CHAP. XLI. LEGUMINA^CEiE. 667 



the same height, which stood in a very exposed situation, lost a great part of 

 its foliage, but was not otherwise injured, and in March was, as usual, covered 

 with flower buds. In Somersetshire, at Beauchamp Parsonage, in March, 1835, 

 a tree, between 16 ft. and 17 ft. in height, with a trunk 4 in. in diameter, was 

 at that time covered with golden blossoms. This plant had only been planted 

 out two years ; when planted, it was turned out of a small pot, and was 

 placed in a border of peat earth, where it grew to the height of 8 ft. the first 

 summer, and showed blossoms the following autumn. (See Gard. Mag., 

 vol. xi. p. 250.) In Scotland, at Edinburgh, in the Botanic Garden, there is 

 a fine specimen, as a standard, which was 16 ft. high, and covered with 

 blossoms, in April, 1835. In the Caledonian Horticultural Society's Garden, 

 there was, at the same time, one between 12 ft. and 14 ft. high ; and in Dr. 

 NeilPs garden, at Canonmills, several trees, raised from seeds received from 

 Van Diemen's Land, which were at that time 20 ft. high, and which had not 

 suffered from the frost, though the thermometer had been as low as 25° Fahr. 

 At Dundee, in Mr. Urquhart's nursery, there was also a fine specimen of 

 this tree. A number of other specimens, standing in the open air, are 

 recorded in vols. x. and xi. of the Gardener's Magazine. The tree is 

 one of the most beautiful of all the acacias ; its light delicate foliage, of a 

 pale glaucous green, consisting of beautifully formed and graceful bipinnate 

 leaves ; the fine bloom which covers its branches, and, in young trees, even 

 the stem ; and its numerous heads of bright yellow fragrant flowers, which 

 resemble golden balls, and which expand precisely at the season (February 

 and March) when flowers are most desirable, because they are most rare, 

 render this tree a most valuable addition to any pleasure-grounds. There is 

 one remarkable peculiarity belonging to this tree, which deserves particular 

 notice. While the delicate foliage is not materially injured by the cold of 

 a British winter, the bark of the stem is liable to split, or become cracked, 

 during severe frosts, especially for a few feet above the ground ; and then 

 disease and death are extremely apt to ensue. The preventive is simple, 

 consisting merely in tying some straw round the stem at the end of November, 

 or in encasing it in the manner recommended for Magnoh'a grandiflora (p. 266.), 

 and removing the covering when the severity of winter is passed. (Dr. Neill, 

 in Gard. Mag., vol. xi. p. 432.) As confirmatory of the value of Dr. Neill's 

 suggestions, we may refer to a case in the neighbourhood of London, where 

 it is put in practice. A plant of A. dealbata, in a pot, and about 6 in. high, 

 was, in May, 1834, turned out into the open garden ; and at the end of the sea- 

 son it had produced a main stem upwards of 11 ft. in height, with numerous 

 long lateral shoots. It was protected about half way up the stem with spruce 

 fir branches on the approach of winter ; and, though the severe frost of the 

 8th of January, 1835, killed the main stem down to the protected part, yet 

 it pushed out again in the March following. (Gard. Mag., vol. xi. p. 953.) 



A. mdllis Wall. (PI. Rar. Asiat., 2. p. 76. 1. 177.) This is a tree which, from the description 

 and figure, seems to bear a considerable resemblance to the three preceding sorts ; but the 

 heads of the flowers are in fascicles on long peduncles disposed in corymbs at the tops of the 

 branches; the filaments are very long, and monadelphous at the base. The whole plant is covered 

 with hairs in every part. It is a native of Nepal, where it is grown in gardens, and attains the height 

 of 40 ft. or 50 ft. It is not yet introduced ; but, if it should prove to be as hardy as A. dealbata, to 

 which it appears closely related, it will be a most desirable species. (See the list of Himalayan Le- 

 guminaceaj likely to stand the opeu air in Britain, in p. 174.) 



App. II. Remarks on cultivating the half-hardy Legumindcece 

 in British Gardens. 



Some valuable hints for raising the leguminous plants of Australia and 

 the Cape of Good Hope from seeds, and for acclimatising them in British 

 gardens, are given in the Gardener's Magazine, vol. viii. p. 5. These remarks 

 are by Mr. J. Bowie, a collector at the Cape; at once a scientific botanist, 

 and an excellent practical gardener ; and we consider them of great value. 

 As we have here given figures and descriptions of the principal half-hardy 



