(6o) 



importance. Specimens of the European larch are here, 

 and also of the Japanese larch. The genus Pseudolarix, 

 distinguished from the larches in having the scales of the 

 cones decidous, is represented by its single species, the 

 golden or Chinese larch; this, like the true larches, is a 

 deciduous tree. 



The yew family (Taxaceae) is represented by three 

 genera. Of the true yews (Taxus) there are: the American 

 yew, or ground hemlock; the English yew and several of its 

 horticultural varieties, the wood of which was highly 

 prized in ancient times for the manufacture of bows; and 

 the Japanese yew. The last is by far the best for this 

 climate, standing well the dry summers and cold winters; 

 there is a dwarf form of this known as variety nana, which 

 is an especially desirable evergreen for decorative planting. 

 The cluster-flowered yew {Cephalotaxus) is represented by 

 the Japanese species and one other from Corea. The 

 Japanese Torreya (Tumion nuciferum) represents this genus. 

 Another species, Tumion taxifolium, of Florida, is not 

 hardy in our climate; small plants of it will be found in 

 house 12, conservatory range I. Still other representatives 

 of the yew family are in houses 12 and 13 of conservatory 

 range 1. 



To the north of the economic garden will be found speci- 

 mens of the umbrella pine, not a true pine, however, but 

 belonging to the genus Sciadopitys, a native of Japan. 

 Another tree here is the Japanese cedar, Cryptomeria 

 japonica, with several horticultural varieties. This will 

 stand our winter climate only in sheltered situations such 

 as this; the forms of the variety Lobbii are more hardy and 

 are therefore better suited to this climate. There is also 

 here a small specimen of the big tree of California, Sequioa 

 Washingtoniana. This climate is most uncongenial to 

 this noble plant which in its native country, the western 

 slopes of the Sierra Nevadas, attains a height sometimes of 

 over 300 feet. 



On the westerly corner of the conservatory terrace and in 



