256 THE WELLINGTONIA., 
season ; even in October I have known it to add an inch or 
two to its height, and yet withstand the frosts of winter; 
though it is subject to become brown by frost, and assume a 
rusty appearance, yet I have never observed it killed down to 
any extent. Unlike other evergreens, its autumnal growth 
prevents it from being safely removed from the ground, if 
vigorous, at that season. 
In this country the Wellingtonia grows an exceedingly 
symmetrical and handsome tree, with small heath-like leaves 
lying nearly close to the branchlets, of a bluish pale green 
colour. The stem is very robust, and plentifully furnished 
with branches spread out with great regularity, forming a base 
of unusual breadth near the surface of the ground. 
The tree is readily increased by cuttings. I have seen 
some of these growing rapidly in a congenial soil, and almost 
of a timber size, well furnished with branches, and altogether 
of the most shapely figure, but, nevertheless, I would prefer 
seedling plants. 
It is supposed by some that as the Wellingtonia has already 
yielded cones in this country, and fertile seeds at an age not 
exceeding ten years, it cannot become a large tree in the 
climate of Britain ; but from our experience of other large 
trees this does not necessarily follow. The larch, for instance, 
has been known to yield cones at an earlier period of its 
growth, and yet the species attains the height of 100 feet. 
The propagation of the Wellingtonia from cuttings, on 
account of the difficulty in obtaining seed, has no doubt a 
tendency to early fructification. This practice, however, is not 
now likely to be long continued, and we may reasonably expect 
soon to find seedling plants sold at a few shillings per 100. 
From the nature of the tree, it is likely we shall have several 
generations of it in the country during the present century ; 
and judging from climatic influence clearly impressed on some 
other kinds of Conifers, it is reasonable to believe that British- 
grown seed will produce plants better adapted to our climate 
than those of foreign growth. The seeds are remarkably 
_ small, and such as would not readily exhaust a tree of vigour. 
