IO 
PINETUM BRITANNICUM. 
manure to Conifers still subsisted, being present when the late Mr Charles M'Intosh was consulted by 
a proprietor who had a few Araticarias all standing at the same level at which they had been received 
from the nursery some years before—that is, about a foot high. He recommended their removal into 
better soil, or a supply of manure to be applied to their roots. Both plans were tried, and both were suc¬ 
cessful. The plants soon started, and are now of some size. Mr Barnes; in the Gardeners Chronicle 
(ist June 1867), gives an instructive account of his experiences to the same effect. The two trees which 
formed the subjects of Mr Barnes’ experiments, are male and female, and have produced abundance 
of flower and fruit, from which a promising young progeny has been reared. These, however, are by 
no means the only instances of the tree flowering and fruiting in Britain. The tree at Kew has repeatedly 
flowered and fruited, so has that at Dropmore; the fruiting of those at Bicton we have already spoken of. 
A tree at Tortworth Court was covered with magnificent cones in 1864; and, doubtless, at many other 
places they were similarly fruitful. The first tree, however, which flowered in Europe is understood to 
have been one in the garden of the Marquis Ridolphi, near Turin, which flowered in September 1840. 
In choosing a locality in which to plant the Araucaria , there is no need to select warm sheltered 
situations. It prefers open and exposed spots, where it braves the storm and defies the breeze, at the same 
time receiving a fairer share of sunshine ; but it should not be exposed to a very low temperature. 
These are the localities which it affects in its native countries, and it is only reasonable to expect that they 
should suit it here. Mr Fowler, the gardener at Castle Kennedy, mentions that this had been tried at that 
place by Lord Dalrymple, a considerable number having, some seven or eight years previous to the time he 
wrote (i860), been planted in a very exposed situation, where they were growing with remarkable luxuri¬ 
ance, already doubling the size of Scotch Firs and other trees, which had been planted as nurses several 
years before them. On inquiring of Mr Fowler what had been their progress since, he wrote us (July 
1867) that “the trees are still thriving—indeed, pictures of perfect health, as all our Araucarias are—they not 
having suffered on any occasion from the severity of the winter. This arises, no doubt,” says he, “ from our 
geographical position, and consequent high winter temperature, the thermometer seldom indicating more 
than 16° of frost. I observe no tree in this locality, where we suffer much from high winds, so well adapted 
to plant in exposed situations as the A raucaria imbricata , as it suffers no further than a little bruising of the 
foliage, occasioned by the branches coming in violent contact with each other during gales of wind. We 
had some trying weather last April in the shape of cold frosty east winds, which continued for nearly a fort¬ 
night. The effect is still visible on most of our Coniferae. Even the Pinus Atistriaca and the common 
Scotch Fir, on the exposed side, had much of their last year’s growths killed. The Araucarias were not, 
in a single instance, injured, except as indicated above. I have a strong impression that the Araucaria 
will yet clothe many a hillside where almost nothing else will live—particularly in situations not too far 
removed from the seaside. At present there is considerable prejudice against its cultivation, arising from 
the destruction of so many specimens during the severe winter of 1862-63. The great success which has 
attended the planting of it out in suitable soils and situations, will help to remove this ; and when more 
knowledge becomes diffused among planters of the climate, soil, and situation most suitable for its 
successful culture, I venture to predict that a tree so unique and so beautiful will yet be extensively planted 
in these islands ; and that it will thrive in a much greater variety of situations than is generally supposed, 
always avoiding to plant it in situations where the thermometer ranges very low. Here they are grown by 
the hundred, many of the best specimens being upwards of 25 feet in height, none of which were planted 
before 1847.” 
Another, and a not less important point to be attended to in choosing a site for planting Araucarias , 
is to see that the soil is thoroughly drained. We have already said that it likes an open porous soil, but it 
equally dislikes a close retentive soil; but this is only saying, in other words, that it requires good 
drainage. A retentive soil is more difficult to drain effectually than an open soil, and is, in fact, generally 
badly drained ; and this is, doubtless, the reason why it prefers the one soil to the other. It is not, however, 
that 
