THE TWELVE BEST EVERGREEN TREES, 



No. 3, the Deodar. — It is still a question with many arboriculturists, whether 

 this ought to be considered v^ perfectly hardy tree. So far as my own experience 

 goes, I should decidedly say that it is. The season of 1854-5 is an extreme case. 

 That in some few and unfavorable locations it was killed, proves nothing against 

 its general hardiness. My own specimens, entirely unprotected, and in soil which 

 many would call wet, were quite uninjured, while, not a hundred yards from them, 

 some Balm of Gileads, probably twenty years old, lost many of their smaller side 

 branches ; yet, who would pronounce the Balm of Gilead a tender tree ? The 

 Deodar is a very rapid grower, more so than the Hemlock, though not equalling 

 the Norway. Its gray color gives an interest to it, which ornamental planters 

 seek to take great advantage of, and thus, though thousands are annually im- 

 ported, it still continues scarce. 



No. 4, Balm of Gilead. — There will, I am sure, be many who will be inclined 

 to dispute the propriety of placing this fourth on my list. It is, however, a first- 

 rate tree for small gardens, where soil is deep and rich. In poor soils, it becomes 

 a poor, pitiful object, and it is when seen in such situations that it receives such 

 a general condemnation. It seldom grows more than forty or fifty feet high in 

 this latitude, and is a very useful tree to plant by straight walks in confined 

 situations, with which it harmonizes extremely well. 



No. 5, Silver Fir. — Though this is one of the most beautiful of our stiff-grow- 

 ing, formal-looking evergreens, I am not quite satisfied in placing it before the 

 next, for "general purposes." It is a tree to be looked at only. It will not 

 associate well with other trees, nor do they make a good group of themselves 

 together. As single specimens on lawns of some extent, and contiguous to large 

 mansion-houses, or elegant buildings of any kind, it cannot be surpassed. 



No. 6, White Pine, is a very valuable tree, though, like the BaJm of Gilead, it is 

 liable to get a bad character when grown on poor or improper soils. It is a kind 

 that loves manure. In a moist, rich loam, it grows very rapidly, and forms a 

 beautiful object as it grows. When growing in partial shade, it soon becomes 

 unsightly. It glories only in the light ; where this can be commanded, and plenty 

 of space afforded, plant the White Pine — under other circumstances, it is not so 

 desirable. 



No. *7, Austrian Pine. — A very rapid grower, and one that looks well in even 

 poor soils. It has too coarse an appearance when in confined situations or small 

 places, but where there is anything like room, it is in good keeping. It is being 

 very extensively planted in country-seats. 



No. 8, Scotch Pine. — Very valuable in poor, rocky, or sandy soils, where few 

 other evergreens will look well ; though it also will show its gratitude for a few 

 barrowfuls of good leaf soil, thrown into the hole prepared for it. 



No. 9, Bholan Pine. — Though not many years since introduced from the 



Himalayas, is becoming a general favorite. It resembles the white pine, but has 



longer leaves, and of a silvery whiteness, and is adapted to pretty much the same 



ties and conditions. 



