CUPRESSUS 445 



under cultivation. In almost any batch of seedlings a number of more or less 

 differing forms may be observed. Some extraordinarily different varieties 

 have been raised, so different that unless their origin were known they would 

 be regarded as distinct species. These are best raised from cuttings which, 

 taken in late summer, root readily or they are easily grafted on seedlings. 

 Such plants make nice trees, but have a tendency to produce several leads, at 

 least in isolated positions. This, however, in the opinion of many may not 

 detract from their beauty, and in any case may be obviated by cutting off the 

 rival leaders as soon as noticed. Many of the named varieties are not worthy 

 of distinction, and some with age have become indistinguishable from the type. 

 The following are some of the most noteworthy, and are subdivided according 

 to the leading character, but some unite peculiarities both of colour and form, 

 e.g. Smithii (columnar and glaucous) and gracilis aurea (pendulous and 

 golden) : 



I. COLOUR VARIETIES. 



Var. ALBO-MARGINATA. Slow-growing, rather dwarf, with the young foliage 

 picked out in white, the effect usually poor and spotty. The forms called 

 albo-picta, albo-spica, albo-variegata, and argenteo-variegata are nearly or 

 quite the same. 



Var. AUREO-MARGINATA. Marked similarly to the preceding, but with 

 yellow. 



Var. ARGENTEA. Among the numerous glaucous forms this is the most 

 silvery ; those called glauca, Silver Queen, and Triomphe de Boskoop are of 

 the same type. 



Var. AUREA, Waterer. Young shoots yellow the first summer, gradually 

 becoming green. A very good form of this was grown by the late Earl 

 Annesley at Castlewellan, Co. Down, which he called GRACILIS AUREA. The 

 young shoots are golden, densely plumose, and pendulous. 



Var. LUTEA. The yellowest of all the forms ; the young growths being 

 pale yellow changing to golden, and remaining so the first winter ; habit 

 stiff and erect. 



Var. WESTERMANNI. Habit sturdy, pyramidal ; ultimate branchlets pale 

 yellow. 



II. COLUMNAR OR FASTIGIATE VARIETIES. 



Var. ALLUMI (Fraseri). Spire-like in habit ; very glaucous. 



Var. ERECTA VIRIDIS (stricta). Of erect, columnar habit, green ; perhaps 

 the most striking columnar evergreen available for cultivation in the open 

 air, but best in a young state, as it is apt later to become naked or shabby at 

 the base. Raised in the Knap Hill nursery in 1855. 



Var. SMITHII. Glaucous foliage ; columnar habit. 



Var. WisSELIl. A curious, rather than beautiful form, of columnar habit, 

 very glaucous ; the branchlets very short, and produced in crowded tufts. The 

 plant is too thinly furnished to be pleasing. 



III. DWARF VARIETIES. 



Var. NANA (densa). A green, rounded bush, broader than high, the 

 branches arranged edgewise (as in Thuya orientalis), rather than horizontally. 

 NANA ALBA, of similar habit, young shoots creamy white. NANA GLAUCA 

 (compacta ; minima glauca), also of similar habit, but glaucous. Var. nana was 

 raised .in 1861, by Dauvesse of Orleans ; specimens planted in the cypress 

 collection at Kew about 1873 are still only 4 ft. high. 



IV. PENDULOUS AND SPREADING VARIETIES. 



Var. FILIFERA. In some respects this is the most striking and elegant, as 

 well as the most distinct, of Lawson cypresses. It has a medium rate of 



