140 LA WN-PLANTING FOR WINTER EFFECT. 



First and foremost is the Nordmauu's silver fir, broad 

 and massive, with shining silvery leaves, — in every way a 

 hardy, slow-growing evergreen, of noble outline and special 

 symmetry. Though grand and impressive, it needs intelli- 

 gent pruning, and for successful transplanting, a fibrous 

 condition of roots that can be secured by frequent 

 removal in the nursery and systematic root-pruning. The 

 same remark applies to all silver firs, which are in many 

 senses the finest evergreens for producing winter pictures. 

 There is the silver fir (Abies amahilis), lovely, both by 

 name and nature, and the still finer (A.Mes nohilis), of 

 unsurpassed blue tints. Hudson's Bay silver fir, of the 

 same genus, is one of the darkest, hardiest, and most 

 dwarfed species, specially fitted for the outskirts of groups, 

 or for dotting here and there in isolated positions. Par- 

 sons' silver f\.v.( Abies Parsmisii) has wonderful leaves, 

 always curling upward, long, and of a delicate bluish-green 

 color. The so-called dwarf silver fir (Abies compacta), an 

 intermediate form between Hudson's Bay silver fir and 

 Nordmann's fir, is especially noteworthy for hardiness, sym- 

 metry, and compact elegance. It should be one of the 

 most popular. of evergreens. 



Then, among the larger forms, we note the Grecian 

 silver fir, veiy fine and lighter-colored. The weeping silver 

 fir is the type, perhaps, of the statuesque in the family. 

 Intelligently pruned, it develops into a solid weeping col- 

 umn of dark green. But here, as with all silver firs, if we 

 are to get a compact growth below, the leading or top shoot 

 must be pinched off from time to time during May or 

 June. If possible or, rather, if not incongruous with the 



