SUMMER MEETINa AT LOUISIANA. Ill 



Austrian Piue is quite as desirable as a tree, but lias the ugly 

 liabit of being partly brown preparatory to shedtling its leaves just at 

 time we deliver in the spring, which makes it liable to suspicion of a 

 dying condition, and being so nearly like the Scotch, we can just as 

 well dispense with it. 



Red Pine (sometimes called Norway Pine) is the peer of all, with 

 its long, persistent leaves, but unfortunately it is nearly always scarce 

 and hard to grow. I have had but one opportunity in twelve or fifteen 

 years to get a stock of them. 



Norway Spruce is too well known to need more than mention. It 

 seems to me, however to grow more straggling and bare branches in 

 our soil than other places, which could probably be obviated by cut- 

 ting back such branches, but it is very seldom attended to. 



I am partial to the White Spruce for growing more compact and a 

 rather nicer tree while young at least, but it may not live as long or 

 retain its beauty as well as the Norway. 



Balsam Fir is very satisfactory, both in the nursery and lawn while 

 young. No tree can make a better show at delivery and for many 

 years afterwards, but it does not grow as large or live as long as the 

 pines, which may be in its favor in some cases. 



American Arbor VitiB is perhaps the easiest transplanted, on ac- 

 count of its numerous fibrous roots, and I know of no objection to it, 

 unless the tendency to get brown in cold weather, like the Red Cedar, 

 from which they quickly recover on approach of warm weather. Both 

 can be clipped to any desired shape, and without clipping they soon 

 get straggling and bare. I saw a hedge lately that seemed twenty-five 

 feet high, and only five or six feet wide at the bottom, tapering to the 

 top, which was a beauty and comfort to the place. 



Hemlock seems to have been very sparingly planted everywhere, 

 as I have -seen very few old trees, but I know of no good reason for 

 avoiding them, especially in collections of any extent. 



Larch, though shedding its leaves in fall, is resinous and cone-bear- 

 ing. Out of quite a number planted in my knowledge I know of but 

 one good specimen, which is not sufficient to recommend it here. Be- 

 sides, it starts to grow with gooseberries, and it is impracticable for 

 me to get it to customers in time in the spring. 



Junipers are nicer than any pictures, when we succeed in growing 

 them to any size and age, but this is so very precarious and uncommon 

 that I think we can serve the general interest best, by wholly discard- 

 ing them, especially as we have a number of dwarf trees to take their 

 places. 



