December 3, 1869. ] 



JOUBNAIi OF HOBTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



439 



American Taxodiam of Richard. In a ehcot 1 foot in length 

 of the latter we find perhaps four or six branchieta ; in the same 

 spaoe in Glyptostrobns we shall find a score or more. Indeed, 

 in this plant, a branohlet springs from nearly every axil on the 

 main branch, showiag an extraordinary vigonr. As vigour is 

 opposed to a free development of foliage, the small thread-like 

 leaves of Glyptoslrobus are naturally to be expected, and the 

 free leaves distichoualy arranged are the natural concomitant 

 of the weaker Taxodium. Fortunately, I am able to sustain 

 this theory by actual facts. I have a seedling tree ten years 

 old of remarkable vigour. It does not branch quite so much 

 as the typical Glyptostrobus, but much more freely than 

 any Taxodium. The result is the foliage is acicnlate, not 

 distichous, and just intermediate between the two supposed 

 genera. But to help me still more, my tree of Glyptostrobus 

 has pushed forth some weak shoots with foliage identical in 

 every respect with the intermediate Taxodium. Specimens of 

 all these are presented with this. la establishing Glyptostrobns, 

 Endlicher notes some trifling difYerencea in the scales of the 

 cones between it and Taxodium, but all familiar with numerous 

 individuals of some species of Coniferw, Biota oricntaUs for in- 

 stance, know how these vary. There can be no doubt, I think, 

 of the identity of the two ; and this will form another very in- 

 teresting link in the chain of evidence, that the flora of Japan 

 is closely allied to that of the United States. 



If we were to look on the so-called leaves of Finns and Sciado- 

 pitys as true leaves, we should find serious opposition to my 

 theory that a vigorous axial growth is opposed to the development 

 of free leaves in Conifera;, for we should see a class of plants 

 which notoriously adds but from three to six branches annu- 

 ally to each axis, clothed with foliage. But admitting them to 

 be phylloid shoots, it confirms our theory in a strong degree. 

 We then see a plant loaded with branchlet?, and so great is the 

 tendency to use them instead of leaves, that in some cases, as 

 in Finns Strobus, P. excelsa, and others of a softer class of 

 Phylloideaj, the bud scales are almost entirely confined to the 

 sheathing leaflets ; just as in the very rugged, hard leaved, al- 

 most spinescent forms, like Finns austriaca, we find them more 

 dependent on well-developed adnate leaf scales. In Abies ot old 

 authors, A. excelsa for instance, we have a namerous branching 

 tendency ; hence we have true leaves though partially adnate, 

 and no necessity for phylloid branchlets. In Ficea of Link, 

 almost near Abies, taking P. baleamea as a type, we have a 

 rather weaker development, slower-growing and leas hardy trees, 

 and the leaves are nearly free. Could some of the shoots of 

 Abies be arrested in their axial development as in Larix, we 

 should have the remainder increased in length, and the fewer 

 branchlets, and two forms of leaves, just as iu Larix. Should 

 on the other hand, the tjlant increase in vi;;our, there would 

 be no class of free leaves ; aJnation would be tie law, and meta- 

 morphosed branchlets prevail. Starting from Abies, extra 

 vigour makes the Pine, extra delicacy the Larch. It is the 

 ■centre of two extreme?. 



That the fascicles in Finns are phylloid shoots I think cannot 

 be questioned. Their position in the axils of the true leaves, 

 as beautifully shown in Finns austriaca, indicates the pro- 

 bability. Tbeir permanency in proportion to their induracy is 

 also another point. The soft ones of the Strobus section retain 

 vitality little longer than some true leaves, while the spines- 

 cent ones of P. austriaca remain green for four or five years. 

 But the stiongest of all points is that on dissection of an old 

 fascicle it will be found to have a distinct connection with the 

 woody system of the tree, and that these minute woody axilL-e 

 under each fascicle increase in size with the age of the sheath. 

 With a very little encouragement these woody axilla' can be in- 

 duced to elongate and become real branchlets. If the leading 

 shoot, for instance, of a Pine be tipped in May just after push- 

 ing, bulblets will form in every fascicle below, and the next sea- 

 son the bulblets will produce weak branchlets, although this 

 might be said of true leaves, which are supposed to bear an 

 embryo shoot in the axil of every one. So much stress need 

 not be put on this fact, as the others are sii2;oient. It is in- 

 troduced, and its weak nature commented on, as it furninhes 

 the chief point in Dr. Dickson's aigument for Sciadopitys, 

 which amounts to little more than that the apparently single 

 phylla is really a double one — a two-leave J fiscicle united by 

 a_ transformed sheath through its whole length. Carri«re has 

 since pushed Dr. Dick3on'3%)bservation3 farther by noting in 

 the " Eeviie Horticcle " renlly bifid leaves, with little verticils 

 in the axils (see reference in Gardeners' Chronicle, May '2ad, 

 1309), an observation which I confirm by a specimen exhibited 

 herewith ; yet as I have said, it is by itself not wholly free from 



the objection that it may be but a modified form of regular bad 

 growth ; but together with my other observations I think they 

 do serve to confirm the point of these so-called leaves being 

 but pbylloidas. 



In conclusion I will restate the main points of this paper ; 



The true leaves of Coniferse are naually adnate with the 

 branches. 



Adnation is in proportion to vigour in the genus, species, or 

 in the individuals of the same species, or branches of the same 

 individual. 



Many so-called distinct species of Coniferoe are the same, but 

 in various states of adnation. — Thomas Meehan (From advance 

 sheets of Proceedings of American Association for Advancem'.nt 

 of Science at Chicago, 1868, quoted in American Gardeners' 

 Monthly) 



NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 



The King of the Belgians visited the Kensington garden 

 of the EovAL HoRTicnLTURAX Society last Saturday. He was 

 received by some of the Vice-Presidents and members of the 

 Council, and in the conservatory about two hundred ladies and 

 gentlemen were assembled, notwithstanding the inclemency of 

 the day. Messrs. Veitch, Messrs. Arthur Henderson Sc Co., 

 Messrs. Lee, Mr. Williams, Mr. Turner, Mr. Wimsett, Messrs. 

 E. G. Henderson & Son, and Messrs. Salter exhibited some 

 beautiful groups of flowers ; and Mr. Fox had an extensive 

 display of garden vases, ornaments, tiles, &c. A new Hippe- 

 astrum was named " Leopold " by the King, at the request of 

 Messrs. Veitch. 



THE DECLINE OF FRUITS IN AMERICA. 

 One of the great difficulties we have to encounter is the 

 deterioration of varieties. However we may theorise in regard 

 to this matter, it must be admitted, from the practical point of 

 view, that some fruits have so declined as to render it absolutely 

 necessary to replace them with new varieties. And what has 

 been true in the past will be so in the future. Witness certain 

 kinds of Pears in our own day — the St. Germain, Crassane, 

 Brown Beurre, White Doyenne, and others once so excellent; 

 where are they now ? Some of them are occasionally to ba 

 seen on the virgin soils of the West and South ; yet for the 

 great majority of locations they will continue to be worthless. 

 And even on these new soils, where they now flourish in their 

 pristine excellence, we have reason, judging of their future from 

 the past, to anticipate that no long time will elapse before this 

 decline will reach these now favoured regions. Within less 

 than a generation the Pears alluded to flourished throughout 

 western New York, as well as, iu their early history, on the pro- 

 pitious soil of France. And even among the more modern Pears 

 j we notice — as, for instance, iu the Beurre Diel and Flemish 

 Brauty— signs of the same decay. And so with the Grape. 

 Where the Catawba and Isabella Grapes once succeeded per- 

 fectly, they seem now to be failing, and in many sections of 

 our country are no more to be relied on. Eveu the Concord, 

 now so popular, indicates that in time it may follow in the 

 same degenerate strain. While we indulge in these forebodings 

 we cannot but express the deep regret we feel for the loss of such 

 fine fruits. Other fine fruits are following in the same coarse. 

 This should not discourage us, but rather increase our enter- 

 prise lor the production of new sorts to keep up the deterioration 

 which seems incident toculiifalion. We have to learn not only 

 what vai'ieties succeed in certain districts, but throughout the 

 cjuntry. Already we have ascertained that some kinds flourish 

 throughout a wide range of territory. For instance, the Red 

 A-^trachan Apple and B-irtlett Pear seem to prosper everywhere. 

 When we reflect on the wide expanse of territory daily becom- 

 ing suEcaptible 6f cultivation, and that our fruits mast ulti- 

 mitely be spread over these vast fields, it becomes a matter of 

 great imooi-tance to increase our native fruits, some of which 

 may be suited to these regions, and thus replace those which 

 may decline. V/e, therefore, give a hearty welcome to the 

 efforts of all who are labouring in this praiseworthy cause. 

 Who can estimate the importance and value of a new variety 

 of fruit, which shall be adapted to the wide range of our 

 rapidly extending cultivation ? He who shall originate a new 

 Apple, Pear, of Grape, which shall be worthy of being handed 

 down to posterity, should be held in remembrance as a benefac- 

 tor of mankind. " He who shall discover a remedy for the Pear 

 blight and other diseases incident to vegetation, which now 



