502 . Notes on Arhoretums: — 



gular surface, and extensive prospects, with no large mansions 

 or extensive parks within seven miles. Mr. Donald's nursery 

 was, as usual, in perfect order, and not a weed was to be seen, 

 though the whole foi'ce was here, as everywhere else, employed in 

 watering. Mr. Donald is building some additional cottages, to 

 render his workmen comfortable. The walls are hollow, on 

 Silverlock's plan ; and about the eighth of an acre is added to 

 each dwelling as a garden. No man is a kinder master than 

 Mr. Donald, and no one can be more beloved and better served 

 by his workmen. 



In passing along the common to Bagshot, an immense mound 

 appears at a distance from the road, crossing a valley in which 

 there is neither hedge, house, road, tree, nor ploughed ground. 

 It is a wild part of the heath, which has probably never been 

 touched by man since it was left by the waters of the deluge : 

 there is something grand in seeing this noble mound majes- 

 tically crossing it in order to carry forward the railroad on the 

 proper level ; and one is tempted to speculate on the probability, 

 at some distant time, of the whole globe being covered and 

 penetrated by railroads, at convenient distances, cutting through 

 low hills, and raising banks across shallow valleys; and tunneling 

 mountains, and crossing deep valleys on bridges. The whole 

 continent of North America will probably be the first large por- 

 tion of the world that will exhibit this state of things ; but, if the 

 nations of Europe were but as anxious to make roads and rail- 

 roads as they once were to make war, we should soon be in 

 advance of our transatlantic brethren. 



At Bagshot, among the extensive plantations of Scotch pine 

 and birch, we found many distinct varieties of the latter tree; 

 and here, at Mr. Donald's, and in the Milford Nursery, we had 

 the most decided proofs that jBetula j^opulifolia H. K., B. ex- 

 celsa H. K., B. nigra Z/., B. pendula Roth, B. pubescens Ehrh., 

 and B, alba Z«., are all one and the same species. We are con- 

 firmed in this opinion by specimens received formerly and now 

 from Mr. Grigor, collected from the seed beds of his nurseries 

 at Elgin, and from the very extensive birch woods of Sluie, in 

 the neighbourhood of Forres in Morayshire. 



At Bear Wood we found a number of transplanted oak trees 

 dead of the drought ; but in general the plantations looked 

 better than those nearer London. 



White Knights we found in excellent order ; and we spent two 

 days in examining the trees with Mr, Ward. We were here 

 confirmed in certain opinions respecting the identity of species 

 belonging to the genus Cratse^gus, which we had entertained 

 from observing the plants in the Horticultural Society's Garden 

 and at Messrs. Loddiges. C. j^runifolia, C. hybrida, C. arhuii- 

 folia, C. ovalifolia, C. elliptica, C. salicifolia, C. splendens, and 



