i6 
PINETUM BRITANNICUM. 
of any of the habitats of this tree. What he saw was Sequoia semfiervirens, as may be otherwise inferred 
from the terms in which he speaks of it. 
A writer in a recent number of “ Blackwood’s Magazine ” says that it was first discovered in 1850, 
by a Mr Dowd, who, when out hunting, was led by a herd of deer which he was following into the Big 
Tree Valley. He stopped as one enchanted, feeling like Gulliver when lost in the field of barley in 
Brobdignag: the deer were forgotten, and he gazed with utter astonishment on monsters of vegetation 
such as he had never even dreamed of as existing in the world. He told his companions of his adventure 
on his return, but all laughed at his story as a barefaced attempt to impose on their credulity. It was with 
the greatest difficulty he succeeded in inducing some of them to accompany him to the spot, and verify his 
statements by actual inspection and measurement. 
The happy individual to whom common fame more generally ascribes the discovery is a Mr J. M. 
Wooster, whose claims have rested on an inscription, “ J. M. Wooster, June 1850,” cut more Anglico into 
the bark of one of the trees—“ Hercules,” to wit. As this token of discovery has been mentioned in the 
very earliest notices of the tree, there is no doubt that the date of the inscription is genuine, and that it is 
not an ex post facto operation. It has been jestingly said that this is only a manuscript notice, and not 
publication, and therefore that Mr Wooster is not entitled to the honour of the discovery, which must go, 
in right of priority, to the first person who published his discovery, Mr Lobb. But Mr Wooster himsell 
disclaims it. Mr Elutchins, in his “ Scenes of Wonder and Curiosity in California,” says,—“ Since writ¬ 
ing the above, we have made the acquaintance of Mr Wooster, who disclaims all title to the discovery, 
although of the same party, and gives it to W. Whitehead, Esq., who, while tying his shoe , looked casually 
round him, and saw the trees, June 1850.” We confess we feel disposed to give the palm of discovery to 
Mr Whitehead : the simplicity and vraisemblance of the discovery made on looking up from tying his shoe 
carry conviction to our mind. The incident of tying his shoe is the last that would occur to an inventor. 
A romancer would scarcely think of a party passing through the grove, without noticing the enormous size 
and height of the trees; and yet what more natural than that people, not botanists, who have been passing 
through forests of all sizes, and not thinking about trees, but intent on other objeds, might pass hurriedly 
through them, and never observe the trees ? It would only be when something made them pause, and 
allowed their attention to wander a little to surrounding objeds, that the extraordinary magnitude of the 
trees might strike them. It is no doubt exceedingly probable, and doubtless true, that Mr Dowd discov¬ 
ered them in the same year, and possibly within a few days or weeks of Mr Whitehead ; but, in the absence 
of data for determining which of them was first, we should certainly, for our part, place ourselves on the 
side of the man who discovered them while tying his shoe. 
The rumour of the discovery soon spread, and the grove was visited by many. Amongst these early 
visitors were two of our countrymen, who at least were the first to introduce the tree into Britain—Mr 
John D. Matthew, son of Mr Patrick Matthew, of Gourdiehill, near Errol, and Mr Lobb, who was col- 
leding for Mr Veitch. The credit of introducing it is generally awarded to Mr Lobb; and, so far as 
regards introducing it in commercial quantities, no doubt he was the introducer. But suum ctiiqzie tributo. 
The first seeds received in this country were sent by Mr Matthew, and the oldest plants are those which 
were raised from them. Mr Lobb returned from California in December 1853, bringing his seeds with 
him, as appears from an article by Dr Lindley in the “ Gardeners’ Chronicle” of 24th December in that 
vear. 
j 
“The other day,” says he, “we received from Mr Veitch branches and cones of a most remarkable 
coniferous tree, also Californian seeds, and a living specimen of which had just been brought him by his 
excellent collector, Mr William Lobb, who, we are happy to say, has returned loaded with fine things.” 
Mr Matthew’s son, however, had, six months previously, written to his father, informing him of the 
discovery of the giant trees, and forwarding a sketch of some of them, a small branch, and some of 
its seeds. His letter was dated 10th July 1853, an d was received, along with the seeds, on the 28th of 
August following. The letter was published in extenso in the “Gardeners’ Chronicle ” in the following 
year, 
