The Dictionary of Gardening, 



Abies — CO n tinned. 



liin. in length ; lower ones longest, obtusely pointed or eniar- 

 cinate, bright ffreen above, with two silvery lines beneath, cones 

 Sin. to 4in. long, purple, h. 120ft. Japan, 1870. A recently 

 introduced magnificent fir, with an erect stem, regularly whorled 

 horizontal branches. 



A. bracteata (bracted).* I. risid, linear, flat, distichous, 2iu. to Sin. 

 Iniijx, briglit glossy green above, and glaucous beneath, cones 

 about 4in. long, with the bracts developed into long rigid leaf-like- 

 linear spines, 2in. long, and slightly curved inwards. h. 25ft. 

 Southern California, 1853. A very handsome tall slender tree, 

 but, owing to its very early gi'owth of new shoots, it is much 

 injured by the spring frosts. 



A. Brunoniana (Brown's). Synonymous with Tmga Brunoniana. 



A. canadensis (Canadian). A synonym of Tsvga canadensis. 



A. cephalonica (Cephalonian).* ;. subulate, flat, dark gieen 

 iibu\e, aiul silvfry beneath, acute, cones erect, cylindrical, gi'een 

 when yoiuiii. afterwards reddish, and brown when ripe, 5in. to 

 6iu. in length, and about l^in. in diameter; scales broad, thin, 

 and rounded, shorter than the bracts, h. 50ft. to 60ft. Mountains 

 of Greece, 1824. A very desirable tree for growing in exposed 

 situations. 



A. ciliclca (Cilician). I. linear, slightly curved or straight, lin. 

 to Uin. long, dark greenabove, and glaucousbeneath, crowded, in 

 two ranks, cones cylindrical, 6in. to Sin. long ; scales broad, thin, 

 entire, coriaceous, h. 40ft. to 60ft. Mount Taurus, in Asia 

 Minor. This species seldom produces a good specimen tree in 

 England, and cannot, therefore, be recommended for general 

 cultivation. 



A. concolor (one-coloured).* /. linear, flat, obtuse, glancous green, 

 distichously arranged in double vows, those in the lower rows 2in. 

 to Sin. long, upper ones shorter, channelled above, cones cylin- 

 drical, obtuse both at base and top, 3in. to 5in. long, 2in. to 2iin. 

 in diameter ; scales numerous, imbricated, larger than the bracts. 

 h. 80ft. to 150ft. California, Ac, 1851. A very beautiful species, 

 with yellow bark on the young branches. Syns. A. lasiocarpa 

 and A. Parsonii. 



A. Douglasll (Douglas'). A synonym of Pseudotsuga Dou<jlasii. 



A. duniosa(shoit-leaved). Synonymous with Tsuga Brunoniana. 



A. excelsa (tall). A synonym of Picca excelsa. 



A. firma (solid).* I. rigid, coriaceous, spirally arranged around 

 the branchlets, but point laterally in two directions, lin. to IJin. 

 long, very variable in young and old trees, cones cylindrical, 

 obtuse at both ends, 3in.* to 6in. long; scales imbricated, bearing 

 protruding keeled bracts, h. 100ft. Japan, 1861. An erect tree, 

 of great beauty. 



A. Fortnnei (Fortune's). It is said that in its native country, its 

 aspect is peculiar rather than handsome, and that but one living 

 rejjresentative is believed to be in existence in this country— at 

 Veitch's Nursery. Sy.n. Keteleeria Fortunei. 



A. Fraseri (Eraser's). Double Balsam Spruce Fir. I. linear, 

 eraarginate, silvery beneath, cones oblong, squarrose, somewhat 

 leafy, obcordate, mucronate, half exserted, reflexed. h. 30ft. to 

 40ft. North Carolina, 1811. This species closely resembles A. 

 balsamea, from which it differs in having shorter and more erect 

 leaves, and smaller cones. 



A. grandis (splendid).* I. in double rows, on each side of the 

 bninclilets, flat, obtuse, emarginate, pectinate, silvery beneath, 

 from iin. to lin. long, cones lateral, solitai'y, cylindrical, obtuse 

 at base and apex, 4in. to. 5in. long, 2in. wide; bracts ovate, 

 acuminate, irregularly dentate, very short. h. 100ft. Califoi- 

 nia, 1831. A handsome tree of symmetrical habit, and rapid 

 growth. 



A. lasiocarpa (woolly-coned). Synonymous with A. concolur. 



A. magnifica (magnificent).* /. densely crowded, two-rowed, lin. 

 to nearly 2in. long, olive gi'een. very glaucous on the upper 

 surface when young, liecoming duller witli age, and marked with 

 two silvery lines beneatli. cones bin. to 7iu. long, 25in. to 3in. in 

 diameter; scales, outer rdue incurved, h. 200ft. North California, 

 1851. A very tall and statL'Iy species, with, at successive intervals, 

 whorls of linriznntal braiu'liL^s. 



A. Mariesii (Mari(?s'). /. erect, evenly disposed around the stem, 

 lineur-ublong, obtuse ; apex notched, Jin. to not quite lin. long ; 

 bi-acts ovate, oblong, retuse. cones erect, cylindrical, S^n. to 5Ain. 

 long, lain, to 2in. wide, narrowed at the base and apex, blackish 

 purple ; scales entire, nearly lin. wide, not quite so long ;us wide. 

 Japan, 1879. A tall, pyramidal tree. 



A. Mertensiana (Morten's), Synonymous with Tsnga Merten- 



A. miniata (vermilion). Synonymous with Picea erenu'ta. 

 A. Morinda (Morinda). Synonymous with Picea Morinda. 



A. nobilis (noble).* I. linear, mostly on one side of the branches, 

 falcate, shcn-t, acute, silvery beneath, l|in. long, cones cylindrical, 

 erect, sessile, 6iin. long, 23in. broad, brownish ; scales triangular, 

 without the bractea, llin. long, and the same in breailth ; bractea 

 spathulate, imlnicated backwards, ^-in. long. h. 200ft. to 300ft. 

 California, 1851. A majestic tree. 



A. Nordmanniana (Nordmann's).* I. linear, rigid, flat, and 

 minutely liitid at the apex, on young trees spreading in two rows, 

 with a half-tv,i.-t at tlie Iiase, lin. long, emics erect, shghtly ovoid, 



Abies — continued. 



pedunculate, 4in. to 6in. long, and 2iin. to 23in. wide ; bracts 

 large, coriaceous, three-lobed, fringed, greatly exceeding the 

 scales, h. 80ft. to 100ft. Crimea, &c., 1848. A magnificent and 

 stately tree, of regular growth. 

 A. Numidica (Numidian). Synonymous with A. baboren^s. 

 A. obovata (reversed-egg-coned). A synonym of Picea obovata. 

 A. orientalis (eastern). Synonymous with Picea orientalls. 

 A, Parsonii (Parson's). Synonymous with A. concolor. 



A, pectinata (comb-like).* I. linear, solitary, flat, obtuse, stiff, 

 tuined-up at the points, two-ranked, ^in. to lin. long, shining 

 gi'een above, with two lines of silvery wliite on each side of the 

 midrib beneath, cones axillary, cylindrical, erect, 6in. to Sin. long, 

 liin. to 2in. broad, when ripe, brown; scales with a long dorsal 

 bractea, I'ln. to ijin. Ions, and l^in. broad. /(. 80ft. to 100ft. A 

 very noble s'lvor tir, of slow gi'owth when young only. Central 

 Europe, 1605. There are several unimportant varieties of this 

 splendid species. 



A. Pindrow (Pindrow). In its native home, the Himalayas, this 

 is a very beautiful tree, attaining the height of 150ft-, but it has 

 generally failed in England, in consequence of our late spring 

 frosts destroying the young growth. It comes very near A. 

 Webbiana, but is readily distinguished by its longer and more 

 acutely bidented leaves, and smaller cones. 



A. Pinsapo (Pinsapo).* The Spanish Silver Fir. Z. linear, disposed 

 around the branches, nearly terete, and entire at the apex, not 

 quite Ain. long, bright green, with faint silvery lines on the inner 

 side, cones sessile, ovjil, or oblong, 4in. to 52in. long, about 

 2in. wide; bracts short, concealed by the broad rounded scales. 

 h. 60ft. to 80ft, South Spain, 1839. A very magnificent species, 

 very regular and symmetrical in habit. The one or two varieties 

 offered for sale are not desirable. 



A. polita (neat).* I. arranged spirally, short, erect, rigid, falcate, 

 acute at the apex, tetragonal, but compressed, cones ellipsoid, 

 3in. to 4in. long ; scales light brown, coriaceous, minutely notched 

 at the edge. Island of Nippon, 1861. This is a beautiful species, 

 admirably adapted as a specimen tree for lawns. 



A. religiosa (sacred). L linear, acute, quite entire, l^in. long. 

 coffs nmiidish-oval, 23in. long, and 2iin. broad; scales trape- 

 zoidi il-rnrdate ; bracts the length of the scapes, spathulate- 

 oblong. h. 100ft. t<. 150ft. Mexico, 1839. A very handsome 

 species, but not hardy in this country. 



A. sachalinensis (Sachalin). I. in many rows, lin. or very 

 slightly more long, t' in. broad, twisted to one side, rigid, linear, 

 obtuse. cones sessile, erect, cylindrical, bluntly rounded at the 

 apex, Sin. long, lin. wide; scales transversely oblong, reniform ; 

 margin inflexed, denticulate; bracts ^in. wide, ^m. long, obovate, 

 serrulate, terminating in a reflexed angular point, exceeding the 

 scale. Japan, 1879. A tall pyramidal robust species. 



A. Schrenkiana (Schrenk's). Synonymous with Picea Schrenk- 

 iana. 



A. sibirica (Siberian). Like the last, this species is not recom- 

 mended ; its gi'owth is very slow, even under the most favourable 

 circumstances. Siberia. 



A. Smithiana (Smith's). A synonym of Picea Morinda. 



A. subalpina (sub-alpine).* On the high( mountains of Colorado, 

 (tc, a tree 60ft. to 100ft. in height. Has not been long enough in 

 English gardens for any decided opinion to be formed as to its 

 merits as an ornamentai tree. 



A. Tsuga (Tsugan). A synonym of Tsuga Sieboldl. 



A. Veitchii (Veitch's).* /. crowded, lateral ones spreading in a 

 distichous manner, those on the upper side much shorter and 

 pointing forwards, Ain. to lin. long, linear, flat, glaucous above, 

 silvery beneath ; emarginate on the sterile branches, entire on the 

 fertile ones. cones erect, sub-cylindrical, purplish-brown, 2in. to 

 2iin. long, 3in. to nearly lin. wide ; scales horizontal, reniform, 

 densely packed, each enclosing a short, wedge-shaped bract as 

 long as the scale, h. 120ft. to 140ft. Japan, 1860, and again in 

 1879. Described as a beautiful and interesting tree, as well as 

 perfectly hardy ; it should be planted on elevated spots open to 

 tlie south or south-east. 



A. Webbiana (Webb's).* I. two-rowed, linear, flat, obtusely 

 emarginate, silvery beneath, l^in. to 2iin. long. coh(?5 cylindrical, 

 6iiii. to Tin. long, 2in. or more broad, deep purple ; scales kidney- 

 shaped, roundish, closely compressed, imbricated, about lin. long, 

 and liin. broad ; bracts oblong, apiculate. h. 70ft. to 90ft. Hima- 

 layan Mountains, 1822. A large handsome pjTamidal tree, with 

 numerous branches spreading horizontally, much divided, and 

 densely clothed. 



A. Williamsoni (Williamson's). A synonym of Tsuga Pattoniana. 

 ABOBRA (its Brazilian name). Ord. Cucuvhitacece. 



A genu:i of .^tove or greenhouse plants, having solitary 



axillary dioecious flowers, and finely divided leave^^. The 



only species in cultivation is a very pretty half-hardy 



climbing perennial, having a fiet^hy root about 1ft. or more 



beneath the surface of the soil. It thrives well in warm 



sunny spots, and in a light soil ; seeds may be sown in pots 



or pans of light soil early in April ; the young plants can 



be planted out about the middle of June. The fleshy 



