Gardening for Amateurs 



A group of green and coloured Cypresses. 



(Conifers 



THE cone-bearing trees, or Conifers, 

 thrive most satisfactorily in a pure 

 atmosphere and in moist but 

 moderately well-drained soil. They give 

 excellent results in many parts of Scotland 

 and are particularly well adapted for plant- 

 ing in the western counties of England 

 and in Ireland. In addition, they thrive, 

 or some sorts thrive, in almost any part of 

 England, except where the atmosphere is 

 poisoned by smoke and chemical fumes. 

 Some kinds thrive at a considerable elevation 

 and are noticed in better health when growing 

 between 800 and 1.200 feet above sea level 

 in Scotland than when planted at sea level 

 in the south of England. Most Conifers are 

 evergreen, but there are a few deciduous, or 

 leaf-losing. In the following notes attention 

 is directed to a selection of the best kinds. 



Abies (Fir). This genus is made up of 

 trees which are known under the common 

 name of Fir, or Silver Fir. They are dis- 

 tinguished from Picea, which is closely 

 allied, by their flat leaves and upright 

 cones, the latter falling to pieces soon after 

 they attain maturity. The Piceas, on the 

 other hand, have usually sharp, needle-like 

 leaves, and pendulous cones which do 

 not break up when ripe. The Abies 

 are distributed through Europe, China, 

 Japan and N. America. A few useful ones 

 are : A. pectinata, the common Silver Fir of 

 European forests ; A. brachyphylla and 

 A. Mariesii, from Japan ; A. concolor, 

 A. nobilis, A. grandis and A. Lowiana, from 

 Western N. America ; A. numidica, a native 

 of Algeria ; and A. Pinsapo, which is found 

 wild in the mountains of Southern Spain. 



