tHE CONIFER^ OF JAPAN. 



3S 



Tortworth, in the Kentish rag at Linton, and in the Wealden 

 clay at Warnham Court. 



I have already detained you so long that the remaining 

 Japanese Conifers must be briefly disposed of. Juniperus rigida 

 is one of the best of Jumpers for ornamental planting when it is 

 free from the attacks of red-spider, for, unfortunately, this proviso 

 must be added. Two coloured dwarf forms oi Juniperus chmensiSf 

 brought from Japan by J. Gould Veitch and named respectively 

 aurea and aureo-variegata, have proved constant. The Taxada 

 include some useful and distinct forms, notably the fastigiate 

 variety of Cephalotaxus ]jedunculata and Torreya dric]pacea, 

 which has in places adapted itself to our climate better than any 

 other Torreya. The Japanese Yew is distinct from all the seminal 

 varieties of the common Yew, but perhaps not quite so generally 

 hardy. 



The foregoing is necessarily an imperfect sketch of the 

 Japanese Coniferse, because I am unwilling to encroach further 

 upon the available time of this Conference, and because the field 

 of observation has been a limited one — a deficiency, I trust, that 

 will in a great measure be made good in the reports which the 

 owners of Pineta and amateurs of Coniferse have been invited to 

 furnish. Nevertheless, some general conclusions may be arrived 

 at which may be thus summarised : — 



The whole of the Conifer^e of Japan indigenous to that 

 country between the 35th and 40th parallels are available for 

 the British Arboretum under certain restrictions, chiefly of soil 

 and situation. 



The members of the Fir and Pine tribe grow generally in a 

 greater variety of soils and situations than those of the other 

 tribes, and with them may be associated the Cryptomeria and 

 its varieties. 



The members of the Cypress tribe, especially the Eetinospora 

 group, and the Taxads are more capricious. The Eetinosporas 

 only thrive under the conditions already mentioned. 



The most restricted at present is the Sciadopitys, but this 

 requires a more extended trial. 



The general hardiness of the Japanese Coniferss mast ever 

 make them valuable in this country for ornamental planting, 

 and the variety of form and colour to be found among them 

 must always render them favourites with all who plant for effect. 



D 



