WELLINGTO'NIA, a genus of trees, of the natural order conifers, of which only one species is known, W. gigantea, the greatest of all and indeed byfar the largest tree of temperate climates. The genus is nearly allied to sequoia and fd.rodiam. The foliage is very similar to that of an arbor vitte, tile leaves very like scales, and closely appressed to small slender lwanchlets The leaves of young, plants are longer and somewhat needle-shaped. The branches divide into very numerous small branch lets. The flowers are generally solitary and terminal, the mitt and numerous flowers this hat on the same tree. The cones of the W. gigantea are ovate, from lf to 2 inches long, by If inch broad, single, or in opposite rarely clustered, the scales wedge shaped, with about four seeds under has a columnar stem, with branches only on the upper half of it, the branches of comparatively small size, and riot forming au umbrageous head. The stem attains a height of 300 ft., amid sometimes l more, perfectly straight and erect. One tree is known, 321 ft. in height; and near it lies a larger one, which has fallen, and which was broken against another large tree in its fall, its diameter where it was broken, 300 ft. from its base, being 18 feet. Another tree is 102 ft. in circumference at the base. The W. is found only hi a limited district in California, on the Sierra Nevada, at an elevation of 4,000 to 5,000 feet above the sea. It was discovered iu 1850 by Mr. Dowd, who, being engaged in deer hunting, came with astonishment into the midst of a group of these trees, now known as the mammoth trees of Calaveras. In this locality, within an area of 50 acres, are 128 large trees, 20 of
which exceed 25 ft. in diameter at the base, and are therefore about 78 ft. in circumfer ence. A tree which was felled was 302 ft. in height, and PC ft. in circumference at the ground. It was sound to the center. Its age may be guessed at something like 3,000 years. It was calculated to contain about 500,000 cubic feet of timber Five men were employed for 22 days in felling it, boring great auger-holes and sawing between them. When it had been cut through, it remained steadfast on its 'Rise, and more than two days were spent in driving in great wedges, to cause it to fall. A round wooden house has been erected on the stump, where dancing-parties sometimes enjoy themselves. For several years, the Wellingtonias of Calaveras were supposed to be the only trees of their kind in existence, but groups have more recently been found in other parts of the same district, and scattered trees in a number of localities. The Welliugtoma has been intro duced into Britain, the climate of which is very'sultable to it; fine young trees to be seen in many places, and plants are common in nurseries. The has been called Wa.shingtonia by some American writers, but no reason except national feel ing has been alleged for the change of the name. According to the generally-acknowl edged rule in natural history, the older name must be retained.—The usual name now is sequoia.