(a 
176 THE FLORIST. 
in the trunk, is 80 feet round and also 300 feet high. The “‘ Three 
Sisters” are three) trees that. appear-all to issue -from the same root, 
and the middle one only begins to get its branches at the height of 200 
feet; its circumference is 92, and its height 300 feet. “Besides these 
there are ‘‘ Old Bachelor,” “‘ Husband and Wife,” neither much mferior 
in size to those I have mentioned; and even more colossal is the 
“Family Group,” consisting of father, mother, and 24-children..»The 
father has fallen some years ago, has struck another tree in its fall, and 
has broken off in a length of 300 feet, the entire ‘trunk measuring 450 
feet; at the place where it broke, its circumference is 40 feet, and at 
the base 110; the mother is 91 feet round and 327 feet highs; ;and 
another hollow trunk which has broken off in a length of 75 feet is 
denominated the ‘‘ Horseback Ride,” because a man on’ horseback-can 
ride conveniently through it from one end to the other; and: there is 
also ‘‘ Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” a trunk 300 feet high and 90 feet round, 
with a hollow at the base in which is there plenty of room fora party 
of five-and-twenty. The rent that forms the entrance to this tree is 
two and a half feet broad and 10 feet high, and certainly few of the 
gold diggers have such spacious’ dwellings as its interior’ presents.|! It 
is most grievous to think that these magnificent monuments of the power 
of vegetation should fall a prey to the destructiveness of man, when 
after their thousands of years of existence they are still vigorous enough 
to remain, if they were left untouched, as objects of wonder and admira- 
tion to generation after generation of our short-lived race. 

BOUGAINVILLZA SPECTABILIS. 
Ir is somewhat singular that the editor of the Gardeners’ Chronicle 
should have been so far in the dark as to the Bougainvilla as to write 
a leading article for the purpose of making known to the horticultural 
world the great merits of Mr. Daniels as the first gardener to bloom 
this rather curious plant; whereas it has not only bloomed ‘under my 
care in.a cool stove 12 or 15 years ago, but I have seen it in bloom 
in a score of places since, without considering it anything remark- 
able ; indeed, the cultivation is simple and easy enough. The plants 
flower magnificently at Lisbon, where it is common, and adorn the 
walls of many buildings with a rich profusion of bloom. "I hear that 
it does the same at Naples. The simple fact of treatment is, that after 
growing freely, it should be allowed to ripen its wood well; and the 
following spring, the mauve-coloured bracts will appear at the end of 
every shoot. The plant will soon cover a large space, and should only 
be pruned after blooming; as for it requiring a bottom heat of 140° 
that is all nonsense. The ordinary border of a stove or warm consérva- 
tory will suit it; but it must have an abundance of light during its 
growth, and be allowed to go dry at the root during its period of rest. 
I almost think it would flower against a south wall if the wall was. 
covered with a glass case, and the plant protected from frost during 
winter. | | ms 
He i 
