ADAPTATION OF CONIFERS 59 



west into Asia, is a tree of remarkable beauty. The small dark 

 green leaves, very much crowded and appressed on the 

 branches, give it a charming appearance. Branches are spread- 

 ing and ascending, and when in perfect health and vigor 

 are thickly disposed from base to apex. It retains its lower 

 branches as well as any spruce in cultivation in the North- 

 eastern States. The plant partially suffered during the winter 

 of 1917 and 1918, but soon recovered. Near the entrance of 

 Riverside Cemetery, Rochester, New York, are two beautiful 

 groups of the oriental spruce planted thirty years ago. The 

 leader is occasionally attacked by the white-pine borer. A low 

 variety of this spruce is known as nana, with wide-spreading 

 branches, very desirable for small gardens. 



The Servian spruce, Picea Omorilca, from the Balkan region, 

 gives much promise. It belongs botanically to a small group of 

 spruces in which the leaves are flat or flattish, and it is the only 

 one in this group of cultural promise in the Northeast. The 

 habit is narrow-pyramidal, with the branches ascending and 

 spreading. The branchlets are often slightly upturned, dis- 

 closing the dark green under side of the leaves in contrast 

 with the silvery lines on the upper surface. This spruce requires 

 well-drained, moist, deep, rich soil to be in perfect health. It 

 is quite hardy. The leader is sometimes attacked by a borer. 



The flat-leaved spruce from Japan, known as Yeddo spruce, 

 Picea jezoensis, after a few years in cultivation looks so unhappy 

 that nothing can be said in favor of its cultivation. When 

 quite young it has a pretty appearance, but, unfortunately, 

 this soon disappears. 



The Iramomi spruce, Picea bicolor, from Japan, is decidedly 

 promising, but it is rare in cultivation. There are individuals 

 in the Hunnewell Pinetum fifty feet in height and branched to 

 the base, in perfect health and very handsome. . 



