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some of the harder varieties of the eucalyptus in the British 
Islands ; and at the same time asking him to procure me the 
seed of any plants belonging to that family whose habitat 
was alpine, or that belonged to the most southern and colder 
parts of Tasmania. In compliance with this request he sent 
me a collection of seeds, which, however, I suspect were 
nearly all derived from the neighbourhood of Melbourne, 
Gipps Land. I had them sown in pots, and kept the young 
plants in a greenhouse for a couple of years. They grew 
with such rapidity that I no longer had any space for them, 
and after giving away a number of plants, I turned about 
half a dozen out into the open air. Three or four of the 
specimens (they were all of the s. eucalyptus globulus or 
quadrangular) seemed scarcely to feel the change, and in the 
course of some four years attained a height of about ten or 
twelve feet. The other specimens put out in the open air 
were cut down each winter, growing again from the root 
with the return of each succeeding spring. 
“ Such has been the result of my experience up to within 
the last fortnight. Two days ago, however, on going to my 
farm in Essex, I was disappointed to find that my trees, 
which had so successfully resisted the frosts of four winters, 
had in consequence of the late severe weather been seriously 
affected, the greater part of the foliage and the more tender 
branches being shrivelled up and dead. I do not imagine, 
however, that the trees themselves will be destroyed ; they 
will probably lose some two or three feet of their height 
and again flourish, if they escape a succession of severe 
winters. 
“ Were I to attempt — and I regret that I have not done 
