232 THE FLORIST. 



the plants occasionally, to prevent their getting one-sided through the 

 shoots turning to the sun, and give the leaves a gentle washing with 

 the syringe occasionally, to clear them of dust, &c. ; but do this on a 

 bright morning, so as to avoid damp. About the middle of March the 

 plants should be cut back, if necessary, to secure a sufficiently close 

 growth — for they will be too small to be of any service for flowering — 

 and placed in the warmest end of the house, or removed to where the 

 night temperature may average about 45°, syringed over-head on 

 bright days, and kept rather moist. Here they will soon push their 

 buds and start into free growth, and when this is the case the roots 

 should be examined, giving a liberal shift if the ball is covered with 

 healthy roots. Afford the same careful attention after repotting as 

 recommended above, keeping the atmosphere moist, and watering 

 sparingly until the roots strike into the fresh soil. Perhaps the best 

 directions that can be given as to temperature during spring would be 

 to regulate it according to the amount of light, keeping the plants 

 growing as freely as can be done without inducing weakly growth ; but 

 by all means avoid this, which would spoil the specimens. Remove to 

 a cold frame as soon as the weather becomes at all favourable, and 

 treat them during the summer as recommended for last season, remem- 

 bering that minute attention and careful management is the only way 

 of securing handsome specimens. If a second shift should be required 

 in course of the summer see to this as early as can properly be done, 

 in order to have the pots pretty full of roots ; also discontinue shading 

 early in autumn, and expose the plants freely to hght and air, so as to 

 get the young wood rather firm before winter. 



The same treatment as recommended for last winter will be suitable 

 again, but if the plants are considered sufficiently large for flowering 

 they should be kept in a cool, airy part of the greenhouse until they 

 come into bloom, w^hen they may be removed to the conservatory, 

 where, if they are shaded from bright sunshine, they will last some 

 two months in beauty. Cultor. 



DESCRIPTIVE LIST OF HARDY CONIFERS.— No. VIII 



XV. PIXUS MONTICOLA — THE MOUNTAIN WEYMOUTH PINE. 



We have again availed ourselves of the Dropmore Pinetum to furnish 

 the subject of our illustration for the present number ; which represents 

 a vigorous growing tree of Pinus monticola. 



This, which is popularly called the Short-leaved Weymouth Pine, 

 was first discovered by Douglas, who subsequently sent seeds of it to 

 this country in 1831. It is found occupying the mountain ranges on 

 the north-west coast of America, particularly towards the source of the 

 Columbia river — and in California. In suitable situations the tree 

 attains a great size, producing a resinous timber ; which, however, is 

 said to be soft and Hght. 



The ]\Iountain Pine differs chiefly from the Weymouth in having 



