In the " Ramble " — Fourth Excursion 



nigra) is seldom cultivated. These two native species 

 are distinguishable, in one respect, by the fact that the 

 white one sheds all of its cones every year, whereas the 

 black spruce retains them for several years. The Park 

 contains also a spruce from the Black Sea {A. orientalis)^ 

 and the Colorado blue spruce {A. pungens). 



The most admired firs in the world (a genus withyfc^/ 

 leaves, mostly in '' two ranks," i.e.^ on opposite sides 

 of the branch) are the beautiful silvery-tinted species, 

 which are quite rare. In their native habitats they are 

 often large and stately, but the cultivated specimens are 

 quite small. The Park contains two sorts, the Colorado 

 silver fir {A. concolor), and Nordmann's silver fir (^A. 

 fiordmafinii) from the Crimean Mountains. Here, too, 

 are the balsam fir {A. baisaf?iea), from which comes our 

 Canada balsam, and the Southern analogue of the same 

 (^A. fraseri). 



The hemlock {Tsiiga canadensis), a North American 

 product, is a distinctive tree to be proud of, but its ap- 

 pearance in the Park does not do it justice. In luxu- 

 riant condition it combines the temperaments of conif- 

 erous and deciduous growth very effectively. 



Junipers, erect and prostrate, are well represented here, 

 and illustrate a curious type of vegetation that is repug- 

 nant in detail but decorative in the mass. They can be 

 studied to good advantage around the Bolivar statue ; 

 all sorts of conifers in that locality seem to thrive better 

 than elsewhere. 



A beautiful Japanese evergreen is the Cryptofneria^ 

 more graceful than most of its class, a low tree with 

 rather spreading and drooping branches thickly studded 



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