118 POPULAR GEOGRAPHY OF PLANTS. 



pyramid/' supported on the tall bare trunk. The branches 

 which compose the crown spread horizontally, and are ar- 

 ranged in whorls at regular intervals ; " they are quite co- 

 vered with leaves, which are three inches long and one inch 

 broad, heart-shaped, and as hard as wood/' When the 

 fruit is ripe it cracks open, and the seeds fall out. " Each 

 fruit contains from two to three hundred seeds, which are 

 twice the size of almonds, and are a pleasant and favourite 

 food of the inhabitants of this country/' 



If, in the course of our travels, we should happen to land 

 in Norfolk Island, we should there see some magnificent 

 specimens of another species of Araucaria, called the Norfolk 

 Island Pine (Arancaria exeelsa), which was first discovered 

 in this island, but also grows in Tasmania, below 40 south 

 latitude, and in the eastern districts of Australia. It is one 

 of the loftiest trees known to exist, apparently only rivalled 

 or surpassed in height by the Californian Pines, and is an 

 instance of the wonderful vegetation of that proverbially fair 

 land and happy climate to which it owes its name. Those 

 who are acquainted with the beautiful specimens of this tree 

 in Kew Gardens, may form some notion of the imposing 

 effect which its massive, dark green foliage imparts to the 

 landscape. 



