STATE HORTICULTURA.L SOCIETY. 7^ 



families, but some of them claim to be only third of fourth cousins 

 removed. And then, to avoid all mistakes, they are labeled to name; 

 and such names. Whether his learning or our ignorance is at 

 fault is pretty hard to tell. One thing is certain, we know the 

 difference between a pine and a holly. 



We will first introduce ourselves to the pine family; they seem 

 to be of all sizes, and we should infer of all ages, but the Professor 

 says "they are all of about the same age. The difference is in 

 their constitutional vigor of growth. Those found on top of the 

 'rookies' never make anything but dwarfs, but these dwarf pines 

 are perfectly hardy, branching at the ground, grow into a perfect 

 globular form with little pruning, and are quite ornamental in well 

 kept grounds." But here is a specimen that comes nearer to our 

 idea of a tree. It is labeled pinus strobus, but we should call it a 

 white pine. It is perfectly at home everywhere, being native born, 

 and seems to be quite a dandy among the pines, of straight, upright 

 growth, light-green feathery leaves, and long, pliant branches, and 

 is worthy of a place in every collection. 



Well, here is a foreigner, but he has taken out naturalization 

 papers, and seems to be as much at home as his neighbor. He is 

 called here 2^imts sylvestris. The Professor claims there are several 

 hardy varieties of the Scotch pine, but this is about the only one 

 found in our nurseries. Here is another specimen labeled, pinus 

 Austriaca, quite distinct from the others, a type of a perfect color 

 in evergreen foliage. By this we mean to convey the impression 

 that any one shade of color, however pleasing, is not desirable for 

 all trees; hence the white pine with its light-green foliage, the 

 Scotch tinged with blue, and the Austrian with its clear, pure 

 depth of green, form a marked contrast in color at once pleasing to 

 the eye that Nature charms. But the Professor says, "There are 

 some objections to the Austrian on account of its rough growth 

 while young, in not adapting itself to every kind of soil, and in not 

 being hardy in all exposures. While the white and Scotch pine 

 thrive best in soils composed of sand, and defy the cold winds that 

 come out of the North, the Austrian is equal if not superior in 

 richer and more compact soils and less exposed situations." 



There are other varieties of the pine family here, but as they 

 have not been sufficiently tested we forbear to pass upon them. 



We will now make the acquaintance of the spruce family, and, 

 as we pass along, we venture to remark that we never saw trees so 

 perfectly symmetrical in their form of growth. The Professor just 

 lets the fact leak out in his remarks, " that science sometimes as- 



