MAY. 
145 
we observed in another part of the garden; these are all distinct 
looking plants, and are admirably adapted for such situations. I may 
here mention that two specimens of the Coniferous family are con¬ 
spicuous objects in this garden; one, a beautiful spreading plant of 
Cedrus Deodara, which has attained the height of 35 feet, and has this 
season produced a quantity of cones. The other alluded to is a noble 
plant of Pin us macrocarpa, 50 feet high ; this species is certainly one 
of the best for the improvement of park scenery, independent of its 
value as a timber tree. 
The arboretum at Bicton is on a most extensive scale, and amongst 
the numerous families of plants there are many of great interest. The 
Coniferae in particular form a very extensive collection, and many 
specimens of the rarer kinds are equalled by few in this country. 
The Araucaria imbricata is planted extensively; besides the magnificent 
specimens in the Pinetum, there is an avenue of this plant through a 
portion of the park; they are planted on mounds of earth, and are 
progressing favourably. Large trees of this Araucaria will doubtless 
form a very distinct feature, though we question their appropriateness 
for an avenue. A large specimen of this Araucaria growing in the 
Pinetum has for several seasons produced cones, and during the past 
season catkins, or male flowers, have been produced by another plant ; 
we may therefore reasonably expect to hear of seed having been 
perfected in this country. The Piceas, of which we have many species 
deserving every attention, are now beginning to develope their beauties 
in these grounds. Picea nobilis, P. grandis, P. Nordmanniana, and 
P. amabilis are all most beautiful; the latter of these is a very 
distinct looking plant, and may be readily known from the allied 
species by its more attenuated and less rigid foliage. Picea Webbiana, 
which is so generally an unsightly object, in consequence of being 
injured by frosts after growth has commenced in the spri^, forms in 
these grounds a most beautiful tree, 30 feet high, and aftbe time we 
saw it was covered with its purple cones; in this state it forms one of 
the most ornamental trees of the family. I may here state that this 
tree was annually injured by frost, and rendered as unsightly as any I 
have witnessed, until the last three or four years ; during that time it 
has escaped, and furnished itself in the manner described. 
To enumerate only the more beautiful of the Coniferae at Bicton 
would occupy too much space, we must therefore only add that the 
collection is one of the most complete we have witnessed, and for a 
lover of the family there is ample to repay the trouble of a long journey. 
The collection of deciduous trees and shrubs is very large ; they do 
not, however, appear to have been arranged with any regard to an 
ornamental appearance, being planted for the greater part in separate 
genera, and are therefore more interesting as affording an easy 
comparison of their botanical peculiarities than for producing effect. 
In this respect the collection is very valuable, containing as it does 
complete examples of many genera of forest and hardy ornamental 
trees. The site selected for their growth, too, I think open to objec¬ 
tion ; it consists of a narrow strip of land, which takes a circuitous 
direction from the mansion and terminates at the flower-garden, a 
VOL, X., NO. cxiii. n 
