3G BepoH of Meetings for 1879, by James Hardy. 



and took the walk, wliicli is called tlie ''Long Walk," by the 

 bum ; plunging at once into a ''boundless contiguity of shade," 

 which, however, was now and then brightened by sunny gleams. 

 This dell is thickly wooded with planted trees nearly all the way 

 to the sea-side. The majority of the trees — beeches, elms, firs — 

 are tall and clean- stemmed. Several of them, however, are 

 twisted, as if they had had a difficulty in their youth to struggle 

 through, before they could become upright. One of the silver 

 firs divided itself in twain, and then became united, to separate 

 again, and again be combined in one ; and finally terminated in 

 two tops. The elms grown in most places, as was seen by some 

 cut timber, are quite rotted in the interior. The hollies were 

 little more than bushes ; but one of the largest hollies in North- 

 umberland, grew near the steward's house, but was cut down 

 some years ago. Riles alpinum is grown as an under shrub ; and 

 Buscus aculeatus is also used for a cover. Plots of herb:mercury 

 occupy some of the bottoms ; and clumps of Finca minor have 

 been planted to hide the bareness of others, where the shade has 

 destroyed the natural herbage, and have spread widely. 



By the walk side small outcrops of sandstone rock occasionally 

 rise above the surface. Where these occurred Sieracium vulgatum 

 invariably appeared. In the swampy places clustered giant 

 butter-burs. Queen of the Meadow, Geranium pratense, in its 

 brilliancy, and Cow-parsnip. Rumex sanguineus also grew here. 

 In the central part is the well-sheltered Pinetum, where there 

 are some very healthy trees ; particularly a row of Araucarias of 

 thirty years growth, so many being seldom together elsewhere. 

 Dr Paxton has been favoured with a letter from Mr David Inglis, 

 the gardener at Howick Hall, which enumerates the more promi- 

 nent of the conifers here cultivated ; and as many of our mem- 

 bers have made experiments in this department, I shall extract 

 most of his statements, with occasional remarks. 



The principal Conifers grown at Howick are: — Ahies Canadensis 

 (Hemlock Spruce of North America), large specimens ; A. Bouglasi 

 from 40 to 50 feet high ; Ahies Menziesi, handsome specimens, 

 about 60 feet high. The Araucaria imbricata, as noticed, forms a 

 large lot and fine specimens. Of Cedrus Beodara, there are fine 

 tall examples, about 40 feet. There are also in the grounds 

 some excellent trees of the Cedar of Lebanon {Cedrus Libani), 

 about 70 feet high. Of Cephalotaxus Fortuni there are small plants ; 



