HOOKERIANA OR PATTONIANA 129 



added the latest Chinese importation; and this 

 specimen we will eliminate from our discussions 

 summarily, with the remark that the descriptions of 

 the newly imported Western China trees are re- 

 servoirs that so far even the most athirst can only 

 hope to sip from. 



Before instituting any comparison of the differences 

 of the remaining more fraternal seven, we can dismiss 

 from troubling us, upon any question of identifying, 

 the T. Pattoniana, and for the reason that it does 

 not conform to the in other cases strictly observed 

 custom of wearing the leaves in pectinate arrange- 

 ment. Besides this unorthodox radial arrangement 

 of its much narrower leaves, it breaks another rule 

 by sporting stomatic bands on both the upper and 

 lower side of its leaves. These traits in its character 

 render it easily distinguishable from other Hemlock 

 Spruces ; but before leaving the subject of this West 

 American tree, variously alluded to as Hookeriana, 

 Mertensiana, and Pattoniana, w^e should like to add 

 a personal expression of opinion upon it. Notwith- 

 standing these deviations from the paths of strict 

 Hemlock Sprucian rectitude, this tree, which was 

 introduced in 1854, has undoubtedly winning ways 

 with it. From all accounts, it prefers a certain 

 humidity of atmosphere ; and had it lived in mytho- 

 logical days, doubtless it would have been committed 

 to the care of Dione, the goddess of moisture, or to 

 some clique of sorrowing and Stellular Sisters whose 

 mission it was to shed tears and produce rain-drops. 

 Had it been relegated to the especial attention of the 

 great cloud-compellor himself, Jupiter, son of Kronos 

 and lord of the storm-cloud, it would have deserved 

 the high patronage showered upon it. Whatever is 

 required to be showered upon it, and whatever is 

 showered upon it, we firmly believe that blessings 

 will be bountifully poured by posterity upon those 



