68 Annah of Horticulture. 



" Mematsu pine {^Piniis de?isiflora, Sieb. and Zucc. ; Jap., 

 Mematsu, Aka-matsii). This pine is a favorite everywhere. It 

 has many dwarf forms. A common mode of training these is 

 in the shape of a flat or round-headed bush, onl}^ a couple of 

 feet high. Another common way of training is as an irregular 

 P3^ramid, in which each leading branch is spread into a flat- 

 tened bunch, and these arranged one above the other with in- 

 tervals of a foot or so. Seen from a distance, trees so trained 

 remind one of stratified clouds on the horizon. Though such 

 methods of training would not harmonize with surroundings 

 here, yet these low pines, allowed to follow their natural bent, 

 would add much to the beauty of American gardens. 



'-'Thunberg's pine {^Pinus Thunbergii, Parlot.; Jap., O-matsu, 

 Kuro-matsii). This species has also many dwarf forms which 

 would be desirable acquisitions. And the same remark ap- 

 plies to 



"The oriental arbor-vitae. Some nursery catalogues men- 

 tion a golden arbor-vitae, but the Japanese have more than 

 one. I call to mind having noticed at least three ; one a good 

 sized, free-growing tree, another of medium size and growth, 

 with branches much flattened, and a third a dwarf, slow grower 

 with bunched branches, apparently a result of the suppressed 

 growth of the leading shoots, all three kinds with bright golden 

 shoots, especially on the south side. 



'' Other arbor-vitaes are the following : Thuja obtusa, Mas- 

 ters ; Jap., Hinoki, KamakuraJiiba ; also a variety of this nam- 

 ed breviraf?iea, Jap., Chabo-hiba. Thuja pisifera. Masters 

 (^Retinospora pisifera, Sieb. and Zucc ); Jap., Sawara, Shinobu- 

 hiba. Thuja Japonica, Maxim.; Jap., Goro-hiba. Thuja dolabra- 

 ta, L. ; Jap., Hime-asunaro. All these are common forest trees 

 in the mountain regions of the main island, where they grow 

 to great size. They are beautiful ornamental trees, especially 

 the last named, and deserve attention here. 



^^ Cijptomeria Japonica, Don (Jap., Sugi, Euko-Sugi), is an- 

 other tree which, though no stranger here, deserves wider cul- 

 ture than it receives. It grows to enormous size. At Nikko, 

 for instance, specimens can be found six to seven feet in di- 

 ameter, a hundred and fifty feet tall and as straight as candles. 

 One of the finest avenues in the country is the road to Nikko, 

 which, for several miles, is closely lined on both sides by these 

 handsome trees. Plantations of artificial forest are also com- 



