'^4^^^_ 



IXCELSA VAt 



Trees and 5hrubs. 



PARSONS ELflTfl SPRUCE AT DOSORIS. 



As explained in an editorial note, page 

 184, by a most unfortunate mistake the 

 above heading appeared luidcr our front 

 page picture of last issue (page IGl). The 

 picture then shown was one of the pendu- 

 lous European silver firs {Abies pectinata 

 var. pendiila). The above illustration 

 shows the true elata spruce. It was de- 

 scribed in full in last issue, page 162. 



T«E PENDULOUS EUROPEAN SILVER FIR. 



(.46/es pectinata var. pendula.) 

 This is the tree which was illustrated 

 on the front page (161) of last issue of 

 Gardening. One might not call it beau- 

 tiful but it certainly is very striking. It 

 is grrowing on a gentle slope in light 

 sandy land, enriched at the surface and 

 miilched with seaside sedge in summer. 

 On the right hand sideof it is apcndulous 

 Japanese cherry tree (Prunus pemlvla). 

 behind it are Japanese maples, and at the 

 left a handsome specimen of Rctinospoia 

 tilitera penJula. This pendulous fir tree 

 is now twenty-four feet high and perhaps 

 eighteen or twenty years old. It was 



grafted at the ground level, and its 

 branches droop from there up without 

 having a bit of bare stem. From its in- 

 fancy it never had a stake or other sup- 

 port of the kind, and we have never 

 touched it with a pruning knife or shears. 

 Its branchesbangdown close totlietrunk 

 and overlap each other quite thickly; the 

 foliage is a deep bright green, always 

 Iresh and beautiful. Indeed this drooping 

 tree behaves better at Dosoris than does 

 the typical A. pectinata. It is a matter 

 of fancy whether one plants this sort of 

 tree or not; a specimen here and there is 

 very well, but several of them in a garden 

 would not be considered in good taste. 

 It is perfectly hardy here. 



