March 28, 1888.] 



Garden and Forest. 



57 



The Retinisporas. 



THE generic title of Retinispora for a peculiar group of 

 Japanese Conifers, is quite expressive, as it relates to 

 its main distinctive feature, i. e., " retine," resine, and " spore," 

 seed, in allusion to the numerous little resinous vescicles 

 found dotted over the siuiace of the seed-covering. 



Since this genus was established by Siebold and Zuccarini, 

 these resin-dots have been detected in other members of the 

 Cupressinea:, notably in Cupressus Lawsoniaiia, and as the otlier 

 characters were unimportant, Retinispora, consequently, can 

 not longer stand. Dr. Ma.wvell T. Masters, in his admirable 

 paper on the "Conifers of Japan,"* read before the Linnasan 

 Society of London, has very justly reduced the former genera 

 Retinispora, Biota, Chaincecyparis and Thiiiopsis, to sections 

 of the old genus Thuya, and after a careful examination I ain 

 ready to concur in his classification. 



The object of this paper is to review briefly the most valu- 

 able Conifers which have been popularly culti\'ated under the 

 heading of Retinispora, but in the interest of correct nomen- 

 clature it has been deemed advisable to adopt Dr. Masters' ar- 

 rangement. 



Perhaps the most satisfactory species for all purposes, is 

 Thuya pisifera (R. pisifcra), a medivmi-sized tree found in 

 various localities throughout Japan, especially in the mountain 

 districts. This Conifer has proved entirely hardy in the Middle 

 States, growing rapidly when fully established, and forming 

 graceful and attractive specimens with little care. The follow- 

 ing have been reduced to varieties of the aliove species, and 

 although differing widely in general appearance, the organs 

 of fructification in every instance point conclusively to their 

 origin. 



Var. pluniosa {R. pluinosa) is one of the most valualile 

 forms of this group. The young branchlets have been com- 

 pared to ostrich plumes, on account of their graceful habit 

 and feathery growth. It forms a compact, small specimen, 

 with numerous small, pointed, briglit-green leaves, and in 

 rich, light soil soon forms a conspicuous object on the lawn. 

 The variegated sport from this variety is one of the most dis- 

 tinct and bestConifersof its class for planting in the mixed Coni- 

 fer border, and its rich, golden tints, especially in early summer, 

 brighten up a mass of dark foliage ^vith remarkalsle effect. 



There is another attractive sport from this variety that has 

 been inti^oduced into our collections under the name of R. 

 pluinosa argcntca. It differs from the above in having numer- 

 ous little pure white dots scattered over the foliage in an in- 

 teresting manner. It has the merit of not scorching as so 

 many variegated plants do, and although not remarkably dis- 

 tinct, it is nevertheless entitled to notice. 



Var. squarrosa ( R. squarrosa ) of Veitch, for there are two 

 distinct forms of this variety under the same name, is perhaps 

 next in importance as a small evergeen tree. Although it is 

 claimed by some writers to be a form of T. obtusa, the fruit is 

 identical with T. pisifera. An accidental sport from a speci- 

 men growing in the Lawsons' nurseries, at Edinburgh, 

 afforded adtlifional evidence of its pisiferoid character. It is a 

 remarkably elegant, dense-growing Conifer, with pecidiar 

 silvery foliage, and is rarely injured by the severity of our 

 winters after reaching the age of eight or ten years. To pre- 

 serve a fine conical outline, specimens should be sheared 

 annually for a few years after planting. The other form, 

 which is known in some collections as R. squarrosa of Siebold, 

 is not so hardy as the above, and is undoubtedly nothing more 

 than T. pisifera or T. obticsa in an iibnormal state. It is rarely 

 satisfactory excepting \\'hen very young. 



V3.T.fi!ifera ( R.filifera) is a peculiar form with the same 

 whip-like firanches and liranchlets that characterize the pendu- 

 lous variety of the Chinese Arbor vitje ; indeed it has been 

 surmised that this variety may be another form of Thuya 

 orientalis. It is, however, much more elegant than the latter, 

 being entirely devoid of stiffness, and in time develops into a 

 large evergreen shrub with the outer surface completely 

 covered with a mass of slender, drooping, bright-green shoots. 

 It is quite hardy, and desirable even in the smallest collection. 



Var. aurea ( R. pisifera aiirea) is a distinct and showy form 

 that originated in an English nursery a few years since. The 

 foliage, both old and new, is plentifully marked with a bright 

 golden-yellow tint, which, in partial shade, is retained through- 

 out the summer months. In some localities it becomes dis- 

 colored when exposed to the full rays of the sun. It is very 

 distinct when placed among other forms. 



T. obtusa (R. obtusa) is a hardy, valuable tree for this 

 country, although inferior as an ornamental specimen to the 

 preceding species. On the Island of Nipon, in Japan, it 



*Journal Linn. Soc, .wiii. 473. 



attains a very large size, and forms extensive forests, the 

 timber being in great demand. Its general aspect is open, and 

 on this account it will not prove so popular as many of our 

 own Conifers. This defect, however, may be remedied in a 

 great measure by a systematic annual pruning in the tree's 

 younger years, to increase the numlier of its branches. It is 

 readily distinguished from T. pisifera, but more especially in 

 the size of its strobiles, which are from seven-eighths of an 

 inch to one inch in diameter, while those of the latter are only 

 three-eighths of an inch in diameter. The varieties of the 

 two species are also very distinct. As is the case with most 

 Conifers of long cultivation T. obtusa lias many curious mor- 

 phological forms. Some of these are very attractive and 

 deserving of general cultivation, but others are unworthy of 

 dissemination. 



Var. lycopodioides ( R. lycopodioides ) is the most distinct of 

 all of these recognized varieties, and with generous culture in 

 [iroper soil it is exceedingly pleasing. Tlie foliage is of the 

 darkest shade of green, and is remarkalile in its arrangement, 

 frequently imparting to the numerous sliort branchlets an 

 appearance of dark-green coral. The habit of the plant is 

 rather dwarf, dense, and irregular in outline, at least for 

 several years after planting, and its constitution is hardy and 

 reliable. In fact, it may be classed as one of the best of this 

 group for general cultivation. 



Var. filicoides (R. filicoides), the elegant fern-like variety of 

 this group, is entirely satisfactory wlien in its young state, but 

 we have no knowledge of its behavior' at maturity, or even 

 at eight or ten years of age. Its cones although smaller than 

 thoseof its parent show the specific relationship. Manj' of the 

 small branchlets are flattened out in a peculiar manner «hich 

 has been likened to the fronds of a fern. The color is 

 especially pleasing, being of a bright-green tint, with the usual 

 glaucous lines on the under side. It appears to withstand 

 tlie severity of our variable winters as well as its congeners, 

 and in congenial soil quickly develops into a charming ever- 

 green shrub. Judging by its manner of growth, however, 

 it may not become so dense as some, but its other pleasing 

 i:haracters mav recompense the owner for the loss of this. 



Var. nana (R. obtusa nana), and Var. pygmaa (R. obtusa 

 pygntara), are choice little dwarfs, best suited for the outer 

 edge of clumps and mixed liorders. Of the twci, tin- latter is 

 much the smaller plant, with spreading hal;>it and attaining 

 only the height of one foot. They are both liardy and well 

 adapted to our climate. 



The variegated forms of this group of Conifers arc very 

 numerous, but as they are not especially interesting to the 

 American planter they are omitted from this list. Others again 

 differ from the species in being more slender in growth or 

 dense in habit, etc. There is here a broad field for experiment 

 and research, and Japanese gardeners have not been idle 

 in hunting them up. Their collection of these pretty little 

 oddities is almost beyond number. Many of them, however, 

 are of no possible use for gardening effect, and their culture 

 here would be a mere waste of time and money. 



Westchester, Pa. JosiaJl Hoopcs. 



Snowberry Jelly, 



MY attention was recently called to an interesting use of the 

 Creeping Snowberry [Chiogeftes hispiduta, Torr. and Gr.) 

 which may prove of sufficient novelty to warrant calling atten- 

 tion to it. A friend forwarded a small pot of jelly, with the re- 

 quest that information be given as to the material of which it 

 was composed. 



A superficial examination showed tlie jelly to be of the color 

 of amber, and about the consistency of Guava jelly. This I suli- 

 sequently learned to be due to an. accident, owing to which 

 very considerable consolidation had followed. The normal 

 consistence is that of ordinary Currant jelly. The upper por- 

 tion of the mass was quite clear, while at the bottom were 

 numerous small seeds and much pulpy matter, giving a very 

 peculiar character to the preparation, without, however, destroy- 

 ing its value. Upon sulimitting it to the taste, the flavor was 

 found to be distinctly that of Gau/theria,'At\\oug\\ I have since 

 been somewhat surprised to learn that so distinctive a flavor 

 had not been recognized by several persons. Upon boiling 

 out the pulpy deposit, it was found to consist of the berries 

 constituting the material employed. Many of these were quite 

 whole, so that their true nature was determined without much 

 difficulty, and as we later learned that the berries in the fresh 

 state were perfectly white, it was easy to refer them to the 

 common Creeping Snowberry. 



It appears that in Newfoundland, whence the jelly was ob- 

 tained, it is a common practice with many families to prepare 

 this exceedingly delicate preserve, but the scarcity of the berries, 



