172 president's address. 



were in course of time transferred from the garden into a planta- 

 tion at Hedgeley, admirably suited (by deep and strong soil, on 

 a sharp declivity) to our common spruce, which grew vigorously 

 there. This was more than twenty years ago, but the Morindas, 

 though they shot forth in great beauty of Himalayan aspect 

 during several favourable summers, were always dwarfed or para- 

 lysed again by cold, and sometimes remained at a stand almost, for 

 two or three seasons. However, as they were situated among 

 a natural coppice of hazel and mountain ash, we allowed them 

 to remain, half-concealed by this protecting shelter, which was 

 never allowed to overhang them. Gradually they have shown 

 more hardihood, but their distinctive Himalayan characteristics 

 are much impaired, so that one might now pass them many 

 times without noticing that they were not the common European 

 spruce, so curiously do they simulate the latter. 



I was greatly pleased to observe, the other day, that they have 

 undergone no injury or check from our late severe and prolonged 

 winter. And it will be very interesting to observe whether 

 their future growth may not approximate more completely to- 

 wards the European spruce. Lastly, I am inclined to think they 

 may show the Himalayan foliation near the ground, where the 

 twigs are sheltered, whilst above they may continue to simulate 

 the European spruce. 



Already, however, I have seen quite enough to satisfy me that 

 Abies excelsa and Abies Morinda are but geographical forms of 

 Abies that occupy far distant countries from each other; that 

 the Asiatic tree, transplanted to Northumberland and the neigh- 

 bourhood of the Cheviots, can only advance in growth very 

 slowly, and not even this till after waiting some years, and then 

 putting forth again in curious approximation to the aspect of its 

 European congener. The finest Morinda which I have seen in 

 the north is in the Botanical Garden at Edinburgh. It stands 

 on a very favourable site, where it has preserved its distinctive 

 characteristics in a great degree, and does not seem to have been 

 ever very rudely checked by low temperature. 



Let me now pass from these arboricultural notices, which may 

 well have been wearisome to my too-indulgent friends, to some 



