2298

ARBOllETUM AN1> FRUT1CETUM.

PART III.

The girt of the largestcommon spruce onthe estate is 5 ft.

10 in. at the surfaceof the ground; andthat of the largestblack spruce is 5 ft.

1 in. The peculiari-ties of growth whichwe have mentionedare shown in severalspecimens in differentparts of the proper-ty ; the most fantasticof which is one grow-ing in the centre ofa piece of elevatedmossy ground, aboutan acre in extent,and within the bound-ary of the kitchen-garden wall, called theWilderness. This treehas received the ap-pellation of the Tra-,,-;'veiling Fir, on ac- 'count of its brancheshaving taken rootwherever they havecome in contact with the soil. In this specimen (Jig. 221,5., to a scale of1 in. to 12 ft.), many natural layers from the trunk, and from the primarysubstems, have taken root, so as to form a double series of young trees,in two concentric circles round the parent trunk. The depth of the peatsoil where this remarkable spruce grows is about 14 ft. That portion ofthe branch which is between the trunk of the original tree and the part whereit roots into the ground, and which is sometimes several feet in length, rarelyincreases in diameter after its extremity has rooted (as shown in fig. 2216.,to a scale of 2 in. to 4 ft.). If these horizontal branches do increase in dia-meter, it is in a very slight degree; as some branches proceeding both fromthe main trunk and from primary substems, in the first concentric circleof young trees formed by them, vary from 2 ft. to 6 ft. in length, and areonly from I^ in. to 2in. in diameter; while their extremities, which haverooted in the ground, and assumed the appearance of stems, vary from C in.to 2 ft. in circumference. The branches proceeding from the primary substemshave also branches, equally healthy with themselves, proceeding from them,and with every appearance of their producing others ; which, if allowed room,may, in course of time, cover the whole Wilderness. That portion of themain stem, or trunk .of the parent tree, which remains above the surface ofthe soil, is little more than 4 ft. high before upright bl anches are produced ; andit is 7 ft. in its greatest circumference. These upright branches, or rather limbs,are from 30 ft. to 35 ft. in height. The primary substems, which constitute theinner concentric circle of young trees, vary from 8 ft. to 25 ft. in height; andthe secondary substems, which form the trees of the outer circle, are from4 ft. to 10 ft. high. There are upwards of thirty rooted stems surroundingthe mother tree; and 30ft. is the greatest diameter of the space coveredby stoloniferous branches; though in one case a secondary layer has reachedas far as 18 ft. from the main trunk. The other specimens of this kind of treewere far inferior in size to the one now described; perhaps owing to the cattle. browsing the side shoots, and destroying the tops of the young offspring;