7O HEDGES., WINDBREAKS^ SHELTERS, ETC. 



once for all, that the Retinosporas are of unexcelled 

 hardiness, both winter and summer, and that their 

 variegations are all permanent. Can a higher char- 

 acter be given to any other evergreen? 



"There are two distinct kinds of weeping 

 Retinosporas namely, a beautiful fern-like pendu- 

 lous form of R. obtusa, originating in Flushing, and 

 an extravagant, attenuated form, imported recently 

 from Japan through Mr. Thomas Hogg. The long 

 thread-like leaves of this variety fall directly down 

 and curve about the stem in swaying, meager masses, 

 which suggest that in this plant the extreme of the 

 weeping form among evergreens has been reached. 

 Almost as curious as this is another introduction of 

 Mr. Thomas Hogg, R. filifera aurea. We have 

 known R. nlifera for some time as a rare tree with 

 tesselated shaggy masses of green, thread-like foli- 

 age, but Mr. Hogg's new variety offers the same 

 strange mass of foliage, only in this case it is turned 

 into gold, broad, solid, permanent gold. While I 

 am pointing out the Golden Retinosporas, which are 

 veritable sunbeams amid other evergreens, let me 

 call your attention to R. obtusa aurea, one of the best 

 and most distinct of all variegated forms. It is free- 

 growing, with a beautiful combination of gold color 

 intermixed with glossy rich green, all over the plant. 

 Although not exactly a new plant, I am constrained 

 to call your passing attention to R. obtusa nana, 

 one of the very best of dwarf evergreens, a 

 dense flat tuft of glossy, deep green spray, a 

 cushion or ball of evergreen foliage that will 

 hardly grow two feet in ten years. The golden 

 form of R. obtusa nana is charming. Its yel- 



