136 



GENESEE FARMER. 



May. 



The Araucaria imbricata, or Chili Pine. 



This noble evergreen tree, was introduced 

 into England in 1795, and according to Loudon, 

 in his Arboretum, was kept in a green house 

 till 1806 or 8, but is now found quite as hardy 

 as the Cedar of Lebanon. In 1836 the largest 

 specimen in England was that at Kew, 12 ieet 

 high, 40 years old, being raised from seed in 

 1795 — and at that time plants in the London 

 nurseries were sold at two to five guineas each, 

 according to size. Within the past two years a 

 large number have been imported to this country, 

 and are rapidly taking their place beside the 

 Cedar of Lebanon, Deodar, &c., among all col- 

 lections of rare and beautiful trees. 



We have no doubt but but that it will be found 

 hardy in all but the extreme northern parts of 

 our country — being as hardy as the Cedar of 

 Lebanon, many noble specimens of which are 

 to be seen on Long Island and around N. York. 



We copy the following sketch from the Lon- 

 don Horticultural Magazine : — 



Araucabia, Jussieu. Derived from Araucos, a name ap- 

 plied to the natives in those districts of Chili where the tree 

 is indigenous. — Noble evergreen trees. 



Araucaria imbricata, Pavon (imbricate-leaved Araucaria, 

 or Chili Pine). — Leaves generally eight together, ovate 

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

 sistent mucros. Cones globular at the end of the branches, 

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



A very remarkable evergreen tree, of magnilicent dimen- 

 sions, almost the only one to be met with in those districts 

 where it is indigenous. It is a high tree, from 80 to 100 

 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 horizontal direction, and ascending slightly at the lips. 

 Over those branches the leaves are thickly set like scales, 

 which give an appearance of rich embossed work. From 

 the thick coating of leaves which pervades the whole out- 

 line of the tree, an idea of extreme brittleness is conveyed 

 to the mind. The wood, however, was successfully used 

 in ship-building in 1780 by Don Francisco Dendariarena. 



Tliis plant is a native of the mountainous parts of Chili, 

 in South Americn, particularly in that division occupied by 

 the tribes of original inhabitants called Araucos, from whom 

 the tree derives its name ; and from the fact that the climate 

 where it thrives has accommodated itself so wonderfully to 

 European productions, a hope may be held out that the 

 Araucaria may in this country prove a valuable acquisition 

 to the arboriculturist. The largest forests of this tree are 

 on the elevated parts of Naguelbuta and Caramavida, whicli 

 Pavon describes as "offering to the view, in general, a rocky 

 soil, though in parts it is wet and boggy, on account of the 

 abundance of rain and snow which falls in these regions, 

 similar to many provinces in Spain." Pteppig, a traveler 

 in the Peruvian Andes, states, that "the Araucaria forest 

 of Antuco is the most northerly that is known in Chili ; so 

 that the northern boundary of this king of all the extra-trop- 

 leal American trees may be estimated at thirty-six degrees 

 south latitude. 'I'he extreme southern limit is not so clearly 

 ascertained ; which is not surprising when we consider how 

 little, comparatively, is known of Western Patagonia : it 

 seems probable, however, that it does not stretch far be- 

 yond lat. forty-six degrees. Between Antuco and Valdivia 

 this tree only grows among the Andes, and. as the Indians 

 assert, solely on their western declivities, and nowhere low- 

 er than frem 1,500 feet to 2,000 feet below the snow line, 

 up to which they frequently reach. Farther to the south, 

 the Araucaria appears at a lower elevation ; and in the 

 country of the Cuncos, and about Osorno, is said to occur 

 on mountains of a very moderate altitude, near the sea.— 

 The Corcovado. a mountain that rises opposite Chiloe, is 

 said to be studded, from its foot to the snow line, with large 

 groups of these beautiful trees." 



Araucaria, imbricata, (Fig. 29.) 



The wood, as grown in the Andes, is of a yellowish white 

 color, veiny, and of close texture ; and is said to have been 

 used in ship-building. The tree produces a whitish resin, 

 used extensively by the natives in the cure of wounds and 

 contusions. The fruit may be said to form the regular har- 

 vest of several of the original tribes, and it is eaten by them 

 in a raw state, and after being boiled and roasted. 



The tree is particularly ornamental, and no plant can be 

 used with greater effect in distinguishing particular spots of 

 country appropriated to art. It sliould be on every gentle- 

 man's lawn : it is both elegant and unique ; and if sheltered 

 during frosty weather, so as to keep off that rustiness of 

 color which a free exposure to the seasons brings with it, it 

 will well repay the trouble in spring time. 



With regard to what is the best mode of propagating this 

 tree there is but one opinion — raising from seeds. Bottom 

 heat is invariably recommended ; and the seeds should be 

 inserted to the depth of about an inch and a quarter, in large 

 boxes or pans filled with free loamy soil, which should on 

 no account be allowed to get dry. When two years old 

 they should be transplanted into nursery lines, in a warm 

 sheltered situation in the open ground, carefully guarding 

 them from excess of moisture, ;.nd, in frosty weather, from 

 excess of cold. Those raised in hothouses, greenhouses, 

 &LC., certainly look better ; but when planted in their final 

 situation, in exposed places, the former soon took the lead. 

 Planted by the seaside in Norfolk, they have made shoots 

 about a foot in length in one season. Plants niiie inches 

 high are 25. each ; eighteen inches high 5*. each (1816.) 



Culture of llie Dahlia. 



In the March number we extracted from the 

 Horticultural Magazine an article on the " Prop- 

 erties" and "Propagation" of the Dahlia, and 

 now we continue from the same article on 



PREPARING THE GROUND AND PLANTING. 

 The ground sli.iuld be dug, and if it will bearit, trenched 

 ns low as the soil is good, turning the bottom to the top. 

 Procure your principal stakes, which should be six feet 

 long, and drive them into the ground at their proper places, 

 which should be six feet apart in the rows, and the rows 

 six feet from each other, the second row, lieing however 

 driven half way between the opening of the first, so that 



