Cultivation of Coniferous Trees. 
149 
thrive best on a poor soil ; for example, the Araucaria imbricata, 
which on a rich loam tloes not progress nearly so well as it does 
upon a cold thin soil in an exposed open situation. Among- the 
hills and upper moorlands of Sutherlandshire, this Chilian pine 
may be seen thriving vigorously ; while in sheltered spots in a 
loamy soil it has often sustained much damage from the varia- 
tions of the temperature of our climate. 
It is quite possible, however, to provide in a great measure 
against these evils to which our pivtcyees are exposed, and it 
should be the earnest endeavour of every lover of such beautiful 
varieties to do his utmost to secure them from those dangers, 
which are almost the only ones to which, in this climate, they 
are liable. 
To remedy the first difficulty, let them be planted in back- 
lying situations, where neither early spring nor late autumn 
growths will be encouraged ; and to ripen the young wood as 
well as possible they should be placed in open situations, and 
not in too thick coverts. This will also, in some degree, 
obviate the second mentioned drawback to their healthy develop- 
ment. As to the remedy for the third objection their natures 
may have to our climate, it is obvious enough. The difficulty is 
purely local, and only holds good in very low valleys, and inland 
elevations where the sun shining brightly during the day thaws 
the ice upon their branches in early spring or even in winter, 
and where from lack of altitude the frosts of night are more 
intense than on the higher neighbourhood ; generally speaking 
the higher altitudes suit, for this reason, these conifers best, and 
where lofty positions have been found tolerably sheltered from 
wind, we have found the finest specimens. Wind is the only 
enemy to the pine family, and indeed to trees generally, against 
which we have no certain remedy. To a great extent, however, 
with these rarer and finer varieties its ravages may be mitigated, 
if a little care be taken in selecting positions for them free from 
the gusts and blasts of the prevailing winds of the district. 
Further, in regard to the minor evil we named, namely, that of 
planting in too rich soil, we may remark that as each variety has 
its own chosen description of soil in which it thrives best (being 
its natural one) the custom of making up for this defect, by 
substituting artificially " made up " soil to promote the growth 
of the plant, is worse than useless, for after probably a year's 
growth, it will be found that the rootlets have pierced beyond 
this artificial basin, and have penetrated into the natural soil of 
the locality, whether suited to them or not ; and certainly in the 
same ratio in which they may have been artificially stimulated, 
and pushed forward by the made up fresh soil, will they, on 
finding their stimulant at an end or exhausted, be retarded by 
