2 CONIFEROUS PLANTS. 



Coniferous plants, occupying cold undrained heavy 

 soils, are often rendered susceptible to the influence of 

 autumn frosts, from the fact that they do not com- 

 mence growing till late in the season, and, as a natural 

 consequence, their shoots are not sufficiently matured 

 when growth ceases in the autumn. Under favourable 

 circumstances growth commences early; in many 

 instances, as we shall presently show, too early ; and a 

 long seasontis required to thoroughly ripen the wood. 

 That this process should be complete is a very 

 important point in their management, and every pre- 

 caution should be taken to facilitate it. But under 

 the unfavourable conditions just alluded to, it is not 

 so. Short days, deficient in sunbeams, with the 

 attendant rain and fogs of early autumn, arrive, 

 when the shoots are in a half ripened state. 

 Further progress towards maturation is prevented. 

 Frosts succeed, and the destruction of the main 

 points and those of the principal branches is the 

 result. 



Now, under the most favourable circumstances, a 

 tree thus mutilated and checked would require two 

 or three seasons to recover. But year after year the 

 same untoward circumstances await it ; recovery is 

 impossible. It loses its attractions, and is only allowed 

 to remain by its proprietor as a monument of the 

 supposed unfavourable climate. We shall have occa- 

 sion to speak of the effect on Coniferous plants of 

 damp without frost in another place. 



But the effects of spring frosts in the Pinetum is 

 perhaps of more frequent and general occurrence, and 



