is its beauty and extreme gracefulness. It has no superior, and I question much 

 if it has au equal in the whole range of hardy Everp^reens 1 Don't be startled, 

 reader. I except none 1 No, not even the beautiful Hemlock, the handsome 

 Norway Spruce, or the graceful Deodara ! Where is the person who ever read 

 Mr. Fortune's description of this beautiful tree in the northern provinces of China, 

 and did not wish for the time when we should have such specimens among us ? 

 yes, when it should be scattered broadly and widely over the country as our com- 

 monest Evergreen, the Hemlock or Norway Spruce ; and I risk nothing in saying 

 that, before many years, it will be planted more extensively than any other. Some 

 suppose it to be rather tender, for the reason that many young plants are annually 

 destroyed ; plants that have grown vigorously and very late, with watery shoots, 

 are and will be killed. I have lost some of this description, the past winter, my- 

 self. I have seen such plants injured by the early frosts of October. In this 

 city, are some three or four specimens of this plant, which have been planted 

 about five years ; they are now of considerable height. The past severe winter, 

 they received not the slightest protection, though in very exposed situations, and 

 where the thermometer must have, been from ten to twelve degrees below zero ; 

 yet, not a branch nor a leaf was injured by cold, and, when the winter was over, 

 no Evergreen looked better, not excepting the Hemlock or the Norway. How 

 comes it that these plants have done so well ? Why, simply from the fact that 

 the wood is well-matured every autumn — that great requisite in fruit-trees, and 

 quite as much in Evergreens. The part of China from whence this comes, has a 

 climate as severe in winter as our Northern States ; indeed, it is well-known that 

 the climate of China more nearly resembles that of the United States than any 

 other, and plants from that country do much better here than in Europe (such as 

 Salisburia, Wigelia, Forsythia, Wistaria, Magnolia, and many others), and why 

 not our beautiful Cryptomeria ? 



Araucaria imhricata. — Many good specimens of this exquisite Evergreen stood 

 about this city for the past five years, but the cold of last winter levelled all to 

 the snow-line save one, and that was the largest and strongest plant of all ; the 

 foliage and some of the branches were injured, but it pushed out nicely all over 

 the plant. Now, how comes it that this plant survived, when all others were de- 

 stroyed ? It was not situation, for it stands in one of the coldest points about 

 the city. It was its age and strength which enabled it to weather so many degrees 

 of frost, for it received no protection like the cryptomeria. When the plant attains 

 age, has firm, well-matured wood, and short-jointed, well-ripened shoots, it will 

 endure many degrees more cold. 



Cedrus deodara. — The graceful and beautiful Himalayan Cedar suffered con- 

 siderably. Many large and magnificent plants were killed to the snow-line, whilst 

 many others passed safely through this intense cold ; the cause of this difference 

 was the same as in the other Evergreens. When the ground had been highly 

 prepared, and the plants were growing vigorously, they, suffered most ; on 

 the other hand, plants of more moderate growth, with well-matured shoots, es- 

 caped unhurt. It may be considered hardy in this latitude, save in such winters 

 as 1855-6, when the loss of some rapid growing young plants may be expected ; 

 but surely, because a few plants are occasionally lost, people will not give up 

 growing this exquisite Evergreen ? 



Cedrus Lihani, Cedar of Lebanon. — Gen-erally, this has stood well with us, 

 though there are instances of one or two good, vigorous young specimens being 

 destroyed ; the cause the same as the Evergreens already noticed. Established 

 specimens, with well matured wood, stood well. It may be considered as hardy 

 in this latitude. 



