AUGUST. 



107 



Campbell, purplish-lilac with m*ange spots ; John Waterer, intense glowing 

 carmine, a very abundant bloomer; Mrs. John Waterer, bright clear rose, 

 finely spotted ; Lady Easthope, beautiful clear rose with dark marking ; 

 Madame Van de Weyer, a beautiful rosy crimson ; Dinorah, a very distinct 

 variety, purple spotted with white ; Carravaggio, fine dark rose with black 

 spots; Joseph Whit worth, bright claret, a particularly fine and showy kind : 

 Earl of Shannon ; Mrs. John Penn ; Lady Grenville ; Lady Eleanor Cathcart ; 

 Genserie ; Album Virginale ; Alarm ; Minnie, blush white, with chocolate 

 spots ; and many others of equal attractions, and in great variety. 



Interspersed among the Rhododendrons were plants of Kalmia latifolia, 

 and K. latifolia myrtifolia; the last a beautiful variety, superior to the other 

 in. this respect, that its flower is much more profuse and abundant, and presents 

 to it, as an agreeable contrast, a very dark green foliage. 



And not only is this well-known firm famed for its Rhododendrons, but 

 also as cultivators of Conifers, and hardy ornamental shrubs and forest trees 

 of all kinds ; their extensive grounds being stocked with examples of these 

 last-named in abundant variety. 



Quo. 



THE EFFECTS OF GEOLOGICAL POSITION ON CERTAIN 



CONIFERiE. 



The general diffusion of foreign Coniferse, and their importance, not only 

 as regards the effect which they will eventually produce in our landscapes, but 

 as regards their intrinsic economic value, induces me to hope that a notice of 

 certain peculiarities which I have had opportunities of remarking in a few 

 species, may not be unacceptable, and may possibly elicit papers on the same 

 subject from persons who are qualified to treat of it more fully. 



In and about Tortworth Park, at the extremity of the Bristol Coal Basin, 

 the underlying beds of carboniferous limestone and old red sandstone crop out 

 at a high angle, with occasional beds of the triassic and liassic formations 

 resting on their flanks, producing not only great irregularities of surface, but 

 important differences both in the constitution and quantity of the superincum- 

 bent soil. Over the whole of this ground the more common Coniferse are 

 planted in great abundance ; and, with a few exceptions, owing chiefly, I believe, 

 to geological reasons, they grow rapidly and well. 



As a general and sufficiently obvious rule, the Coniferse thrive in proportion 

 to the depth of the surface soil on which they stand. This is especially the 

 case with the Deodar and Pinus insignis. The rule does not, however, appear 

 to apply invariably to Abies Douglasii, as I possess specimens growing as 

 vigorously on the cold and sterile shales of the carboniferous limestone, as 

 others on the deep and warm soil of the old red sandstone. 



The most fastidious of the Coniferee which I have had an opportunity of 

 observing is, undoubtedly, Cryptomeria japonica. On the limestone its leading 

 shoot is always defective, and its growth generally devoted to the formation of 

 a nest-like mass of small shoots ; whilst, on the old red, a formation deficient 

 in lime, its growth is regular, upright, and graceful, and so rapid, that I have 

 no hesitation in affirming that in this locality it would outgrow the Larch. 



The Deodar, on the other hand, appears to be the least discriminating, and 

 the most accommodating of all the Coniferse. No position, and no variety of 

 soil, appear to come amiss to it ; on lime or sandstone, rock, or clay, it grows 

 with equal facility, though depth of soil, as before stated, invariably contri- 

 butes to rapid growth. 



