of Rural Art and Taste. 



37 



and expense in preparing the ground and 

 plants beforehand ; then often, after keeping 

 beds empty until end of June, there will be 

 a cold stormy time directly the plants are 

 out, checking them for the short season they 

 can at the best occupy the ground. 



The Pleasure G-roniid. 



The Sjtvuce mid its Cult lire. 



WHY not call them conifers, as do the 

 English, French, and German writers ? 

 We like the name, it is so much more ex- 

 pressive than evergreens ; besides, conifers, 

 or cone-bearing trees, are not all evergreen, 

 and the latter title reminds us of Rhodo- 

 dendrons, Kalmias, and dozens of other 

 genera, having no resemblance to conifers, 

 excepting, perhaps, that all have persistent 

 leaves during the winter months. 



And are we certain that the organs of 

 conifers, usually known as foliage, are such 

 in truth ; or are they, as the editor of the 

 Gardener^s Monthly informs us, mere leaf- 

 like branehlets ? We must confess that we 

 lean decidedly to the latter explanation ; as 

 the facts, suggested by the above authority, 

 bear the impress of truth, view them in 

 whatever light we will. 



However, as it is not our present inten- 

 tion to open a scientific discussion, we shall 

 proceed to review, in a rather hasty manner, 

 what we consider the most desirable species 

 and varieties belonging to the splendid 

 spruce family. 



For the purpose of simplifying matters, 

 botanists classify the true spruces, hemlocks, 

 q,nd firs, under the one expressive title of 

 Abies, but making of each a distinct sub- 

 genus or section. 



In the first of these, we have two old 

 gems of the first water, with an almost end- 

 less number of varieties emanating from the 

 same. The White Spruce and Norway 

 Spruce are unexceptionable in every way. 



The latter is too well known to need any 

 eulogy from us, but the claims of the former, 

 we fear, are not sufficiently understood. It 

 is the embodiment of symmetrical and 



elegant formality ; whilst its near relative, 

 the Norway, furnishes a perfect example of 

 a graceful, stately tree. They are true 

 types of the opposing classes in habit, al- 

 though equally complete in outline. The 

 one stifi" and regular ; the other drooping 

 and pleasingly unprecise. 



It is to the numerous sports or varieties 

 of the Norway Spruce that we especially de- 

 sire to invite attention ; as, outside of some 

 half dozen collections in this country, we 

 believe they are almost entirely unknown. 

 We have them of almost every imaginable 

 size, form, and tint — from the little minia- 

 ture dwarf, scarcely one foot in height, up 

 to the proportions of a first class tree ; and 

 again, from the strictly upright column, to 

 the real so-called "weeper." Commencing 

 with the dwarf forms, invaluable for the 

 front of shrubberies, we would suggest, as 

 remarkably fine, Gregoryana, although such 

 kinds as pygmcBa and clanbrasiliana are 

 quite neat and pretty. 



The upright form, pyramidalis, is very 

 striking, and reminds one of an evergreen 

 Lombardy Poplar. The pendulous variety, 

 iiiverta, can be made to form an exceedingly 

 graceful tree ; whilst the monstrosa, as its 

 name implies, is a perfect monster, although 

 drooping in general character. The Parsons 

 of Flushing, L. I., have originated a variety 

 which we admire as much, if not more, than 

 any of the foreign introductions. It is 

 called alata, and reminds one vividly of the 

 green coral-like Araucaria. 



The Wales Weeping is likewise very 

 handsome, and, when better known, will be- 

 come popular. 



We recollect noticing a curious and pleas- 

 ing dwarf form, in the specimen grounds of 

 T. C. Maxwell & Bros., the nurserymen of 

 Geneva, N. Y., which we consider superior 

 to many in cultivation. 



We now pass to the consideration of a 

 newer, and very elegant species, the Orien- 

 tal Spruce. It has proven so universally 

 hardy, and is so remarkably attractive, that 

 it deserves more than a passing notice at our 

 ' hands, yet space compels us to pass on with 



