600 Classification of Plants. 



native countries, become deciduous when transferred to a colder 

 climate, and the reverse is said to apply to some of our indi- 

 genous species when taken to a warmer climate. But the dis- 

 tinction is clear enough for all practical purposes. As generally 

 understood, the term Evergreen is restricted to those plants 

 whose foliage is persistent, and retains its natural hue during 

 the whole of the year, or during several years. Or perhaps a 

 better definition would be that the old leaves persist and retain 

 their beauty until after the succeeding growth has furnished 

 a fresh supply of fully developed foliage. Some of these, it 

 is true, assume a different tint in winter, but the same leaves 

 regain their fre.shness with the advent of spring. 



a. Evergreen Trees. With the exception of the Common 

 Holly, Box, Portugal Laurel, Magnolia grandiflora, Evergreen 

 Oak, Strawberry-tree, Sweet Bay, and a few others, this class 

 is mainly furnished by one family, the Coniferse. 



Thus it will be seen that we are almost entirely dependent 

 upon the deciduous class for trees bearing conspicuous flowers. 

 Evergreen trees possess Jit-tie that is attractive either in flower 

 or fruit ; but by way of compensation, the foliage of many 

 species is very ornamental, and in habit they are unsurpassed 

 for dignity and grace. We do not forget the bright scarlet 

 berries of the Holly, and the handsome cones of some of the 

 Firs and Cedars ; but the former is oftener seen as a bush, and 

 fruiting Conifers, with the exception of a few species, are still 

 rare in this country. Although planters have now a very large 

 number of species to eelect from, comparatively few of them 

 have attained their full development with us, and therefore 

 we are unable to judge of their value for permanent planta- 

 tions. Many of them that are exceedingly beautiful when 

 young, become unsightly as they rise above the dimensions of 

 a shrub, and this, in many instances, may be ascribed either to 

 uncongenial soil, defective planting, or exposure to bleak winds. 

 The Yew, Cedar of Lebanon, Deodar Cedar, Norway Spruce Fir, 

 Silver Fir, Mammoth Tree, Eed Cedar, Austrian Pine, Pin- 

 aster, Pinus excelsa, P. insignis, P. Benthamiana, Picea, 

 Pinsapo, P. Nordmanniana, P. nobilis, etc., Abies . Douglasii, 

 A. Canadensis, Araucaria imbricata, Cryptomeria Japonica, and 

 several others, are known to be hardy. But several of these 

 are impatient of a wet, heavy soil, whilst others will not 

 flourish in an exposed situation. The question of suitability 

 of soil and situation forms the subject of another paragraph. 



