Junniry 16, 1866. ] 



JOURNAL OF HOBTIOULTURB AND COTTAGE GARDENEB. 



41 



To note in this place the different points of attention that 

 might be judicionsly applied to the various species of Conifers, 

 especially while the plants are young, would bo to digress too 

 far from the subject of this paper. I may, however, add that 

 having taken upwards of eighty kinds under my care, I have 

 found that the growth of young plants can be promoted, and 

 their symmetry improved, by carefully studying their require- 

 ments. This study mainly consists in knowing the kind of soil 

 in which they are found in their native home, the altitude 

 above sea level at which they thrive best, the mean annual 

 temperature, and the extremes of winter and summer. To judge 

 from these data (some of which may be easily ascertained fur 

 practical purposes from any of the excellent physical atlases that 

 have of late years been published) the probability of the species 

 succeeding or the reverse, will save much after-trouble and dis- 

 appointment. This is particularly applicable to the Cypress 

 and its allies (Cupressina;), as Thuja, Eiota, Ketinospora, and 

 Juniperus. Among these and some of the Pinus tribe the 

 liability to suffer from extreme cold, high winds, and unsuit- 

 able soil, renders more care necessary than for most of the 

 Abies, Pinnses, &c., found in latitudes corresponding to our 

 own, and which scarcely require any attention. 



At Piltdown many of the most important ornamental Coni- 

 fers find the elements necessary to their well-being. The soil 

 is a deep, rich, friable loam, naturally well drained by the 

 gentle slope of the nursery on one side towards the S.E., and 

 in another direction towards the S. It retains sufficient 

 moisture in hot and dry weather to promote free growth, with- 

 out causing the temperature to sink too low in the cold weather 

 that proves so fatal in this country to the Coniferas of warmer 

 cUmes. Instances will be noticed presently. The pure bracing 

 air of the downs, tempered by the vicinity of the sea, less than 

 twenty mUes distant, is also an additional circumstance emi- 

 nently favourable. With these preliminary remarks I now offer 

 some notes of the principal kinds growing there. 



Arancaria imhricata claims the first notice on account of the 

 size many of the specimens have attained, their number, and 

 their perfect growth. The largest, near the entrance gate to 

 the nursery on the east of the road opposite Mr. ifitchell's re- 

 sidence, is probably the finest specimen in England. Its height 

 is upwards of -10 feet ; the circumference of the trunk near the 

 ground is fi| feet ; its lowest branches springing from the trunk 

 are 11 and 12 feet in length, thence gradually and uniformly 

 diminishing in length towards the top. The ramifications of 

 each branch are similarly uniform and equidistant, most nu- 

 merous at the extremities of the main branches, and by their 

 weight give these a graceful curvature and somewhat pendulous 

 habit (the true character of the Araucarias), the curvature and 

 pendulous character becoming less and less towards the top in 

 proportion to the length of the branches. The tree bore cones 

 last year, but none this season. From its height and colour of 

 foliage, this magnificent tree is a conspicuous object from nearly 

 every part of the nursery. It was planted about twenty-six 

 years ago, and it is manifest that its progress has been unin- 

 terrupted under every circumstance of a variable climate. 



The next tree, on the other side of the gateway, is about 

 30 feet in height, resembling the first in all respects. In a 

 line with these two grand plants is a continuous row of up- 

 wards of sixty others, varying in height from 20 to 30 feet. In 

 front of them, a well-kept roadway runs the whole length of 

 the Une ; on the other side of this roadway, and opposite the 

 first row of Araucarias, is another line of upwards of forty 

 more of like magnitude, thus forming an avenue of unexampled 

 interest. A single specimen of Arancaria is eminently pictur- 

 esque, always causing admiration when the specimen is well 

 grown. When, therefore, so large a number of this remarkable 

 South American Conifer is found at one place an extraordinary 

 feature is presented to view, so striking, so unusual in this 

 country, that the scene dwells in the memory as a strange sight 

 Been in a foreign land, or read of in books relating distant 

 travel. This impression is very forcible at a point where, 

 owing to the nature of the ground, the pathway and avenue 

 are diverted from the straight line ; the space behind the Arau- 

 carias on either side being planted with various other Conifers 

 and exotic shrubs, all traces of native vegetation are shut out 

 of view, and tho illusion of being suddenly transported to some 

 unknown region, if indulged in for the moment, is complete. 

 It is gratifying to record the fact that the intense cold of last 

 winter, so disastrous to many Araucarias, did not inflict the 

 slightest injury on these noble plants. Mr. Mitchell has many 

 other young plants in excellent condition. 



Jiiota (Thuja) aurea. — This Conifer has become such a ge- , 



neral favourite, that plants of it are now met with almost every- 

 where, and in every nursei-y the stock of it is generally found 

 to be conspicuously planted, or in such numbers as to attract 

 attention. Piltdown is no exception to this rule, great num- 

 bers in different parts of tho nursery attest the universal de- 

 mand for tliis pretty ornamental shrub. Tho attention of 

 visitors is at once arrested by the two fine specimens near the 

 great Araucaria. These plants are now about 5 feet, or a little 

 more in heigh:, with a circumference of 18 feet ; their growth 

 is perfect throughout, and in form spheroidal almost approach- 

 ing globular, the diameter being but a trifle greater than the 

 height. Biota aurea is one of the handsomest lawn plants ever 

 introduced, being equally suitable for small as for large plots, 

 in the latter case more than one specimen might be planted. 

 It may be frequently noticed that as Biota aurea increases in 

 size and age, the bottom becomes thin, thereby exposing the 

 stems of the shrub. When this is the case, it will be found in 

 many instances that tho roots have penetrated deeply into a 

 barren subsoil, whence they can derive no nourishment. I 

 have found this defect to be partially checked by renewing the 

 soil around the plant. In nurseries this defect is almost en- 

 tirely avoided by the occasional transplanting of the stock. 



Thuja glgantca. — There is a question of nomenclature affect- 

 ing this species which it is very desirable should be set at rest. 

 It has also been called Libocedrus decurrens. According to 

 Mr. Berkeley, the lamented Lobb, who discovered this and the 

 Thuja hitherto known as T. Lobbii, did not name these kinds 

 as we have them, but owing to some oversight the names became 

 as it were transposed, the specific "gigantea" being applied 

 to the kind Lobbii, and vice versa. Judging from the habits 

 of the two species, the rapid growth of T. Lobbii sometimes 

 increasing its height as much as 3 or 4 feet in one season, 

 would the more readily suggest " gigantea," than the slower 

 and more compact growth of the other. Every honour should 

 be paid to the memory of Lobb, who may be regarded as one 

 of the martyrs in the cause of botanical and horticultural 

 science. His name can with propriety be retained for one of 

 the kinds. Why Libocedrus should have been applied does 

 not yet appear sufficiently clear, unless there are points of dif- 

 ference in common with the other species still known as Li- 

 bocedrus. to warrant their separation from the Thujas, as a 

 distinct genus. The specific " decurrens " is objectionable, as 

 not expressing any property in the kind, nor of botanical usage 

 that I am aware of. Synonymes should, if possible, be avoided ; 

 and it would be an immense gain to botany if some competent 

 authority could be established, not only to revise, but to sim- 

 phfy existing nomenclature— a task well worthy of being under- 

 taken. 



The large specimen at Piltdown of Thuja gigantea, or if we 

 are to call it aright, T. Lobbii, is now about 13 feet high ; the 

 circumference of the branches at half that height is much 

 greater than at the bottom. I am inclined to believe that this 

 is not the general character of the tree, having never observed 

 it nor any tendency to it in other specimens. This is, how- 

 ever, the largest I have ever seen. The deep glossy green of its 

 foliage renders it a most beautiful and picturesque object at all 

 seasons ; its hardiness has also been fully established. It ap- 

 pears to be shy of removal, probably on account of scarcity of 

 rootlets. I have to regret the loss of a good plant G feet high 

 from this cause. It might be overcome by grafting on a more 

 vigorous kind, but this process is very objectionable in many 

 Conifers. 



Thuja sibirica, or plicata, for I believe them to be identical, 

 is too well known to need description. It is more valuable for 

 contrast with other Conifers in colour of foliage and formality 

 of growth than as single specimens. Mr. Mitchell's largest is 

 about 12 feet high, quite conical in shape — the characteristic of 

 tho species. I know of no Conifer so frequently planted where 

 it ought not to be as T. plicata, the colour of its foliage only 

 showing to advantage when contrasted with other species. A 

 dwarf variety of it, called T. minima, is deserving of a place 

 under similar restrictions. 



Cuprcs.tus Lau-soniana. — The hardiest and most graceful Of 

 all the Cypresses proper, and therefore the most valuable of 

 them for ornamental purposes. From its readiness to produce 

 seed, even in a young state, it might become as common as 

 Larch if it possessed any economic value, but with the excep- 

 tion of some of the Junipers none of the Cupressina; yields 

 timber appUcable to any general purposes, being far surpassed 

 in this respect by many of the Pinuses and Abies. Like other 

 species of this family, it appears to be susceptible of change 

 under cultivation and on different soils, showing varions forms 



