826 JOURNAL OF THE BOTAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



naturally cm the sides of mountains, where the soil is not very 

 deep, bnt top-dressed by the needle-like leaves and gmall branch- 

 lets which tall from them, and, aided by a heavy rainfall, the roots 

 never become dry. Silver Firs, with cones erect, are considered 

 less Li r". 7 :Lan :'_r A":.ir= — ir: rii^r : tu: in my ex- 



perience this tenderness does not extend beyond the early growths 

 which sometimes get nipped by spring frosts. They are not so 

 valuable for economic purposes ; bnt for ornamental planting, 

 =u:L Tirle::r5 a = P. n:::li=. P. i-ani:?. P. ar-iali".:?. P. Ia?:> 

 carpa, P. Nordmanniana, and P. braeteata are simply indis- 

 pensable. These like a deeper, moister, and cooler soil ; bnt on 

 no account must it be wet, as stagnant water soon destroys the 

 roots. Welimgtonias, Taxodium sempervirens. and the Crypto- 

 nerias. :iir lir.er a cirri:: :~5 race. tn;:y Irer all-rial s : :1s. free 

 from stagnant water, but which never dry out ; and the same 

 may be said of Abies Menziesii, a most beautiful glaucous species, 

 quite at home in deep igneous loam, but which positively refuses 

 to touch the limestone marl. 



The Cedars, Pinus insignis, the Junipers, Cypresses. Aran- 

 earias, and Abies Douglasii tasdfolia all grow well on the 

 limestone. The Araucaria, however, owing to the coldness of 

 the limestone, makes slow but perfect growth, requiring two 

 years to complete a single whorl of shoots and commence a new 

 leader. The normal form of Abies Douglasii on the lime does 

 not succeed so well as the yew-leaved variety, but in course of a 

 few years turns yellow, loses its leader, and dies. 



The Japanese Betinosporas are not quite happy when planted 

 in cold, heavy, calcareous loam ; but the introduction of a little 

 peat or igneous soil gives them a start, and well they repay, with 

 their lovely shades of green, grey, and gold, all the attention that 

 is ^"ti :: tiiem. 



A few of the Mexican Pines, introduced by Hartweg, were 

 planted some years ago, and nothing could exceed their beauty 

 up to 1860. All, save P. montezuma? and P. leiophylla, were 

 killed ; these two, with us, weather all storms, but as yet have 

 not borne cones. 



Pinns ayacahuite, belonging to the same group from the 

 higher mountains of Mexico, is a most beautiful tree, resembling 

 an extra long grey-leaved P. strobus. It grows well in a sheltered 

 spot at a considerable altitude. 



