August 21 ISSl. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
171 
other trees, as many in the grounds are far finer, apart from the magnifi¬ 
cent specimen represented in the engraving (fig. 31), which was prepared 
from a photograph in 1881 for the “ Manual of Ooniferic.” This noble 
tree is in the best of health, and, as may be perceived, is almost or quite 
faultless in form. It was planted by Mr. Frost in 1830, and when 
measured three years ago the height was Cl feet 6 inches. The circum¬ 
ference round the extremities of the branches as they rest on the ground 
100 feet, and the girth of the trunk 3 feet from the ground 7 feet 4 inches. 
It is a male or pollen-bearing form, and with catkins as represented in 
ful indeed it is, especially when its history is remembered. This is the 
tree resulting from a seed sown by Mr. Frost in 1827, and, as stated, is 
now about 120 feet high, the bole as straight as a gun rod, and girthing 
apparently about 12 feet at the base, while the branches sweep the 
ground over a radius of 30 or 40 feet. In the Conifer Manual Dr. New¬ 
berry is quoted from the “ Pacific Railway Report ” as describing Abies 
Douglassi as “ one of the grandest of the group of giants which combine 
to form the forests of the West, attaining a height of 300 feet; ” and the 
authors of the “ Manual ” observe that “ in Great Britain some of the older 
Fig. 31.—Great Araucaria at Dropjiore. 
fig. 29 ; other specimens in the grounds bearing seed-piolucing catkins 
quite dissimilar in character, as shown in fig. 30, also prepared for the 
work above mentioned. 
Grand as is the great Auracaria at Dropraore, it is not the .specimen 
that Mr. Frost shows the last. This honour is reserved for the gigantic 
Douglas Fir, the “ Douglas,” a noble monument of the great collector 
for the Horticultural Society, David Dougla', who was killed by falling 
into a cattle pit in the Sandwich Islands in 1834, and after whom one of 
the present admirers of the tree, the chief cleik to the S >ciety. was named. 
“There I what do you think of that tree, Mr. Douglas Dick 1 ” “ Think, 
sir 1 why I never saw anything like it. It is wonderful ! ” and wonder- 
specimens are rapidly growing in dimensions that will, in a short time, 
surpass every native tree a prediction which is in course of verification. 
The specimen under n' tice had once a narrow escape from being spoiled. 
It produced three leaders and perplexed its raiser. “I knew,” said Sir. 
Frost, “if I asked Lady Grenville’s permission to remove two of them it 
would he quickly refused ; I knew if they remained they would ruin the 
tree, and 1 knew if I cut them out without authority I should get into a 
‘row.’ The case was getting desperate. I cut, and I ‘catched it;’ but 
never mind, I saved the tree.” 
S nee Conifers thrive so remarkably at Drepmore, it is natural that a 
desire should exist to know the character of the soil. It is light, poor. 
