ON CONIFERS. 



331 



and continue to improve so long as they do not form too many 

 cones. But why do they produce an immoderate quantity of 

 these ? Why do the leaders hecome shorter as the trees attain 

 size ? Simply because the food essential to their progress is 

 exhausted, and not even a blade of grass, which has taken some- 

 thing, including moisture, out of the soil, is allowed to remain to 

 offend the eye. In woods and undressed grounds natural accu- 

 mulations of decaying matter feed the surface roots, and keep in 

 moisture. What wonder, then, that trees thus planted and fed 

 excel moisture -loving specimens on the half-baked lawn ? The 

 best of all materials for use as a top-dressing undoubtedly is good 

 loam, but almost anything in the way of fresh soil applied 

 in the winter will do good service in preserving the vigour of the 

 trees. Manure, unless it be thoroughly decomposed, should not 

 be used, and leaf mould in any form must be regarded as a deadly 

 fungus-producing poison. The grandest example of frequent 

 additions of fresh soil to the roots may be seen in the poor 

 gravelly grounds at Dropmore. There tons of gravel were taken 

 out for making walks and roads, the soil obtained from the foun- 

 dation of the walks being substituted for the gravel. In the 

 centre of each gravel pit a cone like a haycock was raised. The 

 tree was planted, thin layers of soil were added annually until the 

 pits were filled up, and in this way the venerable Frost reared up 

 some of the finest specimens in the kingdom. 



Selection. — Messrs. Veitch having so thoroughly divided and 

 subdivided the hardy Conifers into sections, I will not take up 

 time and space by enumerating long lists, but will give the names 

 of a few which should be planted wherever the soil and situation 

 are likely to suit them. Taking them alphabetically, my list will 

 run as follows : — 



Abies ajanensis or Alcoguiana 

 ,, Albertiana 

 ,, amabilis 

 ,, bracteata 



canadensis 

 „ cephalonica 

 „ concolor or Lasiocarpa 

 „ Douglasii taxifolia 

 „ Englemanni 

 „ firma 



grandis 

 „ Hookeriana 

 „ Khutrow or Smitliiana 

 ,, Mariesii 



Abies nobilis 



,, Nordmanniana 



,, orientalis 

 Pattoniana 



„ Pinsapo 



„ polita 



„ sachalinensis 



„ tsuga 

 Araucaria imbricata 

 Cedrus atlantica 



argentea 



,, deodara 

 „ ,, robust i 



Libani 



