290- 



jEscays. 



jPinus lonffifolia Nepal liardy 



canariensis Canaries 



ponderosa Hortli America 



excelsa Nepal 



rigida Yirginia 



radiata California 



jejfreyi Worth. America 

 strohus (Weymouth) ,, 



The pine is perliaps tile most yaluable section of tlie coniferous family 

 for planting in New Zealand ; and, judging from the growth of them here, I 

 should say the climate was peculiarly adapted for them, taking into con- 

 sideration all the varieties. The first five I have named are well known, and 

 require no comment, except to point them out as invaluable for shelter, 

 and well adapted for firewood, some of them for timber. The next eight 

 varieties are long-leaved pines, quite hardy here ; they, however, are more 

 ornamental, and require to be grown either singly as specimen plants, or in 

 groups where they have plenty of room for their branches to sweep to the 

 ground ; in any other position they are lost. The Pinii,s insignis, called the 

 remarkable pine, is a most beautiful and desirable tree ; its foliage of vivid 

 green is very striking to the eye ; it grows very quickly. This section 

 requires more care in growing when young, for until well rooted their long 

 leaves offer greater resistance to the wind. The last five are not so difficult 

 to grow, but require room. There are many other varieties both of the firs 

 and pines which would be a great addition to a collection, both for ornament 

 and timber. I have made a great many attempts to import them, but have 

 failed. My experience leads me to believe that coniferous plants are very 

 difficult of carriage in closed cases on a long voya^ge. I have also tried 

 importing seeds, but with little or no better success, particularly in the seeds 

 of the varieties of Picea or silver fir ; I fear the turpentine contained in the 

 seed destroys germination on a voyage. 



Mentinospora oMusa Japan hardy. 



,, pisifera „ „ 



These are lately introduced plants, and as yet small ; they promise to be 



handsome. 



Taxodiiim sempervirens California hardy. 



„ distichum Florida „ 



The former is a shrubby grovring tree, requiring plenty of room ; when 

 young it has a ragged appearance, but grows into a bold tree, though at all 

 times very straggling. The latter is very inferior, and not worth growing, 

 never seeming to throw up a leader. 



Taxus adpressa Japan hardy. 



Very much in character like the varieties of Geplialotaxus. . 

 TMija craigiana Japan hardy. 



„ gigantea California „ 



