December 20, 1893.] 



Garden and Forest. 



525 



Yezo, where it was discovered during the summer of 1892 

 by Mr. Tokubuchi. 



On the hills of central Yezo, Abies Sachalinensis is not 

 rare, and in the northern part of the island and on Saghalin 

 this fine tree is said to form extensive forests. It is a tall 

 pyramidal tree with pale bark, long slender dark green 

 leaves, and white buds, which make it possible to distin- 

 guish it readily from the other Japanese Firs. A curious 

 form has been noticed by Professor IMiyabe, growing near 



ently it has only a local consumption. The young plants 

 of Abies Sachalinensis in our gardens are perfectly hardy 

 and grow more rapidly than those of any other species of 

 Fir-tree. 



Abies Veitchii, discovered many years ago on the slopes 

 of Mount Fugi-san, we looked for everywhere, and al- 

 though it is said to grow among theNikko Mountains, we saw 

 nothing of it there or elsewhere. From Abies homolepis, 

 which this species most resembles, it may be distinguished by 



Fig. 76. — Larix Dal.urica, var. Japonic.i, en Ilunip, one of tlio Kurile Islands.— See page 524. 



Sapporo, with red bark, dark red wood and red cone bracts ; 

 it grows with the common form and is probably merely a 

 seedling variety, although Professor Miyabe considers it 

 specifically distinct and proposes to call it Abies Akatodo. 

 We were fortunate in securing a supply of seeds of the 

 white and of the red bark varieties, and the seedlings, per- 

 haps, will show whether they should be considered distinct. 

 Abies Sachalinensis produces wood of fair quality, which is 

 used in Sapporo in building and for packing-cases ; appar- 



its short and more crowded leaves, its more slender pubes- 

 cent shoots and smaller cones. This tree is an old inhabitant 

 of our gardens, having been sent many years ago by Mr. 

 Thomas Hogg to the Flushing Nurseries, where it was 

 cultivated under the unpublished name of Abies Japonica 

 long before it was known in Europe. Of Dr. Mayrs Abies 

 umbellata, a species probably too near Abies homolepis, 

 we saw nothing at all. 



The forests of Hondo contain at least one Larch, Larix 



