264 Pinetum at Dropmore'. 



of this interesting tribe are introduced. The collection was 

 first commenced with some plants, raised from seeds received 

 from New York about the year 1795 or 1796. Additions 

 have ever since been continually making to it. The ground was 

 naturally productive of heath and furze. Between two plant- 

 ations composed chiefly of the common species of pines and 

 firs, the collection is scattered over a surface of smooth turf, 

 through which passes a winding gravel walk. Some of the 

 trees, though young, have already taken very picturesque 

 shapes. 



There is a very good plant of Araucaria imbricata, and two 

 of Cunninghams lanceolata ; one of the latter raised from a 

 cutting, which, left to itself, has sent up from the collar several 

 stems contending which shall take the lead ; the other has 

 a fine leading shoot. These plants are protected during win- 

 ter by temporary coverings of mats and fern, which are opened 

 to the south in fine days, and closed in severe weather. From 

 observations carefully made during the last winter, it was found 

 that these huts, or cases, had entirely excluded the frost, even 

 when most severe. 



Besides the species in the pinetum at Dropmore, Mr. Baillie 

 states that there are a few specimens which have been raised 

 from seeds, or otherwise obtained, but whose characters are 

 not yet judged sufficiently distinct to assign to them their 

 proper place in the catalogue. Pinus Pinea appears at pre- 

 sent to be the produce of some seeds from Chile *, and Pinus 

 Pinaster f, or maritima, of some from the interior of New 

 South Wales. 



Of the species in the following list, Nos. 14. 19, 20, 21, 22. 

 and 50. appear to suffer from the frost of our English winters, 

 but have hitherto been preserved by the shelter of coverings 

 formed nearly in the shape of bee-hives, and consisting of bent 

 rods or poles of hazel or ash, over which are stretched two 

 thicknesses of garden mats, including between them a wall and 

 roof of dry fern, of about 6 or 8 inches in thickness. Some 

 fern is also strewed over the roots in severe weather. This 

 experiment is now about to be tried with Nos. 28, 29. 44. and 

 51. No. 48., A. imbricata, is believed to be quite hardy, but 

 has not yet been exposed here to the frost without protection. 

 Nos. 49. and 52. are supposed to require being housed in the 

 winter. The others have been found, or are known, to be hardy. 



* The Pinus Pinea was introduced to Chile by the Spaniards. 



•f- Some trees of the Pinus Pinaster have been introduced to the vicinity 

 of Sydney, New South Wales, and from these trees there is little doubt 

 that the seeds were gathered from which the above was raised. 



