ABIES 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



ABRONIA. 



407 



the leaders give way and the side branches 

 grow vigorously. Even in old specimens with 

 several heads it forms a picturesque tree. 

 Greece. 



A. CILICICA (Mount Taurus Fir). A grace- 

 ful tree, 40 ft. to 60 ft. high, with slender 

 branches. It grows freely, but is apt to be 

 injured by spring frosts ; the leaves are soft, 

 and of a peculiar shade of green where it thrives. 

 Cilicia. 



A. CONCOLOR (Hoary White Fir). A 

 whitish tree of medium height, with thick, grey 

 bark. The flat leaves are about 2 ins. long, 

 and it has small, pale yellow cones. It is hardy 

 in Britain, and a rapid grower. Colorado. 



A. FIRMA (Japanese Silver Fir). A tree of 

 sometimes 150 feet in height, with light brown 

 bark and foliage of a glossy green. Hardy in 

 Britain, and grows freely when established, 

 although it is late in starting. It is a handsome 

 tree with short branches and stiff habit. 

 Japan. 



A. FRASERI (Allegheny Fir). A forest tree, 

 reaching 90 feet high in its own country, with 

 smooth bark having resinous blisters. It is 

 allied to the Balsam Fir, but has shorter and 

 more oval cones, and leaves with silvery under- 

 sides. Mountains of Virginia, N. Carolina, 

 and Tenessee. 



A. GRANDIS (Puget Sound Fir). A beauti- 

 ful and stately tree of over 200 feet, with dark 

 green cones 2 to 3 inches long, and dark shin- 

 ing leaves, white below. Hardy and free in 

 various parts of Britain ; best in moist soils, 

 trees in Scotland at Ochertyre being over 60 

 feet high in 1899. N. W. America. 



A. LASIOCARPA (Alpine Fir). A beautiful 

 spire-like tree 150 feet high with white bark, 

 and very small cones, purple, 2 to 3 inches 

 long, and red male flowers, the foliage luxuriant 

 and gracefully curved. Alaska, B. Columbia. 

 A. LOWIANA (California White Fir). A 

 lovely tree, often 150 feet high, long leaves 

 and light green cones, turning yellow at 

 maturity. Oregon to Southern California. 



A. MAGNIFICA (California Red Fir). A 

 stately mountain tree of 200 to 250 feet, with 

 brown bark (red within), and very large light 

 purple cones 6 to 8 inches long. The foliage 

 is dense on the lower branches, but thinner 

 towards the top, of olive- green. Grows rapidly 

 in Britain. N. California. 



A. MARIESI (Maries' Silver Fir) is a tall, 

 pyramidal tree with robust spreading branches 

 and dark purple cones 4 to 5 inches long. 

 Japan. 



A. NOBILIS (Columbia Fir). A mountain 

 tree, 200 to 300 feet high, with deep glaucous 

 foliage and brown cones 5 to 7 inches long. 

 Hardy and rapid grower in Britain. Oregon. 

 A. NORDMANNIANA (Crimean Fir). A 

 beautiful dark green tree, with rigid branches 

 and dense dark green foliage and large cones. 

 Hardy and good grower in Britain. Caucasus 

 and Crimea. 



A. NUMIDICA (Mount Babor Fir). A tree 

 of medium height with bright green foliage. 

 Hardy in this country, but may fail from start- 



ing too early. Mountains of N. Africa, grow- 

 ing with Cedars and Yew. 



A. PECTINATA (Silver Fir). A noble tree 

 of the mountains of Central Europe, often 

 planted in Britain, and growing well over 100 

 feet high at Longleat, Burton Park, and many 

 other places. It was the first of the Silver Firs 

 planted in Britain, and one of the best. When 

 young it grows well in the shade of other trees, 

 and it is an excellent tree to plant for shelter, 

 as it will grow in the most exposed situations, 

 and in peaty as well as ordinary soils. 



A. PINSAPO (Spanish Silver Fir). A large 

 Fir, with bright green prickly foliage, and 

 thriving in almost any soil and in chalky dis- 

 tricts. Often suffers from too early a start in 

 spring, and the usual method of isolation 

 by which the grass exhausts the moisture. 

 Spain. 



A. SACHALiNENSis(Saghalien Silver Fir). 

 A tall tree with greyish-brown bark, narrow 

 leaves and small cones. It is hardy, and of 

 distinct and graceful habit, a native of Japan 

 and Saghalien. 



A. SIBIRICA (Siberian Silver Fir). A slow- 

 growing tree of medium size, injured by spring 

 frosts. 



A. VEITCHI (Veitch's Silver Fir). A tall 

 tree of over 100 feet. The bark is light grey and 

 the leaves a bright glossy green with silvery 

 streaks, the cones being a purplish-brown, 

 thriving in Britain. Japan. 



A.WEBBIANA (Webb's Fir). An Indian Fir, 

 sometimes nearly 100 feet high, and one of the 

 most distinct. The leaves are deep glossy 

 green with silvery undersides, and the cones 

 are large. A variety Pindrow is without the 

 silver markings. Both suffer much from spring 

 frosts. Himalayas. F. M. 



ABRONIA (Sand Verbena.} Small 

 Californian annuals or perennials of a 

 trailing habit, with showy blossoms in 

 dense Verbena-like clusters. A. arenaria 

 (A. latifolia], a honey-scented perennial, 

 has trailing stems and dense clusters of 

 lemon-yellow flowers ; A. umbellata, also 

 an annual with succulent trailing stems 

 and clusters of rosy-purple, slightly fra- 

 grant flowers ; A.fragrans, forming large 

 branching tufts from ij to 2 ft., and 

 white flowers which expand late in the 

 afternoon, and then emit a delicate 

 vanilla-like perfume ; A. villosa is a fine 

 species with violet flowers, and A. Crux 

 MastcE a pretty species with white 

 scented flowers. A. arenaria and A. 

 umbellata should be planted in rather 

 poor, light, and dry soil, on an open, 

 well-drained border or rockwork. The 

 seeds often remain dormant some time 

 before vegetating ; those of A. umbellata 

 germinate more readily. A. fragrans, 

 which does not ripen seed in this country, 

 is best in friable soil, and is larger than 

 the others. Abronias flower in summer 



