CONIFERS. 



443 



A. cephaloniea. — A beautiful Silver Fir, which is at 

 most a medium -sized tree. It forms a dense pyramid, 

 broader in proportion to its height than most of its near 

 relatives. The leaves are stiff, and terminate with a sharp 

 point. The young shoots are liable to be cut by late 

 spring frosts, therefore it should be planted in a somewhat 

 exposed position in order to retard the growth as long as 

 possible. 



A. COtlCOlor. — A Silver Fir that in the valleys of California 

 will reach a height of rooft. to 1 50ft . It is of dense 

 growth, less regular in outline than most ol its class, hut 

 still the tendency is towards a pyramidal shape. The leaves 

 are of rather a light green above, and glaucous beneath. 



A. Dougflasi (l/u Douglas Fir) is one of the giants of the 

 forests which occur so plenlilully in We tern North 

 America. It there reaches nearly 300ft. in height, the 

 trunk being as straight as an arrow, with the greater part 

 quite without branches. The flagstaff (150ft. high) in lvew 

 Gardens is formed of one single shaft of the Douglas Fir. 

 Its ornamental qualities are also of a high order. When 

 standing alone its main stem is particularly straight, while 

 the regularly disposed branches taper gradually from base 

 to summit. 'I he foliage is of a rich green lint, and the 

 drooping cones are in some specimens borne so plentifully 

 on the points of the shoots as to add quite a distinctive 

 character to the tree. The variety taxifolia has longer 

 leaves, which are of a deeper hue than those ol the 

 type. There are other forms, such as the Colorado 

 variety and glauca. This is now known as Pseudotsuga 

 Douglasi. 



A. exeelsa. — The common or Norway Spruce. This is 

 a well-known tree, largely used as a screen or nurse plant 

 to more delicate subjects. It is also valuable for timber, 

 supplying as it does the white deal of commerce. When 

 planted singly as an ornamental tree, it forms a dense 

 pyramid, the lowermost branches of which have a drooping 

 tendency. This supplies the Chri tmas trees so much in 

 demand at that season. There are several varieties, 

 including a group of dwarf forms with a maximum height 

 of 3ft. to 4ft., and in direct contrast to the Soft, to 100ft. 

 of the typical A. exeelsa. The dwarf forms are Clan- 

 brasiliana, pumila, glauca, and pygmsea. In the variety 

 inverta the branches droop almost close to the main trunk, 

 and in Finedonensis the young shoots are pale vellow. 

 A. grandis. — -V huge Silver Fit in its native home, the 

 North-West of America, and a very handsome tree in this 

 country. The leaves are bright green above and glaucous 

 beneath, while the bran lies are more slender and the 

 branchlets less numerous than in some of the others, so 

 that it forms as a rule a lighter specimen than most of 

 them. Late spring frosts are sometimes liable to injure 

 the young shoots. 

 A. Menziesi. — The leaves of this Spruce distinguish it 

 from any other kind, being slender, stiff, and sharp 

 pointed, and of a decidedly glaucous hue. It is quite 

 spiny to handle. This Spruce is of a rather wide- 

 spreading growth, and forms a handsome tree. The 

 loose light brown cones are borne in clusters at the points 

 of the branches, and are then very noticeable. It needs 

 a deep, loamy, moist soil. 

 A. nobilis. — In its North American home this is said to 

 reach 200ft. to 300ft. in height, and being in some 

 instances furnished with branches from bottom to top, it 

 well merits the name of nobilis. In this country it forms 

 a particularly sturdy specimen, with regularly whorled 

 branches. The leaves when young are bright green, but 

 with age they change to a deep glaucous colour, the 

 contrast in the two tints being during the growing season 

 very noticeable. The cones, which are borne upright on 

 the branches, are large and handsome, being quite Gin. 

 long and 2in. in diameter. 

 A. Nordmanniana. — This is nearly related to the 

 common Silver Fir, but at the same time there are manv 

 well-marked points of difference. It forms a handsome 

 specimen, with stiff horizontal wide-spreading branches, 

 clothed with deep glossy green leaves. It is never injured 

 by late spring frosts, and is less particular as to soil and 

 situation than most of the Silver Firs. 



A. Orientalis. — This is somewhat in the way of the 

 common Spruce, but it is altogether a smaller tree, and 

 is much less formal in outline, owing to the drooping 

 character of the minor shoots, which impart considerable 

 grace to a specimen. The leaves being somewhat closely 

 pressed to the stems render the shoots more slender in 

 the Norway Spruce. 



A. llOCtinata. — The common Silver Fir. This occurs in 

 vast numbers in the great forests ol Central Europe, but 

 as a limber tree it is inferior to the Spruce. It forms a 

 tapering tree with rich green foliage, but is less orna- 

 mental than several other species. As a =et oil, however, 

 it will succeed perfectly where many other kinds fail. 



A. Pinsapo. In the Spanish mountains this will reach a 

 height ol 60ft. to 80ft., and in this country it ma) I e 

 planted as a lawn tree. The branches are not Hat as in 

 most ol the Silver Firs, while the leaves, which sland out 

 almost direct from the branches, are stiff and sharp 

 pointed, so that a tree ol this is a spiny subject to 

 touch. 



A. (PiCCa) piingens. — A beautiful North American 

 Spruce, that forms a rather spiral-shaped tree, clothed 

 with deep green foliage. There is a variety (glauca) 

 in which the glaucous colouring is so pronounced 

 that the entire shrub is of a bluish grey tint. This 

 variety forms a charming medium-sized specimen for 

 the lawn, the colour being so distinct and pleasing. 

 It is known as the Colorado Blue Spruce. Argentea 

 is a very beautiful kind also. Blue Spruce is one of 

 the most striking in colour of all Conifers, and when 

 grouped, or even set out singly, its colour is wonder- 

 fully effective, as every shoot is silvered over, a pretty 

 and unusual tone, welcome in the landscape at all limes ; 

 but in winter, when the deciduous trees and shrubs are 

 leafless, then the Silver or Blue Spruce shows up in its 

 true dress. A. pungens is a very hardy Conifer, and to 

 ensure well-coloured forms the shrubs should be raised 

 from seed, as only in this way is it possible to obtain 

 good results. Too frequently the shrubs are grafted upon 

 the common Spruce Fir, but this is a great mistake. 

 One can never get satisfactory results when this practice 

 is followed. 



A. Smithlana. — Tins Himalayan Spruce is qui;e distinct 

 from any other kind, forming a pyramidal specimen, with 

 the points of the brandies and the shoots as pendulous as 

 a Weeping Willow. The cones, which are about bin. 

 long, are Ireelv borne in drooping clusters. This Fir is 

 somewhat liable to be injured by late spring frosts. 



A. Webbiana. — A beautiful Silver Fir from the Hima- 

 layas. It is o robust, sturdy growth, clothed with leaver 

 2in. long, which are deep green above and silver/ under- 

 neath. This latter character is in this species very pro- 

 nounced. It fruits free'v when little more than 12ft. 

 high, the cones being bin. or /in. long, of an intense 

 purple colour, and borne erect on the branches. This 

 Fir is perfectly hardy as fir as the winter's frost is con- 

 cerned, but it starts into growth so early that it often 

 suffers very much in the spring. 



Abies, True {Silver Firs). — A. amabilis, A. balsamea, 

 A. brachyphylla, A. bracteata, A. cephaloniea, A. cilicica, 

 A. concolor and variety violacea, A. firma, A. Fraseri, 

 A. grandis, A. homolepis, A. lasiocarpa, A. Lowiana, 

 A. magnifica, A. Mariesi, A. nobilis, A. Nordmanniana, 

 A. numidica, A. pectinata, A. Pinsapo, A. sachalinensis, 

 A. sibirica, A. Veitchi, A. Webbiana, its variety Pindrow. 



AratlCaria imbrieata. — This is quite distinct from any 

 other tree, and is popularly known as the Monkey Puzzle, 

 which name, from the formidable spin)' character of its 

 foliage, is a particularly appropriate one, or the Chili Pine. 

 In its native country (Chili) it reaches a height of iooff. 

 to 150ft., in which case the top only is furnished with 

 br inches, but here when flourishing it is sometimes met 

 with as a perfect cone, the lower branches sweeping the 

 ground. This Araucaria needs a fairly moist and deep 

 soil ; the female cones form large globular masses at the 

 ends of the branches. This is one of the poorest of trees 

 to plant in gardens near London or any other large town. 

 It is not in the least degree suitable for such positions, as 



