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Aralia, a Rhododendron, and a birch, some of which had stems as thick as my leg. Plate 215 from photographs taken by my late friend, Mr. C. B. Clarke, at this spot, very well represents the trees ] saw. The largest trees which I have found of this species were on the track from Lachoong to the Tunkra Pass, leading into the Chumbi valley, some of which must have been nearly 200 feet high, with stems clean up to 40 feet, and Sir Joseph Hooker measured a tree here no less than 35 feet in girth. Higher up, however, it assumes a stunted form and grows mixed with junipers.

Abies Webbiana was discovered early in the nineteenth century by Captain Webb. Seeds were repeatedly sent to England by Dr. Wallich, which probably came from Nepal, but none appear to have germinated till 1822, when some plants were raised in the Fulham Nursery. It is remarkable that most of the trees of A. Webbiana seen in this country resemble more nearly the Sikkim form, than the short-leaved Western form. It is probable that none of the original trees now exist, as they were planted in the vicinity of London, where the tree does not thrive, as it is very liable to be cut by spring frosts.

Though this tree is one of the most beautiful of its genus in the few parts of England where it really succeeds ; and will resist severe winter frosts without injury when on well-drained soil, yet its tendency to start into growth before the danger of spring frosts has passed, has caused its death in very many places. If seeds could be procured from the more alpine regions of Kashmir or the trans-Indus mountains, they might endure our climate better, but most of the trees now growing in England were probably raised from seed collected by Sir J.D. Hooker in Sikkim.

It ripens seed, however, in some parts of England and Scotland, and I have raised seedlings in 1901 from cones grown near Exeter, of which a few have survived though now not more than a foot high. A shady, elevated, and yet sheltered situation, is best for this species, and as regards soil a deep sandy loam.

The largest specimen of A. Webbiana recorded at the Conifer Conference in 1891 was at Howick Hall, Northumberland, the seat of Earl Grey, and was then said to be 51 feet by 8 feet. I am informed by Mr. Lambert that it has lost its leader several times since this date, and now measures about 50 feet by 8½ feet.

The largest we have measured is a double-stemmed tree at Beauport, Sussex, 64 feet by 84 feet in 1904; but Mr. A.B. Jackson found a tree at Tregothnan in Cornwall which was 74 feet by 8½ feet, and another tree at the same place 66 feet by 9 feet. Both of these bore cones in 1908.

At Menabilly, Cornwall, there is a healthy tree of no great size, which bore large cones in 1907, and these remained in perfect condition on the tree in April 1908,

when I visited the place; and at Pencarrow there is one 64 feet by 6½ feet.