THE PINETUM. 



589 



pinetum to too small a scale. Mr Spen- 

 cer's reasons for adopting this mode of 

 arrangement are thus stated by himself:— 



"The system generally adopted in 

 planting collections of coniferse has been 

 either a promiscuous one — i. e., arranged 

 according to their height and habit ; 

 such, for example, as at Dropmore, Chats- 

 worth, and other places — or botanically, 

 under the several divisions and subdivi- 

 sions into which this great natural family 

 of plants has been classed by botanists. 

 To those unacquainted with botanical 

 distinctions, this latter plan is liable to 

 confuse parties wishing to examine the 

 conifera of any particular country, (which 

 I consider by far the most important fea- 

 ture in studying their general character,) 

 who are thus necessarily obliged to exa- 

 mine, perhaps, the greater part of a col- 

 lection without even then satisfying them- 

 selves that all the particular species have 

 been brought under their notice ; whilst 

 the former method, though admirable as 

 regards effect, is liable to all the objec- 

 tions I have raised against the latter. 



" By the arrangement I have proposed, 

 I flatter myself that the whole of the 

 different species at present introduced 

 may be planted so as to attain their 

 ultimate size and character, and yet 

 show at a glance what plants of this 

 tribe are indigenous to any particular 

 country. Thus, for instance, the plan 

 presents two great divisions, comprising 

 smaller groups. I propose one of these 

 divisions to be appropriated to those 

 species indigenous to Europe and Asia. 

 If we thus commence at one end with 

 the coniferse of Western Europe, and 

 proceed in the direction of Bussia into 

 Asia, we shall comprise the conifera? of 

 Northern and Central Europe ; while a 

 second line, passing through Spain, Italy, 

 and Greece, will embrace those species 

 which are natives of Southern Europe, and 

 carry us to Asia Minor, where several of the 

 European kinds abound, being indigenous 

 to both shores of the Mediterranean. 



" It is only in the more temperate parts 

 of Asia that coniferous plants abound, 

 inhabiting chiefly the great mountain 

 ranges intersecting Asia from the shores 

 of the Caspian and Black seas to China. 

 The coniferse of Europe will thus be suc- 

 ceeded by the Syrian and Caucasian species, 

 and these in their turn by the Himalaj^an 



and varieties from Central Asia, the division 

 ending with the cryptomaria and other 

 coniferse of Northern China and Japan. 



" The African species are unimportant, 

 the principal one being a cedar from 

 Mount Atlas and Barbary. This, with 

 one or two pinuses, &c, might form a 

 small group by themselves. 



" The second division I propose to de- 

 vote entirely to the species from North and 

 South America, beginning with those from 

 Canada, and passing through the States of 

 North America to Mexico ; while a second 

 group will comprise those indigenous to 

 Columbia, California, and the north-west 

 coast, ending, as above, with the Mexican co- 

 niferse, and the aracauria of Chili and Peru. 



"The Australasian coniferse, though 

 magnificent, and highly important in an 

 economical point of view, are too tender 

 to bear the winters of this country with- 

 out protection. 



" It will be seen, by the above arrange- 

 ment, that the hardy coniferse of the Old 

 World will occupy one side of the centre 

 walk, and those from America the other, 

 and will thus be brought in contrast with 

 each other, and the particular species of 

 any country or countries may be exa- 

 mined and compared with facility. 



" One of the central groups I propose 

 devoting to the Himalayan species, and 

 the corresponding one to the principal 

 Mexican species ; thus the Cedrus deodara, 

 Pinus excelsa, the equally large Cupressus 

 torulosa and the cedar of Lebanon, with 

 others representing the more character- 

 istic species of the Old World, will be 

 placed in immediate contrast with the 

 gigantic taxodiums, Pinus Lambertiana, 

 and the smaller, though more beautiful, 

 long-leaved kinds from Mexico and Cali- 

 fornia. These, with the new Cupressus 

 macrocarpa, (which equals the cedars of 

 Asia in size,) will show the difference in 

 the coniferse of both hemispheres." 



The piece of ground now occupied as a 

 pinetum at Bowood w T as formerly an orch- 

 ard and nursery-ground, surrounded by an 

 irregular belt of forest trees, with an un- 

 dergrowth of evergreens. The whole is 

 surrounded by the lawn, and at various 

 points the belt on the side next the 

 lawn contains some fine cedars of Le- 

 banon, red cedars, pinasters, and other 

 ornamental trees. The space enclosed 

 by the wire-fence is about 6 acres. 



