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Publications of Interest to Agriculturists. 
The proceedings were opened by Dr. Maxwell T. Masters, F.R.S., 
with an address on “Some Features of Interest in the Order of 
Conifers.” He mentioned the fact that, with the exception of the 
Scotch Fir, the Yew, and the J uniper, no species of Conifer is wild 
in Great Britain, and that as a consequence we are, and always 
have been, largely dependent on foreign supplies. It appears that 
our earliest records of the introduction of exotic species only extend 
back to the sixteenth century. It is known, however, that the 
Norway Spruce, the Cypress which grew in Gerard’s garden, the 
Arbor Vi he, and the Stone Pine were in cultivation prior to 1548, 
and had probably been introduced much earlier. The Pinaster was 
known in this country in 1596, the Larch in 1629, and the Cedar of 
Lebanon in 1664, shortly before the time of the Great Fire of London. 
The Balsam Fir and various Atlantic- American species were intro- 
duced through the agency of Bishop Compton, whilst John Evelyn 
is credited with the introduction of the so-called Red Cedar, Juni- 
perus virginiana. Between 1827 and 1833 the Douglas Fir, the 
Lambert Pine, the Menzies Spruce, and other now well-known trees 
were sent home by Douglas, and simultaneously the Deodar was 
introduced from the Himalayas. The useful Austrian Pine came 
into our country in 1835 from South-east Europe. In the following 
decade Hartweg introduced numerous species, amongst them the 
Redwood, Sequoia sempervirens. In 1850 the Weilingtonia, 
Sequoia gigantea, first made its appearance in our island. 
“ Conifers for Economic Planting ” is the title of a paper by 
Mr. A. H. Webster, who regards it as a strange fact that out of 
nearly 250 species of coniferous trees that have been introduced 
into Britain only 16, so far as is at present known, can be utilised 
in an economic sense, or for truly profitable planting. Equally 
remarkable is it that, with perhaps one exception, the very trees 
the timber of which is imported so largely into this kingdom for 
constructive purposes have received but little attention at the 
hands of the British planter, being found unsuitable in one way or 
another for extensive planting in almost every part of the country. 
The 16 trees which the author, as the result of long personal experi- 
ence, is disposed to confidently recommend for profitable planting — 
as distinguished from cultivation for ornamental purposes — in 
almost any part of the British Isles are the following, the order in 
which they are named denoting their relative values as timber- 
producers : — 
1. Larcb, larix europma. 
2. Silver Fir, Abies pectinata . 
3. Corsican Pine, Pinus Laricio. 
4. Douglas Fir, Pseudotsuga Douglasii. 
5. Weymouth Pine, Pinus Strolus. 
6. Scotch Pine, Pinus silvestris. 
7. Giant Arbor Vitae, Thuya gigantea. 
8. Norway Spruce, Abies excelsa. 
9. Austrian Pine, Pinas austriaca. 
10. Cluster or Maritime Pine, Pinus Pinaster. 
