400 [Assembly 



From the Rcrae Horticole, Paii», 1S5S. 



NEV/ PLANTS. 



Translated hj E. Meigs. 



One of the characleristic traits of the epoch in which vre live, 

 is the indefatigable ardor with which all nature is scrutinized; a3 

 nFell in matters purely scientific, as in those ia which the praise- 

 worthy desire of creating new resources for the good of man- 

 kind. We readily comprehend that in this vast universe in which 

 the Creator has constituted man a sovereign, there is nothing 

 useless, nothing that may not become useful ; nothing is, which 

 may not, in intelligent hands, become materials of value, or even 

 necessary, in those sciences which he cultivates, and to which he 

 is urged on by an irresistible curiosity. 



It is then that we appreciate those acquisitions which now daily 

 come into our European gardens. We notice the Auracaria Co- 

 lamnaris, introduced by Hooker. The arrival ot this magnifi- 

 cent conifer made the lovers of fine trees leap for joy. The -dis- 

 covery of it belongs to the illustrious Captain Cook, who thus 

 describes it : 



^' When we were in sight of the small islands which depends 

 on New Caledonia, S. lat. 19 deg. 37 min. to 22 deg. 39 min., Ion. 

 163 deg. 37 min. to 167 deg. 14 min: E., when upon one of them 

 was a tree which, at our distance, looked like a tower. We soon 

 saw others of the same appearance, assembled on a point. They 

 resembled the masts of a fleet at anchor. Some days later, 

 more, and more considerable quantities of them. We remarked 

 also, that from distance to distance among them, there arose 

 smoke from among these obelisks. Our crew had much to say 

 about these singular trees. I thought that they were trees of 

 peculiar form, because there Were so many of them that I^could 

 not suppose any thing else, but my philosophers of the deck de- 

 clared that the smoke was from volcanoes, and the towers were 

 of basalt, like the giant's basalt of Ireland. The smoke, (I no- 

 ticed,) always began in the morning and ceased at night. At last 



