PINETUM BRITANNICUM. 
I 2 
under bare poles. Every leaf within reach had been nibbled off, and the stem barked to the bone, leaving 
it white, partly from resin exuding from the wounds, and partly from the exposed white wood. 
At first sight one would not suppose the Araucaria a very good subject on which to practise with the 
knife, but it stands pruning better than most Conifers. Mr Blandy informed us that he had observed, that 
if the branches which have to be removed are cut off at a short distance from the stem, fresh shoots spring 
from the base of the branches, whereas this is not the case if the branches are cut off quite flush with the 
stem. This supplies us with a means of replacing such branches as have become unsightly and attenuated 
by accident or otherwise. Mr M'Nab alludes to it as a means of more rapidly replacing large trees which, 
after injury from frost or otherwise, may have been cut down to save their lives, like the masts of a ship¬ 
wrecked vessel. “ The Araucaria , when cut down, very generally gives out shoots from the stool.” Mr 
M‘Nab says “that the lower the trees are cut, the fewer and stronger will be the shoots produced—these can 
be finally thinned out to single stems.” Mr Fowler also bears testimony to the impunity with which it may 
be pruned. “ I have frequently had occasion,” says he, “ to prune it; and wherever cut, dormant buds are 
ready, at the axil of every leaf, to start into active existence ; in short, it stands the knife as well as 
either the Holly or the Yew, and, in suitable soils, either for ornament or impenetrability, would be 
superior to either.” This property, he suggests, might be taken advantage of by using the Araucaria as a 
hedge-row plant, if the price of plants were once sufficiently moderate. The many trees now fruiting pro¬ 
mise that, ere long, plants will be abundant, and we may then have hedges which, with not less beauty than 
the Holly or the Yew, will be more rapid in their growth, and infinitely more impenetrable. As, however, 
it appears that they would be useless against sheep, it is possible that they might not be less palatable or 
more formidable to cattle; but against human intruders, as fences around lawns and about a house, we 
imagine they would be impregnable. 
There is nothing peculiar in the growth of the seeds, or in the management and rearing of the young 
plants. The seeds may be planted in various ways, but the usual and most natural plan is to prick them 
into the ground for two-thirds of their length, the narrow end downwards. A little bottom heat brings 
them briskly away, and their large size enables every step in the development of the young seedlings to be 
easily studied. As in other plants, considerable variety occurs in the idiosyncrasy, habit, and constitution 
of different individuals. Some have their branches curved and growing upright, resembling antient cande¬ 
labra, others throwing out their branches horizontally, and others are partially pendulous. Variegated 
individuals have also been raised. 
Commercial Statistics and Prices. —In 1838, the prices of plants, 9 to 15 inches high, varied from 2 to 
5 guineas each. In 1840, one-year seedlings were first offered in considerable quantities at ^5 to £6 per 
100 ; and five years later, those of the same plants that were 6 to 9 inches high were £ 1 o per 100, or 
£1, 1 os. per dozen, and extra fine plants ^3 per dozen. In 1850, 6- to 9-inch plants were 24s. per dozen ; 
12 to 15 inches, 3s. 6d. each ; and 18 to 24 inches, 7s. 6d. In 1856, one-year-old seedlings were 7s. 6d., 
and two-year old 10s. 6d. per dozen; 1 foot high plants, 2s. each; 18 inches, 3s. 6d. ; 2 feet, 7s. 6d. to 
10s. 6d. ; 2^ feet, 25s. to 30s. ; A/2 to p/ feet, 35s. to 50s. ; 5 to 6 feet, 63s. to 105s. ; and from the last- 
named date till the present time (1876), a usual practice has been to charge a guinea per foot in height for 
plants above 6 feet that are of fine symmetrical form, and that have been previously frequently transplanted. 
In the most recently published nursery catalogues, reductions of from 10 to 20 per cent, are made from the 
last quoted prices, except for one and two-year-old seedlings, which, being at present very scarce, are 
entirely omitted in most of them. 
Seeds. —These have hitherto been procurable only in irregular quantities and qualities ; and as many 
in even the best cargoes are incapable of vegetating, the prices have varied from 30s. to 75 s. per 1000. 
