58 



to the one at Claremont, described as the finest in England, and 

 growing close to a magnificent tree of Pinus insignis. The largest 

 redwood at Canford Manor measures 70ft. with a girth of 1 if t. 

 6in. At Merly House there is also a large Redwood tree. 



Araucaria. 



This is regarded as another survival of the vegetation of a 

 remote geological period. There are many species of Araucaria, 

 but only one A. imbricata (the common monkey puzzle), a native 

 of Chile, is hardy in Great Britain. In its general aspects it is pro- 

 bably the most remarkable tree introduced into this country. Its 

 quaint character and the readiness with which it grows when 

 placed under favourable conditions has rendered it a general 

 favourite. On the other hand when it is attempted to grow it 

 in unsuitable soil and among inappropriate surroundings there 

 is no tree that looks so unhappy and miserable. The manner in 

 which it was obtained from Chile is well worth recording. Archi- 

 bald Menzies in 1795 was a member of Vancouver's voyage of 

 survey in the Pacific. When in Chile he brought away some 

 curious nuts put on for dessert whilst he and the ship's officers 

 were dining with the Viceroy. He sowed these nuts on board ship 

 and ultimately landed five plants (which proved to be the 

 Araucaria) safely in this country. One of these five plants was 

 grown at Kew and during my period of service there I used to pass 

 it almost every day. It ultimately died in 1892 when nearly a 

 hundred years old. The male and female flowers in the Araucarias 

 are usually borne on separate trees, but very occasionally they 

 appear on the same tree. The cones take two seasons to develop. 

 When fully grown they are globose and about 5m. to 7m. in 

 diameter. This year (1015) Araucarias all over the country have 

 coned very freely. Many self-sown seedlings are sometimes pro- 

 duced ; and very occasionally a sucker is thrown off from the roots. 

 A photograph of a sucker attached to a tree at Ashton Court 

 Estate, near Bristol, was shown]. I have, at this moment, only 

 one measurement of a large Araucaria in this immediate neighbour- 

 flood. This is growing at Beech House, near Hinton Admiral, 

 the property of Sir George Meyrick, Bart. It is a fairly handsome 

 tree, 50ft. high with a girth of 7ft. iin. The largest tree quoted 

 by Elwes and Henry is at Tortworth Court, in Gloucestershire, the 

 residence of Earl Ducie. In 1904 it was 53ft. in height, with a 

 girth of 7ft. 6in. 



