350 TRANSACnOXS OF UOYAL SCOTTISH AKBOUICULTUUAL SOCIETY. 



scion gets hold of the stock in autuinn, and although actual 

 gi'owth does not take place during the winter, yet with the 

 protection of glass the union of the scion and stock goes on and 

 is perfected, so that when a start to grow is made in spring the 

 one seldom shows any inclination to get rid of the other, as is not 

 unfrequently the case when the operation has been performed in 

 spring. Spring grafting must be performed in a warm close house, 

 and unless hardening off is practised with a great amount of 

 caution, many of the plants will cast their scions when the sap 

 begins to move quickly. The stocks should be potted up in 

 spring for autumn grafting, as by that time they are established 

 and in the best condition for operating upon. 



Recapitulation. — From these observations of the growth, hardi- 

 hood, and valuable timber-producing qualities of lliuja cjiyantea, 

 there can be little doubt that it is one of the most useful forest 

 trees that have yet found their way into this country ; and in 

 point of general utility it is well entitled to rank with such other 

 tried and valuable introductions as the Douglas fir, the Corsican, 

 Austrian, and Weymouth pines, and that desirable silver fir, 

 Abies Nordmanniana. Its perfect hardihood in even the coldest 

 ])ortions of the British Isles is now well known ; while in Switzer- 

 land and Germany, where very fevv of our best conifers can with- 

 stand the too often semi-arctic wintei", this tree is highly prized, 

 and is a great favourite with j)lanters. Then, again, it withstands 

 exposure to long-continued and hard, biting winds better than 

 almost any other tree ; its lithe branches and supple leading shoot 

 I'endering it peculiarly well adapted for exposed i)Ositions. 



It cannot be said to be particular about soil, for, as has been 

 stated, goodly specimens have been produced in this country on 

 soil of the most opposite descrii)tions, although, at the same time, 

 that of a rich, moist, and open nature is pi'eferred. The rate of 

 growth is very rapid, surpassing that of most of our cultivated 

 ti-ees, while the timber is of superior quality, and the branch 

 spread narrow in proportion to the tree's height — all valuable 

 qualities in a conifer for general forest purposes. 



As an ornamental conifer it ranks high, and has already received 

 a great amount of attention in this way ; while the extreme ease 

 with which it may be propagated is another point that is greatly 

 in its favour, and which will, in conjunction with its other good 

 qualities, cause it at no distant date to be lai'gely used for economic 

 jilantiug both at home and abroad. 



