CHAPTER VII 



THE MAIN BOTANICAL KINDS OF BROAD-LEAVED 

 EVERGREENS.— Rehder 



As STATED in the introductory remarks to the fifth 

 /"\ chapter, in the northern latitudes one must rely for 

 evergreen plantations chiefly on conifers which are the 

 only woody plants able to grow there to real tree-size. The 

 number of broad-leaved evergreens which attain to the size 

 of trees in these regions is very limited and, moreover, they are 

 slow in growing even to a small size. Broad-leaved evergreens 

 are essentially inhabitants of warmer climates; in the tropical 

 and subtropical zones they are usually the chief components of 

 the forests, at least in those parts in which suflBcient humidity 

 makes possible the existence of real forests. Toward the 

 north, the broad-leaved evergreens gradually diminish in 

 number as well as in size, and in the northeastern States the 

 only tree-like broad-leaved evergreen is the holly. Ilex opaca, 

 which reaches its northern limit in Massachusetts, and perhaps 

 Rhododendron maximum and Kalmia latifolia may be added, 

 although usually they attain only the size of a large shrub; 

 the range of these extends somewhat farther north, to Nova 

 Scotia and southern Ontario. Even if cultivated trees of 

 foreign origin are considered, none can be found that is hardier 

 or as hardy as Ilex opaca, and the only ones worth mentioning 

 as growing into small trees under favorable conditions are, 

 perhaps, Buxus sempervirens. Ilex pedunculosa, and /. crenata; 

 however, these are apparently not reliable north of southern 

 New York. The number of larger shrubs, those growing 

 to the height of about five feet or more, is not large for the 



(357) 



