ORNAMENTAL CONIFERS IN THE LOWER THAMES VALLEY. ] 09 



yet in their infancy, is already one of the great beauties of the Royal 

 Gardens. 



Cham^ecyparis [Lawson Cypress, &o.]. 



Although enormous quantities of these trees have been planted in the 

 suburbs of London (what suburban garden is without one ?), yet it is 

 very rare to find a single good specimen 20 ft. high. Such good trees 

 do exist, but they cannot constitute one per cent, of those planted. This 

 general failure must be, in part, attributed to the fact that these trees 

 lend themselves to propagation in other ways than by seeds. To save 

 time, or to keep them true to name, nurserymen have had recourse to 

 these other means, and have distributed vast numbers of such plants, 

 hardly any of which could, under the most favourable circumstances, 

 have ever made really good trees. 



Even when raised from seed their behaviour is eccentric until they are 

 about ten to twelve years old. I believe the aridity of the air in the lower 

 Thames Valley during the early summer is detrimental to this section ; 

 not unfrequently they will present a seared and unhappy look until quite 

 late autumn, when the damp airs bring about a recovery. In the softer 

 climate of Bournemouth they thrive much better. 



Raised from seed much variety is apparent, and the number of garden 

 forms is becoming bewildering. 



C. Fraseri behaves mere like a species than a garden form, and in 

 some soils will thrive well where no other form will do more than linger. 

 In my garden I have never had a single Fraseri "look back," much less 

 die or become unsightly, and I have never seen a specimen out of health 

 anywhere. From this I take it that this tree is of great vitality and 

 should be extensively planted in gardens even by those who have been 

 disappointed with other forms of Chamceeyparis. 



C. nutkaensis is especially disappointing in this district. 



C. Lawsoniana lutea is a glorious garden tree where it will do well ; 

 but this is only in favoured places. 



In some places about Sunningdale all forms of Lawson Cypress 

 luxuriate. In Messrs. Noble's nursery I saw some unique specimens of 

 €. L. erecta viridis, and others, perfect trees in every respect and a delight 

 to look upon. 



C. macrocarpa and var. lutea are both lovely trees in a small state. 

 I have never seen fully grown trees. Both are difficult to move, and 

 neither is of any use for the London area. 



Retinosporas. 



Unfortunately these beautiful trees are no use within the smoke-fog 

 area. In a few years their beauty is gone ; they become bare below, and 

 thin ; the wind whistles through them, and they look more like scarecrows 

 than things of beauty. 



11. obtusa stands best, and some of the dwarf varieties (nana See.) 

 will endure for a long time ; it is not, however, life and growth, but 

 rather death delayed for too long, that we witness. 



I do not know if these trees have been planted in gardens outside the 



