79 THE BOOK OF SHRUBS 
general habit of growth. Conifers suffer in some districts 
from easterly winds, and therefore in their growth as 
single specimens it is desirable to plant them where they 
will receive some shelter during the earlier years of 
their life. It is most desirable to avoid planting them 
where they will be exposed to keen winds, as for 
example opposite openings in belts of trees and shrubs 
on the east side of them. Nor should they be near the 
corners of the dwelling-house as the winds that sweep 
along the walls are most injurious to them. 
The smaller growing kinds that can be readily raised 
from cuttings such as the cupressus, retinosporas, and 
thuias, are extremely useful for filling flower beds 
during the winter and also for window boxes. The 
golden varieties of the above-mentioned kinds and of the 
yews may be used with excellent effect in the production 
of rich masses of colour in the shrubbery borders. Com- 
pact growing forms such as the Irish Yew and Cupressus 
Lawsoniana erecta viridis are extremely useful in geometric 
flower gardens for planting in lines alongside terraces 
and other walks. 
ABIES OR SpRUCE.—This is a comparatively large 
genus and the species are mostly too robust in growth 
to be admissible to gardens other than those having an 
extensive area. Those of special value for the garden 
are: Abies Englemanni glauca, a remarkably handsome 
form with bright silvery-blue foliage. 4. orientalis, a 
beautiful form of a bright green hue. 4. pungens 
glauca, a beautiful variety with silvery-white foliage and 
very effective in contrast with the dark conifers. 4. p. 
&. pendula, an elegant variety of pendulous growth with 
silvery leafage. 4. Nordmannian and A. Pinsapo are 
both of rather large growth but they are exceedingly 
handsome at all stages. They have rich green leaves 
and the second of the two is formal in aspect but very 
beautiful. 
