the Torreysi {axifblia. 



659 



few living specimens we have (of which this sent is one), sta tes that it is a 

 rapid-growing tree, attaining the altitude of 40 or 50 feet, and forming a 

 superb rich green pyramidal head of foliage. The latter you will perceive 

 somewhat resembles that of the yew. But the general appearance of the 

 tree, in a gardenesque point of view, is perhaps between that of the Taxus 

 baccata and our Jbies canadensis. I regret that I am only able to send 

 a single specimen to England at present, but assure you it is quite the choicest 

 botanical novelty in the country. — A. J. Downing. Botanic Garden and ISTw' 

 series, Newburgh, near New York, Sept. 30. 1840. 



The plant, about 18 in. high, was brought to Bayswater on Oct. the 27th, 

 in excellent condition ; and, being afraid of neglecting so valuable a treasure, 

 and besides wishing that it might be speedily propagated, we deemed it best 

 to present it to our esteemed friend Alderman Masters, of the Canterbury 

 Nursery, who, from his great skill and success in propagating rare plants, 

 will, we doubt not, soon be able to produce some young torreyas for sale. 

 The dion^a arrived in excellent condition, and also the sarracenias ; and for 

 the whole we are very deeply indebted to Mr. Downing. 



We are also deeply indebted to Dr. Torrey, for we find by his letter, dated 

 Oct. 1., that the plant we have received was his " only living specimen," and 

 that, at the request of his friend Mr. Downing, he let that gentleman have it 

 to send to us. Dr. Torrey also accompanied the plant with a section of the 

 trunk of the tree, which we have also received. It is between 6 in. and 7 in. in 

 diameter, and li in. in depth, the grain much coarser than that of the yew, 

 though finer than that of the Jbietinse, unless we except Pinus Cevibra. — 

 Co7id. 



The following notice respecting the Torreycr, is taken from Dr. Arnott's 

 paper in the Annals of Natural History. 



Torreyataxifolia Arnottin Ann. 

 Nat. Hist. vol. i. p. 126., Hook. 

 Icon. Plant, vol. iii. t. 232. and 

 233., and our Jig. 74. and fig. 75. 

 natural size ; Tk\us montana 

 Nutt., but not of Willd. ; Taxinese 

 Richard; is a native of Middle 

 Florida, where it was discovered 

 in 1835. It is so abundant about 

 Aspalaga, that it is sawed into 

 planks and timber. " It differs from Podocarpus by the erect fertile flowers ; 

 and from Taxus by the want of the fleshy enlarged cup or disc in which the 

 seed of that genus is immersed, and by the anthers being four-lobed and di- 

 midiate, and inserted by a pedicle on an axis, which is at length elongated 

 It is a tree of from 6 in. to 18 in. in diameter, and from 20 ft, to 40 ft. high 



