BACCIFEE^. 



157 



agencies — soil, climate, and altitude ; and, with, three or four excep- 

 tions, all of them are too tender and delicate in constitution for our 

 climate, hence my knowledge of them is, as a matter of course, more or 

 less theoretical ; for in the majority of cases it is founded upon, or 

 derived from, dried or preserved specimens of their leaves, fruits, and 

 ligneous tissue ; at best but very imperfect materials whereby for 

 a practical man to decide Avhether they may have been produced by a 

 species, a quasi-species, or a variety ; or are merely the varying products 

 of soil, altitude, or climate ; important considerations to the practical 

 cultivator, but generally forgotten or ignored by hair-brained species- 

 mongers. 



PODOGARPUS AmARA: The Eitter-Juiced Podocarpus. 



This is the Indian ^' Kimerack," attaining heights of from one 

 hundred to two hundred feet ; having leaves from two to five inches 

 long, and from half an inch to one inch broad, and rich green in 

 colour ; with slender, spreading branches, which are disposed on the 

 stem in whorls. It is found in Java, and is much too tender for the 

 climate of Britain. 



Podocarpus Andina : The Andes Podocarpus. 



Excepting the Corean form of the Chinese Podocarpus, this is one of 

 the most hardy and best constituted of the S.D., and in a sweet, healthy 

 soil, and warm locality, it wiU succeed tolerably well in this country. 

 Its leaves are linear, tapering to base and apex, scattered or two-rowed ; 

 from a half to one-and-a-half inches long, and from one to one-and-a-half 

 lines broad ; rich glossy green in colour, somewhat rusty on the margin, 

 and nicely freckled above, and glaucous below ; the fruit is about the 

 size of a cherry, globular in form, and purple in colour. 



It attains heights of from five to twenty-five feet, and the bark is 

 smooth, and reddish- brown in colour. It is one of the few species in 

 this S.D. which can be grown without protection in the winter, in the 

 ^ British Isles. 



PODOGARPUS ChusTENSIS : The Chinese Podocarpus. 



This is of a sportive character, and found in three quasi-species, 

 many varieties, and still more sub- varieties. Its quasis are Koraiana 

 and Macro2)ltylla ; and of these there are Argenteas and Aureus, Ele- 

 gant issimas and Canaliculatas, Corrugatas and Micropliyllas. Its 

 Corean form is one, if not the most hardy and best constitution ed 

 kinds of the Podocarpus tribe, and in good soils, in this country it 

 forms a most handsome evergreen shrub, while several of its varieties, 

 particularly the large-leaved and variegated, deserve a place in every 



