358 THE BOOK OF EVERGREENS. 



Var t cricoides. Syn. R. cricoides, Zuccarini ; Wid- 

 dringtonia cricoides, Knight ; Chama?cyparis ericoides, 

 Carrlere ; Cupressus cricoides, and Juniperus ericoides, 

 of some authors and catalogues. This curious, heath-like 

 little plant is evidently the primordial form of the above 

 named species ; the two bearing the same relation to each 

 other, as noticed in the description of Thuja occidentalis, 

 var. ericoides, and its parent. 



It is the oldest form of the genus yet thoroughly 

 tested in this country, and is among the very few 

 evergreen shrubs adapted to the climate of the Middle 

 States. It is a native of Japan, where it is exten- 

 sively cultivated for ornament, and very frequently grown 

 in pots. It seldom attains a greater height than 4 feet, 

 and is of a dense habit and conical form, with bright green 

 foliage chano-ino- to a reddish hue during the winter 



O ~ ~ 



months, and is occasionally slightly injured. The small, 

 slender branchlets are very numerous, and frequently have 

 a dov/nward tendency in the adult plants. 



We have been exceedingly partial to this little Conifer 

 for several years. It appeal's mostly hardy here, but the 

 dingy red color of the foliage on the approach of cold 

 weather and the occasional dying out of the under branch- 

 es are against it. As a partial remedy, we would recom- 

 mend covering this species during winter with evergreen 

 branches. Gordon says it is tolerably hardy in England. 

 He also classes the doubtful little stranger known in our 

 collections as " Thuja ericoides" as a synonym of this 

 species, from which, however, it is very distinct. 



UNTESTED SPECIES OF RETINISPORA. 



We have no doubt but a portion of the following list 

 will eventually succeed here, although we have no means 

 of ascertaining the fact at present. Several are now test- 



