11 



There are several Pines remaining at Whitton, the seat of the late Duke of Argyll, so often 

 referred to in the Hortus Kewensls, The first Piniis Cembra ever planted in our Island is now 

 growing in tliese gardens in perfect maturity. Not less worthy of attention are two fine trees 

 of Piniis pendida and Pimis microcarpa, bearing great quantities of cones annually. Sion, 

 the seat of the Duke of Northumberland, furnishes many fine trees of this Genus, particularly 

 oi Pimis res'mosa and Piniis T^Ecla. Croom, the scat of the Earl of Coventry, affords almost 

 every species that can be procured. Here are large trees of Pinus palustris, Plnus PiimiUo, 

 Pimis Banksiana, &c. The perfection to which Pines arrive on a strong soil may be seen 

 in the very extensive plantations of Lord Rivers, at Stratfieldsay^ Hampshire; which, in about 

 forty-two years have grown to a much greater size than any others I have ever seen. In the 

 year 1799, I paid a visit with the worthy President of the Linnean Society, Dr. Smith, to the 

 curious garden of the late Peter CoUinson/ at Mill Hill, and was much delighted to find it 



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nearly in the same state as it N¥as left to his son the late Mr. Michael CoUinson, who bestowed 

 much attention upon, it. Wc saw here three trees of Piniis Cemhra, the finest in England, 

 and a most flourishing Pinus ptndiday the first that was introduced into this country. I 

 could not help feeling regret when this delightful seat of Flora, where the owner was in 

 frequent correspondence with Linnasus, and Avhich contained the produce of so many distant 

 travels, was sold by Mr. Charles CoUinson, and exposed to the danger of being converted 

 into a mere pleasure garden. It has of late however become the property of Richard 

 Anthony Salisbury, Esq. a gentleman no less passionately attached to the study of Botany 

 than distinguished for his accurate knowledge in that science, and in whose possession the 

 many curious vegetable productions that arc still remaining will be inviolably secured from 

 all destruction.'" It is proper in this place to mention how much I am indebted to the works 

 oi Evelyn, Du Hamel, Hunter,^, and Wangenheim.*' The last in particular, which has not 



I 



hitherto appeared in our own language, was found to contain so much valuable matter, that 

 it has been quoted veiy largely. I ought also here to express my obligations to Dr. James 

 Edward Smith, Dr. William George Maton, Richard Anthony Salisbury, Esq. Jonas Dry- 

 ander, Esq. and WiUiam Townshend Alton, Esq. from whose kind attention and important 

 communications I have derived essential assistance throughout the whole progress of this 

 work. It is my intention to follow up the present work with an illustration of the remaining 

 Genera in the natural order of Conifer^E. Several drawings are already finished for that pur- 

 pose of the species of Dacrydium, and the Donibeya of Lamarck, which are intended to be 

 given to the public as soon as possible. * < 



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"" I have lately been favoured with a sight of the remains of this celebrated naturalist's Herbarium, and have also perused many most 

 interesting letters written by him from Mill Hill to Linnaeus, and now in the hands of Dr. Smith, A great part of the Herbarium has 

 been destroyed, and what is left contains but few specimens worthy of notice, communicated to him chiefly by John Bartram from 

 America, There are attached to them several notes of the donor in his own hand-writing, w^hich strongly mark the simplicity of his heart. 

 Several of his letters are also in the Linnean Museum, 



^ In another visit to the garden at Mill Hill before it came into the possession of Mr. Salisbury, I very much lamented seeing the fine 

 Pinus pcndula cut down and converted into paling for part of the garden. I brought home a large piece of its timber, the grain of 

 which, when polished, shewed itself to be equally good with that of the AVhite Larch^ Pinus Larix, 



^ Traite des Arbrcs et Arbustes, 2 Tomes. - ^ 



r 



'' Edition of Evelyn's Sjlva, 4to. i765, and 4 to. 1774. . 



' Beytrag zur tutschen holzgescchten forst wissenschaft. Folio, Getting. 



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