334 



PAEKS AND PLEASUBE-GJROTTNDS. 



or in the open glades of a sheltered forest. We are 

 assured that a quercetum, an aceretum, and various 

 other analogous collections, might be formed, possess- 

 ing great value in themselves, and imparting a decided 

 character to a place which, from its limited extent, or 

 other circumstances, might be naturally uninteresting. 



The pinetum is unquestionably the most important 

 of all the special collections of trees, whether as a 

 member of a general arboretum or as planted by itself; 

 and accordingly it is deservedly receiving increasing 

 attention throughout the country. From the low banks 

 of the Thames to the subalpine slopes of the Gram- 

 pians, it is year after year more frequently planted. 

 This very interesting collection of trees is composed 

 of the natural families of pine, cypress, yew, and other 

 kindred races, or what, in popular, though not very 

 accurate language, are called Conifers. At present, 

 there are in cultivation about twenty hardy genera, 

 and nearly two hundred and eighty distinct species 

 and varieties, which, with the exception of about fif- 

 teen, are evergreen. From a fourth to a third of the 

 whole may be considered sub-hardy in many localities. 

 A number of them are shrubs ; but the most are tall 

 trees, even in this country, and in their native habitats 

 some attain a prodigious altitude. Deducting the low 

 and bushy sorts, there still remain a sufficient number, 

 when one of a species or variety in the extensive gen- 

 era, and one or two in the smaller are employed, espe- 

 cially if well arranged in generic and snbdivisional 

 order, to furnish an evergreen arboretum of several 

 acres, room being allowed for the full development of 

 the trees. 



In order to render our observations intelligible, as 



