27 



inches, unfortunately it is branched at almost the base, the two 

 steins being almost the same size, bat it does not agree with the 

 description given above, as it is ieafy almost to the base, and 1 

 think it quite possible that it too is really D. australis ; it has 

 not yet borne any seeds. 



One correspondent residing near Grillitt's says of these 

 trees : 



" I am in receipt of yours of the 21st instant with regard 

 "to the " Kauri Pines " that I obtained from the Gardens some 

 " few years ago The plants, without one single exception did 

 " extremely well, not one single failure in all you sent, and the 

 '• trees are now from twelve to fifteen feet high, and looking 

 " well. The only drawback with them is that the tops are 

 " extremely tender, in fact more like cabbage than tree tops 

 " and as a matter of course more or less liable to be broken oif 

 "by the wind, but they soon form a second top and grow as 

 "vigorously as ever, in fact they rival in rapid growth the 

 " ordinary Australian blue gum." 



Another correspondent writing from Karkloof in answer to 

 my enquiries says : 



" Yours of the 2nd instant re " Kauri Pines " I believe I 

 "got them small plants in that year (1886), three of them, the 

 " photo sent is the tallest being in a sheltered spot, another is 

 " nearly as high, the third gets plenty of sun and wind, and is 

 " on a dry bank, it has had its leading shoot broken by the 

 " wind three or tour times, but it always gets another to take 

 " the place of the lost one. I think this the finest tree I have 

 " had from you, leaving out the Araucarias ; the following is 

 "the height of the three Kauris, No. 1, 15 feet 6 inches ; No. 2, 

 " 13 feet 6 inches ; No 3, 9 feet 6 inches." 



On the back of the photo he writes " about 4| inches in 

 diameter 1 foot above the ground." 



I think that the above letters show that the " Kauri Pine " 

 is well suited to Natal, and that it will grow in favourable 

 situations from the coast to at least 4000 feet altitude above 

 sea level. 



Gedrela odurata'. " West Indian Cedar. " — This tree also 

 yields a light wood " chosen by preference for cigar boxes." 

 The original tree was planted in the Gardens in 1869, and is 

 now 65 feet high, with a girth of stem at 5 feet from the 



