18 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIEl'V. 



tliat, as was stated in the beginning, we have to deal with a most 

 wonderful group of plants — one the importance of which to 

 mankind is hardly second to any other ; one with few or any 

 superiors in interest, beauty, majesty or stature; one which 

 supplies numerous links in the evolutionary chain connecting our 

 present times with those periods when the foundations of the 

 globe were laid ; one which has had its share in making the 

 world what it was in the past, and what it is in the present, 

 whilst, so far as we are permitted to see, its influence will be no 

 less potent in the future. 



THE CONIFERS OF JAPAN. 



By Mr. Haeey J. Veitch, F.L.S., F.R.H.S. 



In the programme of to-day's proceedings, the Council of the 

 Eoyal Horticultural Society have assigned to me the subject of 

 " Japanese, Chinese, and Californian Conifers," which covers a 

 wide field for discussion, so wide indeed that, extending over two 

 of the richest coniferous regions of the world, abundant subject- 

 matter can easily be found for a separate paper on each. To 

 attempt, therefore, to bring under review within a limited time so 

 many objects of interest that have originated in the countries 

 named, must necessarily result in a very imperfect rendering of 

 the task assigned ; for this reason I have preferred to confine my 

 remarks to the Conifers of Japan. Moreover, I have an especial 

 interest in these Conifers from the circumstance that the greater 

 number of them were introduced to British gardens by our firm, 

 through my brother, the late John Gould Veitch ; all the intro- 

 duced species and varieties have been since cultivated at our 

 Coombe Wood Nursery, and have thence been long under direct 

 observation. 



With the" view of bringing the subject before you in a con- 

 nected form, I propose first to sketch the history of the discovery 

 of the Japanese Conifers, then to compare the geographical 

 positions and climates of Japan and Great Britain, and lastly 

 to pass in review the species and varieties according to their 

 tribes as seen in Japan and as we see them in Great Britain, 

 noting instances where, and the conditions under which, they are 

 found to thrive satisfactorily in our country. 



