REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON GARDENS. 315 



Eetinospora leptoclada is of dense, compact, pyramidal growth, 

 furnished with branches to the ground ; foliage more or less glau- 

 cous ; it is handsome and desirable for choice beds or borders. 



Retinospora hjcopodioides. — A species brought to notice by 

 collectors in Japan. It is very graceful and attractive in appear- 

 ance, its leaves resembling small dark green scales, and the 

 branches spreading somewhat like those of R. ohtusa. 



Metinosjiora Jilifera (Thread-branched Retinospora). — The long, 

 drooping, spray-like branches of this species are peculiarly 

 graceful. 



Retinospora jiisifera. — Of small and more slender growth "than 

 yR. ohtusa. This is the common Cypress of Japan. 



Retinospora argentea (Silver-spotted Plume-like Retinospora). — 

 This species has soft, silvery, pale green foliage. 



Retinosp)ora plumosa (Featherj^ Retinospora). — Foliage of a 

 beautiful glaucous hue ; habit compact and elegant. 



Retinospora squarrosa. — A small-sized tree, with graceful, 

 drooping branches, and glaucous green foliage. It is considered 

 tender, but several good specimens are to be found in the vicinity 

 of Boston. 



Sciadopitys verticillata. — The Umbrella Pine, from Mount Koja- 

 sanin, island of Nippon, Japan, where it is found as a tall conical 

 tree upwards of one hundred feet high, w^ith alternate, or verticil- 

 late branches, and leaves in double w^horls of twenty or thirty 

 each, varying from two to four inches in length. Adapted to 

 nearly every department of ornamental planting. 



William C. Strong's Estate, Waban. 



The next visit of the Committee was to the grounds of Ex-Presi- 

 dent Strong, who has kindly given us the following account of 

 some recent experiments in the cultivation of small fruits : 



In the spring of 1893, I made a plantation of Strawberries 

 in rows eighteen inches apart, and removed all runners as 

 soon as they appeared. The plants have stooled so as to 

 nearly cover the ground, with the exception of some weak kinds, 

 like the Wolverton and Beder Wood. Another plot was well 

 prepared and on July 22, of the same season, I planted twenty- 

 five varieties in rows one hundred feet long and fifteen inches 

 apart. Having a supply of water raised by a windmill and the 

 season being favorable, the July plot made very strong growth, 



