Californian Chestnut, 

 Castanea chrysophilla, deserves a choice place. It 

 grows in its native home to a height of forty feet. I 

 have had near Dublin a young pot plant, about two 

 feet high, bearing four nuts one season. In Sep- 

 tember, 1856, the late Sir William Hooker, when 

 showing me his specimen at Kew, said that he knew 

 but one other in England, both of which came from 

 seed which a collector sent from California. The 

 same evening I wrote to Mr. Frazer, Comely Bank, 

 Edinburgh, suggesting to him to lay a plant which 

 lie and I had been for some years watching in his 

 nursery, not knowing what it was. He did so, and 

 at Powerscourt, and Old Conna, and elsewhere in 

 Ireland, are now some of the produce, which promise 

 well. 



