THE BEST HARDY CONIFERS 117 



specimens of the Cedar of Lebanon. Young trees in 

 habit resemble those of A. concolor, but the branches 

 are more narrow and tapering and rather less densely 

 arranged. The leaves are grass-green above and 

 silvery white below. These two Firs are excellent 

 companions, forming a striking contrast in foliage, 

 and to admit of their full development they should 

 be allowed a radius of not less than twenty-five 

 feet. 



In New England Abies cilicica from the mountains 

 of Asia Minor, A. Nordmanniana from the Caucasus, 

 and A. cephalonica from Mount Enos in the Grecian 

 Archipelago are of about the same value. Seldom do 

 they thrive equally well in the same locality, one or 

 other usually having the advantage. In Great 

 Britain the Cilician Fir thrives, but is rare, whereas the 

 Nordmann Fir is unsatisfactory as it grows old. In 

 appearance these handsome Firs are very similar, 

 being narrow conical in outline with rigid, horizontally 

 spreading pointed branches and leaves dark glossy 

 green above and silvery white beneath. 



Another Fir which thrives very well here is Veitch's 

 (A. Veitchii), native of the mountains of central Japan. 

 In a wild state this is a slender tree seldom exceeding 

 seventy-five feet in height, with thin, short, spreading 

 branches which form a narrow crown. In cultivation 



