452 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



the eflfect. It is diflicult to decide the distance apart at which these 

 trees should be planted, much depending on the soil, position, and 

 altitude at which they are grown. A safe average, under ordinary 

 conditions as to soil and situation, would be 20 feet, the standards 

 ultimately left being 40 feet apart ; thus giving, in the majority of 

 instances, ample room for the spread of branches (Trans. E-oy. Scot. 

 Arb. Soc. xii. pt. 2). 



Quite recently (April 1890), a German writer, Dr. Heinrich Mayr, 

 has published several articles in the Garden and Forest upon our 

 Cone-bearers, notably one upon this tree, which in Germany is called 

 "Douglasia," He writes at length about its desirable qualities and 

 its cultivability. He declares that the Douglasia will become the Larch 

 of the plains and lowlands of Germany. This is saying much in its 

 praise where the Larch is so highly valued as it is in Germany. 



The tree in cultivation maintains its disposition to vary greatly, and 

 the Doctor writes : ' ' Where it is heaviest, it comes nearest to Larch ; 

 but when lightest it is the equal of any Fir, Spruce, or Pine." 



Second only to the Germans are the French, Belgians, Austrians, 

 Swiss, Italians, and English in their appreciation and utilisation of 

 the Douglas Spruce, while large quantities of the seeds are exported 

 yearly to Australia and New Zealand (J. G. Lemmon). 



Pseudofsuga Douglasii is to be found in Danish parks and gardens, 

 at an age of from thirty to forty years, and some trees measure 

 50 feet and more in height. * 



In South Norway they are to be found nearly 50 feet high. In 

 Sweden the Douglas Fir has done well at Stockholm. It seems as if 

 it will also succeed at St. Petersburg. 



P. D. Stairii, hort. Tsuga Douglasii Stairii, hort. Abies 

 Douglasii Stairii, hort. 



This distinct, pretty variety, which originated at Castle Kennedy, 

 the Earl of Stair's seat in Wigtownshire, Scotland, is almost white in 

 spring. It assumes a colour approaching the type in summer, and a 

 silvery tint in autumn, and generally loses its leaves before the next 

 season's growth appears, sometimes even before winter commences. 

 It is of a dwarfish habit, and is a unique specimen for the lawn. 

 It was described in the Gardeners' Chronicle, Nov. 18, 1871, and in 

 the Garden, Nov. 23, 1872, as a veritable silver or almost pure white 

 Spruce. 



P. D. Standishiana, Gord. This very remarkable variety was 

 first observed by Mr. Standish in his nursery at Bagshot, growing 

 amongst some seedling F. Douglasii raised from English-saved seed, 



* A flagstaff of Pseudotsuga Douglasii is erected near the Temperate 

 House in the Eoyal Gardens, Kew. It came from Vancouver's Island, and 

 was presented to the Eoyal Gardens in 1861 by Edward Stamp, Esq. It is 

 159 feet high (about 12 feet being underground), and weighs 4 tons 8 cwt. 

 2 qrs. Age about 250 years. Circumference at ground-level about 4| feet. 



