USE AND ABUSE OF EVERGREENS 157 



for winter effect. But a shrub is a distinct kind 

 of growth; never the immature form of any 

 tree. And because there are true evergreen 

 shrubs it would seem that we should be careful 

 and not misapply the word to young cone bear- 

 ing trees — otherwise trees of the great botanical 

 order Coniferce, 



To come at once at the heart of this misappli- 

 cation and misuse, I contend that, whatever its 

 size may be when it is set out, a tree is a tree 

 for all that — hence to be situated as a tree and 

 not as a shrub. That is the first point. The 

 second is that the individuality of each kind of 

 cone-bearer is so distinct, so positive, so assertive 

 that we should recognize the futility of any at- 

 tempt to bring it into harmonious relation with 

 other kinds, under a system of grouping such 

 as we find so effective when we deal with shrubs 

 or even with certain deciduous trees. Ever- 

 greens indeed belong to a totally different class 

 of vegetation from any other and demand to be 

 thought of differently and to be used under a 

 different concept; in which connection it may 

 be interesting to say that they are regarded by 

 some authorities on plant biology as a really 

 passing race. 



That is, they belong with a past age — are 

 the remnants of it perhaps — and show now, to 



