BACCIFEE^. 157 



agencies — soil, climate, and altitude ; and, Avitli three or four excep- 

 tions, all of tliem are too tender and delicate in constitution for our 

 climate, hence my knowledge of them is, as a matter of course, more or 

 less theoretical ; for in the majority of cases it is founded upon, or 

 derived from, dried or preserved specimens of their leaves, fruits, and 

 ligneous tissue ; at best hut very imperfect materials whereby for 

 a practical man to decide whether they may have been produced by a 

 species, a quasi-species, or a variety; or are merely the varying products 

 of soil, altitude, or climate ; important considerations to the practical 

 cultivator, but generally forgotten or ignored by hair-brained species- 

 mongers. 



PODOCARPUS AmarA: The Bitter-Juiced Podocarpus. 



This is the Indian " Kimerack," attaining heights of from one 

 hundred to two hundred feet ; having leaves from two to five inches 

 long, and from half an inch to one inch broad, and rich green in 

 colour ; with slendei', spreading branches, which are disposed on the 

 stem in whorls. It is found in Java, and is much too tender for the 

 climate of Britain. 



Podocarpus AndINA : The Andes Podocarpus. 



Excepting the Corean form of the Chinese Podocarpus, this is one of 

 the most hardy and best constituted of the S.D., and in a sweet, healthy 

 soil, and warm locality, it Avill succeed tolerably well in this country. 

 Its leaves are linear, tapering to base and apex, scattered or two-rowed ; 

 from a hglf to one-and-a-half inches long, and from one to one-and-a-half 

 lines broad ; rich glossy green in colour, somewhat rusty on the margin, 

 and nicely freckled above, and glaucous below ; the fruit is about the 

 size of a cherry, globular in form, and piurple in colour. 



It attains heights of from five to twenty-five feet, and the bark is 

 smooth, and reddish-brown in colour. It is one of the few species in 

 this S.D. which can be grown without protection in the winter, in the 

 British Isles. 



Podocarpus ChiNENSIS : The Chinese Podocarpus. 



This is of a sportive character, and found in three quasi-species, 

 many varieties, and still more sub- varieties. Its quasis are Koraiana 

 and MacrophyUa ; and of these there are Argenteas and Avreas, Ele- 

 gantissimas and Canal iculatas, Corrugafas and Micropliyllas. Its 

 Corean form is one, if not the most hardy and best constitutioncd 

 kinds of the Podoca7-pus tribe, and in good soils, in this country it 

 forms a most handsome evergreen shrub, while several of its varieties, 

 particularly the large-leaved and variegated, deserve a place in every 



