PART III. ARBORETUM AND FRUTICETUM. 2607 



of soil, as the object of planting it out was rather to obtain ad- 

 ditional room in the green-house, than any ulterior view with respect 

 to its flowering. About ten years ago, the plant began to appear 

 in a more thriving state ; and, during the last four years, it made 

 rapid advances towards maturity. At the latter end of last June, 

 when the flower-stem made its first appearance, the plant was 

 7 ft. 2 in. high ; the diameter of the trunk, at 1ft. 8 in. from the 

 ground was 2 ft. 3 in. ; and the leaves 7 ft. 3 in. long, 13 in. wide, and 

 from 5 in. to 6 in. thick near the base ; its rapid growth during the last 

 four years is, most likely, owing to the roots having penetrated into 

 a subsoil more congenial to its growth than the soil in which it 

 was planted. Allowing the plant to be about 25 years old when 

 turned out, it may be considered as being about 56 years old when it 

 flowered. Its site was in the flower-garden, on a border sloping to the 

 south, backed with a fence and shrubbery as shown in the sketch, 

 where it never had any protection, otherwise than by being screened 

 from the north by the shrubbery behind. 



" Indications of its blossoming appeared towards the latter end of 

 June, when I perceived that the central leaves were bursting open ; 

 and, being gratified at the idea of seeing it in bloom, I was determined 

 to particularly observe the growth of the flower-stem, and accordingly 

 kept a daily journal of its progress. During the first 10 or 12 days, 

 it grew from 6 in. to 7 in. in 24 hours : afterwards its daily growth 

 gradually diminished ; and, when approaching its extreme height, its 

 progress was not more than ^in. during the above period: cloudy 

 weather or a fresh breeze invariably retarded its growth. On the 1st 

 of July, the flower-stem was 10 ft. 11 in. high, and by many it was at 

 that time thought to resemble a gigantic asparagus. On the 19th of 

 July, its height was 16 ft. ; and from that period, at about 4 ft. or 5 ft. 

 below the top, lateral buds began to make their appearance, which, 

 as the stem grew, formed the peduncles on which the clusters of 

 flowers expanded. On the 31st of July, the flower-stalk was 19 ft. 

 high, when there were 13 lateral and alternate shoots thrown out. 

 On August 15. there were 22 peduncles put forth, differing in length in 

 proportion to their age, the lower ones measuring 2 ft. 6 in. in length, 

 and bearing on their extremities numerous clusters of flower-buds ; 

 these subdividing, and giving space for each individual flower, and 

 measuring across the clusters from 14 in. to 18 in. At this period, the 

 height of the stem was 22 ft. 6 in. On the 7th of September, the 

 flower-stem attained its extreme height, namely, 25 ft. ; and the num- 

 ber of peduncles was 34, besides a cluster of flower-buds on the top 

 of the stem. The first flower-buds began to expand on the 28th of 

 September, and on the 10th of October the lowermost clusters were 

 in great perfection. The flowers on the whole plant were carefully 

 counted, and the number amounted to 5088, of the colour of sulphur, 

 and above 5 in. in length. So richly were the flowers charged with a 

 juice resembling the taste of honey, that it dropped from them in 

 abundance, especially from about 9 o'clock in the morning until about 

 12 o'clock at noon. Bees came by myriads, and feasted themselves on 

 the fast-flowing fluid. Observing such a quantity of the juice falling 

 on the ground, I put vessels beneath to receive it as it dropped from 

 the flowers, and filled six soda-water bottles with it. After being 

 corked and rested a few days, it was acknowledged to be an excellent 

 cordial ; but after a while it fermented, became acid, and acquired a 

 fetid smell. 



" From the 10th of October to the middle of November, the stately 

 appearance of the plant, with its gracefully curved branches expand- 

 ing like candelabra, and sustaining such a number of erect blossoms and 

 8 F 



