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genus, (AUcs.) The Norway spruce in particular lias been highly re^ 

 commended by several western horticultural societies as the most suit- 

 able tree for belts for the protection of orchards. It is perfectly hardy, 

 bears' transplanting, is vigorous in growth, and adapted to all common 

 soils. 



The white and the black spruces are among the most valuable orna- 

 mental evergreens, and their presence in the vicinity of the farm-house 

 or dwelling is at once an evidence of taste, and adds materially, not only 

 to the market value of a place, but presents agreeable objects for the eye, 

 and relieves t1ie dreariness of the winter landscape. 



Among ornamental evergreens perhaps none is more deserving of a 

 place than the hemlock. Its delicate light-green and silvery foliage 

 and slender, drooping, graceful branches form a pleasing contrast with 

 the stifi'er and more rigid pines and spruces. Perhaps on account of its 

 commonness in the Northern and Eastern States, it has been neglected 

 as an ornamental tree. Mr. Meehau says of it that '^ it would be no 

 exaggeration to pronounce it the most beautiful evergreen in cultiva- 

 tion." It has been recommended as a screen, or ornamental hedge, but 

 for this purpose there is probably no evergreen equal to the arbor vitse. 

 This bears close planting, may be jiruned into any desired shape, and 

 forms a dense, compact wall of the deepest green. The Siberian and 

 Chinese arbor vitas are considerably cultivated, and may perhaps suit 

 some localities better than the American. 



The larch. — The larch, although not an evergTcen, is a coniferous tree, 

 possessing the same general characters of structure and fructification 

 as those we have mentioned. The American and the European are the 

 two species which are known in cultivation. The European larch has 

 of late years been very highly, perhaps extravagantly, recommended 

 for general cultivation as a timber-tree on the western prairies. It has, 

 indeed, many valuable qualities, being a very rapid grower, possessing 

 a pleasing symmetry of form, and furnishing a wood of great value and 

 adapted to a great variety of uses. Extensive plantations of it have 

 been formed in Scotland, which have proved highly successful. The' 

 plantations of the Duke of Athol, in that country, are everywhere 

 famous, and have stimulated to extensive i)lanting of this tree in 

 other countries. It has been tried in this country sufficiently to prove 

 its value as a rapid, vigorous grower, hardy and beautiful, but the wood 

 grown here has not yet been sufficiently tested to fully decide on its 

 merits. Eecently, indeed. Professor Matthews, of the Iowa Agricultu- 

 ral College, has thrown out some doubts about the durability of the 

 wood grown upon the western prairies. It seems highly probable that 

 the quality of the timber is affected more or less by soil and climate. 

 Louden says that, " A certain elevation of surface, coolness of climate, 

 and inferiority of soil, are absolutely necessary to produce the timber in 

 perfection." On broken hills, bluffs, and slopes, it can probably be 

 grown with great profit. The American larch very closely resembles 

 the European, having smaller cones and shorter and paler leaves. Its 

 natural situation is in cold swamps in the northern portions of the United 

 States, where it is known as tamarack or hackmatack, but it seems to 

 succeed well in cultivation on high and dry soils. Many contradictory 

 statements have been made as to the value of the timber, some consid- 

 ering it even superior to the European species, others accounting it of 

 little value. Mr. Lapham, of Wisconsin, says : " Those who desire to 

 make plantations of the larch should take into consideration the char- 

 acter of the land to be planted ; if it be wet, then the American larch 

 should be chosen. It is a tall, slender grower, with coarse-grained, du- 



