TJie New Conifers. 149 



country. There are several dwarf Spruces, such as Abies Clanbrasiliana, 

 compacta, eicgans, Grego/ii, pyg/na;a, pumiia, and pyramidaiis, all perfectly 

 hardy, quite interesting, and well adapted to places of limited extent. 

 Amongst the larger-sized trees, we have also Abies Orieniaiis, Abies Men- 

 siezii, and Ficea Fraserii, perfectly hardy, but not quite so distinct, which 

 would not, probably, be considered so desirable as the preceding. Unless 

 one should have a very sheltered location, and be disposed to pet and coax 

 a great deal, I would not advise their attempting to grow such trees as 

 Abies Sinithiana (the Indian Spruce), Ficca IVebbiana, Cunninghamia sinen- 

 sis, or the Cedar of Lebanon ; for they get more or less cut up every winter, 

 lose their leaders, and are any thing but satisfactory. 



It is a matter of deep regret, that, of the trees of recent introduction, the 

 three greatest favorites for ornamental planting at the present time in Eng- 

 land and on the Continent, — the Araucaria imbricata, Cedrus Deodara, and 

 Wellingtonia {Sequoia) gigantea, — none will be found sufficiently hardy for 

 general cultivation in New England ; though it is by no means certain that 

 the two last named may not be successfully grown under unusually favorable 

 circumstances as to soil and location. The Deodar almost invariably loses 

 its leader every winter with more or less of its foliage, and, instead of be- 

 coming one of the most graceful and effective of trees, gradually degenerates 

 into a straggling shrub. The Wellingtonia appears to be the less tender 

 of the two ; and, though its foliage is apt to get a good deal browned, it 

 seems to gain vigor with age, and bids fair occasionally to triumph over 

 the difficulties of our severe climate. 



Abies Douglassi. — I wish I could give a more satisfactory account of 

 this tree ; but, although I have several very fine specimens eight or ten feet 

 high, I fear it can hardly be classed with those sufficiently hardy for general 

 planting in the neighborhood of Boston. It succeeds perfectly in England, 

 where I saw trees of great size ; but here I have lost many after they were 

 three or four feet high : and it is so capricious, it can only be recommended 

 to those who are fond of experiment, and are willing to take the chance of 

 failure. 



Cryptomeria jfaponica. — As is well known, this is a native of China, and 

 one of those trees in regard to which great expectations have been raised ; 

 but I am sorry to add, no very great reliance can be placed on it, and 



