18 HARDY CONII'EROUS TREES. 



tint of the branch tips, this variety is somewhat interesting, 

 but it can hardly be considered an acquisition. 



A. rcligfaosa,, Schlechtendal. {Synonyms: — Picea re- 

 ligiosa, Murray ; Abies Jiirtella, Lindley.) Mountains of 

 Mexico and Guatemala. 1838. — This species has not proved 

 generally hardy, though in Ireland and Southern England, 

 particularly near the sea, fair specimens are to be occasionally 

 met with. It is a tall tree with dark glossy green leaves, each 

 about \\ inches long, and pretty deep-blue cones, about 5 

 inches in length, and half that in diameter, and with the whitish 

 bracts more or less protruding, the acuminate points being 

 reflexed. Specimens over 70 feet high may be seen in the 

 south of Ireland. 



A. sachalinensis, Masters. Saghalien Fir. {Syno- 

 nym : — A. Veitchii sachalinensis, Schmidt.) Sachalin, 

 Jesso. 1879. — From what little is known of this species it 

 would seem to be an undoubted acquisition, and though nearly 

 allied to the better known A. Veitchii, yet the foliage has a 

 certain resemblance to that of A. sibirica. The small blunt- 

 pointed leaves are crowded spirally around the stem, and are 

 about I inch in length ; while the cones are 3 inches long by i 

 inch in diameter, with projecting and reflexed bracts. It has 

 proved quite hardy in this country. 



A. sibirica, Ledebour. {Synonyms: A. Pichta,¥ orhes; 

 Picea PicJita, Loudon.) Northern and Eastern Russia. — 

 This cannot be called a desirable tree for planting in these 

 isles, it usually wearing a shabby, starved appearance, being 

 thin of foliage and the branch tips cut back and arrested by 

 cold winds and frost. The leaves are dark green above and 

 silvery beneath ; but the whole aspect of the tree greatly 

 reminds one of a stunted specimen of the common silver fir. 

 The best specimens in this country are growing in stiff, 

 dampish, clayey loam, on the northern side of a sharply 

 rising hill. 



A. Veitchii, Lindley. {Synonyms: — Picea Veitchii; 

 Pinus selcnokpis, Parlatore ; Abies nepJirolepis, Maximowicz.) 

 Mountains of Japan. 1879. — This is a tree of neat and spiral 



