322 JOCEXAL OF THE EOYAE EOETICULTUEAL SOCIETY. 



the past bad season has been against me. Last year we had 

 magnificent cones in abundance, this year we have very few. I 

 shall proceed to say a few words on the failures of the past 

 which should be avoided in future. 



Formation of a Pinetum. — Although, as I have stated, the 

 formation of collections of Conifers, specially for ornamental 

 purposes, was not commenced until the beginning of the present 

 century, the comparatively limited materials at command, and 

 some fatal errors in the preparation of the trees, heavily handi- 

 capped the early planters. First and foremost stood the baneful 

 practice of placing all the most expensive species and varieties 

 in pots. B^ing in those days rather costly, not a fsw remained 

 in this unnatural bondage, until the roots were so completely 

 coiled or corkscrewed that they could not be spread out in a 

 radiating position. Indeed, so chary were old gardeners of the 

 slightest disturbance, that they transferred the balls intact to the 

 ground, in which in due course the roots strangled each other, 

 and the trees died of inanition. Some varieties, notably 

 Cupressus maerocarpa and the Italian Pine, two shy rooters, 

 were invariably planted direct from very small pots. All went 

 well until the memorable winter of 1860-61. which followed the 

 wettest and most sunless summer on record. Thousands of fine 

 specimens on that fatal Christmas morning were doomed ; their 

 owners in almost every instance blaming the elements, which 

 had left the young growth in an immature state at the end of 

 the season. This immaturity no doubt was against the most 

 tender varieties ; but in my own case, when removing deaths 

 the following July, in almost every instance I found the original 

 roots coiled into a solid piece of wood resembling an ovoid foot- 

 ball ; a few roots had struck out, but they were quite incapable 

 of supporting the trees, which must have gone sooner or later. 

 Another pitfall which prevailed extensively some years ago was 

 wholesale grafting, and although still practised in a few difficult 

 cases, like potting it has received its death-blow. Without 

 entering into the wisdom or theory of grafting scions upon 

 suitable stocks, I may say the practice has been greatly abused, 

 and never more so than in working Deodars upon Larch ; or 

 fast-growing, long-lived Californian Silver Firs upon our short- 

 lived European species. The public, in some way or other, will 

 have the trees, as in the case of Picea bracteata, of which only 



