ABLATIO OONIPERS. 



it resembles the Swedish, having however the green a little more vivid. It is not of 

 so upright a growth as the Swedish, but more inclined to branch out, forming a mag- 

 nificent bush, and retains its color well through winter. Native of China and Japan. 



JuNiPERUs SPHCERICA. — A receut importation from the north of China, where it 

 was discovered by Mr. Fortune, and sent to Messrs. Standish & Noble. Accordino- 

 to Mr. Fortune it forms a tree 30 to 50 feet in height. Dr. Lindley says:* "The 

 species differs from J. Ckinensis apparently, in not having any acicular leaves, and 

 very decidedly in the size and form of its fruit, which is twice as large as in that 

 species, and not at all depressed at the end, but very regularly spherical." There is 

 little doubt but this tree is hardy. 



Juniperus excelsa. — Were I to select two of the most distinct and beautiful of 

 all the Junipers now in cultivation, I would take the first named — recurva — and the 

 present subject. This is quite as distinct and as beautiful as that, though they are 

 the very antipodes of each other — that is gracefully weeping, this is remarkably erect 

 in its growth — that is of a deep green, this is very glaucous; and in nearly every 

 point they are dissimilar. This forms a beautiful erect tree with a silvery, featherj^, 

 graceful appearance ; the contrast with other conifers is remarkable and fine. Native 

 of the Western Himalayas. 



Biota orientalis; syre. Thuya orientalis — The Chinese Arbor Vitce. — This beauti- 

 ful evergreen is well known in both hemispheres, and where it succeeds well few trees 

 are more beautifully symmetrical. In color it is a beautiful green, and in this quality 

 much superior to our native Arbor Vitje. This color, in general, it retains until the 

 beginning of winter, from which time up to the commencement of growth it assumes 

 the unpleasant rusty brown appearance. In Britain it forms a much more beautiful 

 and compact tree than in this country, and is very extensively planted, though in 

 the neighborhood whence I write are some very fair specimens, much better than 

 further north where it does not appear to be quite at home. Climate has, no doubt, 

 much, if not all, to do with this. Our native Arbor Vitae (^Thuya occidentalis) forms a 

 very ragged poor tree in England, while on some parts of the European continent it 

 proves as beautiful as on the Highlands of the Hudson. To what can we attribute 

 this but to climate ? and if climate aftects the one species, it is likely to affect the 

 other. The severe winters of the Northern States do not appear to agree with it ; 

 still, from its beauty, it deserves to be extensively planted. It forms a large tree in 

 its native countries, China and Japan. 



Biota tartarica ; srjn. Thuya tartarica — Tartarian, and sometimes called in the 

 nurseries the Siberian Arbor Vitce. — About four years since I visited a gentleman in 

 the west of England who had a very beautiful collection of conifers, comprising most 

 of the rare and valuable Cedars, Pines, Cypresses, (fee, many of which had attained a 

 fair size, and some truly lovely. After minutely surveying and scrutinizing all, we 

 came to the r^em of the collection. What was it ? Had I ever seen it before ? How 

 lovely ! Ho.v beautiful ! Is it possible it is the Tartarian or Siberian Arbor Vitre of 

 the nurseries ? Yet such it was. Though I had grown thousands of this in the 

 * Paxton's Flower Garden.— Vol. I, p. 58. 



