CONIFERS AT DROPMORE. 



63 



and was one of four Araucarias planted here in 1830. The other 

 three trees have each produced perfect seeds, but are smaller, 

 the highest being not more than 50 feet. As far as I have been 

 able to distinguish, all the trees bearing pollen catkins are of 

 more robust growth than those producing fertile cones. This 

 has certainly been so at Dropmore during the past three or four 

 years. In a group of Araucarias planted in 1842 the largest is 

 a male tree 50 feet high, 12 feet above either of the others 

 planted at the same time. One of these produced thirty fertile 

 cones this year. 



The Cedars also form a notable feature at Dropmore. An 

 avenue numbering 140 trees of Cedrus Lihani, planted about 

 eighty years ago, average 85 feet in height with a girth of T-Jfeet. 

 One of the first coniferous trees planted on the estate was a Cedar 

 of Lebanon near the house. This tree, planted by Lord Gren- 

 ville in 1792, is now 104 feet high, with a girth of 13 feet 9 inches 

 at three feet from the ground. The Cedars seen on driving up 

 the carriage approach to the house from the Taplow entrance 

 are very striking ; they have an imposing appearance, and aptly 

 illustrate the effective use of these trees for ornamental planting, 

 especially in large places. Many of the Lebanon Cedars partake 

 much of the atlantica arrangement of branches, the points erect ; 

 several are also very glaucous. 



A very handsome tree is Cedrus Lihani argentea — in the 

 sunshine almost like a sheet of silver — and a worthy companion 

 for C. atlantica ; indeed it is rather difficult to detect any great 

 difference in the species ; the only one perceptible is that the 

 points of the branches are less erect in the former than are those 

 of G. atlantica. There is also a structural difference in the cones 

 of the two trees. The tree here of G. L. argentea is 84 feet in 

 height, with a girth of 10 feet. Gedrus atlantica, planted in 

 1843, is a perfect specimen, 64 feet high, girth of trunk 5 feet 

 10 inches. 



Many specimens of Gedrus Deodara have attained a height 

 of from 60 to 70 feet, and are full of health and vigour. One, 

 planted in 1840, stands 72 feet high, girth 9 feet 9 inches, the 

 diameter of branches 47 feet ; another tree, planted earlier (in 

 1834), is 65 feet, girth 8 feet 9 inches. A cutting from this tree 

 was struck and planted in 1843, but the tree has made a very 

 poor specimen, scarcely 50 feet high, the branches very short 



