CA NA DIA N HO R TICUL TURIST. 



V, 



served wliile on a scientific tour through 

 the Isle of Man. 



I had the good fortune, as a member 

 of the British Association, to be one of 

 seventy selected for a trip to tliis intei-- 

 esting ishind, famous for its numerous 

 legends connected with its early history, 

 and also for its wonderful equable clim- 

 ate. 



As we made excursions each day to 

 points of interest, an exceedingly good 

 opportunity was atlbrded to observe 

 the effect of the climate on the plants 

 of the place. One of the first things 

 to attract my attention was the presence 

 of many 



HEDGES OF PLANTS 



which we can grow only under the 

 most favorable conditions. Here you 

 see the Fuchsia growing as a hedge- 

 plant covered with flowers, and some 

 of the shrubs attaining a large size — 

 six to ten feet high with stems several 

 inches in diameter. The Rhododen- 

 dron, Laurel and Holly were also at 

 several places used for hedges. Yet 

 notwithstanding the presence of these 

 plants, and the great size to which 

 many had attained, the appearance of 

 trees in many parts of the island in- 

 dicated that >Ainds were common that 

 tried their vigor. Rows of trees were 

 seen with tops as if they had been 

 shorn ; sometimes they had a slope 

 just as one sees in hedges newly prur.ed, 

 the slope being towards the .sea. On 

 enquiry I was told that this resulted 

 from keen, cutting winds blowing from 

 the sea. Many of the trees in such 

 localities were considerably bent away 

 from the shore. But few trees were 

 large and vigorous looking like the 

 trees of Canada. In many instances 

 they reminded one of trees in the 

 North-West, where the sweeping winds 

 of the prairie develops in them a 

 hardy, scrubby look. This may seem 

 inconsistent with what I say regard- 

 ing the advanced condition we find 

 plants there, glowing outside, while in 

 Canada they are rarely seen beyolid 

 the hot-house. 



The Horn Poppy ((ilaucium luteum), 

 a unique plant (especially when the 

 pods have reached maturity), grown in 

 our gardens as a curiosity, grows there 

 in profusion along the shore. The Sea 

 Pink {Avuxiivia. maritima), a very pretty 

 plant, both in foliage and flower, is ex- 

 ceedingly cojiimon, decorating many of 

 the rocks along the shore. I also ob- 

 served this plant on the Isle of Staffa. 

 Wild I'oses adorn many of the 

 hedges, and several forms in the order 

 compositae here and there, add to the 

 beauty of these living fences. The 

 Blackberry (Rubus villosa) is also very 

 common on the hedges. I observed 

 that in some parts much exposed to 

 the sea, it tried the hardiness of the 

 hawthorn. Ivy is very common and 

 decorates the trees of many a wood, 

 and gives to otherwise uninviting walls 

 a charm. With a climate so favor- 

 able to some forms of plant life, one 

 is surprised to find it is unsuited to 

 ripen fruit. It has not the warm 

 influence of a Canadian sun, though 

 the average temperature is high ; but 

 it is comparatively even and without 

 extremes. Grapes require to be grown 

 inside, and tomatoes in pots, and poor 

 at that. The apples bear no compari- 

 son to ours. 



The gentleman, whose guest I was 

 while on the island, had most beautiful 

 grounds around his residence, and J 

 think you will understand the effects 

 of the climate, and its influence on 

 plants much more readily if I give you 

 a statement of the trees and shrubs 

 seen there during my stay ; — 



Fuchsias 10 in. diam., 12 ft. high. 



Rhododendrons l.'i " " 20 " " 



Araucaria 24 " " IS " " 



Laburnums 12 " *' 25 " " 



Laurels 12 " " 20 " " 



Barberry 15 " " 10 " " 



Ivy in profusion covering walls, etc., 

 and much of the house, and associated 

 with it some attractive specimens of 

 our Virginia Creeper. The Yem tree 

 was also well represented, and a beau- 

 tiful specimen of the Magnolia was in 



