1884.] INVEBNESS NUBSEBIES. 295 



There are a great many more varieties of this species, but to an 

 unpractised eye they are difficult to distinguish. 



The Piceas (Silver Fii'), like their congeners, the Fir and Spruce, 

 are well sub-di\-ided into varieties. Those most in demand of 

 this family are Nordmanniarui and nobilis, then comes Lowii, or 

 lasiocarpa, or Farsonii, for it is known by all three names. We 

 note also phisapo, with its hard spiny leaves and slow gro\si:h, 

 Webbiana, the queen of this tribe, grandis, Gordoniaiia, and the 

 beautiful atnabilis. 



The Cedars next attract our attention. Several grand specimens 

 of the universally favourite deodar (Cedrusdeodara) 20 feet high, are 

 to be seen in the grounds, and are models of successful trainiuc^, 

 as well as hundreds of others in all stages of growth. The Cedar 

 of Lebanon is also grown, though not extensively, as the demand 

 for it is small. Next come the Cr^-ptomenas, with their striking 

 fohage and habit, contrasting well with their neighbours the 

 Cypresses, several varieties of which are largely grown, notably 

 the variet}' Laicsoni, called after Mr. Charles Lawson. C.Zawsoni 

 ereda is rapidly displacing the old-fashioned Irish Yew as a 

 cemetery tree. Their style of growth is very similar, but the 

 beautifully-bright, fresh green of their foHage is much more pleas- 

 ing than the sombre colour of the other, as many fine specimens 

 growing in the Cemetery at Tomnahurich can testify. This notice 

 would be incomplete without mentioning the Wellingtonia, well 

 called gigantea. 



Auraucarias (Monkey Puzzle) are almost wholly represented by 

 several large plants, the remains of what were — prior to the deadly 

 frost of four winters ago — splendid specimens. All the youno- 

 plants, as well as the older ones, were either killed outright or 

 were so di'eadfully mutilated that it was a question whether thev 

 were worth keeping or not. Several of those which looked best 

 were kept in the hope that they might improve in appearance, but 

 as yet that hope has not been realised. The ravages of that severe 

 winter carried off hundreds of trees and shrubs of all sizes and 

 ages, species, and varieties. It spared Httle or nothing, and the 

 soil was left almost to the entire possession of the Scotch Fir and 

 Larch. Its effects are still conspicuous on many of the larger 

 shrubs, and also on the hedges. 



From these remarks it will be seen that Inverness possesses 

 an interesting and important branch of industry in the Telford 

 Street Nurseries. The people of Inverness, as well as visitors, 

 could do worse any summer day than devote a spare hour to 

 examine for themselves its wealth of interesting vegetation. — 

 Northern Chroiiiclc. 



