^ 



ASIATIC CONIFERa 



with red in tlie sun — often a rich brii;ht red — very beautiful. Flesli — lueltinG; and 

 juicy, with a dehcate and agreeable perfume. AVe have pickt-d it <juite hanl and 

 ripened it in tlie house on the 25th of September, and we think we never had it in a 

 better condition ; but its usual season here is the first two weeks in October. It 

 should always be picked iu good season and ripened ofl' in the house. 



ASIATIC CONIFERS.* 



BT JOHN SAUL, WASHINGTON, D. C. 



Abies Morinda. — This is another beautiful Spruce from the mountains of Northern 

 India. With the preceding it has been much confused, though they are as distinct 

 as the two Silver Firs, Phidrow, and Webbiana. It is a smaller tree than Thutrow — 

 the foliage is shorter and of a lighter hue; it is nevertheless a pretty, graceful species, 

 deserving extensive cultivation, and about as hardy as the Khutrow Spruce. 



Abies Griffitiiiana ; sijn. Larix Griffithiaxa — The Sihkhn Larch — A tree 

 of recent introduction. Dr. Hooker says of it: " The Z«?r//, which I propose should 

 bear Griffith's name, occurs in Sikkim and in the valleys of Eastern Nepal, close up 

 to the snow. In the latter country, the Kambacheu Valley, immediately under the 

 Junmu Peak of 25,000 is full of it at 11,000 and 12,000 feet, mixed with Abies 

 Webbiana. It rarely exceeds 30 to 40 feet in height, except on shingle banks of 

 Alpine streams, where it sometimes attains GO feet. It is an inelegant, sparely- 

 branched tree, and, except for its bright green foliage and resinous cones, unworthy 

 of comparison with the European species." Of the hardiness of this tree there cannot 

 be a doubt, but it is questionable if it be worthy of planting, save among collections 

 or for variety. 



Abies deodara; syn. Cedrus deodara — The Sacred Cedar of India. — If there is 

 a person who doubts the extreme beauty and gracefulness of this tree, I will just ask 

 him, has ho ever seen one fair, healthy specimen, twenty, thirty, or forty feet in 

 height? (Of these heights, and even higher, there are hundreds now to be seen in 

 England.) If he has, methinks it will more than convince him, that though much has 

 been said and written of its beauty, its true elegance and value were but faintly colored. 

 If in a comparatively young state it should thus arrest the eye and admiration of the 

 ordinary observer, what may we not expect of its beauty when seen on its native 

 mountains, more matured by years ? Hence we find travelers without distinction, 

 whether botanists, civilians, or military men, enraptured with its airy elegance, grace- 

 fulness, and beauty. A late Governor General of India says : " I want to see them 

 as I often have in India, shooting up their immense trunks to a gi-eat height, from 

 whence the branches diverge horizontally, and droop in the most elegant manner." 

 Dr. Hoffmeister describes it as " growing in dense and noble forest from Jhalla via. 

 Duralee (9,000), Bhyrooghatee (9,500), Gungatreo 10,319 feet. Captain Hodg 



* Concluded from June number. 



